Zac Reininger Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Zachary Ryan Reininger
Born 01/28/1993 in San Antonio, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Hill JC
Debut 08/27/2017
Drafted in the 8th round (246th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2013 (signed for $153,000).

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Reininger drew no draft interest as a Hill freshman in 2012 before blossoming this year. An athletic 6-foot-5, 190-pounder, he also has seen action as an infielder for the Rebels. His velocity has spiked this spring and he now works from 88-93 mph with his heavy fastball, and there's more projection in his lean frame. He has the makings of a decent breaking ball and is further behind with his changeup. He lives in the strike zone and has issued just 12 walks in 153 innings during his two years at Hill. If he doesn't turn pro this summer, Reininger will head to Texas Tech. His older brother J.D. started for Texas' 2002 College World Series champions.

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Reininger's brother J.D. played seven years as a professional, much of it in indy ball. The younger Reininger went undrafted out of high school, but his velocity jumped as a Hill (Texas) JC sophomore, and he starting touching 93 mph. The Tigers signed him for $153,000 out of the eighth round in 2013. Reininger had a stellar pro debut at short-season Connecticut, where he pounded the bottom of the zone with heavy low-90s fastballs. With a skinny frame and a loose arm, Reininger could throw even harder in the future once he gets stronger. A two-way player in junior college, he's a good athlete who repeats his delivery and doesn't walk many batters. His ability to throw strikes and keep the ball on the ground creates a lot of quick, efficient innings. With a solid-average slider, a serviceable changeup that could be a future average pitch and a get-me-over curveball, Reininger's repertoire is deep enough that he could move into a starting role next year, though some scouts like him better as a reliever who could move quickly. He's ready for low Class A West Michigan in 2014, with the polish for an early-season promotion to high Class A Lakeland if he gets off to a strong start.

Reininger drew no draft interest as a Hill freshman in 2012 before blossoming this year. An athletic 6-foot-5, 190-pounder, he also has seen action as an infielder for the Rebels. His velocity has spiked this spring and he now works from 88-93 mph with his heavy fastball, and there's more projection in his lean frame. He has the makings of a decent breaking ball and is further behind with his changeup. He lives in the strike zone and has issued just 12 walks in 153 innings during his two years at Hill. If he doesn't turn pro this summer, Reininger will head to Texas Tech. His older brother J.D. started for Texas' 2002 College World Series champions.

Reininger?s velocity spiked into the 88-93 mph range prior to his sophomore year at Hill JC this spring, helping him go from undrafted in 2012 to an eighth-round pick in 2013. He pounds the bottom of the strike zone relentlessly, walking just 12 in 153 innings during his two junior-college seasons, then posting a sparkling 32-6 K-BB mark in the NY-P this summer. Cathcart vividly recalled watching Reininger strike out the side on 10 pitches to nail down a save in August??and none of the swings looked very comfortable.? Reininger also played infield at Hill JC, and his athleticism is a major asset. Lean and loose, he has plenty of room to add velocity to his fastball, which sat comfortably in the 90-92 mph range this summer. ?He definitely has projection?he?s so skinny and young, straight baby-faced. I see him being 92-95 (mph) in the future,? Connecticut manager Andrew Graham said. ?His command at age 19 is pretty good with four pitches. Next year he?ll probably be a starter.? Reininger?s out-pitch is a slider that flashes solid-average, and he can throw a get-me-over curveball for strikes as a change of pace. His changeup is serviceable and has a chance to be another average pitch in time.