Tanner Rahier Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1120
AVG	.224
OBP	.273
SLG	.33
HR	21

Full name Tanner Jeremy Rahier
Born 10/12/1993 in Vancouver, WA
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Palm Desert
Drafted in the 2nd round (78th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2012 (signed for $649,700).

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Rahier is the most prominent Southern California prospect who elected to play in a wood-bat club league this spring rather than play for his high school--a move that some scouts admit rubbed them the wrong way. But no one questions Rahier's passion for the game or his work ethic; as one scout put it, "He plays like a bat out of hell--he's like Pete Rose." Rahier is aggressive in every phase of his game--he runs hard, swings hard and is constantly in attack mode in the batter's box. That makes him prone to chasing pitches out of the zone at times, but he shows pitch recognition and excellent hand-eye coordination, helping the righthanded hitter barrel up hard line drives to left and center field. He is savvy enough to go the other way when the situation calls for it, but it isn't his forte. Rahier projects as an average to plus hitter with a chance for solid-average power as he matures. He'll need to grow into some pop, because few scouts give him a chance to stick at shortstop in the long term. Though his actions are unorthodox and "high-effort," as one scout put it, Rahier has sure hands and good instincts to go along with a plus arm. No better than a fringy runner, Raher's range is lacking for short. Some scouts think he could be a plus defender at third base, while others think he could be an above-average second baseman. Rahier is polarizing; some scouts like him as a sandwich pick, while others see him as a fourth- or fifth-round talent. The San Diego commit is considered signable.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

A 2013 season that began poorly ended in equally awful form for Rahier. He posted a sub-.200 on-base percentage in both April and August, ruining a season where he showed flashes of competence at the plate and plenty of promise in the field. A high school shortstop, Rahier is an above-average defender with excellent range at third base and an accurate arm with above-average arm strength. The Reds felt comfortable enough with his defense to slide him back to shortstop as an emergency fill-in. A tick-below-average runner, Rahier has much more work to do at the plate. He has yet to tone down a pull-happy approach that leaves him vulnerable to pitches away. Only one extra-base hit in 2013--and zero of seven homers--went to right field. Rahier also struggles with his timing, which leads to difficulty squaring up the ball. He has average power potential with leverage in his swing, but he needs a better plan at the plate to have a chance to unlock it. Rahier needs to repeat low Class A Dayton to prove he can hit.
Rahier has been focused on becoming a pro baseball player for years. His father owns a chain of workout facilities, and he built a facility at their house and designed a special workout regime for his son. Rahier also decided not to play his 2012 senior season at Palm Desert (Calif.) High, choosing instead to play for a spring showcase team. For a relatively polished Southern California hitter who had spent plenty of time on the showcase circuit, Rahier had a surprisingly difficult adjustment to pro ball after signing for $649,700 in the second round. He got caught up in overswinging and trying to pull everything, and the Arizona League's more advanced pitchers found they could get him to chase out of the zone. His swing also has a bit of funk to it that needs to be cleaned up. Long-term he projects to have average power, although he needs to fill out and get stronger. A high school shortstop, Rahier had limited range there but made a relatively easy transition to third base, where his good hands and plus arm are a good fit. He's a fringy runner and may slow down as he matures physically. If Rahier doesn't fit at third base, he also could be an intriguing prospect to convert to catching. He's likely to open in extended spring training before moving up to Billings for 2013.

Draft Prospects

Rahier is the most prominent Southern California prospect who elected to play in a wood-bat club league this spring rather than play for his high school--a move that some scouts admit rubbed them the wrong way. But no one questions Rahier's passion for the game or his work ethic; as one scout put it, "He plays like a bat out of hell--he's like Pete Rose." Rahier is aggressive in every phase of his game--he runs hard, swings hard and is constantly in attack mode in the batter's box. That makes him prone to chasing pitches out of the zone at times, but he shows pitch recognition and excellent hand-eye coordination, helping the righthanded hitter barrel up hard line drives to left and center field. He is savvy enough to go the other way when the situation calls for it, but it isn't his forte. Rahier projects as an average to plus hitter with a chance for solid-average power as he matures. He'll need to grow into some pop, because few scouts give him a chance to stick at shortstop in the long term. Though his actions are unorthodox and "high-effort," as one scout put it, Rahier has sure hands and good instincts to go along with a plus arm. No better than a fringy runner, Raher's range is lacking for short. Some scouts think he could be a plus defender at third base, while others think he could be an above-average second baseman. Rahier is polarizing; some scouts like him as a sandwich pick, while others see him as a fourth- or fifth-round talent. The San Diego commit is considered signable.