Alfonso Rivas

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #26 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Rivas hit. 326 during a decorated college career at Arizona and was drafted in the fourth round by the Athletics in 2018. He raced to Triple-A in his first full season and was acquired by the Cubs for Tony Kemp following a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. Rivas wasn’t invited to the alternate training site in 2020, but that didn’t stop his progress. He hit his way out of Triple-A and made his major league debut with the Cubs in August, where he batted .318/.388/.409 in 18 games before suffering a season-ending finger injury.
  
  Scouting Report: Rivas has a smooth, effortless lefthanded swing that makes a lot of contact. He has a balanced setup, stays in the strike zone and wears pitchers down until he gets a pitch to hit. He drives the ball on a line to all fields and racks up doubles. Rivas has below-average power, leading to questions about whether he can be an everyday player with such little power production. He is a plus defender at first base with good hands and above-average arm strength and can fill in at both left and right field, although he is a below-average defender at both spots.
  
  The Future: Rivas’ hitting ability gives him a chance to contribute at least off the bench. He’s ready to fill that role in 2022.
  
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #23 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Rivas was regarded as one of the college baseball's best pure hitters at Arizona and was drafted by the A's in the fourth round in 2018. He raced to Triple-A in his first full season and followed with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, leading the Cubs to acquire him for Tony Kemp.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivas is a bit of a throwback as a sweet-swinging first baseman with modest power. He is extremely disciplined at the plate and rarely chases outside the strike zone. He's a tough at-bat who grinds pitchers down, draws his walks and hits the ball where it's pitched, using the whole field. Rivas mostly lines singles and doubles into the outfield. Evaluators question whether he will surpass 15 home runs, but believe he may hit enough doubles for a decent slugging percentage. Rivas is a top-notch defensive first baseman who briefly pitched in college and has above-average arm strength.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivas' professional approach and hitting ability have him close to the majors. Whether he accesses more power will determine if he becomes an everyday player.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #29 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Rivas has been one of fastest movers from the 2018 draft. A fourth-round pick by the A's out of Arizona, he stormed through high Class A Stockton and jumped straight to Triple-A Las Vegas to end his first full season. After a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, he was acquired by the Cubs for Tony Kemp in January.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivas is a pure hitter with a balanced setup, a loose, contact-oriented swing and a knack for setting pitchers up and punishing mistakes. Rivas' mature approach holds against both lefties and righties and makes him a tough out no matter who he faces. Although his swing has some natural lift, Rivas has generated mostly line-drive contact with gap power, raising questions about whether he will hit enough home runs to profile at first base. Defensively, Rivas has to tighten up his hands and footwork to be average at first base. A former college pitcher, he has above-average arm strength.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivas had a solid fall in the AFL and will open 2020 in the upper levels in the Cubs system. His mature approach and hitting ability should get him to the majors, but he needs to improve either his power or defensive versatility to be an everyday player.
• 
  Ranked Athletics #18 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Rivas showcased strong plate discipline and hit .326 in three years at Arizona before the Athletics drafted him in the fourth round in 2018. In his pro debut he ranked fourth in the short-season New York-Penn League in walks (36) and on-base percentage (.397).
  
  Scouting Report: Rivas homered only once in his pro debut and topped out at seven in a season in college, so hitting for power is the biggest question he faces as a pro. The A's are optimistic he can develop 15-homer power with 30-plus doubles based on his smooth lefthanded swing and advanced strike-zone knowledge. A below-average runner, Rivas would be stretched in left field, but that won't be necessary if his bat develops. That's because he is a sharp defensive first baseman with good hands and plus potential.
  
  The Future: The A's express confidence in Rivas reaching his ceiling as a plus hitter with roughly average power. If everything comes together, he could move quickly.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #123 prospect in 2018 draft
  Observers have no doubt that Rivas will hit, with most evaluators putting a plus future grade on the hit tool. He followed a strong 2017 season--when he was a first team all-Pac 12 player and second team All-American--by getting himself into better shape and this year has been the anchor in the Wildcats lineup. Rivas is a lefthanded hitter with outstanding makeup. He has excellent knowledge of the strike zone and a short swing, giving him the ability to handle offspeed pitches and regularly hit the ball to the opposite field. The biggest question is whether Rivas will develop enough power to profile at either first base, which is his best defensive position, or a corner outfield spot. He doesn't project to add much more strength to his frame, but he currently has average raw power. In games, he shows more doubles power than over-the-fence pop. Rivas played right field during his sophomore year in deference to J.J. Matijevic before moving to first base this spring. He's an above-average defender at first base with above-average hands. While he feels comfortable in the outfield and flashes an above-average arm, Rivas is a below-average runner and doesn't profile well, defensively, as an outfielder. His pure bat-to-ball skills should get Rivas drafted early on day two.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Rivas hit. 326 during a decorated college career at Arizona and was drafted in the fourth round by the Athletics in 2018. He raced to Triple-A in his first full season and was acquired by the Cubs for Tony Kemp following a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. Rivas wasn’t invited to the alternate training site in 2020, but that didn’t stop his progress. He hit his way out of Triple-A and made his major league debut with the Cubs in August, where he batted .318/.388/.409 in 18 games before suffering a season-ending finger injury.
  
  Scouting Report: Rivas has a smooth, effortless lefthanded swing that makes a lot of contact. He has a balanced setup, stays in the strike zone and wears pitchers down until he gets a pitch to hit. He drives the ball on a line to all fields and racks up doubles. Rivas has below-average power, leading to questions about whether he can be an everyday player with such little power production. He is a plus defender at first base with good hands and above-average arm strength and can fill in at both left and right field, although he is a below-average defender at both spots.
  
  The Future: Rivas’ hitting ability gives him a chance to contribute at least off the bench. He’s ready to fill that role in 2022.
  
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rivas was regarded as one of the college baseball's best pure hitters at Arizona and was drafted by the A's in the fourth round in 2018. He raced to Triple-A in his first full season and followed with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, leading the Cubs to acquire him for Tony Kemp.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivas is a bit of a throwback as a sweet-swinging first baseman with modest power. He is extremely disciplined at the plate and rarely chases outside the strike zone. He's a tough at-bat who grinds pitchers down, draws his walks and hits the ball where it's pitched, using the whole field. Rivas mostly lines singles and doubles into the outfield. Evaluators question whether he will surpass 15 home runs, but believe he may hit enough doubles for a decent slugging percentage. Rivas is a top-notch defensive first baseman who briefly pitched in college and has above-average arm strength.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivas' professional approach and hitting ability have him close to the majors. Whether he accesses more power will determine if he becomes an everyday player.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rivas was regarded as one of the college baseball's best pure hitters at Arizona and was drafted by the A's in the fourth round in 2018. He raced to Triple-A in his first full season and followed with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, leading the Cubs to acquire him for Tony Kemp.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivas is a bit of a throwback as a sweet-swinging first baseman with modest power. He is extremely disciplined at the plate and rarely chases outside the strike zone. He's a tough at-bat who grinds pitchers down, draws his walks and hits the ball where it's pitched, using the whole field. Rivas mostly lines singles and doubles into the outfield. Evaluators question whether he will surpass 15 home runs, but believe he may hit enough doubles for a decent slugging percentage. Rivas is a top-notch defensive first baseman who briefly pitched in college and has above-average arm strength.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivas' professional approach and hitting ability have him close to the majors. Whether he accesses more power will determine if he becomes an everyday player.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Rivas has been one of fastest movers from the 2018 draft. A fourth-round pick by the A's out of Arizona, he stormed through high Class A Stockton and jumped straight to Triple-A Las Vegas to end his first full season. After a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, he was acquired by the Cubs for Tony Kemp in January.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Rivas is a pure hitter with a balanced setup, a loose, contact-oriented swing and a knack for setting pitchers up and punishing mistakes. Rivas' mature approach holds against both lefties and righties and makes him a tough out no matter who he faces. Although his swing has some natural lift, Rivas has generated mostly line-drive contact with gap power, raising questions about whether he will hit enough home runs to profile at first base. Defensively, Rivas has to tighten up his hands and footwork to be average at first base. A former college pitcher, he has above-average arm strength.
  
  THE FUTURE: Rivas had a solid fall in the AFL and will open 2020 in the upper levels in the Cubs system. His mature approach and hitting ability should get him to the majors, but he needs to improve either his power or defensive versatility to be an everyday player.