Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Rivera was a solid high school prospect at IMG Academy in Florida, but a knee issue and his commitment to play for the Gators knocked him down to the 22nd round. He was never able to quite put it all together at Florida until this spring, his fourth with the Gators, with a consistent performance on both sides of the ball leading him to rise up Draft boards in a hurry.

For his first three seasons at Florida (the first cut short by the pandemic), Rivera didn’t produce much, if at all, offensively, and dealt with arm issues in 2022. This year, though, he’s been healthy and shown he can impact the ball a lot more effectively. He’s not necessarily a pure hitter, with a bit of an unbalanced setup at the plate, but he’s been barreling up the ball all spring, with an advanced approach that has led to very few strikeouts and a healthy walk rate. All of that has enabled him tap into his raw power consistently.

While he isn’t overly rangy, scouts do think Rivera has the chance to stick at shortstop. He’s good to his glove side and will make the everyday play consistently, but he won’t be flashy. Some think that, plus his arm being a little short, might make him a better fit for second base or perhaps a super-utility role. But his big step forward with the bat has made him one of the higher-profile seniors in the class.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

The highest-ranked member of Florida's 2019 recruiting class to make it to Gainesville, Rivera could have factored in the top five rounds had he been signable. He did little offensively in his first three years with the Gators or with wood bats in the Cape Cod League, then broke out with 19 homers to help Florida reach the College World Series finals in 2022. He proceeded to High-A almost immediately after turning pro as a third-rounder and slashed .250/.320/.402 in 25 games. Rivera was aggressively pushed to Double-A Tennessee for his first full season but struggled (in part due to a low BABIP) before being traded to the Blue Jays in late July in a deal for Nate Pearson.

Rivera developed more patience and hit the ball significantly harder in 2023 than he had previously. He always had displayed a quick right-handed swing and he did a better job of keeping it on plane, allowing him to drive the ball with authority to all fields. He has the upside of a .260 hitter with 15-20 homers per season, but he’ll need to do a better job against upper-level pitching to get there.

Rivera plays quicker than his average speed thanks to his instincts. More steady than spectacular at shortstop, he has decent range and solid arm strength. The Jays like his defense at the six and are hopeful they can squeeze enough offense out of their acquisition with more exposure to the upper levels.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45 

Rivera could have been a top-five-rounds pick as a Florida high school infielder in 2019 if not for his commitment to Florida, where he was the highest-ranked member of the Gators' top-ranked recruiting class to make it to Gainesville. He never got going with the bat in his first three college seasons and underwhelmed in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2021, then broke out with 19 homers and earned All-America honors this spring. The Cubs signed him for $725,000 in the third round and almost immediately dispatched him to High-A. 

Rivera displayed a more patient approach in 2023 but the biggest change was that he hit the ball significantly harder than he had in the past. He has a quick right-handed swing with more power than most middle infielders, and his pop plays to all fields. He punishes fastballs and hangs in well against breaking balls. 

Though Rivera has average speed, his instincts help him play faster than that on the bases and in the field. He's a steady defender who gets the job done at shortstop, though a big league club may prefer someone with a bit more range. With his solid arm strength and 20-homer potential, he'd profile well at second or third base if needed. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

IMG Academy has been a must-stop for this year's Draft season for a number of reasons. It starts with potential first-rounders in right-hander Brennan Malone and infielder Rece Hinds and includes another Top 100 prospect in righty Kendall Williams. Rivera looked like he could be in that same grouping during a solid performance on the summer showcase circuit. A knee injury slowed him early and got him off of his game a little bit during his senior season.

When he's at his best, Rivera looks like he has the chance to be a very good hitter at the next level. When he's on time with his swing, he shows the ability to drive the ball the other way, making it easier to dream about him being an above-average hitter with at least average power down the line. He's struggled this spring to stay on the ball long enough, perhaps pressing to make up for lost time. A decent athlete who runs well underway, he should be a solid defender at the hot corner with enough arm to stay there in the long-term.

Teams willing to consider Rivera based more on his summer and fall than his spring performance might see a player who belongs closer in the conversation with his IMG teammates. His up-and-down spring, however, might make it tougher for teams to take him early enough to sign him away from playing for the University of Florida.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	07/31/2024	New Hampshire Fisher Cats activated SS Josh Rivera.
	07/27/2024	Toronto Blue Jays traded RHP Nate Pearson to Chicago Cubs for SS Josh Rivera and OF Yohendrick Pinango.
	07/27/2024	SS Josh Rivera assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
	04/04/2024	SS Josh Rivera assigned to Tennessee Smokies from South Bend Cubs.
	03/07/2024	Chicago Cubs Prospects activated SS Josh Rivera.
	02/23/2024	SS Josh Rivera assigned to Chicago Cubs.
	08/01/2023	SS Josh Rivera assigned to South Bend Cubs from ACL Cubs.
	08/01/2023	South Bend Cubs activated SS Josh Rivera.
	07/27/2023	SS Josh Rivera assigned to ACL Cubs.
	07/19/2023	Chicago Cubs signed SS Josh Rivera.