Taken by the Tigers in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Chipola C.C. (Marianna, FL), Rivera is coming of a NJCAA National Championship season for the Indians, where he hit .397 with 10 home runs and 67 RBIs, while working 29 walks in 184 at-bats. He spent the season mostly playing first base, but has moved to right field for the Tigers, and he should acclimate well there thanks to his well-proportioned, athletic frame and build, but he will need to manage the body, as there isn’t much room for any added weight.

Rivera shows solid barrel control and has a good swing path with above-average bat speed. He can stay inside the ball and manipulate the barrel to use all fields well, and he barrels balls up with strength, loft, and leverage in the swing. He showed off near-elite graded raw power in his BP sessions, getting the barrel out and hitting the ball with authority. He came into the pro game with a good sense of plate discipline, and that is playing out in his short time with the Tigers, as in my two-game view (a doubleheader) he was a combined 3-for-4 with a pair of walks, a home run, a double, and five RBI’s. Overall, the hit tool is an impressive package, and he projects to hit for some average (.260-.265) while bringing plus to double-plus power potential.

In the field, he’s an average defender who is still raw playing in right field, but he showed an average glove and average range that should improve to above average as his reads and reactions improve, both into the gaps and to the line. His arm is above average, with a solid throwing action and good carry on his throws. The only concern with his development in the outfield is managing his weight so as not to force a move back the first base, which is not necessarily a step back, as he shows the athleticism to handle the position at least an average level should a move be necessary. On the bases, he’s not a baseclogger and he has good instincts, but his overall speed is well-below average, though it plays slightly better once underway in the field.

With developmental time taken into account on defense, I see a projectable, above-average hit tool with double-plus (30 home run potential) power who just needs some refinement in right field to reach his potential, which adds up to a moderate-risk ceiling of a Role 60 right fielder in the big leagues.