14. Rainy Lara, RHP
Height: 6’4
Weight: 180
DOB: 3/14/1991 (Age: 22)
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Fastball: 50/60 Slider: 40/50 Changeup: 35/50 Command: 60/60+
Having enjoyed success in each stop during his first three pro seasons, Lara began 2013 with the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League and did just the same. The Dominican right-hander would get off to a fast start, posting a 1.88 ERA in April to go along with a 24:3 K:BB ratio in 24 innings. He would follow that up with an even more impressive May, sporting a 1.03 ERA and a jaw-dropping 31:3 K:BB across 35 innings– earning himself a promotion to High-A St. Lucie. The stiffer competition of the Florida State League would prove to be a challenge for Rainy. He would see his numbers come down to earth a bit. In 79 innings for St. Luice, he pitched to a 3.76 ERA, and would struggle (for his standards) with command, walking 2.3 batters per nine. Lara would also see a drop in his strikeout rate, down to 6.2 K/9 from 9.1 during his time in Savannah. However I think the bulk of his struggles can be chalked up to fatigue. After posting ERA’s of 2.60 and 3.74 in June and July respectively, Rainy saw his August ERA balloon up to 5.96. A 60+ innings jump from 2012 (68) to 2013 (129.2) would be enough to slow any pitcher down.
Lara works off his best pitch, which is a 89-91 MPH fastball that he commands surgically. The secondary stuff is coming along. 2013 saw his slider, which scouts have called loopy, tighten up a bit and he’s commanded it better. The changeup is still a work in progress but some scouts think it may surpass his slider as his best secondary offering. Lara achieves a lot of his success using his deceptive 3/4 delivery. There’s some effort, so scouts question whether he can handle the workload of a starting pitcher at the highest level.
Outlook: Despite the concern over things like delivery, effort and competition, it’s hard to argue with the results. Lara has pitched extremely well at each stop in his career. Through almost 300 professional innings Lara has produced a 2.61 ERA and has struck out more than four batters for every walk allowed. Scouts often overlook a pitcher, or are quick to write him off simply because of arm slot or reliance on deception. There have been plenty of MLB pitchers who attained success using those same characteristics to their advantage. Will Lara be one of those guys? I don’t know, but I’m certainly not overlooking this kid.
MMN Top 40 Prospects
(Photo Credit: Hobie Hiler & MiLB.com)
