Justin Reimer
2B Wright State
2022 WS stat line - 44-G, 146-AB, .329, 2-HR
11-10-22 - 3 UNDER THE RADAR HITTERS FOR THE 2023 MLB DRAFT -
JUSTIN RIEMER, WRIGHT STATE, 2B
The 2022 MLB Draft saw University of Charlotte second baseman Nate Furman and University of San Diego second baseman Chase Meidroth both get selected in the fourth round. The switch-hitting Riemer squarely fits in that bucket in 2023. A hit-over-everything infielder with elite bat-to-ball skills.
Riemer isn’t necessarily the most tooled-up prospect available in the 2023 draft, but he offers one of the safer floors in the class. Riemer slashed .329/.454/.459 last season for Wright State. He hit just two homers and stole just seven bases, splitting his time between second base and shortstop. Notably, he drew 31 free passes, striking out just 12 times – nearly a 3:1 walk-to-strikeout ratio. For comparison, Furman slashed .371/.502/.474 with two homers and 21 stolen bases while Meidroth slashed .329/.440/.544 with ten homers and six stolen bases.
In terms of tools, I’ve got Riemer squarely an average defender with soft hands and solid actions on the dirt. That said, he doesn’t have a particularly strong throwing arm and his future home is without question second base. He’s a rangy player who moves well laterally though his unconventional arm action limits his ability on plays to his right. It can work at shortstop in a pinch, but it’d be a liability full-time. Riemer reminds me a bit of Brad Miller during his time at Clemson and in his early days in Seattle. He’s a guy whose athleticism comes by way of controlled chaos; limbs flying everywhere, a scrappy baller who makes things happen. I do believe Riemer is a bigger threat on the bases than his baseball card would suggest. He’s an above average runner underway with a strong first step and an athletic gait.
The metrics are where the parallels between Furman, Meidroth and Riemer really start to stick out. Some would argue the metrics can be predictive in how all three will pan out over time. According to Synergy, Riemer made 225 swings last season and whiffed just nine times -- good for a 4% whiff rate. Over 381 swings, Meidroth featured a 12% whiff rate last season while Furman sported an 8% whiff rate over 373 swings. Furman’s 17% chase rate and Meidroth’s 21% chase rate both pale in comparison to Riemer’s 8% chase rate. Riemer’s approach and bat-to-ball skills are elite by every measure. That said, all three players feature well below-average exit velocities both in average and peak batted-ball outcomes, so projecting real impact at the next level might be an exercise in futility.
Riemer can really hit, and I think he can handle second base a bit better than both Furman and Meidroth. He’s a better runner than Meidroth too. If he can repeat his outlandish 2022 campaign for Wright State in 2023, he’s got a chance to go in the 3-6 round range.
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