The Second Coming of Mariano Rivera, RHP, Iona (NY), right/right
MLB.com:
Being the son of the greatest closer in the history of the game can be tough for a pitcher trying to find his way. After two pedestrian seasons at Iona, there may not have been thoughts of following in dad's footsteps. But a breakout junior campaign has put Rivera Jr. firmly on the radar. Rivera has seen a big jump in his velocity, cranking his fastball up to 97 mph this spring. He sat in the 92-95 mph range more often than not. His slider shows glimpses of being at least above-average and could sharpen with more time and experience. He's shown a splitter in the bullpens, but a lack of feel for the offspeed pitch has kept him from using it in games. He's generally around the strike zone, though his overall command suffers as games go on. Rivera's size and slight build lead to the inevitable concerns about durability. His power stuff, not to mention his pedigree, point to a future as a reliever in the pro ranks.
196th on Kiley McDaniel's board. Kiley's writeup from September 2014:
"Little Mo was mostly 88-90 last year and appeared to be a courtesy draft by the Yankees in the 29th round last June. This summer, reports from the NECBL have him sitting 90-92, touching 94 mph and some are wondering if he’s a late-bloomer like his father."
