The Tigers are in settlement with first-round draftee Bryce Rainer on a $5.8MM bonus, reviews Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com (X hyperlink). That’s narrowly above the approximate $5.71MM slot worth for the eleventh total decide.
A 6’3″ highschool shortstop from Southern California, Rainer had been dedicated to the College of Texas. He was the second prep participant off the board — Pittsburgh chosen Konnor Griffin at #9 — in a college-heavy first spherical. Rainer was arguably the highest highschool expertise within the class. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel ranked the lefty-hitting infielder as the very best excessive schooler and the #6 draft prospect total. He ranked ninth or tenth on pre-draft rankings at FanGraphs, Baseball America and on Keith Legislation’s listing at The Athletic.
Evaluators credit score Rainer with the potential for plus energy and the prospect to stay on the left facet of the infield. Scouting reviews universally reward his glorious arm power which might play at third base even when he outgrows shortstop. There’s some trepidation about his hit instrument — Legislation notes that Rainer doesn’t have nice bat velocity and hasn’t dealt with plus velocity properly — however there’s clearly important upside if Rainer sticks at shortstop and may faucet into 20+ homer energy yearly.
Detroit has 5 prospects in Baseball America’s most up-to-date High 100 replace, together with three gamers (Jackson Jobe, Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle) within the prime 30. Rainer won’t instantly leap into the higher half of that listing, however he provides one other high-upside expertise to the farm system.
