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.
