On paper there is much to like about Bryce Rainer. The 19-year-old from Southern California’s Harvard-Westlake High School is a 6-foot-3 shortstop who moves with grace. He is a fast runner with the ability to throw across the infield at upward of 90 mph. He swings left-handed, judges the strike zone, makes good contact and has the potential to grow into more power.
There are comparisons to Corey Seager, the Rangers shortstop with a similar frame who happens to be one of the best hitters in the sport. And of course, there are more draft night buzzwords: intangibles and character and projectability. Those are all things that made Detroit Tigers executives thrilled when Rainer fell to them at the No. 11 pick in this year’s MLB Draft, even when many experts expected him to come off the board sooner.
There’s a lot to like about Rainer in real life, too. Like when he joined a video call with reporters about an hour after his selection. He began the call, discussing the biggest night of his young life, on mute.
Eventually, problem solved, he launched into an eloquent description of the moment he found out he was going to be a Detroit Tiger.
“It was kind of like all the Christmases growing up all put into one,” he said. “I’m still kind of in a state of shock. It still doesn’t really feel real.”
As he continued on, talking about Santa Claus, he came across as highly genuine, perfectly unpolished and blessed with just the right dash of awkwardness.
His phone was blowing up. He declined one call, and it led to his disconnecting from the video meeting.
“I don’t know why that keeps happening,” he said upon reconnecting. “Jiminy Christmas.”
Unpretentious as he came across, Rainer attended a storied high school that has produced such major-league players as Brennan Boesch, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Max Fried, Lucas Giolito and current Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty. In his senior season, he hit .505 with four home runs. He walked 28 times and struck out only 14.
“When you’re picking at 11, you never know for sure how the board is going to unfold,” Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg said. “We were hopeful he would be there and extremely excited when he was. … A really unique opportunity to bring in an impact athlete with a really unique combination of size, athleticism, the way he moves with that physical package, a left-handed bat at a premium position up the middle. When we talk about trying to find foundational traits that we want to build around, Bryce brings so many of those things to the table.”
The sweet home run swing of Bryce Rainer (and a bonus 2b), at 500 FPS , SS/RHP from Harvard Westlake. Big day at the plate with three hits in HW’s 7-0 win over St. Francis. #2 ranked Prospect in the state, committed to @TexasBaseball. #MLBDraft@PG_scouting @PG_draft @hwbaseball pic.twitter.com/5Q0HHCCom0
— Perfect Game California (@California_PG) March 6, 2024
Rainer is also highly accomplished in elite travel circuits. He displayed improved contact skills over the past year and made small mechanical adjustments that jolted him into the upper portion of the first round. He played for Team USA’s 18U club and faced international competition.
He also grew up a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom the Tigers beat in walk-off fashion Saturday and Sunday in Detroit.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t watching both games and was wondering how in the hell the Dodgers lost both of those games,” Rainer said. “But I think I’m gonna have to change my point of view on that now.”
Late Sunday night, Tigers executives spoke about selecting Rainer. And though they did not get specific about the level of surprise when Rainer fell to pick No. 11, it is not difficult to envision the draft room being thrilled when they learned he would be available. Assistant general manager Rob Metzler gave credit across the organization for the preparation that went into draft night.
“To answer the question about surprises, I think we prepared to be surprised,” Metzler said. “And the outcome came out very positive for us.”
Some talent evaluators, including The Athletic’s Keith Law, considered Bryce Rainer the best prep infielder in this draft class. (Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Rainer, a University of Texas signee, alluded to receiving calls from other teams Sunday night. The slot-valued signing bonus for the No. 11 pick is $5,712,100. Tigers officials would not comment on any pending agreement with Rainer, but the player indicated he is likely to sign an overslot deal with the club.
“You could assume that,” Rainer said. “Earlier in the draft there were some underslots, there were some slots. Everyone’s draft is hectic. … Crazy things happened. I got some phone calls. Not going to go into detail about what was discussed in those. But I would say, yeah, you could assume that.”
Regardless of the financials, the Tigers are getting a player some evaluators, including The Athletic’s Keith Law, considered the best prep infielder in this 2024 draft class.
“Rainer’s got power, with good loft in his swing to drive the ball to all fields,” Law wrote, “but it’s not great bat speed and he’s struggled when facing above-average velocity. Everybody throws hard these days, so he’s going to have to find a way to catch up to it as he enters pro ball.”
Rainer’s arm strength sizzles to the point where he was scouted heavily as a pitcher or two-way player, though the Tigers are viewing him strictly as a position player. Scouting director Mark Conner said he believes Rainer will have “every opportunity” to remain at shortstop. If true, and if the bat plays as the Tigers expect, Rainer could represent a long-awaited solution to the Tigers’ long-term void at shortstop. Paired with 2023 first-rounder Max Clark, the Tigers will have two dynamic, athletic young stars budding in the lower levels of their minor-league system.
“One of the things that improved a ton was his defense,” Conner said. “He is a big body, smooth mover, and just the jump he took from one year to another of the defensive work was a huge jump.”
Next, Rainer will begin the indoctrination. That will mean learning more about the Tigers and their organization. Asked Sunday night if he knew the location of the Tigers’ spring training complex, Rainer laughed.
“I know they’re in Florida,” he said “I would guess about the city, but I don’t want to say it and get it wrong.”
Informed the Tigers are based in Lakeland, Rainer grinned and said: “That’s exactly what I was gonna say.”
Lakeland will soon be his next stop.
The middle of the diamond in Detroit will be waiting.
Two more selections
The Tigers had two more draft picks Sunday night. With the 49th overall pick, they selected right-handed pitcher Owen Hall from Edmond (Okla.) North High School. Hall is known best for his high arm slot and high-spin fastball.
“His arm strength, but arm life and ability to spin the ball and use a changeup were very advanced for his class,” Metzler said. “We felt like he was in a really good position to develop as a starting pitcher because of all the things he could do with the ball, along with the power, the body type, arm action, delivery, all those ingredients we thought summed up to a really good starting pitching prospect.”
With the 72nd pick, the Tigers drafted left-handed pitcher Ethan Schiefelbein from Corona (Calif.) High School.
“I think probably the first attribute that sticks out is his ability to spin the ball,” Metzler said. “I think there’s really good starting pitching projection there, as well. Again, a good athlete, good delivery, good strike-thrower. And then the fastball — we saw power to the fastball as well this spring.”
(Top photo: Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)
