Tampa Bay Rays Top 15 Prospects

Perpetually one of baseball’s best farm systems, the Rays really fortified their organizational depth in 2024 with some savvy trades and strong player development gains. Carson Williams looks like the team’s future at shortstop while early returns on the Randy Arozarena trade point towards exciting upside between right-handed pitching prospect Brody Hopkins and outfield prospect Aidan Smith.

The Rays farm system has a nice balance of high risk, high reward prospects, as well as high probability big leaguers. Xavier Isaac, Brody Hopkins, Brailer Guerrero and Yoniel Curet fit the former group while Chandler Simpson, Tre Morgan, Santiago Suarez, and Ian Seymour fit the former with plenty of quality prospects in between.

1. Carson Williams – SS – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 180 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (28), 2021 (TB) | ETA: 2025

HIT	PLATE DISC.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
30/35	50/55	50/60	55/55	70/70	55+

One of the best defensive shortstops in the minor leagues, Williams took a big step forward with his plate discipline while launching 20 homers for the second consecutive season. Swing and miss is still a concern, but he looks like the future at shortstop for the Rays. 

Check out our conversation with Carson Williams!

Offense

Williams starts with an upright stance and relies on his natural bat speed and athleticism to produce thump, but his lack of lower half involvement leaves power/adjustability on the table for him. His bat path is geared for lift, helping him produce plenty of home runs and extra base hits, but also leaving him susceptible to higher whiff figures. 

Williams hedges the whiff with an improved approach that he focused on as he made the leap to the upper levels and it translated into a lower strikeout rate in 2024. The lack of adjustability is a concern still as Williams’ out of zone contact rate of 33% was one of the lower figures in the Rays org and could make the transition to the highest level difficult. 

Already reaching exit velocities as high as 112 MPH along with a 90th percentile exit velocity around 105 MPH between 2023 and 2024, Williams has the potential to hit plenty of homers given his feel to lift and has already showcased the ability to get into his power in games with 43 homers between his 2023 and 2024 seasons. 

Most of Williams’ production came against fastballs at the lower levels, but he improved his output against secondaries significantly in 2024, upping his OPS against non-fastballs by roughly 130 points to .760. 

2024 was undoubtedly a step in the right direction offensively for Williams in what was his age 20/21 season. Likely to land at a below average hit tool, continued improvement of his swing decisions will be imperative to his offensive consistency. If he can hit enough, Williams has the power to hit 30 homers, albeit with a low batting average and a high number of strikeouts. 

Defense/Speed

Williams is an above average runner with an easy plus arm. His actions are smooth and his feet are quick. He attacks the baseball with confidence and is capable of making difficult throws from all sorts of angles. Williams’ instincts at the position are ahead of his years, making him an easy bet to stick at the position and likely a plus or better defender. 

While he is not a burner, Williams is fast enough to be a factor on the base paths. He doubled his stolen base output in 2024, grabbing 33 bags, but he could be more efficient as he was thrown out 11 times as well. 

Outlook

A plus defender a shortstop with big power potential is easy to get excited about. Williams will need to build on his improvements offensively, but 30 home run upside with impact defense at short does not grow on trees. A high strikeout rate may just come with the territory, but even if he is just a mistake hitter, Williams has defensive ability and improved on base skills to be an above average regular at shortstop. With another step forward offensively, he can be an All Star.

2. Xavier Isaac – 1B – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 240 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (29), 2022 (TB) | ETA: 2025

HIT	PLATE DISC.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
30/40	50/55	60/70	40/40	40/50	50+

A big, left handed masher bat with foul pole to foul pole power, Isaac has the potential to be an offensive force if he can cut down on the whiff.

Offense

Starting slightly open with his weight slightly favoring his back side, Isaac uses an early and slow load to get himself into a powerful launch position. When everything is in rhythm, his swing is smooth and the power is near the top of the scale, but he struggled to control and time up his big pre-swing moves against upper level pitching in 2024. 

Athletic for a 6-foot-4, 240 pound slugger, Isaac has demonstrated the necessary adjustability in the box to do damage even when he is a bit out front or fooled, as his “B” swings pack a punch as well. In his age 20 season, Isaac sported a ridiculous 56% Hard Hit rate, along with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 108 MPH, placing him among the top in the minor league. 

Isaac hedges the swing and miss with a decent ability to recognize spin and has run a chase rate in the low 20% range as a pro. He took a step forward in left on left matchups in 2024, providing some hope that he can fight off a platooning. 

Offering as much power potential as just about any hitter in the minor leagues, it will just come down to whether Isaac can hit enough to get into it. He has the athleticism and mobility to do so and has already shown a willingness to tinker with his mechanics and simplify things. 

Defense/Speed

Isaac looks like an average defender at first base, but given his athleticism, the Rays gave Isaac some looks in the outfield during his time in the Arizona Fall League as well where he did not look too shabby given his lack of experience. He can get moving once he’s underway and picks his spots to run well, swiping 27 bags on 30 tries in roughly 200 games between 2023 and 2024.

Outlook

Isaac has the potential to develop into a middle-of-the-order masher at the highest level. Not only does he posses as much power potential as just about any prospect in baseball, but his swing is not as stiff and rigid as most other prospects who swung and missed as much as he did in 2024. Isaac will need to improve his contact rates at the Double-A level, though he has been pushed agressively for a hitter of his archetype, getting his second taste of the upper levels in a season where he will be 21 years old for its entirety. There’s some shades of Triston Casas if Isaac can find a bit more consistency offensively.

3. Chandler Simpson – OF – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 215 | Bat/Throw: L/R | CB-B Round (70), 2022 (TB) | ETA: 2025

HIT	PLATE DISC.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
70/70	55/55	20/20	80/80	40/50	50

The fastest man in baseball, Simpson boasts elite contact rates and plenty of patience in the box, making him the ideal old school leadoff man. 

Check out our conversation with Chandler Simpson!

Hitting

A slap hitter with a fantastic feel for the barrel, Simpson shoots the ball all over the yard, smacking plenty of soft liners and ground balls he can beat out. Contrary to most other hitters, Simpson’s ability to limit fly balls is an asset, as his 80 grade speed can turn even routine plays into hits. His elite contact skills stand out, rarely swinging and missing within the zone (94% in z-contact rate) while spoiling pitches outside of the zone with the best of them (82% o-contact rate). 

With 20 grade power, Simpson is more likely to hit an inside-the-park homer than an over-the-fence shot, but he adds to his high batting average with good patience at the plate, drawing walks at a solid clip for a hitter that no pitcher wants to put on base. There’s a lot of similarities to Juan Pierre offensively. 

Defense/Speed

Simpson’s speed is one of the easiest 80 grades you’ll see handed out, forcing scouts to think back to Billy Hamilton for the most comparable runner. That speed has translated into stolen bases more than defensive value at this point as Simpson’s actions in the outfield are shaky. He has the closing speed to recover and chew up plenty of ground, but his routes are indirect, struggling to track the ball with consistency. Simpson has the potential to be the best base stealer in the game, swiping 104 bags in 110 games in 2024. 

Outlook

Contact and speed will surely make Simpson a big leaguer, but to be the above average regular in centerfield he can be, he will need to take a big step forward defensively in 2025. There’s few hitters–if any–who can make contact more consistently than Simpson with the speed to turn just about anything that isn’t caught in the air into a possible hit. With Simpson’s below average arm, it’s even more important to develop as a centerfielder, but he has enough offensive value to at least be an MLB regular if he slides over to left, albeit with more pressure on the bat to produce near-batting title numbers.

4. Brody Hopkins – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’4, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 6th Round (187), 2023 (SEA) | ETA: 2027

FASTBALL	SLIDER	SWEEPER	CUTTER	CHANGEUP	COMMAND	FV
60/70	60/60	50/55	40/50	35/45	30/40	50

The brother of outfielder T.J. Hopkins, Brody was a two way player at Winthrop University, but struggled mightily with command issues. The Mariners drafted him as a pitcher in the sixth round of the 2023 draft and he has since started to find the zone with a little more frequency. His stuff still far outpaces the command, but that is more a testament to his six pitch mix from a unique slot. The Rays acquired Hopkins as part of the Randy Arozarena return. 

Arsenal

You can tell Hopkins had the athleticism to be a quality college outfielder by the way he moves on the mound, turning inwards with a high leg kick before uncorking from a low three-quarters angle that has him releasing the ball at a 4.8 foot release height. Hopkins wields two different fastballs, a four seamer that averages 96 MPH and a sinker a tick below that, averaging more than 17 inches of horizontal break, resulting in plenty of ground balls. Getting even just 14 inches of induced vertical break on his fastball from such a low release point makes it a great swing and miss offering at the top as well. 

Hopkins slider is his best swing and miss pitch in the upper 80s with slurvy two-plane action. He will also mix in a sweeper at roughly the same velocity, with 13 inches of horizontal, playing up from his release point. His 89-91 MPH cutter is a reliable fourth offering that he will mix in slightly more to lefties, especially as his changeup lags behind the rest of his arsenal. Movement wise, Hopkins changeup has a chance to be a quality pitch, but he struggles to land it for a strike, with far too many non-competitive pitches mixed in. 

Outlook

Hopkins has a standout pitch mix that can miss a ton of barrels, exemplified by his 27% strikeout rate in 2024, but he also gets plenty of contact on the ground, sporting a ground ball rate of 54%. He will need to improve upon his below average command, though his strike throwing ability was significantly improved from his draft year at Winthrop. There’s reliever risk, where Hopkins could easily be an elite high leverage option, but his athleticism and pitch mix should give him plenty of runway as a starter, especially in a Rays org that has had success helping stuffy pitchers find the zone.

5. Aidan Smith – OF – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (124), 2023 (SEA) | ETA: 2027

HIT	PLATE DISC.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
40/45	60/60	40/55	65/65	55/60	50

Signed for an over-slot $1.2 million by the Mariners in 2024, Smith quickly looked like a savvy selection by the Mariners before the Rays targeted him in the Randy Arozarena deal. Smith is a tooled-up athlete who can be an asset in center.

Hitting

A simple setup and operation, Smith has his feet a bit more than shoulder-width apart with his hands sitting right by his slot before getting into a medium-sized leg kick. Smith has a great feel for the strike zone and strong pitch-recognition skills, running a chase rate below 20% in 2024, facilitating a 14% walk rate. His swing can get a little long at times, resulting in slightly elevated in zone whiff (77% zone-contact in 2024). As the season progressed, he made more consistent contact and showcased more swing malleability.

Smith ultimately looks to pull the ball in the air and does it with success, launching all 11 of his homers in 2024 to left field while running a 34% ground ball rate. He has flashed above average raw power, with batted balls north of 110 MPH, but he is still working to get into it more consistently. Smith’s strong approach and ability to elevate to the pull side could ultimately result in 20-25 home runs as he progresses. In his 98 games in 2024, he smacked 33 doubles.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner with a natural actions in the outfield and an above average arm, Smith has all of the ingredients to be a plus defender up the middle. He gets to his top speed quickly, which helps him get great jumps in the outfield as well as on the base paths. He swiped 41 bags on 47 tries in his 98 Low-A games in 2024.

Outlook

Smith’s value with the glove, speed and approach elevate his floor as a high probability big leaguer, but already flashing above average power as he enters his age 20 season gives him exciting upside. Even if the hit tool is fringy, Smith’s ability to pull the ball in the air and room for more strength within his frame should allow him to hit 20-25 homers with a good walk rate to supplement. Smith fits the archetype of the centerfielders that the Rays like to pursue and projects as their highest ceiling longterm option out there.

6. Santiago Suarez – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $385K, 2021 (MIA) | ETA: 2027

Fastball	Cutter	Slider	Curveball	Changeup	Command	FV
55/60	55/60	50/50	50/55	40/40	60/65	50

Acquired by the Rays along with Marcus Johnson in exchange for Xavier Edwards and JT Chargois, Suarez has long been lauded for his fantastic command and has seen his stuff tick up over the last couple seasons.

Arsenal

Though he has a four pitch mix that he commands well, Suarez still leans relatively heavily on his fastball, going to it nearly 60% of the time in 2024. It’s a fringe-plus heater, averaging 95 MPH with above average carry. With his execution and ability to locate, it often plays like a plus pitch. Working off of the fastball is a cutter in the upper 80s. He will throw it more frequently to righties, who struggle to differentiate it from his fastball out of his hand, resulting in high chase and plenty of weak contact.

Suarez will throw a slider a couple ticks slower that can blend with the cutter a bit and a slurvier breaking ball at 79-82 MPH that flashes above average. The changeup lags behind the rest of Suarez’s arsenal and has somewhat started to be phased out as both the cutter and curveball play well against lefties.

Outlook

As Suarez’s stuff has progressed, it has become increasingly easy to envision a big league starter thanks to his plus command. If Suarez is able to distinguish his breaking ball shapes a bit more and perhaps find another tick, he could push closer to middle-rotation upside, but he is a high probability No. 4 starter with the build and athleticism to eat innings.

7. Gary Gill Hill – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2, 175 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 6th Round (194), 2022 (TBR) | ETA: 2027

FASTBALL	SLIDER	Curveball	CHANGEUP	COMMAND	FV
55/55	60/60	50/55	45/50	55/60	50

An athletic right-hander who was one of the youngest arm in the 2022 class, Gill Hill seems to get better each time you check in seeing his stuff tick up both in 2024 and in the early going of 2025 while maintaining his plus command. Gill Hill is another high probability rotation piece in this Rays system.

Arsenal

While nothing jumps off of the page stuff wise, Gill Hill offers a quality assortment of offerings that he commands well. He throws both a four seamer and two seamer with the latter being the more effective offering, yielding more chase and plenty of contact on the ground, but the four seamer is a half tick harder at 94 MPH on average, effectively changing eye levels on hitters when he wants to elevate, despite what is average-at-best vertical life.

Gill Hill’s slider is his best offering, with short gyro break, landing it for a strike 73% of the time in 2024. He has the feel to manipulate it into a cutterish pitch a couple ticks harder as well. He frequently hits his spots with the offering, making it effective to both righties and lefties, throwing the harder variation in on the hands of lefties to tie them up.

After throwing a sweeper in 2024, Gill Hill tweaked it to more of a sweeping curveball with two-plane break at 79-81 MPH. With more depth and horizontal break, it may be a challenge to locate as consistently for Gill Hill, but it has the potential to be a strong swing and miss offering, with more balanced splits than a sweeper.

8. Tre Morgan – 1B – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 215 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 3rd Round (88), 2023 (TB) | ETA: 2026

HIT	PLATE DISC.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
55/60	50/55	40/45	50/50	70/80	50

Carrying less power potential than your traditional first base profile, Morgan’s elite glove and good feel to hit can still make him an above average option at the position.

Hitting

An athletic hitter who is adjustable in the box, Morgan sinks into his back side In tandem with a bit of a hand-pump that he syncs well while consistently getting to the same slot with his hands. With two strikes, Morgan will spread his feet out wide and eliminates his stride while choking up a bit on the bat. He still utilizes the same hand-load which appears to help him maintain his rhythm. His contact ability when down to his last strike is elite, seeing his zone-contact rate climb to 93% and overall contact rate to 87%. 

When Morgan is ahead in the count, he looks to drive the ball in the air more aggressively, seeing his ground ball rate drop from 45% in all counts to 36% when ahead in 2024. The exit velocities are average with a swing that is mostly geared for line drives, giving Morgan a 10-15 home run outlook, but his ability to spray the ball all over the yard on a line should result in plenty of doubles. 

Despite his great feel for the barrel, Morgan has struggled left on left as a pro, with an OPS gap of more than 400 points against righties and lefties in 2024. His .355/.438/.536 line against opposite-handed arms helps compensate, but if he does not improve against southpaws, he may be a platoon candidate. Being able to spoil so many tough pitches results in Morgan seeing plenty of pitches per at bat, drawing walks at a slightly above average clip.

Morgan is a hit-over-power bat, but could achieve enough slug with his ability to find the gaps. Regardless their will be a fair amount of pressure on his hit tool to be plus in order to carry the offensive responsibility of first base.

Defense/Speed

A great athlete with elite footwork and hands at first base, Morgan is the best defensive first baseman in the Minor Leagues. He prevents plenty of errors with his ability to corral errant throws whether it be picking them out of the dirt with crazy stretches or corralling a ball that would sail by most first basemen. The Rays have given Morgan reps in the outfield as well where his plus arm helps make him passable, but his iffy reads will likely make him a fringy defender at best out there. An average runner, Morgan is not a huge stolen base threat, though he is capable of snagging around 10-15 bags per season. 

Outlook

In order to carry the everyday first base profile, Morgan will likely need to maintain a batting average in the high .200s, but has the skill set to do just that. Even if his game power places him around 10-15 home runs, he provides enough value in other departments–especially with his potential 80 grade glove–to be an above average regular at first base.

9. Brailer Guerrero – OF – (CPX)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 215 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $3.7M, 2023 (TB) | ETA: 2028

HIT	Plate Disc.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
35/45	45/55	45/60	50/45	35/50	50

Huge power potential is what earned Guerrero a nearly $4 million pay day in the 2023 IFA cycle and he immediately put that power on display in a handful of DSL games before going down with a shoulder injury. He returned to action in 2024 looking like a force from the left side once again.

Offense

Starting stacked on his back side with his bat rested on his shoulder, Guerrero loads with a coil and moderate stride. Already posting exit velocities of 109 mph prior to his 17th birthday, Guerrero topped that in the early going of the 2024 season with 111 mph off of the bat in the Florida Complex League. There’s some concern that Guerrero could be stiff in the box as he matures which could have a negative impact on his hit tool.

That said, he presently moves pretty well in the box for how physical he already is and has demonstrated the ability to handle velocity well in the early going of his pro career, rarely swinging and missing through fastballs. Already possessing a good feel for the strike zone, Guerrero should walk plenty and can hedge hit tool concerns with good swing decisions.

There’s easy plus power to dream on with Guerrero and while he comes with some risk contact wise, early returns have been positive in that department and the plate discipline only helps.

Defense/Speed

An average runner, Guerrero is still finding his footing in the outfield, projecting best in a corner spot where his plus arm will play well. He is still seeing some action in centerfield in the meantime, but will likely slide over to right field as he climbs levels. He is quick enough to mix in a handful of bags annually.

Outlook

It’s all about the bat for Guerrero, but the fact that he can potentially provide average defense in a corner helps his outlook. Even with a fringy hit tool, his plus power and on base skills could make him a middle of the order masher. Guerrero is far off and is as high variance as just about any prospect you’ll find ranked as highly as he is. That said, getting more looks at the big ticket IFA has made it clear that he has huge upside. Guerrero will need to prove that he can stay on the field as well, only playing 35 games in the last two seasons at the DSL and Florida Complex League due to a recurrent shoulder issue.

10. Brayden Taylor – 3B – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 190 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (19), 2023 (TB) | ETA: 2026

HIT	Plate Disc.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
35/45	55/60	40/50	50/50	45/50	45+

A hit-over-power prospect for much of his collegiate career, Taylor mashed 23 home runs as a junior at TCU, catapulting him into the middle of the first round. Though he has been productive as a pro, the uptick in game power has come with more whiff, creating some concern that he may be a bit of a tweener offensively.

Offense

Starting with his hands rested just above his shoulder, Taylor utilizes a medium-sized leg kick and does not pull his hands back into his slot until his front leg reaches its peak. Taylor remains well-connected on fastballs, but the move can result in him getting out of sync with their upper half and lower half on secondary stuff.

The pull backwards with his hands right before his leg comes back down may be in an effort to keep his weight back, providing a negative move and helping him create plenty of loft in his swing. It’s hard to argue against the results as he rarely swings off of his front foot and consistently drives the ball in the air (26% ground ball rate in 2024). There’s some concern that he could look rushed against more challenging arms, which could necessitate some more simplicity in the box. His contact numbers at the Double-A level at the end of 2024 and early going in 2025 haven’t necessarily quelled those concerns.

Consistently driving the ball in the air with back spin has helped Taylor maximize his average exit velocities (and even below average in his first two collegiate seasons). He saw his exit velocities jump a couple ticks in his junior season and there’s more room for strength in his frame, providing optimism for at least average power.

Taylor is an extremely patient hitter, hedging some whiff concern, but he will need to improve against secondaries to push closer to an average hit tool. He hit below the Mendoza line against non-fastballs in 2024 with a contact rate of just 57%. With roughly average exit velocities and fringy contact rates, Taylor will likely be very dependent on his ability to pull the air consistently and walk to produce at an above average clip unless he can find more raw power or improves drastically against secondaries.

Defense/Speed

Taylor predominantly played third base both as an amateur and in his pro debut where his average arm and decent range play well enough to be an average defender. He could project as an above average second baseman as well. At least an average runner, Taylor is extremely savvy on the base paths, going 39 for 40 on stolen base attempts in college before a swiping 29 bags on 36 tries in 2024.

Outlook

While nothing jumps out when you look at Taylor’s profile, he gets a lot out his decent tools across the board. His offensive profile probably fits best at second base, where his defense would likely be better as well. Regardless, he should be capable of playing multiple infield spots with the upside to get on base at a strong clip and mix in 20 homers or more if he adds strength. Pair in the versatility with some value on the base paths as well and Taylor could just do enough to be in a lineup every day, but he should at least be a solid infield utility piece.

11. Yoniel Curet – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $150K, 2019 (TB) | ETA: 2026

Fastball	Slider	Changeup	Command	FV
60/60	55/55	50/55	35/40	45+

Curet finished the 2024 season red-hot, pitching to a 1.10 ERA over his final 73 2/3 innings between High-A and Double-A while striking out 35.5% of batters. A big reason for that was Curet’s slashed walk rate over that 15 appearance span, which sat at 9.7% compared to his 14% walk rate in his 10 starts prior. With such a fantastic finish to his age 21 season, Curet was able to shed some perceived reliever risk, building plenty of momentum and excitement as he geared up for his 2025 campaign. Unfortunately after just one Spring Training appearance, Curet hit the shelf with an undisclosed shoulder issue and was placed on the 60 day IL prior to Opening Day.

When healthy, Curet offers an exciting three pitch mix, headlined by his plus fastball which generates standout in zone whiff numbers thanks to his flat approach angle at 95-98 MPH. Despite going to his fastball two thirds of the time in 2024, opponents hit just .180 against it with an in-zone contact rate of 72%. Curet’s slider and changeup both look like above average offerings with the former being utilized more frequently (25%). Curet flashes middle rotation stuff with what has mostly been r command

12. Ian Seymour – LHP – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’0, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 2nd Round (57), 2020 (TBR) | ETA: 2027

FASTBALL	Cutter	CHANGEUP	Curveball	Sweeper	COMMAND	FV
50/50	50/50	60/65	40/40	40/45	55/55	45+

A second round pick in 2020, Seymour has dominated at every stop, but his lower velocity and Tommy John surgery in 2022 resulted in him being overlooked to a degree. Deception, good command and a superb changeup looks like it should be enough to keep him in a rotation.

Arsenal

Seymour is a unique lefty with some built in deception that he leans into, setting up on the edge of the rubber in each direction based on hitter handedness. Setting up in the direction of the hitter allows his slight cross-fire delivery to play up. Seymour’s fastball sits just 90-92 MPH, but he generates above average carry, which paired with his ability to hide the baseball, helps it play up.

His best pitch is his changeup, averaging 16 inches of horizontal action with nearly 10 MPH of separation. His ability to maintain his arm speed makes it difficult to pick up for hitters and where he sets up on the rubber plays into the changeups success as much as any of his offerings. Against righties, the arm side fade is accentuated from being set up all the way to the third base side while it buries under the hands of lefties releasing on the first base side of the rubber and running the pitch in that direction.

Seymour’s third offering is his 85-87 MPH cutter that he locates well. It’s not a great swing and miss offering, but he is able to limit hard contact. He will go to it roughly 20% of the time. He will mix in an occasional curveball to righties and sweeper to lefties as a taste-breaker as well.

Outlook

Seymour was added to the Rays 40 man roster ahead of the 2025 season to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft after a 2024 campaign that would have surely seen him selected. There’s some question as to whether he can miss enough bats at the highest level, but he has struck out nearly 30% of hitters between Double-A and Triple-A. Seymour racks up much more swing and miss against right-handed hitters, but limits hard contact left on left, helping him post consistent splits. His above average command and solid workload of nearly 150 innings in 2024 make him a solid back-end rotation option who can eat innings.

13. Theo Gillen – OF – (Low-A)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (18), 2024 (TB) | ETA: 2028

HIT	PLATE DISC.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
40/55	50/60	30/45	60/60	35/50	45+

Advanced for a prep bat, Gillen slid just beyond the middle of the first round due to a rough injury history and an anticipated change from the infield dirt to the outfield as a pro. Gillen had surgery for a torn labrum in 2022 and dealt with knee and wrist issues after that with a delayed start to the 2025 season due to a calf issue. 

The Rays moved Gillen to centerfield where his plus wheels could play well as he gains more experience and reps, but his offensive upside is what the organization was mostly betting on when they snagged him 18th overall. 

Already with a smooth left-handed swing and patient approach, there’s power to dream on in Gillen’s 6-foot-3 frame as he matures physically and learns to utilize his lower half more effectively. 

Getting through a full pro season healthy will be an important first step, especially when taking on a physically demanding position like centerfield. The Rays may take Gillen’s development slowly, but he has a chance to provide above.

14. Jackson Baumeister – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’4, 225 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd (63), 2023 (BAL) | ETA: 2026

FASTBALL	SLIDER	Cutter	Curveball	CHANGEUP	COMMAND	FV
55/55	50/50	45/50	45/45	50/50	40/50	45+

Acquired alongside Mac Horvath and Matthew Etzel in the Zach Eflin deal, Baumeister adjusted his pitch usage some after joining the Rays organization and really kicked things into another gear, pitching to a 1.35 ERA with 53 strikeouts and five walks over his final 40 innings of the season (includes two playoff starts at High-A). 

Baumeister cut down on his curveball usage in favor of a new cutter and his changeup. His fastball velocity ticked up from 93 MPH on average to 94 MPH over his final 10 starts of 2024 and the uptick carried into the early going of 2025 where he has mostly sat in the mid 90s. With slightly above average carry and extension, it should play as an above average heater. 

None of his secondaries particularly stand out, but the slider, cutter and changeup could all be average offerings along with the above average fastball to give him a back-end starter’s arsenal if the command can continue to progress closer to big league average.

15. Dominic Keegan – C – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (134), 2022 (TB) | ETA: 2025

HIT	Plate Disc.	GAME POWER	RUN	FIELD	FV
45/50	40/40	40/50	40/40	40/45	45

Big raw power and improvements behind the dish have Keegan looking like a big league piece, even if he is just a part time catcher. After hardly catching in college, Keegan has developed into a passable defender, especially in the receiving department, but his fringy arm likely makes him an average defender at best.

With an average exit velocity of 90.5 MPH in 2024 along with a 90th percentile exit velocity of nearly 108 MPH (one of the best figures in the Rays system), Keegan easily has plus raw power, but he tends to convert that more into hard hit line drives and ground balls, hitting just nine home runs in 104 games in a very pitcher-friendly Southern League. That said, he still posted a 138 wRC+ and 35 extra base hits.

If Keegan can increase his average launch angle on hard hit balls from 8° to around 12°, it could be easy to envision around 20 homers, if not he can still be a candidate to sustain a high BABIP and compile doubles. His contact rate of 76% was above average for the Southern League and climbed as the year progressed, and while he is slightly aggressive, he posts above average contact rates on pitches outside of the zone. Keegan has the upside to be an average big league catcher who is more offensive-minded, but should at least be a decent platoon bat who can catch part time.

Names to Watch

Homer Bush – OF – (Double-A): A fourth round pick by the Padres in 2023, Bush was sent to the Rays along with Dylan Lesko and J.D. Gonzalez in exchange for Jason Adam at the 2024 trade deadline. Bush is unlikely to offer a ton of value in the batter’s box, given his 30 grade power and aggressive approach, but his 80 grade wheels and impact glove in centerfield make him a high probability big leaguer.

Trevor Harrison – RHP – (Low-A): Harrison started focusing on pitching late in his high school career and his stuff started to explode as he entered his senior season. The Rays shelled out an overslot $847,500 in the fifth round to sign Harrison away from FSU and he validated that investment with a strong pro debut at both the FCL and Low-A in his age 18 season.

Harrison’s fastball sits in the mid 90s and his tweaked slider is now a harder more cutterish pitch in the upper 80s. He will need to develop a third pitch and refine his command further to stick as a starter, but the 6-foot-4, 225 pound right-hander won’t turn 20 years old until the end of the 2025 season, giving him plenty of time to get there.

Ty Johnson – RHP – (Double-A): A 15th round pick by the Cubs out of Ball State in 2023, Johnson quickly looked like a steal, striking out 36% of batters between Low-A and High-A in 2024 and catching the eye of the Rays who targeted him in the Isaac Paredes trade. A 6-foot-6 right-hander, Johnson’s unique short-arm, low three-quarters delivery creates a difficult angle on his fastball for hitters. Using it 65% of the time, he picked up big in zone whiff numbers on his fastball (35%) along with a chase rate north of 30%. With a slider that looks like a plus pitch as well and decent command, Johnson looks like he could be an elite high-leverage arm if he does not develop into a starter.

Cooper Kinney – 2B – (Double-A): A Comp A pick in 2021 out of the Tennessee prep ranks, Kinney turned in a solid first pro season at Low-A, then really kicked things into gear at High-A in 2024, posting a 137 wRC+ with decent contact rates and above average exit velocities. Nothing jumps off of the page, but his ability to hit the ball hard and move around second base, third base and first base, makes him an intriguing infield utility piece with a chance to be a second division regular.

Colton Ledbetter – OF – (Double-A): An intriguing speed and power combo, the concern around Ledbetter is whether he will be able to hit enough to reap the rewards of those exciting tools. In his first pro season, he mitigated the whiff enough at High-A, striking out at a 28% clip while launching 16 homers and stealing 34 bags in 109 games. He is aggressive in the box, which could affect him more at the upper levels and his is limited to average defense in a corner, but Ledbetter remains an intriguing bat if he can put it all together.

Dylan Lesko – RHP – (High-A): Acquired as part of the return for Jason Adam, Lesko was considered the best prep arm in the 2022 class despite undergoing Tommy John surgery in his senior season. He returned to the mound in 2023, showcasing his exciting stuff, most notably his 70 grade changeup, but battled command issues that only got worse. He really struggled to find the zone in 2024, walking 52 batters in 69 2/3 innings. A move to the bullpen seems likely, but Lesko’s above average fastball (when he’s right) and plus plus changeup could be effective in that role. Still just 21 years old for the entirety of the 2025 season, Lesko has time, but things have not been trending in the right direction.

Emilien Pitre – 2B – (High-A): A second round selection in 2024, Pitre is a hit-over power bat who can play a good second base and potentially move around the infield. A patient approach helps his case offensively, but the hit tool may be closer to average than plus, making it a bit of an uphill battle to an everyday role. Pitre has the goods to be a solid infield bench piece who may be capable of plugging in at shortstop in a pinch.

Joe Rock – LHP – (Triple-A): Acquired from the Rockies in exchange for Greg Jones ahead of the 2024 season, Rock is a 6-foot-6 southpaw with a deceptively long arm action that seems to throw hitters timing off. He wields a four seamer and heavy two seamer that averages nearly 18 inches of horizontal. His gyro slider and changeup are both decent offerings that play up off of his plus command. Rock may struggle to miss enough barrels to consistently stick in a rotation, but he has a chance to induce enough weak contact to be a No. 5 starter.

Adrian Santana – SS – (High-A): A glove first shortstop, the Rays snagged Santana 31st overall in the 2023 draft out of the Miami prep ranks, betting on is upside as one of the younger players in the class. Santana is smaller and frame and was very wiry upon signing, but has added some strength since. A switch hitter with a good feel for the barrel, Santana is far more advanced from the left side and could benefit from being more patient in the box. He’s a fantastic defender at shortstop with good range, smooth hands and a plus arm. He won’t turn 20 years old until after the 2025 All Star Break.

Owen Wild – RHP – (High-A): Wild broke out as a sophomore at Gonzaga before taking a step back in his draft year and falling to the 7th round in 2023. He was very impressive in his first pro season in 2024, pitching to a 2.82 ERA between Low-A and High-A in 121 1/3 innings, striking out 30% of batters against just a 6% walk rate. His fastball sits just in the low 90s, but gets plus plus carry, resulting in strong in zone whiff and chase numbers. His mid 80s cutter tunnels well off of his heater with gyro break while the changeup is a work in progress. Already with above average command, Wild could develop into a back end starter.