Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | LAA | RHP | 9 | 45 |
Grades Update: Jan 2021
| OFP | Role | FB | CB | SPL | Cnt/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 55 | 45 | 50 | 40/40 |
Jan 2021 Report
Evaluator: Geoff Pontes
Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 160 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA, HOU
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster
Physical Description: Tall skinny build, long arms and legs, square shoulders, high waist. Looks listed height and weight with additional projection remaining throughout the frame.
Mechanics: Semi-windup; drop and drive. Over the top slot, above average arm speed, and high effort in the delivery. Moderate leg lift, late handbrake, falls off to first base side. Classic stretch move, no ramp, slot drops a little.
Fastball: Sits 93-95 mph, ramping up to 96-97 mph. Holds velocity second time through the lineup dropping to 92-94 mph, still reaching for 95 when needed. Four-seam, heavy ride, plays best elevated. Ability to create downhill plane due to height and release point. Limited armside run, misses mostly gloveside and elevated in the zone, rarely throws to the heart of the plate. Generates swings and misses overpowering hitters with velocity and movement. Near plus pitch with improved command, above average in current state. Grade: 55
Curveball: Sits 82-84 mph, with loopy 12-6 break, and below average vertical drop. Go-to secondary first time through the order, generates swings and misses and groundball contact. Controls the pitch at an average level, showing the ability to land it for strikes. Command is below average struggles to hit the mit, will hang one out of five. Fringe average, good velocity for a curveball that could trend to average with improved command. Grade: 45
Splitter: Sits 85-88 mph, classic splitter, thrown with conviction, swing and miss pitch, with primary function to drive chase swings. Rarely thrown for a strike, mostly thrown glove side, with late dynamic tumble that fools righties and lefties alike. Limited function due to inability to land in the bottom of the zone with consistency. Average splitter. Grade: 50
Control and Command: Fringe average control, capable strike thrower, with varied command across offerings. Fastball command best of the three offerings, showing the ability to hit his spots in the lower quadrants, and elevated armside. Curveball and splitter command are below average, will lose the ability to land either for consistent strikes for stretches. Control: 40 | Command:40
Overall: A rule five draft pick out of the Astros system, Rivera has the profile of a minor league starter that will soon transition to a multi-inning or low leverage pen role, with the stuff to pitch his way into high leverage work. Below average command due to the effort in his motion. Fringe strike thrower, that lives around the zone but rarely in it. Plus velocity on all three pitches, with the ability for his arsenal to play up across multiple innings. Should see multi-inning clean-up work if he sticks on the Angels active roster.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Long Reliever or Low-Leverage Reliever
Risk: Moderate
