MLB Draft Profile- Bryce Rainer

At Draft Nation, the MLB draft talk never ends. We will get you ready for the 2024 draft with player profiles and mock drafts so you can see who your favorite team may add to their roster. 

Today’s Spotlight - Harvard-Westlake High School (CA), IF, Bryce Rainer

Name- Bryce Rainer

Bats/Throws- L/R

Pos- IF

Team- Harvard-Westlake High School (CA)

HT/WT- 6’3” 195 lbs

Born- 7/3/2005

Home – Simi Valley, CA

Rainer is a utility player and pitcher out of Harvard-Westlake High School in California. The Texas commit has had an impressive high school career as a two-way player, and has scouts excited with his versatility and well-rounded profile. He plays mostly shortstop, but can handle most any position on the field with his athleticism.

Strengths

• Arm Strength
• Power
• Defensive Range
• Versatility
• Elite 2-Way Player

Rainer is an athletic, but physical infielder and projects to stay on the dirt as a pro. Defensively, he has an outstanding glove on the left side of the infield and one of the best infield arms in the draft class. Offensively, he has plus raw power at the plate with a lefty swing built to lift the ball. His versatility and arm strength give his defense tons of value.

Weaknesses

• Inconsistency
• Too Much Swing and Miss
• Experience

Rainer has been a bit inconsistent at times as he has encountered streaks of swing and miss through the years. But with a solid approach and some pro experience, scouts hope the whiffs will diminish. He also lacks experience because he is so young, but his versatility and well-rounded profile give him a high floor.

Bryce Rainer is one of the best high school players in this draft. He is a decorated two-way player with true potential as both a position player and at pitcher. Offensively, he brings good bat speed and solid power. Defensively, Rainer projects to play left side of the infield as a pro, likely staying at shortstop unless he grows and is forced to the third base spot. His great arm strength and impressive glove give him gold-glove potential.

On the mound, Rainer's fastball works up to 97 mph with some arm side run. He pairs this with a curveball, slider combo. Both pitches are in the mid-70's and have two-plane movement, the curve moving more vertically than the slider. He also has a changeup which is his least used pitch by far. 

Rainer's future is still uncertain, but scouts are leaning towards him becoming an infielder at the next level rather than a pitcher. Draft Nation projects him as a top-15 selection this year.

Draft Nation Projection- First round pick top 10