Master Index of Archived Threads


Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

Rockin' Doc Sep 24 2006 08:31 PM

I have decided to adopt the son of a friend. John Raynor was drafted in the 9th round by the Florida Marlins. He agreed to a contract and signed for a $17,500 bonus. This is what Baseball Prospectus had to say about him following the draft: One of the more interesting senior signs could be John Raynor, who has attracted the interest of scouts with his athleticism and gritty approach to the game. Drafted last year by the Orioles in the 12th round, he returned to UNC Wilmington for his senior season and likely improved his stock while nearly finishing work on his biology degree. A tough out at the college level, Raynor has plus speed, clocking 6.3 seconds in the 60 last year in the Coastal Plain League all-star game, and projects as a center fielder with good range. His routes on fly balls will need work, but he is a good baserunner who had swiped 40 bases in 44 attempts this spring. His arm strength rates above-average and is more than adequate for the middle garden. Raynor has a good, short stroke and his bat stays in the strike zone a long time, which allows him to consistently put the ball in play and use his legs to get on base. His power is a question mark, but Raynor is an excellent bunter with good overall strength and has shown the ability to make adjustments against all levels of competition.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 25 2006 04:58 AM

Cool - best of luck to him!

Rockin' Doc Apr 01 2007 01:22 PM

After finishing college and signing with the Marlins, John spent last summer playing for the Jamesport Jammers of the NY-Penn. League (A). G AB Hits 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 54 199 57 8 4 4 21 21 2 .286 .356 .427 .783 I talked with his father last night regarding John's progress. He said John will open the season with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (A) and the plan is that if he has a good first half he should move up to the Carolina Mudcats (AA) for the second half of the season. Both stadium are within close enough that his parents can attend home games (and several road games) on a fairly frequent basis.

Rockin' Doc Apr 19 2007 05:50 AM

My friend's son is off to a smoking start with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (A-Marlins). G AB Hits 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 10 40 18 1 0 1 5 7 1 .450 .532 .550 1.082 Not an awful lot of power for a corner outfielder, but he is certainly doing his job as in the leadoff spot. He shows good speed and he is an OBP machine, thus far in his young professional career. He is also without an error thus far. Keep up the good work, John.

Edgy MD Apr 19 2007 06:31 AM

John Raynor was my high school math teacher.

Rockin' Doc May 13 2007 02:14 PM

I'm not sure how good John is at math, but so far he seems to be off to quite a good start in A ball. G AB Hits 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 30 111 37 8 1 3 14 19 2 .333 .460 .505 .965 His father is rightfully extremely proud of John's successful thus far.

Rockin' Doc May 27 2007 10:25 PM

Though he seems to have cooled off a little bit, John is still putting up some good numbers through the first 42 games. He is still hitting over .300 and sports and OBP of .438. That coupled with 22 stolen bases in 24 attempts makes him perfect for the top of the order. Unfortunately, John is striking out far too often at this point in his career. He currently leads his team in both strikeouts (50) and walks (32) through 42 games played.

Rockin' Doc Jun 28 2007 07:07 PM

John keeps rolling steadily along. On 6/24 he had a 5-5 game with a triple, a home run, 5 runs scored, and 2 RBI's. G AB Hits Runs 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 69 273 84 72 19 4 6 26 31 3 .308 .409 .473 .882 John is definitely setting the table as the lead off man for the Marlins A-affiliate in Greensboro. Hopefully he will get called up to the Marlins AA affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats.

Rockin' Doc Aug 09 2007 06:16 PM

John has been on a hot streak since the All-Star break. His power numbers have been improving while he has kept getting on base at a phenomenal rate from the lead off spot. G AB Hits Runs 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 105 410 135 100 26 8 10 47 51 6 .329 .422 .505 .927

Rockin' Doc Sep 06 2007 08:05 PM

My friends son has completed his first full season of minor league baseball. He enjoyed quite a successful campaign as the lead off hitter for the Marlins Class A affiliate. Next year should see him move up to the Carolina Mudcats (Marlins AA afiliate) where he will be playing his home games less than an hours drive from his parents' home. G AB Hits Runs 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 116 445 148 110 28 8 13 57 54 8 .333 .429 .519 .948

Rockin' Doc Apr 09 2008 09:40 PM

After being voted the outstanding player in the Sally League last fall, John moves up a level to the Carolina Mudcats (AA - Marlins). The Mudcats had their season opener tonight at home with John batting lead off and playing left field. He had a 2 RBI single in two at bats., two walks and scored 2 runs. Unfortunately, he also got picked off first base in the first inning. Still, not a bad debut for the kid.

Rockin' Doc May 24 2008 04:51 PM

John isn't burning it up with his AA this season, but he's still holding his own and doing a credible job in the lead off spot for the Carolina Mudcats (AA-Marlins). G AB Hits Runs 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 44 147 41 31 11 2 5 19 17 2 .279 .387 .483 .870

Rockin' Doc Jun 30 2008 09:48 PM

John's hanging in there and doing a pretty good job in the lead off spot for the Mudcats. G AB Hits Runs 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 74 266 77 60 16 3 6 26 29 5 .289 .385 .440 .825

Frayed Knot Jul 11 2008 03:12 PM

Your boy gets some ink in a BA chat Q: John Raynor seems to me to be an elite prospect that doesn't get talked about a ton, could he be the CF of the future for Florida (instead of Maybin)? A: He's not an elite prospect. But you're right, he doesn't get talked about a lot. He was taken out of UNC-Wilmington as a senior in the ninth round in 2006. He's 24 years old so his "prove it" time is coming. He could play a good defensive center field because of his speed, but his arm is below-average. He's a big threat on the bases, but it will come down to whether he can hit. His Double-A numbers look pretty good so the Marlins might be willing to give him a chance sometime soon. My bet would be on a major league camp next spring

Rockin' Doc Jul 11 2008 07:04 PM

Thanks for the information. The Carolina Mudcats home field (Five County Stadium)is only 30-35 miles from here. I hope to take in a game or two later this summer.

Rockin' Doc Jul 13 2008 04:22 PM

John's numbers just keep improving. He will starting in left field and hitting leadoff in tomorrow evenings Southern League All Star game. At the break, these are John's All Star numbers: G AB Hits Runs 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 86 309 96 72 19 5 9 31 32 6 .311 .402 .492 .894

Rockin' Doc Aug 01 2008 12:35 PM

As July draws to a close and we head into the dog days of August, it is time to update the stats of my Carolina Connection kids. John Raynor and Brad Holt were teammates for one year at UNC-Wilmington when John was a senior and Brad was a freshman. They are both off to good starts in the young professional careers. G AB Hits Runs 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 99 356 111 80 24 5 9 33 40 8 .312 .400 .483 .883

Rockin' Doc Sep 03 2008 06:08 PM

Well, my friend's son has completed a fine year as the lead off hitting, left fielder of the Carolina Mudcats (AA Marlins). He was named to the Southern League's mid-season and post-season all star squads. He had a solid campaign as his final numbers show: G AB Hits Runs 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 126 452 141 101 29 6 13 51 48 11 .312 .402 .489 .890 He's now off to the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League. A good campaign there should at least warrant a AAA start next season.

Rockin' Doc Dec 27 2008 10:59 AM

John only played 8 games with the Mesa Solar Sox of the AFL before breaking a bone in his left hand which ended his season. He had a quick start in Arizona prior to his injury he hit .364 with .410 OBP and 1.016 OPS. He is expected to open the 2009 season with the Marlins' new AAA affiliate New Orleans Zephyrs.

Frayed Knot Feb 05 2009 10:45 AM

An entry from BA's 'Late Picks to Emerging Prospects' file: John Raynor, OF, Marlins: Raynor signed in 2006 after his senior season as a ninth-round pick from UNC Wilmington. Though he was already 23, the Marlins started Raynor in low Class A, where he batted .333/.429/.519 for hitter-friendly Greensboro. Raynor skipped over high Class A and continued his success last year for Double-A Carolina, hitting .312/.402/.489 in 126 games. Raynor’s best tool is his speed—he’s an 80 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale who stole 48 bases in 59 attempts (81 percent) last year. Despite his speed and his production, many scouts are still skeptical. Though he’s an 80 runner, Raynor is better suited for left field because his outfield instincts aren’t good and his arm strength is below-average. He has some holes in his swing and in his strike zone—low and away and then against elevated or inside fastballs—that led to 122 strikeouts in 534 plate appearances, but those strikeouts don’t come with the acceptable tradeoff of plus power.

Rockin' Doc May 22 2009 06:07 PM

After the Mets left for Buffalo, the New Orleans Zephyrs became the AAA affiliate of the Florida Marlins. My friend was happy to see his son move up to AAA, but he hated to see the team being so far away. He had been able to attend most of John's home games the past two years. John got off to a horrendous start to the season, but is starting to turn it around. He is hitting .333 with an on base average of .383 for the month of May. [table:2g60i0li][tr:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]G[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]AB[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]Hits[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]Runs[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]2B[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]3B[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]HR[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]RBI[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]SB[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]CS[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]AVG[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]OBP[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]SLG[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]OPS[/td:2g60i0li][/tr:2g60i0li][tr:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]37[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]146[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]40[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]20[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]9[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]0[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]2[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]9[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]4[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li]4[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li].274[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li].331[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li].377[/td:2g60i0li][td:2g60i0li].708[/td:2g60i0li][/tr:2g60i0li][/table:2g60i0li]

Frayed Knot Dec 10 2009 05:59 PM Re: Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

Ayyy matey, he's a Pirate now!! Picked 2nd overall in the Rule 5 draft. Folks who follow this stuff seem to think he's got one of the best chances of sticking w/his new club and, of course, the rules of his acquisition are an incentive for the club to keep him around for the year.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 23 2010 03:03 PM Re: Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

Vid of your boy on mlb.com, not sure if this link will get you there or not... [url]http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7217635&topic_id=8048958&c_id=nym

Frayed Knot Apr 06 2010 08:09 AM Re: Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

BA: The Pirates are preparing to stash outfielder John Raynor [on] the team as one of six outfielders. From left to right field, Lastings Milledge, Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones are the presumptive starters, with Ryan Church, Delwyn Young and Raynor available as backups. "In John Raynor, we've got a guy who can play all three outfield positions, provide some speed off the bench, and he's a guy we think has the upside to be an everyday player," [said] Pirates GM Neal Huntington

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 30 2010 10:55 AM Re: Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

Pirates designated him the other day. Not sure if that means he's headed back to his old club or what.

Rockin' Doc May 29 2010 07:15 PM Re: Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

After the Pirates cut my boy loose, the Marlins exercised their right to reclaim him. He's playing for their AAA affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs. He is currently batting .292 (7 for 24) with 2 doubles. He has only played 6 games for the Zephyrs as there appears to have been roughly 2 weeks between the Pirates designating him for assignment and his first appearance in a minor league game for the Zephyrs. I will see his father next weekend and I'll try to get an update on what transpired.

Rockin' Doc Jul 27 2010 06:32 PM Re: Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

Well, John's father wasn't at our June meeting. He may have been tending to his son, who has been on the DL since injuring himself sliding into second base on June 13th. In the 12 games he played for the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs (Marlins) he was hitting .316/.325/.368/.693.

Rockin' Doc Apr 22 2011 08:16 AM Re: Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

On march 20th, the Florida Marlins reassigned John Maynor to minor league camp. On March 24th, John asked for and received his outright release from the Marlins organization. At present, I believe he is a free agent that finds himself a little more free than he likely desired.

Edgy MD Apr 22 2011 08:34 AM Re: Adopted - John Raynor (Non-Met prospect)

"With nowhere else to go, he appeared at the home of his childhood friend, Robinzon Diaz. Sometime earlier, Diaz's team had given him his unconditional release, requesting that he never return. Can two free agent catchers share an apartment without driving each other crazy?"