Brian Rike Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Brian Rike
Born 12/13/1985 in Ruston, LA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Louisiana Tech
Drafted in the 2nd round (72nd overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2007 (signed for $450,000).

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Rike hit just nine homers in his first two seasons at Louisiana Tech before exploding for 20 homers this spring. Scouts still aren't sure just how much power Rike possesses, however, because the Bulldogs play in a bandbox and he went homerless over the last 12 games of the regular season. Fortunately for Rike, he's more than just a one-dimensional slugger. A self-made player, he added 25 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-2 frame and cut his 60-yard-dash time from 7.1 to 6.7 seconds since arriving in college. A lefthanded hitter, he has the swing and the patience to hit for average, and he has enough arm strength to play right field. Rike also proved himself with wood bats in the Jayhawk League last summer, where he ranked as the No. 2 position-player prospect behind Wichita State's Matt Brown. Though his draft stock dipped with his late-season power outage, Rike still should go in the top four of five rounds.

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A walk-on at Louisiana Tech, Rike exploded as a junior and became the 72nd overall pick in the 2007 draft, signing for $450,000. A conditioning program helped him add 25 pounds after arriving at Louisiana Tech, and he led the Western Athletic Conference with 20 homers last spring after totaling nine in his first two seasons. He also cut his 60-yard-dash time from 7.1 seconds as a freshman to 6.7 seconds as a junior. Rike reminds the Rockies of a young Brad Hawpe, showing power potential that will develop as he starts to get a book on how pitchers are working him. He has an idea of the strike zone and will draw walks, though he'll need to make more consistent contact. Rike played some center field at Louisiana Tech and in his pro debut, but he's more of a right fielder and has the arm to play there. He needs to focus better on his defense, as his routes and angles can get him in trouble. He could put up impressive power numbers at hitter-friendly Asheville in 2008.

Rike thrived in the heart of Tri-City's lineup while batting in front of another polished 2007 college draftee, Darin Holcomb. The Rockies' scouting department has an affinity for physical corner infielders and outfielders, and they believe they nabbed another power threat in Rike. One scout compared Rike to Brad Hawpe for his mature approach and raw power. He has solid-average bat speed and a level swing that elicits loft. He only had four home runs this summer, but he shows a feel for the strike zone, a fluid swing path with good hand strength and the ability to make consistent hard contact. He also has a frame that could add more muscle. "He was the first guy in the cage and you notice what his plan is right away, and it's a silky smooth swing that stops you," a second scout said. "I go, 'Wow, look at that swing!' He was probably one of the top two or three hitters I saw in the league." Rike is a below-average runner and defender with a fringe-average arm. He misjudges balls off the bat, takes circuitous routes and needs to tighten up his angles.