Erik Rivera

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #14 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Rivera impressed enough at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy to be selected in the fourth round in 2019 and was announced by the Angels as a two-way player. He continued to take at-bats as a designated hitter in instructional league in 2020, but he appears to have more upside as a pitcher.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivera has a smooth, athletic delivery and induces plenty of swings and misses with a fastball that averages 92 mph and touches 95 mph. His 77 mph curveball resembles a slider, with a little more sweep than depth, and an emphasis in the fall was adding velocity to, and improving the command of, his breaking pitch. Rivera has shown improvement on an 83 mph changeup that has some fade. At the plate, Rivera has plenty of raw power but has struggled to make consistent contact.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivera should reach low Class A in 2021. He may continue to get at-bats, but his future is firmly as a pitcher. He projects as a mid-to-back-of-the-rotation starter or possibly a swingman.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #26 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Rivera wasn't sure he would be able to pursue his dreams of playing professional baseball after hurricanes battered his home island of Puerto Rico in Sept. 2017. He stuck with it and impressed enough scouts at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy last spring to be selected in the fourth round and signed to a $597,500 bonus by the Angels, who announced him as a two-way player.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivera, who passed on a commitment to Florida International, has plenty of raw power but has struggled at times to make consistent contact. His athleticism was apparent in the outfield, where his arm strength as a pitcher is an asset. On the mound, Rivera has a very fluid, athletic delivery. His fastball sits 88-92 mph and has touched 96 mph, and he backs it up with a promising hard curveball. Rivera's early emphasis will be on improving his overall control and developing a third pitch.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Angels have been aggressive in their efforts to develop two-players such as Shohei Ohtani, Jared Walsh, Bo Way and William Holmes. They plan to give Rivera the opportunity to develop as both a pitcher and hitter, though most of his at-bats will likely come as a designated hitter.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #169 prospect in 2019 draft
  A two-way player committed to Florida International, Rivera is an athletic, 6-foot-2, 195-pound outfielder and lefthander. Rivera has two big tools in his natural arm strength--which is among the best outfield arms in the 2019 prep class--and above-average raw power from the left side, though he has some significant swing-and-miss tendencies that were evident at a few big showcases last summer. Rivera gets pull-happy and needs to improve his timing, and he's added even more muscle to an already strong frame this spring, which has created bulk and slowed his bat speed. Because of his rawness at the plate, most in the industry might prefer Rivera on the mound, where he is in the 88-92 mph range with his fastball and has improved a mid-70s curveball this spring.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rivera impressed enough at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy to be selected in the fourth round in 2019 and was announced by the Angels as a two-way player. He continued to take at-bats as a designated hitter in instructional league in 2020, but he appears to have more upside as a pitcher.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivera has a smooth, athletic delivery and induces plenty of swings and misses with a fastball that averages 92 mph and touches 95 mph. His 77 mph curveball resembles a slider, with a little more sweep than depth, and an emphasis in the fall was adding velocity to, and improving the command of, his breaking pitch. Rivera has shown improvement on an 83 mph changeup that has some fade. At the plate, Rivera has plenty of raw power but has struggled to make consistent contact.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivera should reach low Class A in 2021. He may continue to get at-bats, but his future is firmly as a pitcher. He projects as a mid-to-back-of-the-rotation starter or possibly a swingman.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rivera impressed enough at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy to be selected in the fourth round in 2019 and was announced by the Angels as a two-way player. He continued to take at-bats as a designated hitter in instructional league in 2020, but he appears to have more upside as a pitcher.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivera has a smooth, athletic delivery and induces plenty of swings and misses with a fastball that averages 92 mph and touches 95 mph. His 77 mph curveball resembles a slider, with a little more sweep than depth, and an emphasis in the fall was adding velocity to, and improving the command of, his breaking pitch. Rivera has shown improvement on an 83 mph changeup that has some fade. At the plate, Rivera has plenty of raw power but has struggled to make consistent contact.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivera should reach low Class A in 2021. He may continue to get at-bats, but his future is firmly as a pitcher. He projects as a mid-to-back-of-the-rotation starter or possibly a swingman.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rivera impressed enough at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy to be selected in the fourth round in 2019 and was announced by the Angels as a two-way player. He continued to take at-bats as a designated hitter in instructional league in 2020, but he appears to have more upside as a pitcher.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivera has a smooth, athletic delivery and induces plenty of swings and misses with a fastball that averages 92 mph and touches 95 mph. His 77 mph curveball resembles a slider, with a little more sweep than depth, and an emphasis in the fall was adding velocity to, and improving the command of, his breaking pitch. Rivera has shown improvement on an 83 mph changeup that has some fade. At the plate, Rivera has plenty of raw power but has struggled to make consistent contact.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivera should reach low Class A in 2021. He may continue to get at-bats, but his future is firmly as a pitcher. He projects as a mid-to-back-of-the-rotation starter or possibly a swingman.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rivera wasn’t sure he would be able to pursue his dreams of playing professional baseball after hurricanes battered his home island of Puerto Rico in Sept. 2017. He stuck with it and impressed enough scouts at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy last spring to be selected in the fourth round and signed to a $597,500 bonus by the Angels, who announced him as a two-way player.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivera, who passed on a commitment to Florida International, has plenty of raw power but has struggled at times to make consistent contact. His athleticism was apparent in the outfield, where his arm strength as a pitcher is an asset. On the mound, Rivera has a very fluid, athletic delivery. His fastball sits 88-92 mph and has touched 96 mph, and he backs it up with a promising hard curveball. Rivera’s early emphasis will be on improving his overall control and developing a third pitch.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Angels have been aggressive in their efforts to develop two-players such as Shohei Ohtani, Jared Walsh, Bo Way and William Holmes. They plan to give Rivera the opportunity to develop as both a pitcher and hitter, though most of his at-bats will likely come as a designated hitter.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rivera wasn't sure he would be able to pursue his dreams of playing professional baseball after hurricanes battered his home island of Puerto Rico in Sept. 2017. He stuck with it and impressed enough scouts at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy last spring to be selected in the fourth round and signed to a $597,500 bonus by the Angels, who announced him as a two-way player.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivera, who passed on a commitment to Florida International, has plenty of raw power but has struggled at times to make consistent contact. His athleticism was apparent in the outfield, where his arm strength as a pitcher is an asset. On the mound, Rivera has a very fluid, athletic delivery. His fastball sits 88-92 mph and has touched 96 mph, and he backs it up with a promising hard curveball. Rivera's early emphasis will be on improving his overall control and developing a third pitch.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Angels have been aggressive in their efforts to develop two-players such as Shohei Ohtani, Jared Walsh, Bo Way and William Holmes. They plan to give Rivera the opportunity to develop as both a pitcher and hitter, though most of his at-bats will likely come as a designated hitter.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  A two-way player committed to Florida International, Rivera is an athletic, 6-foot-2, 195-pound outfielder and lefthander. Rivera has two big tools in his natural arm strength--which is among the best outfield arms in the 2019 prep class--and above-average raw power from the left side, though he has some significant swing-and-miss tendencies that were evident at a few big showcases last summer. Rivera gets pull-happy and needs to improve his timing, and he's added even more muscle to an already strong frame this spring, which has created bulk and slowed his bat speed. Because of his rawness at the plate, most in the industry might prefer Rivera on the mound, where he is in the 88-92 mph range with his fastball and has improved a mid-70s curveball this spring.