Name: Bryan Rincon
Position: SS
Born: February 8, 2004
Country: Venezuela
Bats/Throws: S/R
Height/Weight: 5’11” 185lbs
How Acquired: Drafted in the 14th Round of the 2022 Draft by the Phillies
Signed: July 25, 2022
Bonus: $125,000
Options Remaining: 3
Rule 5 Eligible: 2026
MiLB Free Agency: 2028
Stats
Hitter Statcast
*Statcast data only available for FSL (2021-2023), AAA (2023), and isolated select games and locations.
| Year | Balls in Play | Average EV | 90th Percentile EV | Max EV | Median Launch Angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 202 | 85.9 | 99.2 | 102.5 | 15 |
Prospect Rankings
Summary: Rincon is having a breakout season by swinging a bit more and hitting the ball a bit harder. He is mostly doing it by being more of a patient ambush hitter, and not by increasing the quality of his overall contact. Which has led to a lower average and BABIP, and at this point the low batting average is just going to be part of who he is. The change has translated into a career high in home runs (though his career high HR/FB rate feels like an outlier given the minor league ball is traveling more). He also has struggled to hit the ball hard from the right side vs lefties, though that does put him on the strongside of a platoon role if he ends up there. It is likely that better pitchers will attack the zone more often against him, and he will need to prove he can do damage more consistently. He is a good defensive shortstop, and should be able to move into a multi positional utility role fairly easily if needed. Rincon profiles as more of a high end bench player or low end starter than an everyday player on a playoff team.
Trade Deadline: Given that Rincon needs to go on the 40 man roster this offseason, and doesn’t project as an impact player, he falls right into the Phillies trade zone. It is unlikely that the Phillies will trade all of Rincon, Escobar, and Villavicencio, but history says the Phillies will probably trade one of them and Rincon might have the broadest appeal. He could be the primary piece for a solid rental.
Previous Rank: 8
The biggest thing is that Rincon is now healthy after two injured years. However, that somewhat hides that he has combined hitting the ball slightly harder with a more selectively aggressive approach to much better offensive numbers. His hit tool still has questions, and his ceiling is probably more average offensive contributor than what he has shown so far. His glove is good enough to mean that he could be a regular, but he probably is more a second division starter or good bench piece. (Preseason #44)
Role: Glove First Bench Infielder
Risk: High – With shorter benches, even glove forward infielders need to be able to hit some. Rincon also has a good glove, but not a great one.
Overview: Rincon popped up as an interesting prospect in 2023 after being drafted in the 14th round in 2022, but has failed, due to injury and ineffectiveness, to reach those heights again. He is a switch hitter who was disastrous from the right side in 2025. He has below average power, and is at his best when he is getting the ball in the air to his pull side, something that was exacerbated by a hamate injury this year. That does mean that he does not end up with doubles and triples when he misses balls out of the park, and generally he has run low BABIPs for a minor league prospect. Patience has always been a strong suit for Rincon, but it has grown into passivity. He rarely swings and misses while running high strikeout rates, because opposing pitchers are able to get strikes in the zone without much issue. Rincon was an active base runner this year, but he is not a burner. Defensively, he is a shortstop, but he does not project to be more than a plus defender if things work out. He really needs to just be a below average hitter to have a path forward, but it is not one his bat has been able to accomplish yet.
2026 Outlook: Rincon looks like he will get a 4th attempt at Jersey Shore, but if he fails to improve he could lose playing time as other prospects move up.
Role: Glove First Bottom of the Lineup Shortstop
Risk: High – Rincon barely played in 2024 due to a leg injury, and he once again struggled to make impactful contact. His glove projects to be good, but not good enough to be a zero at the plate. There is a fairly narrow path between sticking at the bottom of the lineup and being more of a bench player.
Summary: Rincon had a rough April where he was too passive at the plate, before having a solid 11 game stretch of May before he suffered a hamstring injury. He never really got back to where he was between the end of the season and a trip to the Arizona Fall League. The season didn’t really change the outlook on Rincon, but his struggles were concerning when he was on the field. He has the makings of a solid approach and has run good contact rates, but he can be prone to not hunting pitches to do damage on. He also lacks impact in his swing, and he really needs to maximize the trajectory of his contact in the air to get to home run power. If he puts it together, he probably is a 10 home run bat that doesn’t make up for the lack of power with a large amount of doubles, but is enough of a threat that he can maintain a decent walk rate. The combination will likely never be more than average at the plate, and likely below, which is why his defensive projection is important. He is a solid shortstop, and has a chance to be a plus defender in the long run thanks to good actions and arm. He hasn’t played positions other than short yet, but if he isn’t a regular it will be important that he has positional versatility.
2025 Outlook: Rincon will return to Jersey Shore looking for a full healthy season. With Caba traded, he should get the everyday reps at shortstop.
Role: Average Regular
Risk: High – Rincon has the glove and athleticism to be an above average to plus defender at shortstop, and while that gives him a high floor he is going to need to hit the ball harder to be an everyday player.
Summary: Rincon made the list last year on the back of 12 games in the FCL, and those flashes solidified into a good prospect in 2023. Rincon got off to a poor start in April, hitting just .175/.266/.246 with 7 walks (10.9%) and 17 strikeouts (26.6%). Even with a cold end in Jersey Shore, he hit .236/.376/.370 with 62 walks (16.6%) and 61 strikeouts (16.4%) over the rest of the season. He is a switch hitter who saw the ball slightly better vs LHPs with less swing and miss, but hit the ball harder from the left side vs RHPs. Regardless of the side of the plate, he showed an advanced approach, though possibly a bit passive. With Clearwater, his swing rate was just 38.0%, while showing a much higher swing rate against fastballs than breaking balls. The one concern is that when he did swing there was some amount of swing and miss (20.2%), particularly against sliders (34.0%), and it isn’t a glaring issue yet, but something to monitor. Not chasing pitches is a good start, but becoming too passive risks putting himself in situations where he is down in the count and having to swing at the breaking balls. The other concern is that he got decent power output statistically, but his exit velocity numbers were near the bottom of Phillies batters at an average of 85.9 mph and 90th percentile of 99.2mph. He does get the ball in the air, and he maximizes the power he can get to, but the lower overall impact numbers are concerning. Rincon does have the frame to mature and add strength, but he also isn’t particularly lanky or projectable. Rincon played exclusively shortstop with the Phillies and he will stick there and be an above average to plus defender. There is some risk he is a below average hitter, but a good defender, and ends up more in a bench role. He does do enough of the positive things right at the plate and on defense that there is a definite path to being a starter for a playoff caliber team who hits in the bottom third of a lineup.
2024 Outlook: Rincon ended the season in Jersey Shore, and he will likely start and spend most or all of the season there. The park there is likely to treat his power poorly, and it would not be surprising to see what looks like a down year statistically.
Role: Second Division Shortstop
Risk: Extreme – There is not a lot of track record for Rincon and there is a long way to go between him and any major league role.
Summary: Rincon moved to the Pittsburgh area from Venezuela while in high school. The Phillies drafted the switch hitting shortstop in the 14th round and signed him for the full $125,000 bonus. He is a good defender at shortstop and a good runner. He has surprisingly decent power, and did not embarrass himself at the plate in his 12 games in the FCL. He is still more of a project than a prospect, but the glove gives a decent floor and base to build on.
2023 Outlook: There is an opportunity given the Phillies depth chart for Rincon to seize the Clearwater shortstop job, or at least a good amount of middle infield playing time. It is probably going to be more of a slow burn for Rincon, and so it would not be surprising to see him struggle at times.
Summary: Rincon is having a breakout season by swinging a bit more and hitting the ball a bit harder. He is mostly doing it by being more of a patient ambush hitter, and not by increasing the quality of his overall contact. Which has led to a lower average and BABIP, and at this point the low batting average is just going to be part of who he is. The change has translated into a career high in home runs (though his career high HR/FB rate feels like an outlier given the minor league ball is traveling more). He also has struggled to hit the ball hard from the right side vs lefties, though that does put him on the strongside of a platoon role if he ends up there. It is likely that better pitchers will attack the zone more often against him, and he will need to prove he can do damage more consistently. He is a good defensive shortstop, and should be able to move into a multi positional utility role fairly easily if needed. Rincon profiles as more of a high end bench player or low end starter than an everyday player on a playoff team.
Trade Deadline: Given that Rincon needs to go on the 40 man roster this offseason, and doesn’t project as an impact player, he falls right into the Phillies trade zone. It is unlikely that the Phillies will trade all of Rincon, Escobar, and Villavicencio, but history says the Phillies will probably trade one of them and Rincon might have the broadest appeal. He could be the primary piece for a solid rental.
Previous Rank: 8
The biggest thing is that Rincon is now healthy after two injured years. However, that somewhat hides that he has combined hitting the ball slightly harder with a more selectively aggressive approach to much better offensive numbers. His hit tool still has questions, and his ceiling is probably more average offensive contributor than what he has shown so far. His glove is good enough to mean that he could be a regular, but he probably is more a second division starter or good bench piece. (Preseason #44)
Role: Glove First Bench Infielder
Risk: High – With shorter benches, even glove forward infielders need to be able to hit some. Rincon also has a good glove, but not a great one.
Overview: Rincon popped up as an interesting prospect in 2023 after being drafted in the 14th round in 2022, but has failed, due to injury and ineffectiveness, to reach those heights again. He is a switch hitter who was disastrous from the right side in 2025. He has below average power, and is at his best when he is getting the ball in the air to his pull side, something that was exacerbated by a hamate injury this year. That does mean that he does not end up with doubles and triples when he misses balls out of the park, and generally he has run low BABIPs for a minor league prospect. Patience has always been a strong suit for Rincon, but it has grown into passivity. He rarely swings and misses while running high strikeout rates, because opposing pitchers are able to get strikes in the zone without much issue. Rincon was an active base runner this year, but he is not a burner. Defensively, he is a shortstop, but he does not project to be more than a plus defender if things work out. He really needs to just be a below average hitter to have a path forward, but it is not one his bat has been able to accomplish yet.
2026 Outlook: Rincon looks like he will get a 4th attempt at Jersey Shore, but if he fails to improve he could lose playing time as other prospects move up.
Role: Average Regular
Risk: High – Rincon has the glove and athleticism to be an above average to plus defender at shortstop, and while that gives him a high floor he is going to need to hit the ball harder to be an everyday player.
Summary: Rincon made the list last year on the back of 12 games in the FCL, and those flashes solidified into a good prospect in 2023. Rincon got off to a poor start in April, hitting just .175/.266/.246 with 7 walks (10.9%) and 17 strikeouts (26.6%). Even with a cold end in Jersey Shore, he hit .236/.376/.370 with 62 walks (16.6%) and 61 strikeouts (16.4%) over the rest of the season. He is a switch hitter who saw the ball slightly better vs LHPs with less swing and miss, but hit the ball harder from the left side vs RHPs. Regardless of the side of the plate, he showed an advanced approach, though possibly a bit passive. With Clearwater, his swing rate was just 38.0%, while showing a much higher swing rate against fastballs than breaking balls. The one concern is that when he did swing there was some amount of swing and miss (20.2%), particularly against sliders (34.0%), and it isn’t a glaring issue yet, but something to monitor. Not chasing pitches is a good start, but becoming too passive risks putting himself in situations where he is down in the count and having to swing at the breaking balls. The other concern is that he got decent power output statistically, but his exit velocity numbers were near the bottom of Phillies batters at an average of 85.9 mph and 90th percentile of 99.2mph. He does get the ball in the air, and he maximizes the power he can get to, but the lower overall impact numbers are concerning. Rincon does have the frame to mature and add strength, but he also isn’t particularly lanky or projectable. Rincon played exclusively shortstop with the Phillies and he will stick there and be an above average to plus defender. There is some risk he is a below average hitter, but a good defender, and ends up more in a bench role. He does do enough of the positive things right at the plate and on defense that there is a definite path to being a starter for a playoff caliber team who hits in the bottom third of a lineup.
2024 Outlook: Rincon ended the season in Jersey Shore, and he will likely start and spend most or all of the season there. The park there is likely to treat his power poorly, and it would not be surprising to see what looks like a down year statistically.
Role: Second Division Shortstop
Risk: Extreme – There is not a lot of track record for Rincon and there is a long way to go between him and any major league role.
Summary: Rincon moved to the Pittsburgh area from Venezuela while in high school. The Phillies drafted the switch hitting shortstop in the 14th round and signed him for the full $125,000 bonus. He is a good defender at shortstop and a good runner. He has surprisingly decent power, and did not embarrass himself at the plate in his 12 games in the FCL. He is still more of a project than a prospect, but the glove gives a decent floor and base to build on.
2023 Outlook: There is an opportunity given the Phillies depth chart for Rincon to seize the Clearwater shortstop job, or at least a good amount of middle infield playing time. It is probably going to be more of a slow burn for Rincon, and so it would not be surprising to see him struggle at times.
Role: Glove First Bottom of the Lineup Shortstop
Risk: High – Rincon barely played in 2024 due to a leg injury, and he once again struggled to make impactful contact. His glove projects to be good, but not good enough to be a zero at the plate. There is a fairly narrow path between sticking at the bottom of the lineup and being more of a bench player.
Summary: Rincon had a rough April where he was too passive at the plate, before having a solid 11 game stretch of May before he suffered a hamstring injury. He never really got back to where he was between the end of the season and a trip to the Arizona Fall League. The season didn’t really change the outlook on Rincon, but his struggles were concerning when he was on the field. He has the makings of a solid approach and has run good contact rates, but he can be prone to not hunting pitches to do damage on. He also lacks impact in his swing, and he really needs to maximize the trajectory of his contact in the air to get to home run power. If he puts it together, he probably is a 10 home run bat that doesn’t make up for the lack of power with a large amount of doubles, but is enough of a threat that he can maintain a decent walk rate. The combination will likely never be more than average at the plate, and likely below, which is why his defensive projection is important. He is a solid shortstop, and has a chance to be a plus defender in the long run thanks to good actions and arm. He hasn’t played positions other than short yet, but if he isn’t a regular it will be important that he has positional versatility.
2025 Outlook: Rincon will return to Jersey Shore looking for a full healthy season. With Caba traded, he should get the everyday reps at shortstop.
Season Reports/Highlights
7-21 1 2B 2 HR 5 RBI 8 BB 3 K 3 SB .333/.500/.667
After a very good week, Bryan Rincon’s home/road splits are looking more even, though the Yard Goats are not a particularly good team. On the season, Rincon is hitting .256/.387/.477 and has mostly held his own from both sides of the plate. He has hit more balls in the air, and has a career high, but not unreasonable HR/FB rate, yet somehow his BABIP has normalized at a more normal value (.295). No one is going to confuse Rincon for a free swinger, but he is swinging more often (38.4% to 42.5%). He has the same overall contact rate the last three years (77.1%, 77.6%, and 77.6%), with a modest rate increase in whiffs (8.6% to 9.5%), but a large decrease in called strike and overall strike percentage. We don’t have public exit velocity numbers, but it seems he is swinging in more advantageous situations and translating that into better results at the plate.
SS Bryan Rincon (#44) – Between injuries and ineffectiveness, it has been a very poor last two years for Rincon. After positive signs this spring, Rincon has seemingly turned everything around. He has gotten a bit more aggressive at the plate, but almost entirely when it comes to in zone pitches. He is hitting the ball a bit harder and eliminated some of his weaker contact. He isn’t quite having a purely Reading fueled breakout, but doubling his home run to fly ball rate points to some amount of variance and luck. He still strikes out a bit too much for a player who is not hiding some sort of untapped power potential, and that probably puts a ceiling on him as a player. He has a good glove, but he isn’t elite in a way that he won’t need to hit. He was the #9 prospect in the system prior to 2024 and had fallen to #16 a year ago before a precipitous drop this offseason, and he is probably back in the teens again. His upside is probably more second division starter or good bench player who should be positionally and platoon flexible due to his switch hitting.
Phillies 2024 Midseason Prospect Ranking and Trade Deadline Preview
Rincon had one terrible month where he looked passive and poor at the plate (.151/.309/.226 in April) and one month where he looked back to normal (.275/.370/.550 in May). He suffered an injury in the middle of that second month, and he has been out since then. He is a good defensive shortstop with some questions about whether his bat will make him a regular or a defensive oriented bench bat.
7-21 1 2B 2 HR 5 RBI 8 BB 3 K 3 SB .333/.500/.667
After a very good week, Bryan Rincon’s home/road splits are looking more even, though the Yard Goats are not a particularly good team. On the season, Rincon is hitting .256/.387/.477 and has mostly held his own from both sides of the plate. He has hit more balls in the air, and has a career high, but not unreasonable HR/FB rate, yet somehow his BABIP has normalized at a more normal value (.295). No one is going to confuse Rincon for a free swinger, but he is swinging more often (38.4% to 42.5%). He has the same overall contact rate the last three years (77.1%, 77.6%, and 77.6%), with a modest rate increase in whiffs (8.6% to 9.5%), but a large decrease in called strike and overall strike percentage. We don’t have public exit velocity numbers, but it seems he is swinging in more advantageous situations and translating that into better results at the plate.
SS Bryan Rincon (#44) – Between injuries and ineffectiveness, it has been a very poor last two years for Rincon. After positive signs this spring, Rincon has seemingly turned everything around. He has gotten a bit more aggressive at the plate, but almost entirely when it comes to in zone pitches. He is hitting the ball a bit harder and eliminated some of his weaker contact. He isn’t quite having a purely Reading fueled breakout, but doubling his home run to fly ball rate points to some amount of variance and luck. He still strikes out a bit too much for a player who is not hiding some sort of untapped power potential, and that probably puts a ceiling on him as a player. He has a good glove, but he isn’t elite in a way that he won’t need to hit. He was the #9 prospect in the system prior to 2024 and had fallen to #16 a year ago before a precipitous drop this offseason, and he is probably back in the teens again. His upside is probably more second division starter or good bench player who should be positionally and platoon flexible due to his switch hitting.
Phillies 2024 Midseason Prospect Ranking and Trade Deadline Preview
Rincon had one terrible month where he looked passive and poor at the plate (.151/.309/.226 in April) and one month where he looked back to normal (.275/.370/.550 in May). He suffered an injury in the middle of that second month, and he has been out since then. He is a good defensive shortstop with some questions about whether his bat will make him a regular or a defensive oriented bench bat.