logo
Blue Jays Nation’s Mid-Season Prospect Countdown – No. 27: Rainer Nuñez
alt
Photo credit: © Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Ryley Delaney
Aug 22, 2023, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 22, 2023, 17:33 EDT
Comments
The upper minors have been a real test for this Blue Jays prospect.
Just a quick recap of the mid-season list: We’ll look at the player’s stats, my observations, and finally other publications (Prospects Live, MLB Pipeline, Baseball America)’ scouting reports.
Let’s look at Rainer Nuñez in this article.

Getting to know Rainer Nuñez…

Position: First base
Bats:  Right
Born:  December 4, 2000
Acquired:  2017 International Free Agency
Current Team:  Double-A New Hampshire
Previous Ranking: 16 
After winning the Dominican Winter League Rookie of the Year (and leading LIDOM in homers), the 22-year-old first baseman started the 2023 season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians. He got off to a great start with the C’s, slashing .309/.390/.446 with three homers in 159 plate appearances, along with a 10.1 BB% and an 18.9 K% for a 127 wRC+.
He was called up in late-May to Double-A, where the first baseman has struggled mightily. Nuñez is slashing just .226/.271/.330 with six homers in 236 plate appearances, along with a 5.9 BB% and a 23.7 K% for a 63 wRC+
Nuñez consistently hits the ball hard, registering over five balls in play with an exit velocity over 110 mph last season with the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays (the only player to hit even one). This led to plenty of homers, as he hit 15 in Single-A, four in his short time in Vancouver in 2022, and seven in the Dominican Winter League, which led the league.
Not just that, but Nuñez has also hit for a solid average in the past. His .299 batting average in Single-A in 2022 actually won him the batting title for the Florida State League. He hit .321 with Vancouver in 2022, and .309 with Vancouver as recently as this season. Double-A has been a big test for the 22-year-old, but he has a track record of winning awards.
Defensively, Nuñez has shown off great flexibility to pick balls in the dirt, but his lack of speed limits him to first base.
As noted, Double-A has been a big test for Nuñez, but the fact he smacks balls and has shown before that he can hit for average makes me believe that it’s worth waiting to see how the next few years shape up for the first baseman.

Next up:

In the next article, we’ll have the first pitcher who’s made his major league debut on this list, so stay tuned!

In case you missed it…

As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads @Brennan_L_D.

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY BETANO

Editorials

Breaking News