Top 20 Profiles of 2020: No. 10 Riley Stanford
December 21, 2020
We kick off week 3 in our countdown of the top-20 most viewed profiles of 2020 with No. 10 Georgia Tech commit OF/RHP Riley Stanford (Buford, 2022). Stanford is one of the most well known names in the 2022 class and for good reason. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound two-way prospect has one of the most powerful profiles in the entire country.
Stanford was a member of the inaugural Team Georgia at the 2019 PBR Future Games, where he put on a show during batting practice and on the mound. At the plate, he has elite power and bat speed. The right-handed hitter can leave the park with an swing, with true power to all fields. On the mound, he has been up to 94 in front of our eyes, and reports have had him into the upper half of the 90s. Stanford plays the game with emotion, and is a name to follow closely over the next two years.
No. 10: Riley Stanford
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Scouting Report
Stanford is about as live a bodied athlete as you will find. His 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame is long and has room for more weight. This was our first extended look at Stanford as a position player and it was not a disappointing one. He generates elite bat-speed at the plate and he has the ability to keep the barrel in the zone for a long time. Defensively Stanford moves extremely well in the outfield and shows knowledgeable routes to the baseball. As you would imagine with his prowess on the mound, Stanford has major league caliber right field arm. Scouts watching Stanford at the Futures Game saw all of his raw abilities, but the thing that jumped out was just how much fun he has on the baseball field. Stanford missed the showcase portion of the event, where he would have likely been a show stopper, but in his return Team Georgia’s energy level went way up with the outfielder in the fold.
One of the more impressive athletes to take the mound during the Future Games. Stanford's arm strength is impressive with a fastball that can reach into the mid-90's. His breaking ball is still a work in progress and can be inconsistent, but as Stanford learns to trust his stuff and attack the zone he will be a force to be reckoned with down the road. While Stanford has electric velocity, his spin rates are not as eye popping and lend them self to that of a strong power sinker baller. Stanford's present grip and rip mentality plays well on the mound now, but he has a chance to be scary as he learns a little more touch and feel. Overall Stanford's excellent competitive nature and athletic ability that it would not be wise to sleep on.