BA GRADE
55
Risk: Medium
HIT: 50.
POW: 60.
SPD: 40.
FLD: 55.
ARM: 70.
Born: April 2, 1997. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 220. Drafted: HS—Southaven, Miss., 2015 (1st round supplemental). Signed by: Don Thomas.
Many teams saw Riley as a better pitching prospect than hitter coming out of high school. The Braves disagreed, believing in Riley’s power. He’s rewarded their faith by hitting 20 home runs in each of his first two full seasons while advancing to Double-A Mississippi at age 20 in 2017.
Riley has embraced the Braves’ focus on improving his nutritional habits. He appears slimmer, stronger and quicker than he was when drafted. He also has shortened his swing and improved his bat speed, helping him to more consistently get to his plus power potential and alleviating concerns about his now average hit tool. Riley’s biggest improvement has come defensively. He has alleviated fears he would need to move to first base and is now an above-average third baseman. His plus-plus arm is still his calling card, but he also improved his first-step quickness.
Riley headed to the Arizona Fall League, which will help prepare him for a move to Triple-A Gwinnett in 2018. Unless blocked by a future trade or free agent acquisition, Riley is the Braves’ third baseman of the not-too-distant future.
Year |
Club (League) |
Class |
AVG |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2015 |
Braves (GCL) |
R |
.255 |
30 |
106 |
18 |
27 |
|
Danville (APP) |
R |
.351 |
30 |
111 |
18 |
39 |
2016 |
Rome (SAL) |
LoA |
.271 |
129 |
495 |
68 |
134 |
2017 |
Florida (FSL) |
HiA |
.252 |
81 |
306 |
43 |
77 |
|
Mississippi (SL) |
AA |
.315 |
48 |
178 |
28 |
56 |
Minor League Totals |
.278 |
318 |
1196 |
175 |
333 |
||
Year |
Club (League) |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
2015 |
Braves (GCL) |
5 |
0 |
7 |
21 |
12 |
|
Danville (APP) |
9 |
1 |
5 |
19 |
14 |
2016 |
Rome (SAL) |
39 |
2 |
20 |
80 |
39 |
2017 |
Florida (FSL) |
10 |
1 |
12 |
47 |
23 |
|
Mississippi (SL) |
9 |
1 |
8 |
27 |
20 |
Minor League Totals |
72 |
5 |
52 |
194 |
108 |
|
Year |
Club (League) |
SO |
SB |
CS |
OBP |
SLG |
2015 |
Braves (GCL) |
37 |
2 |
1 |
.331 |
.500 |
|
Danville (APP) |
28 |
0 |
1 |
.443 |
.586 |
2016 |
Rome (SAL) |
147 |
3 |
3 |
.324 |
.479 |
2017 |
Florida (FSL) |
74 |
0 |
2 |
.310 |
.408 |
|
Mississippi (SL) |
50 |
2 |
0 |
.389 |
.511 |
Minor League Totals |
336 |
7 |
7 |
.343 |
.477 |
|