As White Sox begin Spring Training, most eyes will be glued to the teams newest top prospects. Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech and Reynaldo Lopez all bring something special that will draw in most fans and reporters.
Moncada brings an impressive mix of speed and power. As the crown jewel of the Chris Sale trade, most will be watching to see if he can live up to his potential. Giolito was once ranked as the best pitching prospect in the game. While he was derailed by injuries, Spring Training gives Giolito a chance to prove he is still one of the best pitching prospects in the game. Kopech is known for his fastball, reportedly hitting 105 on the radar gun last season. Fans will be excited to finally get a look at the flamethrower and see that fastball in action. Lopez hasn't received as much hype as the aforementioned three. Spring Training allows him an opportunity to show that he is a future ace on this White Sox team.
Outside of those four, the team has prospects in Zack Collins and Carson Fulmer who are just as integral to the team's rebuild. Watching them face MLB pitching/hitting will be crucial when attempting to decipher their MLB potential.
Besides prospects, the White Sox have a lot to be excited about during Spring Training. Fans will get to see veterans such as Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier and David Robertson. As trade talks remain ongoing for all three, there's a chance Spring Training is the last time they don a White Sox uniform. Fans will also get to see the development of rising stars Tim Anderson and Carlos Rodon as they look to become leaders on this young White Sox team.
The 2017 season may not be too bright for the White Sox, but the team has a lot to offer during Spring Training. With so much to watch, it's easy for some players to go unnoticed.
One of those players is outfielder
Rymer Liriano.
Liriano appeared in 38 major league games with the Padres in 2014. He hit .220 with one home run, six RBIs and four stolen bases. In 738 minor league games over seven seasons, Liriano hit .277 with 68 home runs, 378 RBIs and 190 stolen bases.
The White Sox claimed Liriano off waivers from the Brewers earlier in the offseason. While he hasn't received the hype of a Moncada or Kopech, he offers a few traits that could make him a prospect to watch in 2017.
Former Glory
In 2011 Rymer Liriano was ranked as the San Diego Padres third best prospect by MLB Pipeline.
MLB Pipeline wrote:
It's hard not to be excited about Liriano's overall package. He's got great bat speed, which should lead to good power. He runs well and can steal bases -- his 66 steals topped the system in 2011 -- and he has more than enough arm to profile very well in right field. In the past, he's struggled with a push up a level, as he did in 2011, when the Padres aggressively sent him to the California League. But if his time in Fort Wayne meant anything, he looks ready for the jump now. At 20, he ranked among Midwest League leaders in nearly every category and was named the league's MVP and Prospect of the Year. His 2011 season was one of just three in the past 20 years of Minor League Baseball to feature at least 30 doubles, 10 home runs and 60 stolen bases.
In 2012, Liriano was ranked as the Padres number one overall prospect, and the 51st best prospect in baseball.
Pipeline wrote:
If you like toolsy athletic outfielders, then Liriano might be your guy. He had them all on display in 2011 in the Class A Midwest League, where he hit .298 with 12 homers and 65 stolen bases. A good first half in the Cal League in '12 earned him a promotion to the Double-A Texas League, where he continued to hold his own at age 21. He can hit for average and power, thanks to outstanding bat speed. He has shown better plate discipline than many young hitters, drawing a good amount of walks and not striking out all that much. He has plus speed that makes him a serious threat on the basepaths. He has more than enough arm to be a prototypical right fielder. He’s still figuring things out, with a very high ceiling.
In 2013, Liriano was ranked as the Padres fourth best prospect and the 79th best prospect in baseball.
Pipeline wrote:
Liriano should develop into a prototypical right fielder with a very strong arm, the ability to drive in runs and some baserunning skills to boot, but that development was put on hold when reconstructive elbow surgery forced him out for the entire 2013 season. The toolsy outfielder wasn't ready for the California League in 2011 and had to go back down to the Midwest League. When he moved back up a level in 2012, he took the Cal League by storm, earning a promotion to Double-A. There is little Liriano can't do on the field. He has tremendous bat speed, which should help him develop more power, and improved plate discipline has been a key to him becoming a better all-around hitter. It's not just at the plate where Liriano needs to tone things down at times. He's very aggressive on the basepaths and in the outfield, sometimes to a fault.
In 2014, Liriano was the fifth best prospect in the Padres system.
Pipeline wrote:
Prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2013, Liriano had reached Double-A San Antonio, and he impressed scouts with his five-tool potential. After missing all of last year as he recovered, he picked up where he left off and played his way to the big leagues, debuting with the Padres in August. Like Renfroe, Liriano has good raw power, but he has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game. He's struck out more than 100 times in each of his professional seasons, and he'll need to refine his pitch recognition to make the most of his tools. Liriano has solid speed, and he uses it well on the basepaths and in the outfield. Before the surgery, he was mostly a right fielder, but he has played mostly left field since returning. Liriano's offensive skills allow him to profile in any outfield position.
In 2015, Liriano was the 21st best prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. The team had acquired him after the Padres DFA'd the outfielder.
Pipeline wrote:
Long one of the more intriguing position prospects in San Diego's system, Liriano missed all of 2013 following Tommy John surgery but returned to make his big league debut the following year. However, his chances of securing a spot in the Padres' outfield were diminished with the club's offseason trades for Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and Justin Upton, and he spent the entire 2015 season back in Triple-A. In January, Liriano was acquired by the Brewers after being designated for assignment by San Diego. Liriano is a multitalented player with at least average tools across the board and the versatility to play all three outfield positions. His bat speed gives him power to all fields, though it's mitigated by a free-swinging approach and a propensity to chase breaking balls that also depress his batting average. Liriano is a solid runner who knows how to steal bases and with the upside of a 20-20 player. Though he fits best in right field with his strong arm, Liriano presumably will have to compete with right-handed-hitting corner outfielders Ryan Braun, Khris Davis and Domingo Santana for playing time in Milwaukee next season.
I understand that that is a lot of information to take in, but what it boils down to, is that at one point Liriano was considered one of the best prospects in the game. In each blurb MLB Pipeline gushes about his future potential.
Obviously a lot changes between 2011 to 2017, however it's possible that Liriano is able to reach that potential. If he is given a fair chance to start, there's a legit chance that the White Sox got another top prospect for close to nothing.
Legit Tools
In every blurb about Liriano, MLB Pipeline writes about how "toolsy" Liriano is. In 2011-2012 the site basically called him a five-tool prospect, and in 2012 the outfielder was described as a "potential 20-20 player".
The White Sox outfielder hit his first MLB home run on August 13th, 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z3IiQWPAd8
Liriano hit the ball into the second deck of Petco Park; not an easy task. He isn't the next Giancarlo Stanton, but Liriano has legit power from the right side of the plate. With enough at-bats there's a high probability he could reach the 20 home run plateau.
Liriano could be one of the fastest players on the White Sox, as evident by this play where he beat Domonic Brown's throw to home on a Jedd Gyorko RBI Single.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-w0HkhOzXo
With Charlie Tilson and Tim Anderson set to man the top of the lineup, it might be best for Rick Renteria to play Liriano towards the bottom. In doing so he integrates a solid mix of speed and power while essentially making Liriano another leadoff hitter if the bottom of the lineup is unable to succeed the inning prior.
If you search on YouTube "Rymer Liriano catch", five of the first six options are a spectacular play by the outfielder. This clip likely sums up Liriano's defensive prowess the best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2cKGMSXASE
The White Sox just lost an amazing defensive right fielder in Adam Eaton. While Liriano may not provide the same value, starting him in right field would give the fans/management a chance to see just how good he could be defensively on a regular basis.
When you think of a five-tool prospect Rymer Liriano certainly isn't the first name you think of. However he has proven throughout the minor league level, and into the MLB level, that he has multiple facets to his game. At just 25, there's more than a good chance that those tools still exist in the new White Sox outfielder.
(Injury) Bug Spray
The only thing that has kept Liriano from reaching his full potential is injuries.
Liriano underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013. He dealt with an even more brutal injury in 2016 when he was hit in the face by a pitch, suffering a concussion and multiple facial fractures. He was forced to get plastic surgery, and missed the entire 2016 season.
Both injuries could be considered freak injuries. It isn't every day that an outfielder blows out his arm, or takes a fastball straight to the face.
Liriano is now fully healthy and healed from his facial injuries. The 2016 season will allow him to prove what he can do on a full time basis. If the White Sox give him a legit chance to start, then the 25 year old outfielder has a chance to finally reach his top prospect potential.
While players like Moncada, Kopech and Giolito are getting all the hype, all three will likely start in the minor leagues. Liriano is on the fast track to atleast a bench spot at the MLB level.
He have have been forgotten about, but Liriano has a lot left in the tank and has the tools to make an impact in 2017. Assuming he stays healthy, there's a chance Rymer Liriano could even be the White Sox most impactful prospect of the in 2017 MLB season.
Feel free to continue the conversation on Twitter:
@DFappiano14