Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

It was still up in the air where Rainer would land as a pro heading into his senior year at Harvard-Westlake. He played both ways in summer showcases and for USA Baseball’s 18U National Team, and some scouts leaned toward his work on the mound, where he was capable of firing mid-90s fastballs. However, Rainer expressed a desire to hit and backed that up by improving in most facets as an offensive player, showing off better power and speed at a loaded National High School Invitational. He climbed up Draft boards as a result and went to the Tigers as the 11th overall pick with a $5.8 million bonus.

Rainer most impressed scouts as an amateur by using added strength from his 6-foot-3 frame and a tightened swing to drive the ball as a left-handed hitter. There can still be length in his movements in the box, and a bat wrap gave evaluators some pause. But everything was trending in the right direction, as evidenced by him having the NHSI’s top four exit velocities last April. A solid approach helped the belief that he could be an above-average hitter in time as he continues to try to get the most out of that loud contact.

The California native’s arm strength that made him such an interesting pitching prospect is a huge asset in the field. The Tigers had some notable shortstop prospects already at the lower levels -- namely Kevin McGonigle and Franyerber Montilla -- but some in the organization came away thinking Rainer is Detroit’s player of the future at the position. Improved speed in high school should help his chances to stick, but if his size portends a move to third base, he could be plus there as well. Rainer's first full season came to an early end in June when he underwent right shoulder surgery, but he lived up to the hype before that at Single-A Lakeland.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

Before the 2024 high school season began, people looked at Rainer as an exciting two-way player. The Harvard-Westlake standout showed off skills in the box and on the mound during the summer showcase circuit and performed double duty for USA Baseball’s 18U team in international competition. The consensus was that while Rainer seemed to want to hit, scouts thought he had tremendous upside on the mound, albeit shown in smaller samples. The Rainer who showed up for his senior season, however, was bigger, stronger and faster. He was the best player at the National High School Invitational this spring, and while he still pitched a little, he vaulted himself to the top half of the Draft as a position player. The Tigers were happy to take him 11th overall and signed him to a $5.8 million bonus.

Rainer has a ton of tools in all directions. At 6-foot-3 and listed at 195 pounds, he has a strong and projectable body. While his swing used to get long at times, with a tendency to wrap the bat behind his head, a stronger Rainer has shown the ability to make consistently hard contact from the left side of the plate. He had the top four exit velocities at the NHSI in April and has shown he can drive the ball to all fields. He sticks to a game plan and rarely chases or strikes out, allowing him to tap into what could be plus power in the future.

There are no longer questions about where he might play defensively. He ran and moved better at shortstop over the summer than some expected, a trend that continued this spring, recording plus run times occasionally and showing he has every chance to stick at the premium position. His easily plus arm that fires mid-90s fastballs from the mound (with a good breaking ball) works from all parts of the infield, and if for some reason he had to move to third, he could be a Gold Glove-caliber defender there. Like most big left-handed-hitting shortstops, the Texas recruit has garnered some Corey Seager comps.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 60

Before the 2024 high season began, people looked at Rainer as an exciting two-way player. The Harvard-Westlake standout showed off skills in the box and on the mound during the summer showcase circuit and performed double duty for USA Baseball’s 18U team in international competition. The consensus was that while Rainer seemed to want to hit, scouts thought he had tremendous upside on the mound, albeit shown in smaller samples. The Rainer who showed up for his senior season, however, was bigger, stronger and faster. He was the best player at the National High School Invitational this spring and while he still pitches a little, he’s vaulted himself to the top half of the Draft as a position player.

Rainer has a ton of tools in all directions. At 6-foot-3 and listed at 195 pounds, he has a strong and projectable body. While his swing used to get long at times, with a tendency to wrap the bat behind his head, a stronger Rainer has shown the ability to make consistently hard contact from the left side of the plate. He had the top four exit velocities at the NHSI in April and has shown he can drive the ball to all fields. He sticks to a game plan and doesn’t chase or strike out, allowing him to tap into what could be plus power in the future.

There are no longer questions about where he might play defensively. He ran and moved better at shortstop over the summer than some expected, a trend that continued this spring, recording plus run times occasionally and showing he has every chance to stick at the premium position. His easily plus arm that fires mid-90s fastballs from the mound (with a good breaking ball) works from all parts of the infield and if for some reason he had to move to third, he could be a Gold Glove caliber defender there. Like most big left-handed hitting shortstops, the Texas recruit has garnered some Corey Seager comps, and there’s a good chance he lands in the top half of the first round. 

Awards

FSL Player of the Week

Week	Team
04/27/2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/06/2025	Lakeland Flying Tigers activated SS Bryce Rainer from the full-season injured list.
	06/19/2025	Lakeland Flying Tigers placed SS Bryce Rainer on the full-season injured list.
	06/19/2025	Lakeland Flying Tigers placed SS Bryce Rainer on the full-season injured list.
	06/09/2025	Lakeland Flying Tigers placed SS Bryce Rainer on the 7-day injured list.
	04/04/2025	SS Bryce Rainer assigned to Lakeland Flying Tigers from FCL Tigers.
	03/06/2025	activated SS Bryce Rainer.
	08/05/2024	SS Bryce Rainer assigned to FCL Tigers.
	07/22/2024	Detroit Tigers signed SS Bryce Rainer.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated SS Bryce Rainer.
	06/03/2024	SS Bryce Rainer assigned to College Workout.
	01/30/2024	SS Bryce Rainer assigned to High School Workout.
	09/13/2023	3B Bryce Rainer assigned to High School Workout.
	08/16/2023	3B Bryce Rainer assigned to High School Workout.
	07/06/2023	American activated 3B Bryce Rainer.
	08/24/2022	SS Bryce Rainer assigned to USA Baseball 18U National Team.
	02/03/2022	Visiting Team activated SS Bryce Rainer.
	02/03/2022	SS Bryce Rainer assigned to Visiting Team.