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2021 DRaysBay Community Prospect List No. 4

Vidal Brujan makes it three straight position players to open the voting.

Tampa Bay Rays v Washington Nationals Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Previous winner

IF Vidal Brujan (S/R, 5’9 155, 23 in 2021)

2019 statistics with Class A-Advanced Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery: 429 PA, .277/.346/.389, 48/61 SB, 28 XBH, 8.6 BB%, 14.2 K%

He didn’t see any game action in 2020, but Brujan was nonetheless in the postseason player pool. In 2019, he led the organization in steals for the second straight season. He also spent quite a bit of time at shortstop for the first time in his career, and it’s believed he could play a good center field if necessary. At the plate, he’s known for his plate approach. He knows the strike zone and hardly strikes out. He may not hit for much power.


To go back to Randy Arozarena for a moment, that was the first unanimous vote I could find going through my old spreadsheets for tallying votes. Surprisingly, it was only four years of votes, but that’s still a lot of different polls.

2021 Community prospect list

Rank Player Votes Total Percentage Last season
Rank Player Votes Total Percentage Last season
1 SS Wander Franco 24 39 61.5% 1
2 OF Randy Arozarena 33 33 100.0% 9
3 IF Vidal Brujan 20 34 58.8% 3
4 RHP Luis Patino Special election N/A
5 LHP Shane McClanahan 11 29 37.9% 6
6 RHP Shane Baz 19 28 67.9% 4
7 DH/LHP Brendan McKay 19 31 61.3% 2
8 OF Josh Lowe 9 27 33.3% 5
9 IF Xavier Edwards 14 34 41.2% 8
10 IF Taylor Walls 10 28 35.7% 15
11 RHP Brent Honeywell Jr. 10 27 37.0% 11
12 C/OF Heriberto Hernandez Special election N/A
13 RHP Cole Wilcox Special election N/A
14 C Ronaldo Hernandez 8 21 38.1% 10
14 SS Greg Jones 13 25 52.0% 12
15 SS Carlos Colmenarez Special election N/A
16 C Blake Hunt Special election N/A
17 RHP Joe Ryan 14 25 56.0% 13
18 LHP Josh Fleming 11 21 52.4% 26
19 RHP JJ Goss 8 25 32.0% 16
20 RHP Seth Johnson 15 25 60.0% 24
21 RHP Nick Bitsko 10 25 40.0% N/A
22 3B Kevin Padlo 17 27 63.0% 14
23 SS Alejandro Pie 6 20 30.0% 31
24 SS Alika Williams 7 18 38.9% N/A
25 IF Osleivis Basabe 6 17 35.3% N/A
26 RHP Taj Bradley 5 18 27.8% 22
27 C Ford Proctor 5 18 27.8% 40
28 RHP Drew Strotman 12 20 60.0% 32
29 LHP Ian Seymour 6 17 35.3% N/A
30 LHP John Doxakis
31 IF Esteban Quiroz
32 OF Jhon Diaz
33 IF Pedro Martinez
34 OF Nick Schnell
35 RHP Michael Mercado
36 SS Abiezel Ramirez
37 RP Ryan Thompson
38 RHP Sandy Gaston
39 LHP Michael Plassmeyer
40 IF Curtis Mead
41 OF Niko Hulsizer
42 OF Moises Gomez

RHP Shane Baz (6’2 190, 22 in 2021)

2019 statistics with Class-A Bowling Green: 81 1⁄3 IP, 2.99 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 10.8 BB%, 25.4 K%

Baz was at the alternate site in 2020. A year earlier in his first full season in the organization, Baz made strides with his control, posting a career-low walk rate. After the season, he turned heads in the Arizona Fall League as the youngest pitcher in the league. MLB.com reported that he had the best fastball and breaking ball among AFL prospects. He has to continue improving his control and his changeup.

RHP Nick Bitsko (6’4 220, 19 in 2021)

Drafted in 2020

For the third straight season, the Rays took a high school pitcher in the first round, even when the rest of the industry is trending the other way. Bitsko was considered a top prospect for the 2021 draft, but he reclassified and got drafted a year earlier. His fastball sits in the low-to-mid 90s, and his curveball is a potential plus pitch. His changeup has potential, and he should be a strike thrower.

IF Xavier Edwards (S/R, 5’10 175, 21 in 2021)

2019 statistics with Class-A Fort Wayne and Class A-Advanced Lake Elsinore: 561 PA, .322/.375/.396, 34/45 SB, 27 XBH, 7.8 BB%, 9.6 K%

Edwards finished the season at the organization’s alternate site after being acquired in the trade that sent Tommy Pham to San Diego in the offseason. He impressed in his first full pro season in 2019, reaching the Padres’ equivalent of Charlotte. He uses his plus-plus speed to have success. He knows the strike zone and how to get his bat on the ball, but he may never develop much power. His arm strength may limit him to second base.

C Ronaldo Hernandez (R/R, 6’1 185, 23 in 2021)

2019 statistics with Class A-Advanced Charlotte: 427 PA, .265/.299/.397, 9 HR, 31 XBH, 4.0 BB% 15.2 K%

Although he hasn’t played above A ball, Hernandez spent time on the Rays’ taxi squad and was in the postseason player pool, which could be a sign that the organization trusts his defensive improvements. He’s still a bat-first catcher with power potential, but he needs to work on his plate approach. He rarely strikes out, but more patience could lead to higher-quality contact.

LHP Shane McClanahan (6’1 200, 24 in 2021)

2019 statistics with Class-A Bowling Green, Class A-Advanced Charlotte, and Double-A Montgomery: 120 2⁄3 IP, 3.36 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 8.9 BB%, 30.6 K%

McClanahan was the first pitcher ever to make his major league debut in the playoffs. In relief, his fastball averaged 97.6 mph, and used that with his hard slider 95 percent of the time. He’ll use his changeup — which improved in 2019 — more often when he’s back in the rotation. His control also took a step forward in 2019, giving himself a chance to remain a starter.

DH/LHP Brendan McKay (L/L, 6’2 212, 25 in 2021)

2019 statistics with Tampa Bay: 11 PA, .200/.273/.500, 1 HR, 9.1 BB%, 18.2 K% — 49 IP, 5.14 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 7.4 BB%, 25.9 K%

2019 statistics with Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham: 168 PA, .200/.298/.331, 5 HR, 9 XBH, 10.1 BB%, 30.4 K% — 73 2⁄3 IP, 1.10 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 6.5 BB%, 36.7 K%

McKay’s 2020 season never got going. He tested positive for COVID-19, and shortly after recovering, went out with a shoulder injury. He had surgery, but the team expects him to be ready for spring training, suggesting he avoided a long-term problem. If he’s healthy, he demonstrates great control of good stuff, led by his curveball. His fastball and changeup can both be above-average pitches.