In a Braves farm system highlighted by players acquired through trades, Rome third baseman Austin Riley is an anomaly.
Riley came to the Braves the old-fashioned way, having been drafted by the team with the 41st pick in the 2015 MLB draft. The Memphis, Tennessee, native met with Braves personnel during pre-draft workouts and toured Turner Field before the big day.
Once draft day rolled around, he heard rumblings Atlanta intended on selecting him with its third pick in the first round. Still, that didn’t take away the novelty from the moment he was selected.
“We got together with some family and friends, and when that pick came up I heard my name,” Riley said. “You can’t beat hearing your name on TV for the first time. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.”
But the time to celebrate was quickly supplanted by the time to go to work.
The 6-foot-3, 22o-pound Riley played his first game in the Gulf Coast League 15 days after he was picked. He started slow with the GCL Braves and recorded only one hit in his first seven games. He soon got rolling and ended up having a .255 batting average at the season’s end. He moved on to Advanced Rookie-level Danville and delivered there as well, hitting .351 with five home runs in 30 games.
The 19-year-old Riley ascended up the minor-league ladder in 2016, as he was assigned to Single-A Rome. He again experienced a slow start, as his average dipped to .215 in late April before he finally hit his stride again.
According to Riley, it was a product of the tougher opposition on the mound.
“In Danville last year, I did well there and I got a lot of fastballs,” Riley said. “Now in Rome, I’m having to work counts and learn counts. Having to adjust to that has been my biggest thing, but I feel I’ve progressed as the year has gone on.”
Rome hitting coach Bobby Moore also pointed toward Riley needing to hit to opposite field more. The veteran coach explained Riley was rotating his upper body too much, which didn’t allow him to create the backspin needed to hit to right field. That along with better plate discipline could help Riley improve at this new level of competition.
Riley rebounded from the mediocre start and now boasts a .259 batting average with seven home runs and 38 RBIs. His .409 slugging percentage is tops in Rome for those who have played at least 45 games this season, and he’s shown durability in being second on the team with 85 games.
The biggest question for Riley coming from high school was his defense, but there’s been little issue with that in 2016. He holds a .921 fielding percentage, a respectable number considering he’s playing the hot corner.
“His first-step quickness on defense and his angles and his positioning on hitters has really improved,” Rome manager Randy Ingle said. “He’s a prototype of a really good third baseman.”
Ingle and Moore lauded Riley’s ability to make adjustments and the talent he displays on a nightly basis. His progression is also a welcomed sight in a Braves’ system that covets talent at third base.
Riley may know that people are eyeing him as a future third baseman in Atlanta, but he’s not putting the cart before the horse. He understands he’s still a young player with room for improvement.
“It’s all about how you perform,” Riley said. “That’s how I look at it. I’m trying to get better, learn the game and develop each and every day.”
