Rymer Liriano

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Diego Padres #23 prospect in 2016
  Liriano signed for $300,000 in July 2007 and has logged seven years in the Padres organization-he missed all of 2013 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He finally reached the majors in August 2014, but he conspicuously did not receive a September callup in 2015, despite hitting 14 home runs at Triple-A El Paso and ranking ninth in the Pacific Coast League with a .383 on-base percentage. One evaluator believed the lack of a callup was intended as a message to the toolsy outfielder. Liriano drew a career-high 64 walks in 2015, while his strikeout rate held steady at 24 percent, but the overhauled Padres front office has no tie to 24-year-old and perhaps has tired of waiting for the powerfully-built right fielder to translate his tools to the field. At his best, Liriano has plus bat speed and above-average raw power. Though he was far more selective in 2015, he still strikes out too much with a long and hard swing that doesn't produce quite enough power to justify the whiffs. He has plus speed underway, helping him rate as a tick above-average fielder with a prototype right fielder's arm. Because he will be out of options, Liriano cannot be sent to El Paso without first clearing waivers.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #8 prospect in 2015
  Best power hitter. Best outfield arm. Most exciting player. Liriano has worn many crowns in the Padres system since signing for $300,000 in 2007, but until mid-August 2014 he had never played a game in the big leagues. He missed the entire 2013 season after having Tommy John surgery during spring training, but he showed no ill effects in 2014, producing his best season since Rookie ball by hitting .291/.362/.473 in 115 games, mostly at Double-A San Antonio. Built like a linebacker, Liriano has intriguing raw tools and an increasingly good idea how to put them to use, particularly his power, speed and arm strength. Between the minors and majors, he set career highs in 2014 with 15 home runs and 16 outfield assists, while stealing at least 20 bases for the fourth straight season. Liriano has the bat speed to drive any fastball out to any field, but his inability to resist offspeed pitches keeps his strikeout rate high and impedes his ability to hit for average, which should be a below-average tool for him. While not a blazer out of the batter's box, he has plus speed underway, a trait that gives him at least average range in right field. His plus arm plays up because of its accuracy. Liriano will spend most of 2015 gaining experience at Triple-A El Paso, which will give San Diego a better idea whether he profiles best as a complementary player or a run-producing corner bat.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #6 prospect in 2014
  Liriano developed soreness in his right elbow in December 2012 during the Dominican League season, then blew it out in spring training while long-tossing in the outfield. He had Tommy John surgery in mid-February 2013 and missed the entire season. Liriano flashes all five tools, highlighted by plus raw power to all fields, arm strength and range in right field. His power will play better in games if he makes more contact and once he plays in a more favorable park for power. Shaky pitch recognition, though, may mean Liriano never hits for a high average. A solid runner, he chooses his spots well and has swiped 30 bases in each season from 2010-12. Scouts expect him to fill out and lose a tick of speed, though that won't prevent him from being a strong defender. Liriano started taking batting practice in August, then hit in games during Dominican instructional league. The Padres expect him to return at full strength to Double-A San Antonio, where he finished 2012.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #5 prospect in 2013
  Liriano took another step toward San Diego in his fifth season since signing for $300,000 as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic. He mastered high Class A--following an aborted assignment there in 2011--and reached Double-A for first time, where he hit .322/.408/.444 over his final 26 games. He shined in the Arizona Fall League, batting .319/.376/.505. Built like a running back, Liriano features a similar explosiveness to his game. He showcases all five tools at various points, highlighted by plus power, arm strength and range in right field. While he hasn't topped 12 homers in any one season, he can take the ball out to any part of the park. His contact rate ultimately will dictate whether his power plays as plus or merely average. Distant left-center power alleys in high Class A Lake Elsinore forced Liriano to use the middle of the field in 2012, which coupled with a more discerning eye made him a better hitter. He's not immune to chasing pitches out of the zone when he falls behind in the count, however. A solid runner, he swiped 32 bases in 2012 after registering 66 the year before, and those totals will continue to dwindle as he fill out. Liriano has 20-20 potential if he puts everything together. The Padres are counting on their upper-level corner prospects, such as Liriano and Jedd Gyorko, because the cost of acquiring established run producers is prohibitive.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #2 prospect in 2012
  For the second straight year, Liriano slumped early before thriving after an in-season demotion. In 2011, he overcame a 7-for-55 (.127) start at high Class A Lake Elsinore to win the low Class A Midwest League MVP award. He finished third in the MWL batting race (.319), crushed 50 extra-base hits and ranked third in the minors with 66 steals. Among Padres farmhands, only 2009 No. 3 overall pick Donavan Tate can approach Liriano's overall collection of tools. He whips the bat through the zone, drives the ball to the middle of the field and has the strength and bat plane necessary to hit 25 homers one day. His pitch-recognition skills improved dramatically with Fort Wayne as he saw a steady diet of breaking balls, and he now projects as a solid hitter. Liriano has a quick first step and regularly gets down the line in fewer than 4.2 seconds from the right side, giving him plus speed. Strong instincts make him a plus basestealer, though scouts expect he'll lose a step as he fills out his thick frame. His average range and well above-average arm strength fit well in right field. Liriano combined promise and performance like nobody else in the system in 2011, earning a spot on the 40-man roster. A future first-division right fielder, he'll try to solve high Class A in 2012.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #18 prospect in 2011
  The Padres view Liriano almost as a Dominican version of Donavan Tate. He's a boom-or-bust prospect with huge raw tools, the type of player who puts on a monstrous batting practice but doesn't yet carry that power into games. Liriano signed for $350,000 in 2007 and has wowed observers everywhere he has played. Lake Elsinore manager Carlos Lezcano watched Liriano play for just two weeks at the end of the season and already has begun lobbying the front office for a return engagement. He homered just three times in 441 at-bats between three levels in 2010 because his pitch recognition needs work. Pitchers with velocity or a breaking ball could get him to go outside his hitting zone. He probably never will hit for much of an average, but he offsets that limitation with the potential to one day hit 25-30 home runs. He's a quick-twitch athlete with strength who can drive the ball out to any part of the park. Liriano receives average to above-average grades for his speed and arm, leaving open the possibility of a future in center field, though he figures to fill out and settle in right. He stole 31 bases in 2010 and led the Northwest League with six triples, but he'll need to hone his baserunning instincts after being gunned down 13 times. Liriano works hard and has a prototype right fielder's tools. He'll return to low Class A to begin 2011, though an in-season promotion is possible.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #14 prospect in 2010
  San Diego signed shortstop Jonathan Galvez for $750,000 and Liriano for $300,000 during the 2007 international signing period, heralding the organization's new focus on Latin America. Both players made their pro debuts in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League a year later, helping to christen the Padres' new academy in Najayo. Liriano scuffled to a .198 average with 106 strikeouts in just 67 DSL games, but he made significant improvements in his U.S. debut, ranking as one of the Arizona League's most dynamic talents in 2009. The 18- year-old ranked in the top five in batting (.350), hits (69), homers (eight), RBIs (44) and total bases (103), and he also stole 14 bases in 19 attempts. Liriano separates himself from the pack with plus-plus raw power, and in a July 26 game he hit three home runs, one to each field. He has true five-tool potential and a lithe, athletic body that reminds San Diego of a young Sammy Sosa. Like Sosa, Liriano is a passionate player who craves attention. His ceiling as a hitter is compromised by an undisciplined approach and present trouble with offspeed pitches. Added maturity and enhanced pitch recognition will help him clear this hurdle. Liriano boasts the best arm strength and accuracy among position players in the system, and he gets good jumps and angles on the ball in center field. He's just an average runner, though, and likely will settle in right field. Liriano loves to play, and given time he could develop in to an impact right fielder. It may take him four or more years to reach that apex, with his climb continuing in low Class A this season.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Texas League #8 prospect in 2014
  Liriano missed all of last season after having Tommy John surgery during spring training but made up for lost time in 2014 by rising all the way to the majors. He spent four months in San Antonio--where he closed his 2012 campaign--before tearing up the Pacific Coast League and earning his first call to San Diego. As was the case pre-surgery, Liriano has the potential to be a five-tool difference-maker but rarely puts them all to use. He has plenty of raw power to all fields but chases too many pitches out of the zone. He finished fourth in the league in slugging (.442) but also struck out a quarter of the time. Liriano has above-average speed and puts it to use as an aggressive basestealer. He covers enough ground to handle center field but his average range and plus arm fit best in right. The seventh-year pro has plenty of raw ability but drew criticism because he seemed distracted at times, not always showing up ready to play.
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  Ranked Texas League #10 prospect in 2012
  It took Liriano parts of three seasons to get out of high Class A, but he shows signs that his imposing package of tools is starting to come together. Promoted to San Antonio at the end of June, he batted .176 in July but bounced back to hit .314 in August. He learned to tone down his aggressiveness at the plate--and in the field as well after he got banged up chasing balls into the stands two days in a row. Liriano has the ability to make a difference in every phase of the game. He takes aggressive swings and can pull the ball or drive it to the opposite field, and he should have solid power. He's a solid runner with good instincts and projects as an above-average defender with a well above-average arm in right field. "He has all the talent in the world, and when everything clicks he'll go fast," Gibbons said. "He can impact the game in a lot of ways."
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  Ranked Arizona Fall League #9 prospect in 2012
  Building upon an impressive season split between high Class A Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio, Liriano was one of the top hitters in the AFL this fall, finishing with a .319/.376/.505 line and ranking among the top five in both batting and slugging percentage all season. While the 21-year-old outfielder displays an impressive, prototypical right fielder tool kit to back the numbers--good bat speed, power potential, speed, plus arm--there are still scouts who question his overall makeup and ability to reach his potential.
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  Ranked California League #6 prospect in 2012
  The Padres gave Liriano a crack at the Cal League in 2011, but he hit just .127 in 15 games before getting demoted and winning the Midwest League MVP award. He started slowly again this year before hitting .338/.396/.493 in May and June and earned a promotion. Added patience was the key to him unlocking his considerable physical tools. By improving his selectivity and maintaining an up-the-middle approach, Liriano worked deeper counts and showed potential 25-homer power to all parts of the ballpark. A 55 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale, he stole 32 bases between his two stops this year after swiping 66 in 2011, and that total likely will keep falling a bit as he continues to mature physically. He's a solid defender in right field who gets good jumps and has a strong arm.
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  Ranked Midwest League #5 prospect in 2011
  Liriano couldn't handle the MWL in 2010, batting .193/.234/.293 and getting demoted in June. After struggling in high Class A for the first two weeks of the 2011 season, he returned to Fort Wayne and excelled. He won the league's MVP and prospect of the year awards, and managers decreed him the MWL's more exciting player. "Last year, he showed all the tools before the game started but they just never played in the game," a National League scout said. "This year, the light bulb went on. He had one of the better combinations of power and speed I've seen in this league and for that age." A potential 30-30 player, Liriano has a quick swing and present strength. He has plus speed--though he could lose a step as he fills out--and he reads pitchers well and gets good jumps on the bases. His well above-average arm is his most impressive tool, and his entire package prompted comparisons to Raul Mondesi.
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  Ranked Northwest League #8 prospect in 2010
  Liriano is a textbook example of a player whose tools are ahead of his skills. He has the physical ability to be an impact big leaguer, but his game is raw all the way around. Though he hit just three home runs in 441 at-bats between three levels this year, Liriano has legitimate power. With plenty of bat speed, he's a monster in batting practice who's still learning to translate his strength into games. Toning down his aggressiveness at the plate would help. He's a solid-average runner, though as with his power, his raw speed is better than his game speed. He needs to work on developing better instincts on the bases and in the outfield. He has above-average arm strength and profiles best in right field.
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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #4 prospect in 2009
  Liriano signed with the Padres in July 2007 for a $300,000 bonus. He batted just .198 with 106 strkeouts in 67 games in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League last summer, but he improved significantly in his first year in the United States. He ranked in the top five in all three triple-crown categories at .350-8-44 and also stole 15 bases. He still needs to tighten his strike zone, but that should come with experience. He has good power potential, above-average speed and a plus-plus arm that's very accurate. Though he gets good jumps on balls, he projects more as a right fielder than a center fielder. "He has the biggest upside that I've seen in a Latin kid in my years of managing," Padres manager Jose Flores said.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #49 prospect in 2012

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  Liriano signed for $300,000 in July 2007 and has logged seven years in the Padres organization-he missed all of 2013 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He finally reached the majors in August 2014, but he conspicuously did not receive a September callup in 2015, despite hitting 14 home runs at Triple-A El Paso and ranking ninth in the Pacific Coast League with a .383 on-base percentage. One evaluator believed the lack of a callup was intended as a message to the toolsy outfielder. Liriano drew a career-high 64 walks in 2015, while his strikeout rate held steady at 24 percent, but the overhauled Padres front office has no tie to 24-year-old and perhaps has tired of waiting for the powerfully-built right fielder to translate his tools to the field. At his best, Liriano has plus bat speed and above-average raw power. Though he was far more selective in 2015, he still strikes out too much with a long and hard swing that doesn't produce quite enough power to justify the whiffs. He has plus speed underway, helping him rate as a tick above-average fielder with a prototype right fielder's arm. Because he will be out of options, Liriano cannot be sent to El Paso without first clearing waivers.
• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Liriano took another step toward San Diego in his fifth season since signing for $300,000 as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic. He mastered high Class A--following an aborted assignment there in 2011--and reached Double-A for first time, where he hit .322/.408/.444 over his final 26 games. Scouting Report: Built like a running back, Liriano features similar explosiveness. He showcases all five tools at various points, highlighted by plus power, arm strength and range in right field. While he hasn't topped 12 homers in a season, he can take the ball out to any part of the park. His contact rate ultimately will dictate whether his power plays as plus or merely average. Distant left-center power alleys in Lake Elsinore forced Liriano to use the middle of the field in 2012, which coupled with a more discerning eye made him a better hitter. A solid runner, he swiped 32 bases in 2012 after registering 66 the year before, and those totals will continue to dwindle as he fill out. The Future: Liriano has 20-20 potential if he puts everything together. The Padres are counting on their upper-level corner prospects, such as Liriano and Jedd Gyorko, because the cost of acquiring established run producers is prohibitive.
• August, 2012 Scouting Report
  Building upon an impressive season split between high Class A Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio, Liriano was one of the top hitters in the AFL this fall, finishing with a .319/.376/.505 line and ranking among the top five in both batting and slugging percentage all season. While the 21-year-old outfielder displays an impressive, prototypical right fielder tool kit to back the numbers--good bat speed, power potential, speed, plus arm--there are still scouts who question his overall makeup and ability to reach his potential.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: For the second straight year, Liriano slumped early before thriving after an in-season demotion. In 2011, he overcame a 7-for-55 (.127) start at high Class A Lake Elsinore to win the low Class A Midwest League MVP award. He finished third in the MWL batting race (.319), crushed 50 extra-base hits and ranked third in the minors with 66 steals. Scouting Report: Among Padres farmhands, only 2009 No. 3 overall pick Donavan Tate can approach Liriano's overall collection of tools. He whips the bat through the zone, drives the ball to the middle of the field and has the strength and bat plane necessary to hit 25 homers one day. His pitch-recognition skills improved dramatically with Fort Wayne as he saw a steady diet of breaking balls, and he now projects as a solid hitter. Liriano has a quick first step and regularly gets down the line in less than 4.2 seconds from the right side, giving him plus speed. Strong instincts make him a plus basestealer, though scouts expect he'll lose a step as he fills out his thick frame. His average range and well above-average arm strength fit well in right field. The Future: Liriano combined promise and performance like nobody else in the system in 2011. A future first-division right fielder, he'll attempt to solve high Class A in 2012.