Austin Rei

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #31 prospect in 2016
  Drafted by the Twins out of high school in Moraga, Calif., Rei is the nephew of Fran Mullins, who spent parts of three seasons in the major leagues. He shunned pro ball for Washington and became the starter as a college sophomore. A torn left thumb ligament sidelined him for much of the first two months of his junior season, but he hit the ground running when he got healthy and zoomed up draft boards late in the season, especially when he returned to playing defense. Athletic and lean, Rei shows potential for plus catch-and-throw skills, with plus arm strength and sub-1.9-second pop times to second base. The Red Sox were among the clubs that had him as the top college catcher on their draft board and drafted him in the third round. Rei struggled badly both offensively and defensively in his pro debut at short-season Lowell, but his defense lived up to its billing in instructional league, and Red Sox officials like his swing. He has shown whip, bat speed, and power potential at the plate. Despite his struggles, Rei could still have the upside of a primary catcher, even though his 30-percent strikeout rate in Lowell raised questions about his floor. He takes a big cut and had some timing issues after signing, then started to press, affecting him on both sides of the ball. He'll need to be stronger to take the everyday rigors of catching as a pro but the tools are there. He should jump to low Class A Greenville in 2016

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #68 prospect in 2015 draft
  Rei's star was rising as he returned healthy from a torn left thumb ligament that sidelined him for much of the first two months of the season. He returned as a DH for Washington's series with Arizona State, and after three days of batting practice, he singled in his first at-bat, then turned a Ryan Burr 97 mph fastball around for a home run. A dominant weekend against Oregon State started the parade of crosscheckers, and Rei sealed his move up draft boards with a solid weekend at Arizona, hitting a home run at spacious Hi Corbett Field while returning to playing catcher. A catch-and-throw guy when recruited to Washington, Rei has good receiving and throwing skills, a plus arm with a quick transfer that produces 1.8-1.9-second pop times to second base. He's leaner than the average catcher at a listed 6-foot, 183 pounds and produces average to plus raw power thanks to good bat speed and a smart, disciplined hitting approach. When he swings, it's with conviction, and Rei was shooting up draft boards with two weeks left in Washington's season. He has some track record, both as a prep (38th-round pick of the Twins in 2012) and with wood bats in summer ball (he's hit .300 in two short Northwoods League stints the last two years), and his uncle Fran Mullins, a 1979 third-round pick out of Santa Clara, spent parts of three seasons in the major leagues. Rei could be the first college catcher drafted, perhaps as high as the second round.

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  Drafted by the Twins out of high school in Moraga, Calif., Rei is the nephew of Fran Mullins, who spent parts of three seasons in the major leagues. He shunned pro ball for Washington and became the starter as a college sophomore. A torn left thumb ligament sidelined him for much of the first two months of his junior season, but he hit the ground running when he got healthy and zoomed up draft boards late in the season, especially when he returned to playing defense. Athletic and lean, Rei shows potential for plus catch-and-throw skills, with plus arm strength and sub-1.9-second pop times to second base. The Red Sox were among the clubs that had him as the top college catcher on their draft board and drafted him in the third round. Rei struggled badly both offensively and defensively in his pro debut at short-season Lowell, but his defense lived up to its billing in instructional league, and Red Sox officials like his swing. He has shown whip, bat speed, and power potential at the plate. Despite his struggles, Rei could still have the upside of a primary catcher, even though his 30-percent strikeout rate in Lowell raised questions about his floor. He takes a big cut and had some timing issues after signing, then started to press, affecting him on both sides of the ball. He'll need to be stronger to take the everyday rigors of catching as a pro but the tools are there. He should jump to low Class A Greenville in 2016
• December, 2014 Scouting Report
  Rei's star was rising as he returned healthy from a torn left thumb ligament that sidelined him for much of the first two months of the season. He returned as a DH for Washington's series with Arizona State, and after three days of batting practice, he singled in his first at-bat, then turned a Ryan Burr 97 mph fastball around for a home run. A dominant weekend against Oregon State started the parade of crosscheckers, and Rei sealed his move up draft boards with a solid weekend at Arizona, hitting a home run at spacious Hi Corbett Field while returning to playing catcher. A catch-and-throw guy when recruited to Washington, Rei has good receiving and throwing skills, a plus arm with a quick transfer that produces 1.8-1.9-second pop times to second base. He's leaner than the average catcher at a listed 6-foot, 183 pounds and produces average to plus raw power thanks to good bat speed and a smart, disciplined hitting approach. When he swings, it's with conviction, and Rei was shooting up draft boards with two weeks left in Washington's season. He has some track record, both as a prep (38th-round pick of the Twins in 2012) and with wood bats in summer ball (he's hit .300 in two short Northwoods League stints the last two years), and his uncle Fran Mullins, a 1979 third-round pick out of Santa Clara, spent parts of three seasons in the major leagues. Rei could be the first college catcher drafted, perhaps as high as the second round.