In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
As the 19-year-old shortstop jumped a 2-0 fastball and crushed a line drive into left-center field for a two-run single Sunday, Rainer’s inexperience didn’t show. The left-handed hitter waited on his pitch and sent it towards the opposite gap at 114 miles per hour, according to the Braves video board. It was his second hit and second and third RBI of his unofficial pro debut. It looked like a Major League approach, and it came from a teenager whose career is just getting started.
“Honestly, it didn't feel like I hadn't played a game in a year,” Rainer said after the Tigers’ 6-3 win for their second consecutive Spring Breakout victory. “It felt like I was just rolling right back out there.”
As far as opening statements go, the Spring Breakout game is a nice platform. It was a statement victory for an organization rated as having baseball’s best farm system by MLB Pipeline.
Rainer’s first hit also went to the opposite field, a fly ball that sent Braves left fielder Owen Carey to the fence but unable to make the catch, plating a run.
“I think the wind might have helped that one a little bit,” said Rainer, the No. 4 ranked prospect in the Tigers system and No. 52 in the MLB Pipeline Top 100.
The Tigers counted their blessings when Rainer fell to them with the 11th overall pick in last year’s Draft. His left-handed power bat and 6-foot-3 frame has brought comparisons to Rangers star shortstop Corey Seager, but injury prevented him from putting that on display last summer.
“I know he’s said it to me, that Corey Seager [comp], being from the L.A. area and all that,” said Hall of Famer and Tigers special assistant Alan Trammell, who managed the team to a Spring Breakout win for a second straight year. “That would be awesome, wouldn’t it? Anybody would like to pattern their game after him. But he has the ability to be that kind of [player] with the size and the swing. And the defense is really good. I mean, I’m pleasantly surprised with his defense at this point in his career.
“He’s just getting his feet wet in pro ball. Pro ball’s different. Like anybody that played, we can help them, but they have to figure out some of it on their own. And he’s just in the early stages, but he’s going to be fine.”
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
Rainer worked out at the team facility in Lakeland last summer, but stayed out of games. After a normal offseason, he was an early arrival to Spring Training.
Not surprisingly, Trammell takes particular interest in shortstops, as Rainer has discovered.
“He’s there a ton. I don’t think I haven’t seen him there in a day. It’s honestly pretty crazy,” Rainer said. “People think he just talks about defense, but he’s in the cage with us, he’s on the field giving us whatever he’s got. It seems like he’s always working.”
The line-drive single in his third and final at-bat is an example of the up-and-middle approach the Tigers preach to their hitting prospects.
“Trying not to do too much,” Rainer said.
Rainer’s first pro at-bat in the second inning looked like it could have been a hit. He bolted down the line and might have beaten the throw to first on his ground ball to the left side. He didn’t get the call, leaving him smiling as he slowed up past the bag, but he more than made up for it.
The first glimpse hopefully carries Tigers fans for a bit. While the talent is apparent, Rainer still has to start his climb up a Tigers farm system that has built depth, especially at his position. Their starting infield for Sunday’s Spring Breakout featured three ranked shortstop prospects. While Rainer got the start at short, Kevin McGonigle (Detroit’s No. 3 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 overall) started at third. Franyerber Montilla, the Tigers’ No. 14 prospect, started at second.
“It’s awesome,” said Rainer, who added the crowd surpassed his expectations. “I really didn’t know what to expect. Some of the guys from the Draft before mine didn’t even get to play in this, and it was kinda new to a lot of us. It was definitely good, especially to get a win.”
Senior Reporter Jason Beck has covered the Tigers for MLB.com since 2002.
Drillers Announce Exciting Promotional Lineup for the 2025 Season
The start of the 2025 season for the Tulsa Drillers is less than a month away, and today the club announced the details of an exciting list of promotions that will highlight the schedule. The promotions for this season are headlined by 23 Fireworks Shows, and some brand-new, unique giveaway
Tulsa Drillers National Anthem Auditions
Think you have what it takes to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” at ONEOK Field? Prove it! It’s almost time for Tulsa Drillers baseball and you can’t “Play Ball” without the performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” first! Could that performer be you? The Drillers, in partnership with the Tulsa World, are
Tulsa Drillers, Graves McLain Injury Lawyers Announce Partnership
The Tulsa Drillers have announced a new multi-year, official partnership with Graves McLain Injury Lawyers, naming the firm the “Official Personal Injury Lawyers of the Tulsa Drillers.” Graves McLain, headquartered in midtown Tulsa, is dedicated to advocating for seriously injured Oklahomans, with a primary focus on victims of motor vehicle
Tulsa Drillers, Red Diamond® Coffee and Tea Announce Partnership Agreement
The Tulsa Drillers have announced a new multi-year, official partnership with Red Diamond Coffee and Tea, a Birmingham, Alabama beverage company that manufactures coffee and tea products for both retail and foodservice markets across the United States. Red Diamond, founded in 1906, is the second oldest coffee and tea company
Drillers 2025 Coaching Staff Announced
The Tulsa Drillers are set to begin the 2025 season with a new manager in former major league skipper Eric Wedge. Today, the Drillers and Los Angeles Dodgers announced the coaching staff that will join Wedge in the dugout this season. The staff will include two returners from last year
Drillers Introduce the John Zink Club Seats
The Tulsa Drillers have entered into a new multi-year, Naming Rights Partnership with John Zink. The nearly 100-year old Tulsa based company will become the Naming Rights Partner of the John Zink Club Seats at ONEOK Field. The John Zink Club Seats are the most exclusive seating option in the
Drillers Radio Broadcast Returning to AM 1430
The Tulsa Drillers and iHeartMedia today announced the continuation of a longtime partnership. All 138 of the Drillers games this season will again be broadcast live on 1430 The Buzz, Tulsa’s Sports Station, marking the 39th straight year that an iHeart station has been home to Drillers baseball on radio.
DRILLERSFEST 2025 SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 8
The Tulsa Drillers have started the countdown to the official start of baseball season, and they have scheduled their first event of 2025. The Tulsa World DrillersFest will take place on Saturday, March 8 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and will give fans their first opportunity to visit ONEOK
Dreamland Festival ‘Kicks Off’ 10 Year Anniversary Celebration with Community Kickball Game at ONEOK Field
The 10th anniversary of Dreamland Festival will take place this fall, but the celebration for ‘Dreamland 10’ starts on March 23 with a fundraiser and celebration of the festival which funds Steph Simon’s other community initiatives, including McLain Titan Records. Tulsa, OK – Artist, entrepreneur, and community leader Steph Simon
Applications Now Being Accepted for Drillers Scholarships
Applications are now being accepted for the Tulsa Drillers Higher Education Scholarship Awards. The awards are presented annually to a pair of high school seniors who participated in at least two seasons of high school baseball or softball. The awards consist of $2,000 scholarships for each individual for two or
Tulsa Drillers 2025 Job Fair
The Tulsa Drillers will be holding a job fair on Tuesday, February 4 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at ONEOK Field. The fair will be used to hire part-time works for the upcoming season. A number of positions are currently open and include concessions workers, bartenders, Ushers and promotion team members. For
High School Baseball Series Returns to ONEOK Field
The Tulsa Drillers are just over a month away from the start of their 2025 season at ONEOK Field, but fans will soon have an early opportunity to see baseball in downtown Tulsa. The Drillers announced today the return of the High School Baseball Series with three games taking place
Former AL Manager of the Year Named Drillers New Manager
For the first time in seven seasons, the Tulsa Drillers will have a new leader in the clubhouse. The Drillers and the Los Angeles Dodgers announced today, that 10-year major league veteran manager and 2007 American League Manager of the Year, Eric Wedge, will be the team’s 24th full-time manager,
Drillers 2025 Single-Game Tickets Go On Sale
Single-game tickets for all 69 regular season Tulsa Drillers home games are now on sale for the 2025 season and can be purchased HERE. The Drillers 2025 home and season opener will take place at ONEOK Field on Friday, April 4 when they host the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The schedule
Drillers Set 2025 Start Times
The Tulsa Drillers have announced starting times for all 69 home games at ONEOK Field during the 2025 season. The standard starting time for most Tuesday through Saturday games will remain at 7:00 p.m. with a few exceptions. Two of those exceptions will take place on Saturday, April 19 due
Hennessey Departing Drillers as Tulsa's Second Winningest Manager
The Tulsa Drillers will have a new manager in 2025. It was announced today that Scott Hennessey will take over the newly named Oklahoma City Comets, the Triple-A affiliate of the National League Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Hennessey will leave the Drillers as one of the most successful managers in
BOOMTown Coney Named MiLB's Most Unique Concession Item
The Coney I-Lander restaurant first opened its doors in 1926 in downtown Tulsa by Greek Immigrant Christ Economou. Now a chain, Coney I-Lander restaurants sell hundreds of thousands of hot dogs a year, with their specialty being slow-grilled hot dogs topped with chili, onions & mustard. In 2024, the Drillers
Rushing and Freeland Honored as Texas League All-Stars
Dalton Rushing and Alex Freeland both spent part of the 2024 season in a Tulsa Drillers uniform, and the duo made a big impact before being transferred to Triple A by the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 6. Today, they were both recognized for their performances with the Drillers by
Drillers Drop Season Finale in Wichita
Wichita, KS – The 2024 season concluded on Sunday afternoon for the Tulsa Drillers with a 4-2 loss to the Wichita Wind Surge at Wichita’s Riverfront Stadium. The Wind Surge never trailed in the game, scoring three runs before Tulsa recorded the first of its two runs in the seventh
Drillers Wait Until Late to Rally Past Wichita
Wichita, KS – In the next-to-last game of the 2024 season Saturday night, it appeared it was going to be a case of missed opportunities for the Tulsa Drillers. Through eight innings, the Drillers had ten hits, but just one run. They made up for those lost opportunities thanks to
Drillers Win Streak Snapped in Loss
Wichita, KS – One night after the Tulsa Drillers clinched their third straight Propeller Trophy in the Coors Light Propeller Series with a shutout win, the Wichita Wind Surge held Tulsa to four hits and one run in a 9-1 final on Friday night. The loss at Riverfront Stadium snapped
Ferris Shines as Drillers Win Propeller Series
Wichita, KS – On August 1, in his final appearance in High A before his promotion to Tulsa, Jackson Ferris threw eight no-hit innings for the Great Lakes Loons. On Thursday night in Wichita, Ferris, who is ranked as the #5 prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league system,
Big Inning Gives Drillers Second Straight Win
Wichita, KS – The Tulsa Drillers made it two for two in Wichita Wednesday night in the second game of their season-ending series with the Wind Surge. The Drillers used a big, five-run fourth inning to take a lead they would not lose and defeated the Wind Surge 5-3. The
Drillers Begin Final Series in Wichita with Win
Wichita, KS – The Tulsa Drillers and the Wichita Wind Suge have been eliminated from playoff contention, but there is still something to play for in the final six-game series of the 2024 regular season. Tulsa entered the series with a two-game advantage in the Coors Light Propeller Series and
Drillers Fall in ONEOK Field Finale
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers played their final game at ONEOK Field for the 2024 season on Sunday evening and fell 6-4 to the San Antonio Missions. The Drillers had two first-inning home runs and tried to rally with runs in the eighth and ninth innings, but it was