Phillies' No. 5 prospect Rincon breaks out using both power and speed at Double-A
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Bryan Rincon hadn't been able to find consistency in his pro career. A few IL stints didn't do any the talented high school 2022 draftee any favors and he just couldn't get his feet under him.
Then came 2026.
Everything seems to have clicked for Philadelphia’s No. 5 prospect, who has cemented his status as a player to watch with his first 20-homer, 20-steal campaign for Double-A Reading. Rincon pushed those numbers a littler higher on Wednesday night, slugging his eighth leadoff jack of the year to spur his club to a 6-2 win over Binghamton at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The power is perhaps the most eye-opening part of Rincon’s development. The 22-year-old entered 2026 with just 18 career homers across 230 pro games, eight coming during his previously most productive season between Single-A Clearwater and High-A Jersey Shore in 2023. Rincon equaled that career high on May 30 and reached the 20-homer mark on Aug. 22, when he also joined the 20/20 club.
With roughly three weeks remaining in the Double-A regular season, Rincon – who was born in New York City before moving to Venezuela only to return to the States attend high school in Pittsburgh -- has emerged as one of the biggest breakout performers in the organization, transforming himself from a light-hitting, defense-first prospect into a legitimate offensive threat.
Through 104 games -- the first time he’s reached that mark as a pro -- Rincon is slashing .272/.405/.509 with 46 extra-base hits, 21 taters, 57 RBIs and 26 stolen bases in 30 attempts, damage done largely out of the top two spots in the Fightins’ lineup.
His turnaround is even more impressive considering where the switch-hitter was a year ago.
After batting .234 with a .729 OPS across two levels in 2023, Rincon struggled mightily in 2024, hitting just .198/.331/.322 while missing extensive time with a hamstring injury. He posted similar numbers last year and again lost time to the IL, spending the final five weeks on the sideline with a broken hamate bone in his left hand that required surgery.
But Rincon didn't allow those struggles to derail his development in 2026. As the final month comes into focus, the 2022 14th-rounder is finishing on a high note.
And as impressive as his overall season has been, Rincon is in the midst of arguably his hottest stretch with a nine-game hitting streak over which he’s slashing .463/.511/.805 with four consecutive multihit performances and seven overall.
After years of injuries and offensive struggles, Rincon has developed into one of the more intriguing position players in Philadelphia’s system. His combination of defense at shortstop, speed, plate discipline, and perhaps most importantly power, could factor him into the organization’s long-term plans.