Jeremy Rathjen Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Jeremy Gordon Rathjen
Born 01/28/1990 in Houston, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Rice
Drafted in the 11th round (356th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012.

View Draft Report

Rathjen might have gone in the first five rounds last year had he not torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in mid-March. After redshirting and turning down the Yankees as a 41st-round pick, he has returned to show an all-around tools package similar to what he had before the injury. The 6-foot-6, 195-pound Rathjen does a nice job of making contact for someone with such long arms and a lengthy swing. That's a tribute to his bat speed and hand-eye coordination, which give him average power. Rathjen's speed hasn't come quite all the way back, as its more solid than plus. He has moved from center to right field this season, more to accommodate teammate Michael Fuda's well above-average speed and subpar arm. Rathjen has a chance to play center field in pro ball, and his average arm will work in right field. Scouts praise his makeup and believe he'll be signable around the fifth round because he graduated in May.

Top Rankings

Rathjen first got on the scouting radar when he was a high school teammate of Blue Jays 2007 first-rounder Kevin Ahrens. He passed on signing with the Diamondbacks as a 45th-rounder in 2008 to go to Rice, and he looked like a potential top-five-rounds pick going into 2011 before tearing his ACL 16 games into his junior season. The Yankees took a shot at him in the 41st round, but he went back for one more year at Rice, hitting .329 with nine homers last spring. The Dodgers were ecstatic to get him in the 11th round for $75,000, as his athleticism reminds them of Justin Ruggiano, who began his career as Los Angeles' 25th-round pick in 2004. Rathjen's speed hasn't come all the way back to where it was before his knee injury, but he's still a good runner and has a chance to stick as a center fielder. His arm would work in right field if he needs to move. He's an intelligent hitter with advanced pitch-recognition skills, and he posted the third-best on-base percentage (.443) in the Rookie-level Pioneer League in his pro debut. His swing gets long at times, but he shows the bat speed to drive balls, giving him at least average power. Rathjen has the tools and advanced approach to push through the lower levels of the system quickly. He'll begin his first full pro season at one of Los Angeles' Class A affiliates.

Rathjen might have gone in the first five rounds last year had he not torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in mid-March. After redshirting and turning down the Yankees as a 41st-round pick, he has returned to show an all-around tools package similar to what he had before the injury. The 6-foot-6, 195-pound Rathjen does a nice job of making contact for someone with such long arms and a lengthy swing. That's a tribute to his bat speed and hand-eye coordination, which give him average power. Rathjen's speed hasn't come quite all the way back, as its more solid than plus. He has moved from center to right field this season, more to accommodate teammate Michael Fuda's well above-average speed and subpar arm. Rathjen has a chance to play center field in pro ball, and his average arm will work in right field. Scouts praise his makeup and believe he'll be signable around the fifth round because he graduated in May.