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Previous winner
RHP Taj Bradley (6’2 190, 19 in 2020)
2019 statistics with rookie-level Princeton: 51 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 8.8 BB%, 26.5 K%
The first two pitchers the Rays drafted in 2018 — Matthew Liberatore and Shane McClanahan — get the most attention, but the Rays went significantly overslot to sign Bradley after drafting him in the fifth round. He was one of the youngest players available in the draft and offers upside. His fastball is in the low-90s, and his secondary pitches are inconsistent. However, his athleticism suggests he will be able to improve.
There was a pretty clear sentiment against having a special election for Logan Driscoll, so we’ll continue normally. If you want him to be an option, try nominating him.
I’ll take up to one tester this poll. This one will run until Friday.
2020 Community prospect list
| Rank | Player | Votes | Total | Percentage | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Votes | Total | Percentage | Last season |
| 1 | SS Wander Franco | 57 | 57 | 100.0% | 1 |
| 2 | DH/LHP Brendan McKay | 136 | 251 | 54.2% | 3 |
| 3 | IF Vidal Brujan | 66 | 197 | 33.5% | 8 |
| 4 | RHP Shane Baz | 82 | 207 | 39.6% | 12 |
| 5 | OF Josh Lowe | 72 | 257 | 28.0% | 18 |
| 6 | LHP Shane McClanahan | 50 | 193 | 25.9% | 11 |
| 7 | IF/OF Yoshitomo Tsutsugo | 68 | 227 | 30.0% | N/A |
| 8 | IF Xavier Edwards | 78 | 178 | 43.8% | N/A |
| 9 | OF Randy Arozarena | Special | election | N/A | |
| 10 | C Ronaldo Hernandez | 71 | 185 | 38.4% | 7 |
| 11 | RHP Brent Honeywell | 81 | 147 | 55.1% | 2 |
| 12 | SS Greg Jones | 121 | 260 | 46.5% | N/A |
| 13 | RHP Joe Ryan | 106 | 214 | 49.5% | N/R |
| 14 | 3B Kevin Padlo | 79 | 179 | 44.1% | N/R |
| 15 | IF Taylor Walls | 65 | 156 | 41.7% | 20 |
| 16 | RHP JJ Goss | 49 | 129 | 38.0% | N/A |
| 17 | OF Nick Schnell | 38 | 109 | 34.9% | 22 |
| 18 | LHP Anthony Banda | 38 | 139 | 27.3% | 16 |
| 19 | RHP Riley O'Brien | 45 | 145 | 31.0% | N/R |
| 20 | SS Lucius Fox | 30 | 122 | 24.6% | 13 |
| 21 | OF Moises Gomez | 35 | 117 | 29.9% | 15 |
| 22 | RHP Taj Bradley | 88 | 169 | 52.1% | N/R |
| 23 | LHP John Doxakis | 32 | 107 | 29.9% | N/A |
| 24 | RHP Seth Johnson | 39 | 119 | 32.8% | N/A |
| 25 | C Michael Perez | 24 | 113 | 21.2% | 23 |
| 26 | LHP Josh Fleming | 36 | 146 | 24.7% | N/R |
| 27 | OF Garrett Whitley | 28 | 110 | 25.5% | 21 |
| 28 | OF Niko Hulsizer | ||||
| 29 | LHP Michael Plassmeyer | ||||
| 30 | RHP Peter Fairbanks | ||||
| 31 | SS Alejandro Pie | ||||
| 32 | RHP Drew Strotman | ||||
| 33 | OF Jhon Diaz | ||||
| 34 | C Chris Betts | ||||
| 35 | RHP Sandy Gaston | ||||
| 36 | LHP Resly Linares | ||||
| 37 | C Brett Sullivan | ||||
| 38 | RHP Joel Peguero | ||||
| 39 | RHP Tobias Myers | ||||
| 40 | IF Ford Proctor |
OF Jhon Diaz (L/L, 5’11 160, 17 in 2020)
Signed Aug. 29
Diaz was the Rays’ top signing in the international period, and he was ranked No. 18 in the class by MLB.com. The Yankees were expected to sign him, but the deal fell through, giving the Rays an opportunity. He’s known for his performance in games, but he has good tools too. At the plate, he should make consistent contact with a nice plate approach and potential for average power. In the field, he could play a decent center field.
LHP John Doxakis (6’4 215, 21 in 2020)
2019 statistics with short-season Hudson Valley: 32 2⁄3 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 8.5 BB%, 23.8 K%
Doxakis had a strong pro debut after the Rays made him a second-round pick, which isn’t surprising considering his success in college baseball’s toughest conference. He’s an advanced pitcher who throws strikes with a deceptive delivery. His stuff is just average across the board, although Baseball America’s most recent report ($) has a little higher velocity than its predraft report ($). He also throws a slider and changeup.
LHP Josh Fleming (6’2 210, 24 in 2020)
2019 statistics with Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham: 148 2⁄3 IP, 3.57 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 4.4 BB%, 17.7 K%
Fleming has been very effective in his two full seasons in the organization. The Rays named him Montgomery’s MVP this season, and he set career highs in strikeouts and innings. His stuff is just average, but he throws a ton of strikes and generates a ton of groundballs. He’s particularly effective against lefties, limiting them to a .433 OPS in 2019 and .511 OPS in 2018.
OF Niko Hulsizer (R/R, 6’2 225, 23 in 2020)
2019 statistics with Class-A Great Lakes, Class A-Advanced Rancho Cucamonga, and Class A-Advanced Charlotte: 393 PA, .262/.369/.537, 21 HR, 47 XBH, 12.7 BB%, 30.3 K%
The Rays were active leading up to and at the deadline, and Hulsizer was added when they traded Adam Kolarek to the Dodgers. He missed some time due to injury, but he went to Australia this winter to get some more at-bats. His plus to plus-plus power made him one of Los Angeles’ top breakout prospects prior to the trade. None of his other tools stand out, and he’ll have to cut down on his strikeouts.
RHP Seth Johnson (6’1 200, 21 in 2020)
2019 statistics with Gulf Coast League Rays and rookie-level Princeton: 17 IP, 2.12 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 4.3 BB%, 23.2 K%
Despite both being college pitchers, Johnson and John Doxakis are not very similar. Johnson was a huge riser this spring as a fairly new convert to pitching after having little success as a hitter. His promise is why the Rays made him the No. 40 pick in June. He throws in the low-to-mid 90s, but the rest of his game needs refinement. His slider is his best secondary pitch, but his changeup has shown potential.
RHP Joel Peguero (5’11 160, 23 in 2020)
2019 statistics with Class-A Bowling Green: 47 1⁄3 IP, 2.85 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 5.7 BB%, 22.7 K%
Peguero made his full-season debut in 2019, and for the first time, he pitched exclusively out of the bullpen. That was a key for him. For the first time in his U.S.-based career, he got good results. Despite his small size, he has touched 100 mph and sits in the mid-90s. However, it hasn’t yet resulted in high strikeout rates. He has to improve one of his secondary pitches.
C Michael Perez (L/R, 5’10 195, 27 in 2020)
2019 statistics with Tampa Bay: 55 PA, .217/.345/.325, 5 XBH, 14.5 BB%, 34.5 K%
2019 statistics with Triple-A Durham: 216 PA, .245/.338/.495, 13 HR, 13.0 BB%, 23.6 K%
Acquired for Matt Andriese in 2018, Perez is the rare player who is not eligible for Rookie of the Year but still considered a prospect by some services. Statcast data from his time in the majors matches his scouting report — he has a good arm and is an average receiver. At the plate, he has a good approach, despite a high strikeout rate in his brief stint with the Rays in 2019.
SS Alejandro Pie (R/R, 6’4 175, 18 in 2020)
2019 statistics with Dominican Summer League Rays 1: 253 PA, .289/.361/.342, 24/32 SB, 11 XBH, 4.3 BB%, 18.2 K%
Pie was one of the Rays’ top two signings in the 2018-19 international period, and he was decent in his pro debut — although his 5.9 HBP% is likely unsustainable. Despite his size and potential for growth, he could stick at shortstop thanks to his athleticism. If not, he has the arm to play anywhere on the field. With that size comes power potential, but he hasn’t shown much of it yet.
RHP Drew Strotman (6’3 195, 23 in 2020)
2019 statistics with Class A-Advanced Charlotte: 16 IP, 5.06 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 12.3 BB%, 17.8 K%
A fourth-round pick in 2017, Strotman was quickly rising prospect ranks until he needed Tommy John surgery in his first full season. He wasn’t able to pitch many innings but did get a chance to finish the season in the Arizona Fall League. When he was healthy, he worked with a low-to-mid-90s fastball, and his slider was his best secondary pitch. He’ll have to throw more strikes, but control doesn’t always come back immediately after surgery.
OF Garrett Whitley (R/R, 6’1 195, 23 in 2019)
2019 statistics with Class A-Advanced Charlotte: 439 PA, .226/.339/.412, 10 HR, 42 XBH, 16/28 SB, 14.1 BB%, 37.1 K%
Over the final two months of the 2017 season with Bowling Green, Whitley hit .246 with a .381 on-base percentage and .462 slugging percentage. However, he was unable to carry that momentum over to the 2018 season due to shoulder surgery that kept him out until 2019. When he returned, he showed glimpses of the tools that made him a first-round pick in 2015, but as the strikeout rate indicates, he was very inconsistent.