Rios went from two homers as a Florida International sophomore to 18 (fourth in NCAA Division I) as a junior, slugging his way into the sixth round of the 2015 Draft. Consistently productive throughout his pro career, he posted the best numbers of his career in 2019, including 31 homers and a .915 OPS in Triple-A. He also earned his first big league callup and went deep four times in 47 at-bats.
Rios' solid bat speed and the strength and leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame give him well above-average raw power to all fields from the left side of the plate. He has the hand-eye coordination to hit for average as well, though he has gotten more power-conscious and struck out more often since arriving in Triple-A. He does plenty of damage against southpaws and could be a 30-homer threat in the big leagues if he gets regular playing time.
Though Rios is diligent with his conditioning, he lacks quickness and much value outside of the batter's box. He has solid arm strength and has spent most of his pro career at third base, but he lacks range there and the game speeds up on him there. His best position is first base, where he spent most of his time during his big league debut, and he has shown limited range when he has seen action on the outfield corners.
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 20 | Arm: 55 | Field: 40 | Overall: 45
Rios surged from two homers as a Florida International sophomore to 18 (fourth in NCAA Division I) as a junior in 2015, spurring the Dodgers to select him in the sixth round. He has been one of the system's most productive hitters ever since, slamming 61 homers in his first three full seasons despite missing two months in 2018 with an oblique injury. He stood out with a huge spring in big league camp in 2018, but that still couldn't change the fact that he's blocked in Los Angeles with Max Muncy and Justin Turner at his two best positions.
Thanks to his strength and solid bat speed, Rios provides left-handed power to all fields and does damage against both southpaws and right-handers. Though he's extremely aggressive and his strikeout rate rose from 21 percent in 2017 to 32 percent last year when he tried to do too much to make up for lost time, his hand-eye coordination generally allows him to make repeated hard contact. He never has walked much but is capable of batting .250 with 25 homers if he gets regular at-bats in the big leagues.
Though Rios works hard to maintain his conditioning, his lack of speed and quickness limit his value on the bases and in the field. He has spent the majority of his pro career at third base and has enough arm strength for the position, but he has limited range and has been prone to errors there. His best position is first base and he can play an adequate left field but doesn't cover much ground.
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 20 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50
Rios went from two homers as a Florida International sophomore to 18 (fourth in NCAA Division I) as a junior in 2015, and his power surge propelled him into the sixth round. He has continued to mash as a pro, smacking 51 homers in his first two full seasons while reaching Triple-A. Unfortunately for him, he's blocked by All-Stars Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner at his two best positions.
With strength and solid bat speed, the left-handed-hitting Rios creates power to all fields that plays against both lefties and righties. Though he's very aggressive and doesn't have much of a gameplan at the plate, his hand-eye coordination allows him to make consistent hard contact. He may never walk much, but he can hit for power and average.
Rios has a strong arm but lacks speed and quickness and thus defensive value. He spent most of his first two years as a pro at third base but had limited range and was error-prone. He works hard enough to become adequate at first base, where he saw more action in 2017, when he also looked better than expected if not particularly rangy on the outfield corners.
Rios ranked fourth in NCAA Division I in 2015 with 18 homers after hitting just two the year before. His power outburst got him drafted in the sixth round that June and has carried over to pro ball. He ranked second in the Dodgers system with 27 homers in 2016, his first full pro season, and he had four multi-homer games in a 16-day period shortly after his promotion to high Class A in June.
From the left side of the plate, Rios generates power to all fields. He does it more with strength than bat speed and has shaky plate discipline, so it remains to be seen how his pop will play against upper-level pitching. His long swing and overly aggressive approach limit his ability to hit for average and get on base.
Rios played all over the infield at Florida International, mostly at first base in his Draft year. He spent the majority of his first two pro seasons at third base, showing the necessary arm strength but also a lack of range while committing 23 errors in 82 games. Though Los Angeles credits him with making progress with his defense and conditioning, he almost certainly will wind up at first base.
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 20 | Arm: 55 | Field: 40 | Overall: 45
After hitting just two home runs as a Florida International sophomore, Rios smacked 18 as a junior to rank fourth in NCAA Division I in 2015. His power surge got him drafted in the sixth round and has continued in pro ball, as he delivered four multi-homer games in a 16-day span shortly after his promotion to high Class A midway through his first full season.
If Rios makes it to the big leagues, his left-handed pop will be what gets him there. He generates power to all fields, albeit more with strength and loft than bat speed, and some scouts wonder how it will play against better pitching at upper levels. His long swing and aggressive approach are not conducive to posting high batting averages or on-base percentages.
Mostly a first baseman as a Golden Panthers junior, Rios played all over the infield and has gotten the majority of his pro action at third base. He has the arm strength for the hot corner, but he lacks quickness and range and has been error-prone early in his pro career. He likely will become a full-time first baseman in the future.
