WAUWATOSA, Wis. – Eddie Rynders has generated a ton of buzz this spring. The Wisconsin Lutheran High School shortstop has rapidly moved up MLB draft boards due to his well-rounded toolset and intriguing potential.
On Wednesday, Wisconsin Lutheran defeated Homestead 14-4 in five innings. Rynders showed the toolset scouts have raved about this spring, especially on the offensive side. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound left-handed hitter showed an advanced approach with a notable eye for the strike zone. At the plate, he has simple mechanics with little movement and uses a swing that is built to hit line drives and for power, especially as he continues to mature physically.
In his first at-bat, Rynders didn’t barrel up the baseball but still managed to drive it to the right-field fence for a triple.
Rynders came up one inning later and showed strong plate discipline. He laid off two breaking pitches and a high fastball to start the count off at 3-0. He ended the seven-pitch at-bat by crushing a fastball over the right-field fence for a three-run home run.
Even when Rynders didn’t get on base, he showed promising ability at the plate. He battled against a left-handed pitcher who threw with a lot of deception. He also hit a line-drive opposite field into the left-center field gap that was tracked down by the left fielder.
Defensively, Rynders showed athleticism, smooth fielding, and an ability to move well laterally and cover plenty of ground at shortstop. In limited game reps, Rynders showed solid arm strength, which I’m confident will continue to improve as he matures.
One defensive play that stood out was when Rynders had to use all of his defensive skills to make a play. With the runner at first base trying to steal second, Rynders had to cover second base. As he moved to cover the bag, the hitter sent a ground ball to the hole at shortstop. Rynders had the instincts to pause his momentum, change directions and field the ball. He then made a quality throw to first base. It would have been a close call at first base, as the runner hustled down the line, but the first baseman didn’t hold onto the baseball.
There is a lot to like about Rynders. He has a strong present skill set and tons of projection remaining, which excites scouts as they dream about what he could be down the line. Rynders has a bright future, regardless of whether he embarks on a pro career straight out of high school or honors his commitment to Kent State in the fall.
Stay tuned to BaseballProspectJournal.com for an in-depth story on Eddie Rynders and his skill set, development in high school and future in the game.
Read more in-depth stories on top 2024 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for nine years. He has interviewed 518 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
