Jay Rainville
| IP | 527 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.082 |
| WHIP | 1.338 |
| BB/9 | 2.357 |
| SO/9 | 6.763 |
- Full name Jay Edward Rainville
- Born 10/16/1985 in Providence, RI
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Bishop Hendricken
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Drafted in the C-1 round (39th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2004 (signed for $875,000).
View Draft Report
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Rainville was the Rhode Island high school athlete of the year after fashioning a 10-0, 0.18 record with nine walks and 165 strikeouts in 77 innings as a junior. He was one of the most dominant pitchers on the high school showcase circuit last summer and participated in the AFLAC Classic, a game featuring the top high school juniors in the country, and struck out five in two innings. He opened this season going 6-0, 0.00 with three walks and 70 strikeouts in 42 innings. He was also a second-team all-state defenseman in hockey as a sophomore before he decided to focus on baseball. Rainville has a mature body with an especially strong upper half, but he probably won't get much bigger. He works from the first-base side of the rubber and has a loose power arm. He finishes his delivery tall, which hinders his front side extension. He is aggressive on the mound, pounding away at hitters with a heavy, 90-94 mph fastball with late life and good command. Rainville's secondary pitches are less refined. He throws a slow slider and straight change and slows his arm on both pitches. Rainville tends to guide his slider and lacks feel for his seldom-used change. He has signed with Tennessee.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Rainville ranked No. 8 on this list last year and was about to jump on the fast track when he felt pain in his throwing shoulder in spring training. Rainville had a compressed nerve and needed surgery, which he had in early April. His rehabilitation went well, however, and he was able to return to the mound in instructional league. Rainville's maturity showed through in his diligence in working his way back from surgery, and he was touching 90 mph by the end of instructs, where he got about 25 innings of needed work. His frame, work ethic, maturity and stuff have some members of the organization projecting Rainville as a future front-of-the-rotation starter. While he's regained his old velocity, the Twins also project him to gain more velocity in the future, possibly sitting in the low 90s and touching a bit higher. Rainville's curveball had potential to be a power, swing-and-miss 12-to-6 pitch before his injury, and the Twins saw glimpses of it in instructional league. He even throws a changeup for strikes at times. The Twins are anxious to see what a healthy Rainville can do in 2007 and he'll begin by pitching in high Class A. -
Drafted out of the same Bishop Hendricken High (Warwick, R.I.) program as Rocco Baldelli, Rainville signed for $875,000 as the fifth of five Twins first-round picks in 2004. He was also an NHL prospect as a defenseman. His brother Michael, a third baseman, signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Devil Rays last summer. A big, physical presence on the mound, Rainville pounds the strike zone with an 88-91 mph fastball, 12-to-6 power curveball and improving changeup. With his strong thighs and intense approach, he reminds some of a young Curt Schilling. Rainville made great strides last year in terms of game management, showing an ability to identify situations that's beyond his years. His command ranks with the best in the system and he posted 3.4 strikeouts for every walk. Rainville's velocity was down a tick or two from the 91- 94 mph he reached regularly in his debut. The Twins weren't concerned, attributing that to physical changes anyone his age would experience. Still, his debut season ended with weakness in his throwing shoulder, so durability could be a concern. While he could wind up at the back of the bullpen, Rainville remains a starting prospect now with the potential to be a 230-inning horse. He should start the year back in high Class A as a member of star-studded rotation. -
A product of the same Bishop Hendricken High (Warwick, R.I.) program as Devil Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli, Rainville came flying out of the gate in his pro debut. After signing for $875,000, he dominated the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with two plus pitches: a 91-94 mph sinker and a power curve that already ranks among the best in the organization. He was recommended by area scout Jay Weitzel, whose Florida-based brother Brad landed three other high-round arms for the Twins last June: Matt Fox, Anthony Swarzak and Eduardo Morlan. Of all the pitchers Minnesota signed out of the draft, Rainville projects to throw the hardest. He posted a 38-3 strikeout-walk ratio in the GCL and reminded some observers of a young Curt Schilling with his strong thighs and big frame. He still has to sharpen his changeup in order to convince the Twins he should stay in the rotation. He could wind up as a short reliever, a role that might better suit his intensity and aggressiveness, two traits that helped make him a National Hockey League prospect as a defensemen. Rainville's strong summer ended somewhat murkily when an exit physical revealed weakness in his throwing shoulder. However, an MRI was negative and the Twins believe he should be fully healthy in 2005, when he'll pitch in low Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Rainville is the third of three Beloit pitchers on this list, and several others received strong consideration. Kevin Slowey, a second-round pick in June whose 69-8 strikeout-walk ratio is a testament to his polish, just missed grabbing one of the final spots. Little-known swingman Jose Mijares was the best lefty pitching prospect in the league. Others repeatedly mentioned included 2004 first-rounder Kyle Waldrop; Eduardo Morlan; and David Shinskie, whose 7.22 ERA belied the fact that he had the best raw stuff on the Snappers staff. The fourth of six pitchers the Twins selected in the first three rounds of the 2004 draft, Rainville projects to throw harder than any member of that group. He spent much of his MWL stint pitching at 88-90 mph, though he threw 91-92 and touched 94 in his final start before leaving for high Class A. Even with fringe-average velocity, he was effective pounding the zone with his fastball because it's such a heavy pitch. Rainville's curveball was his best pitch with Beloit, as he could either throw it for strikes or get hitters to chase it out of the zone. His changeup improved and he was willing to throw it behind in the count. Rainville's 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame reminds some of a young Curt Schilling, and his aggressive mentality once gave him National Hockey League potential as a defenseman. -
Rainville hails from the same Rhode Island high school that produced Rocco Baldelli. Polished for a New England high school product, the stocky 6-foot-3 Rainville fashioned a 38-3 strikeout-walk ratio in his pro debut. Of more significance, he flashed two above-average pitches: a 91-94 mph fastball and a power curve. "He reminds me a lot of Curt Schilling," Ingram said. "He's a big power guy with a heavy, sinking fastball and he keeps the ball down."
