With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where Tampa Bay¡¯s Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:
- Carson Williams (MLB No. 8), SS -- Durham (Triple-A)
- Xavier Isaac (MLB No. 49), 1B -- Injured (elbow)
- Brayden Taylor (MLB No. 65), INF -- Montgomery (Double-A)
- Tre' Morgan (MLB No. 92), 1B/OF -- Durham (Triple-A) -- IL (quad)
- Theo Gillen (MLB No. 97), OF -- Injured (calf)
- Aidan Smith, OF -- Bowling Green (High-A)
- Chandler Simpson, OF -- Durham (Triple-A)
- Brody Hopkins, RHP -- Montgomery (Double-A)
- Santiago Suarez, RHP -- Bowling Green (High-A)
- Brailer Guerrero, OF -- Extended spring training
- Trevor Harrison, RHP -- Charleston (Single-A)
- Gary Gill Hill, RHP -- Bowling Green (High-A)
- Dominic Keegan, C -- Durham (Triple-A) -- IL (elbow)
- Jackson Baumeister, RHP -- Montgomery (Double-A)
- Yoniel Curet, RHP -- Injured (right shoulder)
- Mason Montgomery, LHP -- Tampa Bay (MLB)
- Homer Bush Jr., OF -- Montgomery (Double-A)
- Gregory Barrios, SS -- Injured (elbow)
- Adrian Santana, SS -- Bowling Green (High-A)
- Ian Seymour, LHP -- Durham (Triple-A)
- Ty Johnson, RHP -- Montgomery (Double-A)
- Joe Rock, LHP -- Durham (Triple-A)
- ?milien Pitre, 2B -- Bowling Green (High-A)
- Cooper Kinney, 2B/3B -- Montgomery (Double-A)
- Maykel Coret, OF -- Extended spring training
- Colton Ledbetter, OF -- Montgomery (Double-A)
- Matthew Etzel, OF/1B -- Montgomery (Double-A)
- Dylan Lesko, RHP -- Bowling Green (High-A)
- Jose Urbina, RHP -- Charleston (Single-A)
- Will Simpson, 1B -- Montgomery (Double-A)
COMPLETE RAYS PROSPECT COVERAGE
- Rays Top 30 prospects
- Prospect stats: Today | Last 10 | Last 30
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- Highlights
Team to watch
There¡¯s a certain temptation to go with Double-A Montgomery and its loaded pitching staff featuring Hopkins, Baumeister and Johnson, but Triple-A Durham may still have the Biscuits beat for upside with top prospect Williams and 80-grade burner Chandler Simpson leading the Bulls¡¯ lineup. That hitting crew will get even better once Morgan and Keegan return from their injuries. In the case of the former, he¡¯s targeted to return as early as mid-April, bringing another impressive glove to the Durham infield alongside Williams. But let¡¯s be real, any team with Simpson -- a throwback player with lots of hits, lots of steals and plenty of speed to cover ground in center -- would be must-watch MiLB.TV.
Triple-A Durham
Double-A Montgomery
High-A Bowling Green
Single-A Charleston
Players we could see in MLB in 2025
Williams could be a Gold Glove-level shortstop in the Majors tomorrow if he were to get the call. He¡¯ll need to improve his contact rate before that happens, but with his power and speed, he¡¯ll have plenty of ways to contribute to the big league club, most likely in the second half. Similarly, Morgan¡¯s glovework would be an immediate asset at first base, and his exceptional bat-to-ball skills might ease that transition when manager Kevin Cash and the Rays beckon. Simpson -- fresh off 104 steals last year -- could lead the Majors in thefts if given enough playing time, and given his 70-grade hit tool, he may not need much Triple-A seasoning. Hopkins, Baumeister and Johnson -- all 2024 Trade Deadline pickups and owners of interesting riding fastballs -- could prove to be interesting arms down the stretch in their first full seasons as Rays prospects.
New faces
Thirteen members of Tampa Bay¡¯s Top 30 weren¡¯t in the organization at this time last year, but 12 of the 13 at least have played within the system since joining it. That¡¯s not yet technically true for No. 30 prospect Will Simpson, a pickup from the Athletics in an offseason deal involving left-handers Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez. Simpson impressed Rays officials with his bat speed and exit velocities in early camp work, and he fortifies their strength at first base alongside Isaac and Morgan in the upper levels. With both of those players injured (or in Morgan¡¯s case, slated for Triple-A), expect Simpson to get the lion¡¯s share of starts at the cold corner in Double-A as he aims to prove he can put that raw pop into games.
On the shelf
It¡¯s a pretty loaded injury card for Tampa Bay. Isaac, Keegan and Barrios are all out with elbow injuries. Keegan was back to throwing by mid-March but opened the year on Durham¡¯s seven-day IL. The Rays are hopeful Isaac will be ready to rejoin Montgomery in a few weeks as he builds his throwing back, while Barrios will need an even longer recovery period. Curet is on Montgomery¡¯s 60-day IL with a right shoulder injury. Gillen has been slowed by a calf injury in the 2024 first-rounder¡¯s first spring. If all goes well, he could join Charleston in three weeks.