Riley Unroe Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Riley Timothy Unroe
Born 08/03/1995 in New Orleans, LA
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Desert Ridge
Drafted in the 2nd round (60th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013 (signed for $997,500).

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Unroe's father Tim played mostly first base and third base professionally for 11 years, including a brief time in the majors in five different seasons with the Brewers, Angels and Braves. Riley is a better defender, and some scouts say he'll be able to stay at shortstop. He has soft hands and a strong arm and is a heady player who is always in the right position. He's versatile enough that he could play second base or center field and is a well above-average runner. A lifelong switch-hitter, Unroe shows electric bat speed and profiles to hit 12-15 home runs as a pro, even though he's just 6 feet and 180 pounds. Scouts and coaches love the way he plays the game, and he has excellent makeup and international experience as a two-time member of Team USA with the 14-and-under in 2009 and the 18-and-under team last summer. It will likely take a seven-figure bonus to pry Unroe away from his commitment to Southern California.

Top Rankings

The 60th overall pick in the 2013 draft, Unroe is the son of Tim Unroe, a corner infielder who had a long minor league career and several cups of coffee in the big leagues. Riley put together an impressive amateur career, including stints with Team USA's 14-and-under and 18-and-under teams. His draft stock rose last spring as he showed the ability to remain at shortstop in pro ball. Unroe has an impressive feel for the game, and he does a great job of positioning himself at short, which allows him to make plays others might miss. He has soft hands, excellent range and above-average arm strength, completing plays deep in the hole with relative ease. A switch-hitter throughout his amateur days, Unroe generates plus bat speed and barrels the ball consistently from both sides of the plate. He has an advanced feel for the strike zone and his pitch recognition allows him to drive balls to all fields. He possesses both quickness and foot speed, making him an above-average to plus runner. What scouts liked most about Unroe, however, were his makeup and heady play on the field, which should allow him to make adjustments as he climbs the ladder. He could land in a full-season Class A league sooner than most players drafted by the Rays out of high school.

Unroe's father Tim played mostly first base and third base professionally for 11 years, including a brief time in the majors in five different seasons with the Brewers, Angels and Braves. Riley is a better defender, and some scouts say he'll be able to stay at shortstop. He has soft hands and a strong arm and is a heady player who is always in the right position. He's versatile enough that he could play second base or center field and is a well above-average runner. A lifelong switch-hitter, Unroe shows electric bat speed and profiles to hit 12-15 home runs as a pro, even though he's just 6 feet and 180 pounds. Scouts and coaches love the way he plays the game, and he has excellent makeup and international experience as a two-time member of Team USA with the 14-and-under in 2009 and the 18-and-under team last summer. It will likely take a seven-figure bonus to pry Unroe away from his commitment to Southern California.

Unroe, who is the son of former major leaguer infielder Tim Unroe, draws praise for the way he plays the game, his instincts and well-rounded skill set. Unroe was one of the youngest players in the 2013 draft and played much of the season at 18. He split time between shortstop and second base, where he profiles best on an everyday basis because his range is a bit short for shortstop. Unroe could become an above-average defender at the keystone with soft hands, defensive instincts and an average arm. He is a good athlete could also fill a super utility role and play multiple positions with his plus speed. His speed has not impacted games on the bases after stealing seven bases at a 58 percent clip, but he projects to swipe 15-20 bases with improved jumps. Unroe produces quality at-bats with a quick, line-drive oriented stroke. With some strength to his frame, his gap-to-gap approach could produce fringe-average power production.