Andy Urban
Oklahoma Scouting Director
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Name: Sam Rainwater
School: Edmond North HS
Position: RHP/3B
Grad Year: 2017
Commitment: Oral Roberts

Scouting Report
A 6-foot-2, 190 pound strong, muscular build. On the mound, up temp delivery, good rhythm, high leg kick moves up down then out, arm gets lengthened behind him, high-3/4 slot. Fastball is heavy with tilt, 85-87 mph. Curveball shows 12/6 shape, flashes tight spin, 70-72 mph. Changeup has some fade and sink, 76-78 mph. Offensively, balanced, athletic stance, middle-pull approach, some bat speed. Moderate leg kick, short to the ball, high finish. At third base, Rainwater shows good hands, good arm strength, some carry.

PBR: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Was there a particular game or event that you feel turned the corner for you?

Rainwater: The process began around the beginning of my junior year. The particular event that I started turning some heads was at a showcase in the fall of 2015. I pitched extremely well there and was playing well in all aspects of the game in front of many coaches including Coach Neill from Oral Roberts.       

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it as expected? Easy/Difficult?

Rainwater: My expectation was that I was going to be receiving some calls from junior colleges and possibly some D1’s if I worked hard every single day., Those results became true toward the middle of this past summer. At first, it was pretty difficult to start the process until I received my first call from a college coach. Within weeks, I was getting calls and looks from college coaches frequently.

PBR: Where did Oral Roberts first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?

Rainwater: They saw me at the showcase my junior year in the fall. My relationship developed once I went to an actual showcase at Oral Roberts at the beginning of this last summer. I pitched in front of Coach Snedeker (the pitching coach at ORU), and he asked for my information and which summer team I was on. After that, just about every weekend I saw an Oral Roberts scout coming to watch me pitch for my travel team. On the last weekend, my team played in a tourney at UT-Arlington. I pitched there and I spotted Coach Snedeker right behind the screen of home plate where he was gunning me. I remember pitching so great that day and ending with 14K’s. I got a call right after the game that night from Coach Snedeker and he told me he was very impressed and wanted to have me visit Oral Roberts. I visited about a month later and was offered there.   

PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision? 

Rainwater: My family plays a huge role in my decision. They have invested so much in me to see me play in college, and to be as close as I could to them was something that was a big part of my decision. I wanted them to be able to come watch me play at the Division 1 level.   

PBR: What do you like most about Oral Roberts and what were the key factors in making your decision?

Rainwater: I loved the fact that they are a Christian-based community. The university itself is like a large high school because of how compacted the entire place is. The baseball field and facilities that Oral Roberts provides is top of the line. They have an amazing indoor facility that really caught my eye. Some of the players welcomed me which I also thought was great.  

PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

Rainwater: I had Seminole State and NOC-Enid on my final list before deciding ORU was where I wanted to be.

PBR: What advice would you give young baseball players striving to get where you are?  

Rainwater: I have to say to all the young players that no matter who you are, you need to set goals. These goals need to be something that pushes you so hard every day to strive for excellence. Even off of the field. The classroom is so important. Colleges emphasize so hard on academics because it can allow you to have a big bonus percentage added onto whatever athletic scholarship that a college coach offers you. 

PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in Oklahoma? And why? 

Rainwater: The best player that I have faced would probably be Eli Davis. He is such a big talent with a bat and on the mound. He always finds ways to get hits through gaps. He’s a very fast runner as well. On the mound, he is a very deceptive person. He throws like 6 different pitches that all look just like that fastball. When he is up there on the bump, he has a presence that he owns the moment. It’s always great to have that personality up there.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?

Rainwater: I am currently working on my base by developing my legs through squats, lunges, box jumps, explosive exercises, sprints, and balancing exercises. Developing the core is a key component for any baseball player. A solid core will help a player be stronger in any aspect of the game.    

PBR: Preview your high school season for us.  How do you feel your team will be? What are your expectations and goals?  

Rainwater: We have a new coach this year, Coach Ledbetter. He has completely changed the way that Edmond North baseball does things. He is getting us in big shape this offseason with morning workouts, practices, and conditioning every day. Our team has a great pitching staff this year. We have 4 out of our 5 main guys committed to a college somewhere. Our lineup will be pretty deep with some guys having 6.6-6.9 60 speed and guys who have big power from the middle to end. We have a young team. I think that some sophomores might be playing up this year which is awesome for the program. Our goals as a team have not been set, but individually I want to go out there and perform on the mound the way that I know that I can. I need to have a big strike to ball ratio along with having an extremely limited amount of walks. At the plate, I am looking to hit the ball hard and produce for my team in whatever way whether it be getting a base hit or having to lay a sac-bunt down to put a runner in scoring position.     

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