Bryce Rainer Scouting Report

Bryce Rainer Scouting Report

Background: Bryce Rainer was a well-known prospect as early as his freshman year, though he was generally viewed as a future pitcher at the time. He attended Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, California, the alma mater of Brennan Boesch, Jack Flaherty, and Max Fried, among others. Rainer focused on hitting for the next few seasons, though he would still pitch in relief, and was considered one of the best high-school prospects in his draft class.

He was only so-so as a hitter on the showcase circuit between his junior and senior years, playing a variety of defensive positions and showing a swing that appeared a bit long and slow. But he transformed his profile the following spring, looking more agile and athletic on defense, and showing a shorter, quicker swing in the batter’s box. The Detroit Tigers selected him 11th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, paying him a slightly over-slot bonus of $5.8 million.

Physical Description: Rainer looks the part of a big leaguer, with a listed height and weight of 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds. There’s room for him to add muscle and strength as he matures, but his hips and shoulders aren’t particularly wide, so there’s a solid chance he won’t outgrow shortstop.

Hit: 45

Rainer uses a relatively simply operation at the plate, with a minimal load and a moderate stride before firing his hips through the zone. He shows good rotational athleticism, and his current swing is built for line drives up the middle and to left center. He’ll need to work on his hand speed a bit to pull the ball more frequently. He recognizes spin and shows a strong eye at the plate, rarely leaving the zone, and showing patience that even borders on passivity at times.

Power: 55

Rainer already shows easy plus raw power, and it’s not hard to project more than that as he grows into his body. He has enough pop to leave any part of the yard, but because his swing is geared for opposite-field contact his in-game power numbers are likely to be closer to average. He may ultimately be more of a doubles machine than a big-time home run hitter.

Run: 50

Rainer can spin his wheels out of the batter’s box, showing home-to-first times in the 4.3 second range. But he’s a plus runner once he gets going. He has been clocked at under 6.6 seconds in the 60-yard dash.

Defense: 55

Rainer isn’t a quick-twitch athlete, but he shows solid first-step quickness, graceful movements, a good ability to bend, and the soft hands necessary to handle shortstop. He may not have plus range, but his extremely strong arm should help mitigate that a bit.

Arm: 70

Rainer owns a true railgun for an arm. It’s an easy plus-plus weapon that allowed him to regularly throw mid-90s fastballs from the mound. He can make every throw at shortstop, and it will be more than enough arm should he have to move to third base.

Overall: Bryce Rainer has legitimate superstar potential. Hit tool questions may ultimately prevent him from reaching his MVP-level ceiling, but he has the supporting tools to carve out a solid pro career somewhere on the left side of the infield. And even if he falls flat on offense, Rainer still offers a moderate floor as a power-armed pitcher with a feel for spinning the ball.