New Rays prospect additions fitting right into the organizational mold
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Thirteen members of the Rays’ Top 30 prospect list weren’t in the organization at this time last year. Two arrived in the 2024 Draft, one was a 2025 international signee and a whopping 10 have come over in trades since last March. Normally with that level
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Thirteen members of the Rays’ Top 30 prospect list weren’t in the organization at this time last year. Two arrived in the 2024 Draft, one was a 2025 international signee and a whopping 10 have come over in trades since last March. Normally with that level of turnover, you’d think the group would need to use nametags in their first spring together.
Except since the end of last season, Tampa Bay has worked at developing the cohesiveness of its farm system, now arguably the deepest in baseball -- starting with a fall camp after the season, then with another camp for top prospects in January and now full Spring Training.
“It doesn't feel like they're super-new anymore,” senior director of player development Blake Butera said. “If anything, we’re excited to see them play in our uniform against different uniforms by this point.”
If you look at the types of players the Rays acquired, certain key themes emerge.
There are the toolsy center fielders, like Theo Gillen (2024 first round) and Aidan Smith (Randy Arozarena trade). There are pitchers with fastballs featuring plenty of carry, like Brody Hopkins (Arozarena), Jackson Baumeister (Zach Eflin) and Ty Johnson (Isaac Paredes). There are the elite defenders up the middle, like Homer Bush Jr. (Jason Adam) and Gregory Barrios (Aaron Civale).
“I think what we do really well is our scouting and player developments are so close in terms of how often we talk,” Butera said. “We’re always going back and forth. ‘Hey, what do you see with this guy? Is this someone who we could help?’ There's a lot of collaboration between departments here to make sure that what our scouts see matches up with what our PD group sees matches up with what our front office sees, and vice versa.”
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
Going back to last year’s High-A Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery teams -- where much of the Rays’ farm system was concentrated after the Trade Deadline -- there has been a process in place to turn those new faces from Rays types into actual Rays prospects, and the organization is pleased by the early returns of that process.
Smith, in particular, earned high marks with the offseason regimen he presented to his new organization -- from baseball activities to strength workouts to nutrition -- as a follow-up to a first full season that featured 11 homers, 41 steals and an .874 OPS in 97 games at Single-A. Hopkins is about to get into his first Major League game of the spring on Friday, thus missing out on the Spring Breakout game the night before, with many intrigued to see where his fastball-slider combo stands.
“You have to think, their worlds just got turned upside down,” Butera said. “They thought they were Baltimore Orioles and were going to play in the Major Leagues with them. Then all of a sudden, they get flipped to us. We don't want to overreact to their results the last month of the season they were with us. We’ve been paying more attention to them this offseason going into 2025 and already we're very happy with both of them.”
The Rays’ additions haven’t touched their Top 100 core just yet -- top four prospects Carson Williams, Xavier Isaac, Brayden Taylor and Tre’ Morgan are all homegrown talents. But building depth behind and around that foundation is just Tampa Bay getting back to its roots.
“They don't see it as competition because of who we are as a Major League team and as an organization,” Butera said. “We move guys around, and at the end of the day, we want to get our best nine players in the lineup, regardless of where that is. They're pulling for each other. We all want to do this together and it's a cool environment.”
First base logjam: Xavier Isaac, Tre’ Morgan, Will Simpson
Last year’s Spring Training Report focused on the Rays’ depth at first base, and if anything that’s only gotten more convoluted in the 12 months since. Isaac and Morgan combined forces at both Double-A and in the Arizona Fall League with both seeing time in the outfield in the latter to get their respective plus tools (Morgan’s hit, Isaac’s power) into the lineup.
Never ones to shy away from adding a talent they believe can help, the Rays also brought in first baseman Simpson from the A’s this offseason as part of the return for left-handers Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez. The 2023 15th-rounder reached Double-A for 18 games late last summer and finished with 18 homers across 127 contests in his first full season, including those from his time at High-A. The Washington product has excited Tampa Bay coaches and coordinators with his extraordinary bat speed in early workouts, and he could provide a nice right-handed complement to lefties Morgan and Isaac.
“What he's able to do in the cages we haven't seen many people be able to do that just in terms of bat speed and exit velo,” Butera said. “I think we're all really excited to see him get in the games and get going.”
A possible solution would be to push Morgan to Triple-A Durham, considering his glovework at the cold corner is Major League-caliber already and his bat-to-ball skills could translate with an aggressive push. That would leave Isaac (who had serious contact issues in the Southern League) and Simpson in Montgomery, but that’s still up in the air, Butera noted. He added Simpson could see time at third base or move part time to the grass like the two others as the “good problems” continue.
“I think the three of those guys,” he said, “just with the ability to push out there, it gives us some more flexibility to get them in the lineup every day.”
Something new: Homer Bush Jr.
The Rays, of course, have a lightning-quick center fielder already in 100-stolen-base man Chandler Simpson and brought in another in Bush, who swiped 57 bags across two High-A teams in 2024. The latter lacks Simpson’s elite contact ability, but he’s shown a little more propensity for power, having hit six homers while slugging .363 last year.
With a full offseason under his new organization’s guidance, Bush has impressed Rays officials with some adjustments he’s made in the box to translate his premium athleticism into even more power in 2025, and the results have been there with a couple of homers in live batting practice sessions already.
“It’s about creating a little bit more separation,” Butera said. “He has a leg kick now and a little more hand movement, just getting his body in a better position to impact the ball. … He’s an explosive player. We know it’s in there. We just need to tap into it.”
2024 Draft sleeper: Nathan Flewelling
Gillen and Émilien Pitre were the only 2024 Draft picks to crack the Rays’ Top 30, but another one lurks just outside. Alberta native Flewelling secured his place on the radar with a strong showing at the MLB Draft Combine, and as a left-handed-hitting catcher with decent bat speed, he checked several boxes Tampa Bay likes in its backstop prospects before joining the organization in the third round.
Flewelling also only turned 18 in November, so he’ll be given plenty of time and space to develop. But his temperament in his first Spring Training is already catching attention from all corners.
“He went to our Major League game the other day,” Butera said, “and [Kevin] Cash was saying it felt like he had been up there for a few years.”
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.
Pioneer Baseball League Announces 2022 Schedule
MLB Partner League Launches 96 Game Schedule on May 23rd, Two New Teams Added
Boise Ends Ogden’s Season, Hawks Top Raptors 8-7 in 12-Inning Playoff Epic
Ogden, UT - In the only extra innings game played in the Pioneer Baseball League this season, the Boise Hawks walked away as the PBL Southern Division Champions, winning 8-7 over the Ogden Raptors in 12 innings at Lindquist Field on Saturday night. Things started very poorly for the Hawks,
PBL Announces Postseason Award Winners
All Star Team, Award Winners and Stats Champs Announced
'Multifaceted' Josh Broughton emerges as two-way weapon for Ogden Raptors
OGDEN — Josh Broughton is competing in professional baseball for the first time since 2019 and is playing positions that put him in the batter's box regularly for the first time since college. He got a call to join the Ogden Raptors about a week before the season and jumped
An Independent Success, Ogden Raptors Prepare to Host Pioneer League Playoff Game Saturday
OGDEN — The first season of independent ball for the Pioneer Baseball League and the Ogden Raptors is coming to an end and, looking at available data, it seems the league found solid standing despite soul-crushingly losing major league affiliation just after the 2020 season was canceled due to a
Goldfarb's Knock Out Homer Clinches First-half Title for Ogden Raptors
OGDEN — A back-and-forth battle Sunday in a monumental series for both teams came down to the Pioneer League's unique tiebreaker at Lindquist Field, the Knock Out Round home run derby. With his first swing of the second round, Ogden Raptors outfielder Jakob Goldfarb, the league's home run leader, put
Pioneer League becoming MLB 'Partner League'
A new brand of baseball is coming to the Mountain time zone in 2021. The Pioneer League has been designated a "Partner League" of Major League Baseball, both the circuit and MLB announced Monday. The move will transform the Rookie Advanced loop into an independent league and comes as part
RAPTORS 2020 CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON CANCELLED
Ogden, UT - On Tuesday June 30th, 2020, Major League Baseball informed Minor League Baseball that it will not be providing professional affiliated players for the 2020 season. As a result, there will be not professional season which includes the Ogden Raptors. The Raptors were set to open their 28th
RAPTORS UNABLE TO PICK UP TITLE
OGDEN, UT - The Ogden Raptors tied a Pioneer League record for wins in a season in 2019, but the season will go down with a measure of disappointment.The Raptors committed four errors and gave up 13 hits - nine for extra bases - as the Idaho Falls Chukars took
RAPTORS FALL AS CHUKARS FORCE RUBBER MATCH
OGDEN, UT - A win Friday night in Idaho Falls seemed to give the Ogden Raptors momentum going into a possible Pioneer League Championship-clinching game on Saturday at Lindquist Field.Despite going on the board first, the Raptors dropped Game Two of the title tilt, 6-2, as the visiting Chukars forced
RAPTORS BEAT CHUKARS; ONE WIN NEEDED FOR TITLE
IDAHO FALLS, ID - The Ogden Raptors survived walks and sloppy defensive play in the middle innings Friday night to beat the Idaho Falls Chukars, 5-3, and pull within one win of their second Pioneer League championship in three years.The Chukars put three runs on the board on only one
RAPTORS LAND FINAL BLOW, ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP
OGDEN, UT - A two-run first inning wasn't enough. Neither were home runs by Andy Pages or Sauryn Lao. Thanks to the Grand Junction Rockies continuing to come back and tie the game, it finally took a mistake for the Ogden Raptors to win and advance to the Pioneer League
SHAPS' SHOT PUTS RAPTORS ONE WIN FROM TITLE TILT
GRAND JUNCTION, CO - Multiple times in the 2019 regular season, the Ogden Raptors saw a late road lead over the Grand Junction Rockies in a low-scoring game disappear with a walkoff win by the hosts.Sunday, the Raptors and Rockies reprised that type of contest in the first game of
RAPTORS DROP REGULAR SEASON FINALE
OREM, UT - Entering their final regular season game Saturday at the Orem Owlz, the Ogden Raptors were on the verge of Pioneer League history: a win would set the league record for wins in a season.In a hard-fought battle, the Raptors kept the game close, but they dropped the
DELUGE OF RUNS PUTS RAPTORS IN WINS RECORD TIE
OREM, UT - In the first inning of Friday's game between the Ogden Raptors and Orem Owlz, the visiting Raptors roped two doubles and scored twice.That set the tone for a team trying to build momentum after plating a total of four runs over the previous two games. Ogden's offense
LATE HOMER CLINCHES SECOND HALF TITLE FOR RAPTORS
OGDEN, UT - Eddys Leonard homered leading off the bottom of the eighth to give the Ogden Raptors their third lead of the game, and the Raptors were able to hang on and beat the Orem Owlz, 3-2, to end their home slate for the 2019 season.The win clinched the
PAGES BLAST IN FIRST NOT ENOUGH FOR RAPTORS
OGDEN, UT - When the Ogden Raptors' third batter of the game, Andy Pages, hit a home run, it seemed as if the hosts would continue their hot hitting of the night before.It quickly became apparent that was not to be. The Raptors put only five of their next 32
SERRANO TAKES HOME PITCHER OF THE WEEK
OGDEN, UT - Elio Serrano has been named the Pioneer League's Pitcher of the Week for August 26-September 2, Minor League Baseball announced Tuesday.The 21-year-old right hander pitched twice during the week, though only one of those counted - his start on Sunday, September 2, at the Orem Owlz. In
RAPTORS' DOZEN DOES IN OWLZ
OGDEN, UT - After two consecutive one-run escapes over the Orem Owlz, the Ogden Raptors decided to try something different.Tuesday night at Lindquist Field, the Raptors were on fire at the plate, made the plays in the field and avoided trouble on the mound to turn in a 12-0 victory,
RAPTORS HANG ON FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WIN
OGDEN, UT - For the second-straight night, the Ogden Raptors held off the Orem Owlz for a one-run victory.Zac Ching's home run in the eighth provided a two-run cushion and Mitchell Tyranski struck out three to work around an inside-the-park home run in the ninth for the save as the
SERRANO SHARP AS RAPTORS REACH 50
OREM, UT - The Ogden Raptors hit two home runs and received production from the top and bottom of the lineup to support an excellent start by Elio Serrano and beat the Orem Owlz, 5-4, Sunday afternoon.The victory was the 50th of the season for Ogden. The Raptors became the
THREE RAPTORS HOMER IN LOSS
OREM, UT - The Ogden Raptors played long ball Saturday night in Orem, but the shots were too little, too late as the visitors fell, 18-5.After both teams went in order in the first, the Owlz went wild and picked up nine runs while sending 14 batters to the plate
WARD'S SIX RBI LEADS RAPTORS ROUT OF ROCKIES
OGDEN, UT - After three consecutive close games in which the Ogden Raptors couldn't find enough clutch hits, a breakout game was needed.Thanks in large part to Ryan Ward, a breakout is just what the Raptors put on Friday night.It was a bonus that it came against the Grand Junction
LOSING STREAK HITS SEASON-HIGH THREE GAMES
OGDEN, UT - In the first inning of Thursday night's game with the Grand Junction Rockies, the Ogden Raptors had runners on the corners but saw the inning end on a botched double steal. The Raptors, in the ninth, nearly had another first-and-third situation with two out - but an
LAO EARNS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
OGDEN, UT - Ogden Raptors infielder Sauryn Lao was named the Pioneer League Player of the Week for August 19-25, Minor League Baseball announced Monday.Lao was in the lineup for all six games the Raptors played during the stretch, and he notched at least one hit in each of the