2025 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: Vote for No. 15

Earlier Winner

Theo Gillen, OF19 | L/R | 6’2” | 195A | .154/.353/.192 (86 wRC+) 34 PA, 0 HR, 1 SB, 23.5% BB, 41.2% Ok

The Rays prime draft decide from 2024, the highschool outfielder had a number of critical accidents to beat to turn out to be the No. 18 general decide, together with labrum, wrist, and knee. His line drive swing is predicted so as to add energy as he develops, however given his harm historical past that could be a query not a given. For now the Rays will deal with him like a blue chip middle discipline prospect, however he ought to have numerous time to develop.

There was an error on my half in evaluating vote totals, so we can have a particular election within the voting beneath to find out who ought to be greater on the listing: Brailer Guerrero or Theo Gillen. You possibly can +1 beneath both title within the part after Testers.

Additionally, Baseball America launched their 31-40 of the Rays system:

31. Matthew Etzel32. Mike Vasil33. Nathan Flewelling34. Mac Horvath35. Logan Driscoll36. Kameron Misner37. Jake Mangum38. Colton Ledbetter39. Jeremy Pilon40. Marcus Johnson

Mac, Ledbetter, and Johnson are private favorites, and I’m placing that on the market now simply in case they don’t make the voting. With no Testers final time, I’m including SS Gregory Barrios to the voting this subsequent spherical.

Candidates

Gregory Barrios, SS21 | R/R | 6’0” | 180A+ (MIL) | .325/.367/.429 (128 wRC+) 256 PA, 1 HR, 18 SB, 5.1% BB, 9.4% KA+ (TBR) | .240/.310/.286 (77 wRC+) 198 PA, 0 HR, 18 SB, 8.6% BB, 14.6% Ok

This slick fielding Venezuelan prospect was picked up from the Brewers within the Civale commerce in early July, and with a glove that ought to carry him to the Majors in some capability, the Rays locked him into a brief cease position. His outcomes present eager strikezone consciousness for his degree, and an aggressive however profitable method on the bottom paths. He’s mainly 2023 thirty first general decide Adrian Santana, however two years older and one degree greater. You possibly can by no means have too lots of these.

Homer Bush Jr., OF23 | R/R | 6’2” | 200A+ (SDP) | .272/.362/.347 (111 wRC+) 341 PA, 4 HR, 43 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.3% KA+ (TBR) | .272/.367/.498 (124 wRC+) 121 PA, 2 HR, 14 SB, 10.7% BB, 23.1% Ok

Son of a former Blue Jays and Yankees outfielder, Bush Jr. was acquired alongside RHP Dylan Lesko and C J.D. Gonzalez within the Jason Adam commerce on the 2024 deadline and has the simplest path to the majors among the many three. He could be the toolsiest participant within the system, relying in your opinion of Smith’s bat. Bush Jr. is an elite runner and the talents to stay in middle at each degree. Fangraphs says, “Bush is poetry in movement on the basepaths, operating with grace and pace not like all however a handful of professional baseball gamers,” and Baseball America flagged him as their sleeper within the Rays system.

Ty Johnson, RHP23 | 6’6” | 205A (CHC) | 3.48 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 33.2 IP (10 G, 4 GS) 36.1% Ok, 7.5% BBA+ (CHC) | 3.62 ERA, 3.04 FIP, 27.1 IP (8 G, 6 GS) 28.4% Ok, 10.3% BBA+ (TBR) | 0.78 ERA, 0.95 FIP, 23.0 IP (6 G, 3 GS) 46.4% Ok, 4.8% BB

Acquired as the ultimate piece of the Paredes commerce, Johnson is tall with blossoming velocity as an expert. His fastball is flat however as much as 98 and he incorporates a breaking ball with glove-side motion that has continuously improved since being drafted. Johnson’s supply has a singular dip and drive that incorporates a compact arm motion for his measurement, and finishes with a late leg kick and spin. His lack of a 3rd pitch offers a reliever projection, however the Rays pitching lab has loads of time to see if they will develop one thing horizontal to provide him a starter’s projection.

Cooper Kinney, 2B/3B22 | L/R | 6’1” | 200A+ | .289/.352/.494 (137 wRC+) 361 PA, 10 HR, 6 SB, 8.9% BB, 22.2% Ok

2024 lastly introduced the efficiency that was anticipated from the 2021 thirty fourth general decide’s pedigree. Promoted regardless of a gentle yr at Low-A in 2023 (after lacking all of 2022 to a labrum harm), Kinney was all concerning the infield (53 G at 2B, 17 at 3B, 9 at 1B, and 24 at DH) however notably no appearances at quick cease. He re-injured his shoulder, ending his season early. Cooper’s calling card is tough contact, however he has the barrel management and thoughts to work his counts at a significant league degree. Right here’s to hoping he can keep wholesome.

Dylan Lesko, RHP21 | 6’2” | 195A+ | 6.96 ERA, 6.27 FIP, 84.0 IP (22 G, 19 GS) 25.6% Ok, 19.2% BB

The important thing return for RP Jason Adam, Lesko was the Padres fifteenth general choice within the 2022 draft regardless of him needing Tommy John surgical procedure that Spring; his outcomes haven’t but materialized. I mixed his outcomes for each organizations in a single stat line above because the Rays solely gave him 6 appearances (3 begins) earlier than the season ended. He has a fastball as much as 98 mph and a plus-plus change.

Mason Montgomery, LHP25 | 6’2” | 195AAA | 6.26 ERA, 5.29 FIP, 87.2 IP (31 G, 14 GS) 26.1% Ok, 8.9% BBMLB | 1.86 ERA, 1.20 FIP, 9.2 IP (9 G, 0 GS) 45.9% Ok, 13.5% BB

Montgomery is all fastball, as evidenced by his horrid ends in Durham as a starter. He transitioned to reduction in August the place he targeted on simply throwing his plus-plus fastball and exhausting breaking ball, and that earned him a promotion to the Rays shortly thereafter, the place he was capable of max-effort his approach into being an efficient bullpen piece, with 93rd percentile fastball velocity and actually good extension. The 2-pitch combo is legit sufficient that he may very well be trusted with excessive leverage in 2025, offered batters aren’t barreling him up.

Emilien Pitre, 2B22 | L/R | 5’11” | 185A | .299/.402/.403 (141 wRC+) 92 PA, 0 HR, 7 SB, 13.0% BB, 12.0% Ok

It’s mildly stunning to place a second baseman with no pop in rivalry for a prime prospect listing, however the Rays have been aggressive to seize the Quebecois within the second spherical of this yr’s draft after he proved his contact-forward hitting for Kentucky playable within the wooden bat Cape Cod League, regardless of the shortage of energy. He’s a plus runner and rangy, giving ample protection up the center. In 21 video games performed after the draft the Rays by no means tried him elsewhere than second, nevertheless it’d be attention-grabbing to see if his arm can play at quick in a pinch.

Ian Seymour, LHP26 | 6’0” | 210AA | 2.36 ERA, 2.72 FIP, 91.1 IP (17 GS) 28.3% Ok, 6.3% BBAAA | 2.33 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 54.0 IP (10 GS) 27.9% Ok, 8.4% BB

The Rays group’s different Virginia Tech man with an enormous smile (I’m you Erik) has a cool supply, with a excessive excessive motion that requires atypical hip motion and a robust head jerk; it’s not one you’d train your children, however his constant success speaks for itself. After a robust return from Tommy John surgical procedure in 2023, Seymour ranked among the many prime ten pitchers in all of minor league baseball with 162 strikeouts throughout Double- and Triple-A, totally regaining his pre-surgery kind and 92 mph fastball. His change up is the star of the present, tunneling exceptionally nicely together with his fastball, but when he sticks to pitching a number of TTO he has a wide range of breaking balls to work with.

Santiago Suarez, RHP20 | 6’2” | 175A | 4.11 ERA, 3.51 FIP, 111.2 IP (23 GS) 25.7% Ok, 4.7% BB

Suarez is all the pieces you need in a beginning pitching prospect, with projectable command and plus-plus management exhibited by his constant, low stroll charges. It’s a very good physique and supply, a significant league fastball and curve, and he’s already mixing in a cutter with maturity past his place in Charleston. He’s slated for a flip in Excessive-A subsequent season, however one has to surprise how aggressive the Rays may get together with his journey up the ladder.

Owen Wild, RHP23 | 6’2” | 230A | 3.06 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 35.1 IP (7 GS) 26.6% Ok, 6.3% BBA+ | 2.72 ERA, 3.08 FIP, 86.0 IP (17 G, 15 GS) 31.9% Ok, 6.2% BB

Wild has an 80-grade baseball title for a pitcher that hasn’t found out his fall off the desk breaking ball simply but. The 2023 seventh-rounder out of Gonzaga remains to be throwing within the low-90s, however has a plus fading change up that may very well be his ticket to the majors. He shouldered 121 innings in his first skilled season, with a dip and drive, over-the-top supply that appears clear, though repeatability is a priority with a truncated arm stroke that may be a bit late. He ought to return to Excessive-A in 2024, however may see promotion shortly if his third pitch locks in.