Riley Pint

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #30 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft, Pint has battled injuries and major control problems and has yet to advance past low Class A Asheville. Pint's control issues first surfaced at low Class A Asheville, where he uncorked 26 wild pitches and walked 59 hitters in 93 innings. Pint has thrown just 26 innings over the past two seasons, including a 2019 season in which he walked 31 batters in 17.2 innings, was demoted to the bullpen and didn't pitch after June 14 due to shoulder tendinitis.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Pint still has a 97-100 mph fastball with dominant potential, a hard slurvy curveball and a true slider, but he has zero command of either. The move to the bullpen also allowed Pint him to focus solely on commanding his fastball before reintroducing offspeed pitches. Pint's stretch-only delivery appears sound through the start but also plenty of effort through his landing, finish and extension. That includes a head whack, which has contributed to the loss of a consistent release point.
  
  THE FUTURE: Pint will try again to show he can take a step forward in 2020 and reestablish himself as someone who can at least provide bullpen value.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #8 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: It's time for Pint to make a move. One of the most overpowering pitchers in the 2016 draft class, his results and durability in pro ball haven't been there. Able to get away with hitters chasing pitches when he was in high school because of his dominating velocity, Pint has had to work on his control. Hopes for a breakthrough season in 2018 weren't met because he was limited to just 8.1 innings of work in four appearances.
  
  Scouting Report: Pint can simply overpower hitters when he throws strikes. He is a starting pitcher who sits 97-99 mph and can run it up to 102 without any stress. He also has one of the better curveballs in the organization. It is all about consistency. If the pieces of the puzzle fit together he's a legit No. 1 starter--but that is a giant if because he hasn't gotten out of low Class A ball. He showed promise in 2018 but then came the injuries that flared up in the first inning of his first South Atlantic League start and kept him from getting back on the mound most of the summer, limiting him to three starts at short-season Boise.
  
  The Future: Pint's 2019 season has plenty of promise, but it is critical for him to take a step up and get in a full season to start answering the questions and concerns that have grown out of his history of injuries. Given Pint's size and ability to simply intimidate hitters in high school, the Rockies have shown a willingness to be patient, but this will be his fourth year in pro ball and an uptick is vital.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #3 prospect in 2018
  Pint touched 100 mph in high school and the Rockies drafted him with the fourth overall pick in 2016, signing him for $4.8 million. His big velocity has not translated to professional success, however. After a poor 2017 at low Class A Asheville, Pint is 3-16, 5.40 with 82 walks, 14 hit batters and 34 wild pitches in 130 professional innings, to go along with 115 strikeouts. Pint simply overpowered high school hitters, which covered up mechanical shortcomings that have hampered him in pro ball. His fastball ranges anywhere from 93-98 mph and touches 102 but plays down due to poor command and control––the result of a delivery he doesn't repeat even though it is clean. He pulls off of pitches and misses the zone, and isn't much better with his secondaries. His slider flashes above-average and his curveball and changeup flash average potential, but he doesn't have consistent control of any of them. The Rockies have taken a cautious approach with Pint, limiting his innings and adjusting his mechanics slowly. Scouts remain bullish on Pint because of his premium stuff and clean delivery, but his lack of strike-throwing ability is alarming. High Class A Lancaster is likely next in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #2 prospect in 2017
  Pint was rated the top prep pitching prospect in the 2016 draft and went fourth overall to the Rockies, who signed him for $4.8 million to forgo a Louisiana State commitment. Working to streamline his mechanics, the Rockies limited Pint's workload at Rookie-level Grand Junction, which led to him never working more than five innings. Athleticism and arm speed give Pint an overpowering fastball that has reached 100 mph and often parks at 97. What makes him special is pairing that with two potential plus offspeed pitches. His breaking pitch, a low-80s power curveball, features natural spin and late break. Once Pint can get a consistent release point, it will be a pitch that can set up his arsenal. His changeup also has plus potential with a lot of action, but he still needs to gain consistency. Command issues are being addressed with subtle adjustments to his delivery. Pint showed his ability to adapt quickly during instructional league, when the Rockies worked to improve his balance and direction to the plate. He fits in well with teammates, keeping a low profile and showing an excellent work ethic. Pint has the type of arm to be a legitimate No. 1 starter, but Colorado will be need to be patient with such a high-risk talent. He will start at low Class A Asheville in 2017.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #2 prospect in 2016 draft
  Just two years after high school righthander Tyler Kolek went second overall largely on the basis of a 100 mph fastball, Pint is a much better version of the same template with an exceptionally fast arm. Pint sits at 97-98 mph, regularly bumps 100 and has touched 102 with a fastball that has sink and tailing action. He also throws an 89-91 mph potentially plus changeup with deception and fade. He even has two separate breaking balls--a curve and a slider that both flash above-average. Pint is athletic--he was an excellent basketball player before focusing on baseball and he's thrown less than many top high school arms. His delivery causes some concerns as he lands into a stiff front side, has a head whack at release and has some recoil which has at times caused his control to waver. In a best-case scenario he becomes a Justin Verlander-esque front-line ace. Like Pint, Verlander had problems with a stiff front side and control issues as an amateur but the Tigers were able to clean it up.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #15 prospect in 2017
  The No. 4 overall pick in 2016, Pint is a work in progress. He struggles to repeat his delivery consistently and he's behind in counts too often. Even with well above-average velocity--he generally sat 94-97 mph--hitters rarely were blown away by Pint and they often took comfortable swings. The Rockies wanted Pint to focus on fastball command and improving his changeup, so they largely shelved his potentially plus breaking ball. But he doesn't repeat his delivery well enough to consistently locate the heater yet. He leaves his fastball up in the zone too often and hitters generally took advantage. His final outing of the season put a poor cap on his year--he gave up nine runs without recording an out. Pint still has the makings of a flamethrowing front-end starter, but he's got to tone down his delivery, stay back over the rubber and improve his command and control by at least two grades.
• 
  Ranked Pioneer League #1 prospect in 2016
  The Rockies drafted Pint fourth overall, signed him for $4.8 million and sent him to the PL, their lowest-level affiliate. While inconsistent in his pro debut, he was the second-youngest pitcher to qualify for the league ERA title and showed his enormous potential at times, reinforcing his projection as a true frontline starter. On any given day he can take three plus pitches to the mound, including a fastball that often reaches triple digits and sits at 95-99 mph. "When he throws all his pitches somewhere in the strike zone he's almost unhittable,v Grand Junction manager Frank Gonzales said. Aside from his top-of-the-scale fastball, Pint also throws an 80-83 mph power curveball and a hard 87-88 changeup that received plus grades prior to the draft. He generally repeats his high three-quarters arm slot, albeit with some effort. At times he gets quick in the delivery with runners on base, something he diligently worked to correct during his bullpen sessions with pitching coach Ryan Kibler. "He's hungry for how he can be more efficient," Gonzales said. "His bullpen sessions are top notch."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #99 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #46 prospect in 2017

• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft, Pint has battled injuries and major control problems and has yet to advance past low Class A Asheville. Pint's control issues first surfaced at low Class A Asheville, where he uncorked 26 wild pitches and walked 59 hitters in 93 innings. Pint has thrown just 26 innings over the past two seasons, including a 2019 season in which he walked 31 batters in 17.2 innings, was demoted to the bullpen and didn't pitch after June 14 due to shoulder tendinitis.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Pint still has a 97-100 mph fastball with dominant potential, a hard slurvy curveball and a true slider, but he has zero command of either. The move to the bullpen also allowed Pint him to focus solely on commanding his fastball before reintroducing offspeed pitches. Pint's stretch-only delivery appears sound through the start but also plenty of effort through his landing, finish and extension. That includes a head whack, which has contributed to the loss of a consistent release point.
  
  THE FUTURE: Pint will try again to show he can take a step forward in 2020 and reestablish himself as someone who can at least provide bullpen value.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Pint came out of his first start at low Class A Asheville with shoulder stiffness, missed the next two months, made two starts at short-season Boise, and has been out since June 21 with an oblique strain. Pint still flashes plus stuff across the board, headlined by a 97-101 mph fastball, but inconsistencies in his delivery have yielded poor control, and now his injuries further complicate how realistic it is for him to reach his big upside.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Pint touched 100 mph in high school and the Rockies drafted him fourth overall in 2016, signing him for $4.8 million. His big velocity has not translated to professional success. After a poor 2017 at low Class A Asheville, Pint is 3-16, 5.40 with 82 walks, 14 hit batters and 34 wild pitches in 130 professional innings, along with 115 strikeouts. Scouting Report: Pint simply overpowered high school hitters, which covered up mechanical shortcomings that have hampered him in pro ball. His fastball ranges anywhere from 93-98 mph and touches 102 but plays down due to poor command and control, the result of a delivery he doesn't repeat even though it is clean. He pulls off of pitches and misses the zone, and isn't much better with his secondaries. His slider flashes above-average and his curveball and changeup flash average potential, but he doesn't have consistent control of any of them. The Rockies have taken a cautious approach with Pint, limiting his innings and adjusting his mechanics slowly. The Future: Scouts remain bullish on Pint because of his premium stuff and clean delivery, but his lack of strike-throwing ability is alarming. High Class A Lancaster is likely next in 2018.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Pint was rated the top prep pitching prospect in the 2016 draft and went fourth overall to the Rockies, who signed him for $4.8 million to forgo a Louisiana State commitment. Working to streamline his mechanics, the Rockies limited Pint's workload at Rookie-level Grand Junction, which led to him never working more than five innings. Scouting Report: Athleticism and arm speed give Pint an overpowering fastball that has reached 100 mph and sits 97. What makes him special is pairing that with two potential plus offspeed pitches. His breaking pitch, a low-80s power curveball, features natural spin and late break. Once Pint can get a consistent release point, it will be a pitch that can set up his arsenal. His changeup also has plus potential with a lot of action, but still needs consistency. Command issues are being addressed with subtle adjustments to his delivery. Pint showed his ability to adapt quickly during instructional league, when the Rockies worked to improve his balance and direction to the plate. He fits in well with teammates, keeping a low profile and showing an excellent work ethic.
  
  The Future: Pint has the type of arm to be a legitimate No. 1 starter, but Colorado will be need to be patient with such a high-risk talent. He will start at low Class A Asheville in 2017.