Bryan Reynolds

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #9 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Reynolds has a long-standing track record as a singles and doubles hitter. He posted a career .329 average at Vanderbilt, hit .346 in the Cape Cod League, and he has yet to hit under .300 at any pro stop. The Pirates acquired him in the Andrew McCutchen trade before the 2018 season. Even after breaking his hamate bone in April, he hit .342 in August to finish at .302 for the year.
  
  Scouting Report: Reynolds swing is compact and level, and he has a good feel for the zone, but he doesn't have a lot of lift in his swing and frequently puts the ball on the ground. He has good speed and he can hit to all fields from both sides of the plate, but his extra-base hit numbers are low. He finished 2018 with 28, including just seven home runs. Reynolds helps himself out with a solid defensive profile. He has above-average speed and makes decisive reads in the outfield. He runs efficient routes and has a strong and accurate enough arm to play any outfield position. He is solid enough to play center field as a fill-in but his range would be stretched if asked to play there every day.
  
  The Future: Reynolds will likely begin 2019 at Triple-A Indianapolis. His lack of home run power might consign him to a fourth outfielder role.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #5 prospect in 2018
  Reynolds has always hit. He hit .329 in his three-year Vanderbilt career, hit .346 in the Cape Cod League and so far has hit .312 as a pro. That said, because he doesn't drive the ball as much as his raw size and strength might indicate he should, scouts have long pined for something more. For a three-year starter at Vanderbilt who was a second-round pick, there's a surprisingly unfinished quality to Reynolds. The switch-hitter stays in control of his swings and frequently hits the ball on the ground. Scouts say he lacks the barrel control and pitch recognition of elite hitters, although he did cut his strikeout rate in 2017. Scouts have long thought Reynolds has above-average power potential or more, but it would take a significant change in his approach and swing to tap into it. Defensively, Reynolds plays a fringe-average center field because he lacks initial burst, but he is above-average in either corner. His average arm works everywhere. Reynolds' strength and power potential give him upside, but his realistic ceiling is in question. He's likely to be a well-rounded big league outfielder with his current approach, but to be a long-term regular he'll need to unlock his power.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #4 prospect in 2017
  After giving up their 2016 first-round pick to sign free agent Jeff Samardzija, the Giants were thrilled to see Reynolds, a late first-round talent, slide to the second round. He hit .329 in a three-year career at Vanderbilt and .346 in the 2015 Cape Cod League. After signing with the Giants he quickly advanced to low Class A Augusta and hit .313 in his pro debut. Reynolds may not have a true plus tool, but nor does he have a below-average one. His feel for the game enhances his raw ability. He's a switch-hitter with quick hands and a loose swing. He gets too passive at times with two strikes and carries a high strikeout rate. Still, he uses a controlled swing, understands pitch sequencing and works counts to the point he is beginning to tap into his average power. Defensively, Reynolds is a plus defender in the corners and is playable in center field because of his average speed. His arm is average but plays because he's accurate. As a switch-hitter who can hit and play all three outfield spots, Reynolds has a high floor as at least a big league contributor. His ability to stay in center and rein in his strikeout rate will determine whether he can be an everyday impact player.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #31 prospect in 2016 draft
  Reynolds comes from a strong high school program at Brentwood (Tenn.) High, and was a part of the historically good 2013 Tennessee high school class. Reynolds has a well-established track record as a three-year starter and steady performer for Vanderbilt, and he played for Team USA as a rising sophomore and had a strong summer in the Cape Cod League leading up to his junior year. Reynolds is a switch-hitter with intriguing raw power from both sides of the plate. That power has begun to translate into game action this spring, and some scouts project him to hit 15-20 home runs at the highest level. His power does, however, come with some swing-and-miss concerns. He plays center field for the Commodores and could begin his pro career at the position, but he is a tick below-average runner with average arm strength. Reynolds is considered one of the safer prospects in the class, though he lacks a high ceiling.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked California League #19 prospect in 2017
  Tooled up with enviable athleticism, Reynolds also showed improved hitting ability en route to finishing fifth in the Cal League with a .312 batting average. The switch-hitter had hit streaks of 11 and 17 games, and produced from both the left (.295, .805 OPS) and right (.365, .896 OPS) sides of the plate. Reynolds flashed above-average run times and plus raw power, but he has yet to turn those tools into production. He hit just 10 home runs and stole five bases. He is a solid-average defensive outfielder capable of playing center field but is better suited for a corner. "He's got all the ability in the world, just has some fine-tuning to go," Visalia manager Shelley Duncan said. "All of Reynolds' stuff is kind of hidden in there. He shows glimpses of it, but the consistency isn't there yet." Reynolds is an upside play with the possibility he never gets the most out of his raw power or speed, but evaluators generally see enough ability and athleticism to project an everyday outfielder.
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #5 prospect in 2016
  The Giants drafted four position players among their first five picks in 2016 and sent them all to Salem-Keizer. Reynolds, the highest drafted of the quartet, impressed the most, ranking among the league batting leaders before a promotion to low Class A. None of Reynolds' tools grades as top-shelf, though with a mixture of solid-average or better tools, his only glaring weakness is contact rate. His speed and instincts could play well in center field but might play better in either corner. His average arm is strong enough to play at all three spots. A switch-hitter, Reynolds displays a smooth stroke from both sides of the plate and shows ability to both slash for contact and turn-and-burn for home runs. Scouts noticed that part of his strikeout total came from an unwillingness to expand the zone at all.

• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Reynolds missed the start of the season after having hamate bone surgery and took rounding into form since his return, but he’s hit .288 with a .408 on-base percentage since June 13 and is showing improved bat-to-ball skills from the left side. He hasn’t tapped into his above-average raw power yet, and the injury doesn’t help, but his continued strides as a hitter help him profile as a major leaguer. Defensively Reynolds is primarily playing left field now, which is where he profiles long-term with the ability to play center as needed.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: After giving up their 2016 first-round pick to sign free agent Jeff Samardzija, the Giants were thrilled to see Reynolds, a late first-round talent, slide to the second round. He hit .329 in a three-year career at Vanderbilt and .346 in the 2015 Cape Cod League. After signing with the Giants he quickly advanced to low Class A Augusta and hit .313 in his pro debut. Scouting Report: Reynolds may not have a true plus tool, but he also doesn't have a below-average one. His feel for the game enhances his raw ability. He's a switch-hitter with quick hands and a loose swing. He gets too passive at times with two strikes and carries a high strikeout rate. Still, he uses a controlled swing, understands pitch sequencing and works counts to the point he is beginning to tap into his average power. Defensively, Reynolds is a plus defender in the corners and is playable in center field because of his average speed. His arm is average but plays because he's accurate.
  
  The Future: As a switch-hitter who can hit and play all three outfield spots, Reynolds has a high floor as at least a big league contributor. His ability to stay in center and rein in his strikeout rate will determine whether he can be an everyday impact player.