Bryce Bonnin Stats & Scouting Report

IP	6.1
ERA	5.68
WHIP	1.74
BB/9	5.68
SO/9	11.37

Full name Bryce Reid Bonnin
Born 10/11/1998 in Webster, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas Tech
Drafted in the 3rd round (84th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2020 (signed for $700,000).

View Draft Report

Bonnin’s four 2020 starts will leave teams with some significant questions to work through. He was 2-0, 7.36 with 19 hits in 14.2 innings before the season was shut down. He had two good starts (Northern Colorado and Stanford) followed by rough outings against Florida State and Rice. Bonnin continued to show a big arm—he’ll touch 96-97 mph and sit 93-94 and he gets swings and misses with both his fastball and his above-average 85-87 mph power slider. He has started to show feel for a mid-80s fringe-average changeup as well. His command is spotty thanks in part to a long arm action, and a cross-body, rotational delivery that is hard to keep fully synced up. Bonnin was a 26th-round pick of the Cubs out of high school in 2017, and was a top recruit for Arkansas. He transferred a year later because he wanted to start and the Razorbacks saw him as a reliever. Texas Tech has let him start, but pro scouts see him more likely moving back to the bullpen. His 40 command on the 20-80 scouting scale won’t be as much of an issue in the bullpen and his struggles to work deep in games (he has finished the seventh inning once in 18 college starts) won’t be a concern. Bonnin is a good athlete, and he has the ability to miss bats (10.9 strikeouts per nine in two years at Texas Tech), so even concerns about his control shouldn’t push him out of the third-to-fourth round range.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: A hitter who sporadically pitched for the first three years of his high school career, Bonnin established himself as one of the best prep arms in Texas in his senior season. He headed to Arkansas, but shoulder surgery meant he never pitched for the Razorbacks. He transferred to Texas Tech because the Red Raiders gave him the opportunity to start while Arkansas saw him as a future closer. In his second pro start, Bonnin struck out 11 of the 15 batters he faced in five perfect innings. His final three starts of the season after a promotion to High-A Dayton didn’t go nearly as well.

Scouting Report: Hunter Greene throws harder, but Bonnin’s fastball is harder to hit than Greene’s because of its combination of 94-99 mph velocity, a low release point which leads to a low vertical approach angle which hitters aren’t used to seeing and the pitch’s exceptional carry through the top of the zone. The Reds worked with Bonnin to get him to stop cutting his fastball and to help him finish a little less closed off in his delivery. The result was better vertical movement on his fastball as well as improved velocity. His slider is a plus pitch as well, but his cutter and changeup are still unrefined because he hasn’t been able to use them much in games.

The Future: Bonnin carries plenty of reliever risk, but he also has some of the best stuff in the organization. His improved delivery buys him time to prove that he can start, and even if he can’t his stuff is the type that can get saves.
TRACK RECORD: After a year in Arkansas' bullpen, Bonnin transferred to Texas Tech, where he moved into the rotation and missed both bats and the strike zone. Bonnin made four uneven starts in 2020, which led to a 7.36 ERA in his pandemic-shortened draft year.

SCOUTING REPORT: Bonnin has the stuff to get outs in the majors. His 93-97 mph plus fastball will touch 99, and his plus 85-87 mph slider is even more of a weapon. His crossfire delivery leads to his slider cutting across the plate with plenty of lateral bite. Bonnin has a hard high-80s, well below-average changeup which needs to improve if he is to remain a starter. Though his delivery adds deception, it has also led to below-average command and control. His lengthy arm action involves a plunge and a wrap in the back, which makes it difficult for his arm to be on time.

THE FUTURE: Most likely, Bonnin ends up as a power reliever who can attack hitters with a plus fastball and a plus slider. For now, the Reds will likely let him start as he tries to throw strikes more consistently.

Draft Prospects

Bonnin’s four 2020 starts will leave teams with some significant questions to work through. He was 2-0, 7.36 with 19 hits in 14.2 innings before the season was shut down. He had two good starts (Northern Colorado and Stanford) followed by rough outings against Florida State and Rice. Bonnin continued to show a big arm—he’ll touch 96-97 mph and sit 93-94 and he gets swings and misses with both his fastball and his above-average 85-87 mph power slider. He has started to show feel for a mid-80s fringe-average changeup as well. His command is spotty thanks in part to a long arm action, and a cross-body, rotational delivery that is hard to keep fully synced up. Bonnin was a 26th-round pick of the Cubs out of high school in 2017, and was a top recruit for Arkansas. He transferred a year later because he wanted to start and the Razorbacks saw him as a reliever. Texas Tech has let him start, but pro scouts see him more likely moving back to the bullpen. His 40 command on the 20-80 scouting scale won’t be as much of an issue in the bullpen and his struggles to work deep in games (he has finished the seventh inning once in 18 college starts) won’t be a concern. Bonnin is a good athlete, and he has the ability to miss bats (10.9 strikeouts per nine in two years at Texas Tech), so even concerns about his control shouldn’t push him out of the third-to-fourth round range.
Bonnin primarily did his damage with his bat in his first three years of high school, but once Bonnin got a chance to pitch more regularly, he quickly established himself as one of the best pitchers in Texas. Bonnin's athleticism is apparent on the mound, and he has a special arm, one that fires off 90-95 mph sinkers. Bonnin attacks hitters with that sinker and a hard slider that flashes plus, but is inconsistent. At its best it's an 86-87 mph offering with bite and two-plane break, but it sometimes gets loopier and softer. The Arkansas signee's delivery is less than ideal--he has a long arm path in the back and he's more rotational than direct to the plate. Bonnin is shorter than scouts like for a righthander at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, but he has the makings of two plus pitches and natural athleticism. He's also an accomplished hitter who should be a two-way star if he makes it to Arkansas, but in pro ball, he'll be a power pitcher.

Scouting Reports

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: A hitter who sporadically pitched for the first three years of his high school career, Bonnin established himself as one of the best prep arms in Texas in his senior season. He headed to Arkansas, but shoulder surgery meant he never pitched for the Razorbacks. He transferred to Texas Tech because the Red Raiders gave him the opportunity to start while Arkansas saw him as a future closer. In his second pro start, Bonnin struck out 11 of the 15 batters he faced in five perfect innings. His final three starts of the season after a promotion to High-A Dayton didn&#39t go nearly as well.

Scouting Report: Hunter Greene throws harder, but Bonnin&#39s fastball is harder to hit than Greene&#39s because of its combination of 94-99 mph velocity, a low release point which leads to a low vertical approach angle which hitters aren&#39t used to seeing and the pitch&#39s exceptional carry through the top of the zone. The Reds worked with Bonnin to get him to stop cutting his fastball and to help him finish a little less closed off in his delivery. The result was better vertical movement on his fastball as well as improved velocity. His slider is a plus pitch as well, but his cutter and changeup are still unrefined because he hasn&#39t been able to use them much in games.

The Future: Bonnin carries plenty of reliever risk, but he also has some of the best stuff in the organization. His improved delivery buys him time to prove that he can start, and even if he can&#39t his stuff is the type that can get saves.
Track Record: A hitter who sporadically pitched for the first three years of his high school career, Bonnin established himself as one of the best prep arms in Texas in his senior season. He headed to Arkansas, but shoulder surgery meant he never pitched for the Razorbacks. He transferred to Texas Tech because the Red Raiders gave him the opportunity to start while Arkansas saw him as a future closer. In his second pro start, Bonnin struck out 11 of the 15 batters he faced in five perfect innings. His final three starts of the season after a promotion to High-A Dayton didn’t go nearly as well.

Scouting Report: Hunter Greene throws harder, but Bonnin’s fastball is harder to hit than Greene’s because of its combination of 94-99 mph velocity, a low release point which leads to a low vertical approach angle which hitters aren’t used to seeing and the pitch’s exceptional carry through the top of the zone. The Reds worked with Bonnin to get him to stop cutting his fastball and to help him finish a little less closed off in his delivery. The result was better vertical movement on his fastball as well as improved velocity. His slider is a plus pitch as well, but his cutter and changeup are still unrefined because he hasn’t been able to use them much in games.

The Future: Bonnin carries plenty of reliever risk, but he also has some of the best stuff in the organization. His improved delivery buys him time to prove that he can start, and even if he can’t his stuff is the type that can get saves.
TRACK RECORD: After a year in Arkansas' bullpen, Bonnin transferred to Texas Tech, where he moved into the rotation and missed both bats and the strike zone. Bonnin made four uneven starts in 2020, which led to a 7.36 ERA in his pandemic-shortened draft year.

SCOUTING REPORT: Bonnin has the stuff to get outs in the majors. His 93-97 mph plus fastball will touch 99, and his plus 85-87 mph slider is even more of a weapon. His crossfire delivery leads to his slider cutting across the plate with plenty of lateral bite. Bonnin has a hard high-80s, well below-average changeup which needs to improve if he is to remain a starter. Though his delivery adds deception, it has also led to below-average command and control. His lengthy arm action involves a plunge and a wrap in the back, which makes it difficult for his arm to be on time.

THE FUTURE: Most likely, Bonnin ends up as a power reliever who can attack hitters with a plus fastball and a plus slider. For now, the Reds will likely let him start as he tries to throw strikes more consistently.
TRACK RECORD: After a year in Arkansas' bullpen, Bonnin transferred to Texas Tech, where he moved into the rotation and missed both bats and the strike zone. Bonnin made four uneven starts in 2020, which led to a 7.36 ERA in his pandemic-shortened draft year.

SCOUTING REPORT: Bonnin has the stuff to get outs in the majors. His 93-97 mph plus fastball will touch 99, and his plus 85-87 mph slider is even more of a weapon. His crossfire delivery leads to his slider cutting across the plate with plenty of lateral bite. Bonnin has a hard high-80s, well below-average changeup which needs to improve if he is to remain a starter. Though his delivery adds deception, it has also led to below-average command and control. His lengthy arm action involves a plunge and a wrap in the back, which makes it difficult for his arm to be on time.

THE FUTURE: Most likely, Bonnin ends up as a power reliever who can attack hitters with a plus fastball and a plus slider. For now, the Reds will likely let him start as he tries to throw strikes more consistently.
TRACK RECORD: After a year in Arkansas' bullpen, Bonnin transferred to Texas Tech, where he moved into the rotation and missed both bats and the strike zone. Bonnin made four uneven starts in 2020, which led to a 7.36 ERA in his pandemic-shortened draft year.

SCOUTING REPORT: Bonnin has the stuff to get outs in the majors. His 93-97 mph plus fastball will touch 99, and his plus 85-87 mph slider is even more of a weapon. His crossfire delivery leads to his slider cutting across the plate with plenty of lateral bite. Bonnin has a hard high-80s, well below-average changeup which needs to improve if he is to remain a starter. Though his delivery adds deception, it has also led to below-average command and control. His lengthy arm action involves a plunge and a wrap in the back, which makes it difficult for his arm to be on time.

THE FUTURE: Most likely, Bonnin ends up as a power reliever who can attack hitters with a plus fastball and a plus slider. For now, the Reds will likely let him start as he tries to throw strikes more consistently.