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Previous winner:
LHP John Doxakis (6’4 215, 23 in 2022)
2021 statistics with Low-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green: 102 2⁄3 IP, 3.94 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 4.6 BB%, 27.7 K%
Doxakis’ ERA was a bit high after his promotion to High A, but his numbers beneath the surface were good. He held opponents to an on-base percentage under .300, and his OPS against was significantly better than the league average. His fastball and breaking ball are just average pitches, but he has very good control. Only 15 minor leaguers with 100-plus innings had a lower walk rate.
Rounding out the top 25 on the community list, Doxakis will look projectable to any Rays fan due to how much his delivery looks like Ryan Yarbrough’s, but then wow’s with a velocity that starts with a 9. His year will be interesting to follow, as he hopefully gets tested against better hitters to refine his breaking ball and change.
2022 Community Prospect List
| Rank | Player | Votes | Total | Percentage | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Votes | Total | Percentage | Last season |
| 1 | RHP Shane Baz | 24 | 28 | 85.7% | 6 |
| 2 | OF Josh Lowe | 16 | 34 | 47.1% | 8 |
| 3 | IF/OF Vidal Brujan | 23 | 36 | 63.9% | 3 |
| 4 | RHP Taj Bradley | 19 | 27 | 70.4% | 26 |
| 5 | IF Curtis Mead | 20 | 28 | 71.4% | 40 |
| 6 | SS Greg Jones | 17 | 36 | 47.2% | 14 |
| 7 | 2B Xavier Edwards | 9 | 26 | 34.6% | 9 |
| 8 | RHP Tommy Romero | 11 | 25 | 44.0% | NR |
| 9 | SS Carlos Colmenarez | 6 | 23 | 26.1% | 15 |
| 10 | RHP Seth Johnson | 7 | 23 | 30.4% | 20 |
| 11 | SS Carson Williams | 16 | 29 | 55.2% | NA |
| 12 | LHP Ian Seymour | 12 | 20 | 60.0% | 29 |
| 13 | IF Jonathan Aranda | 16 | 26 | 61.5% | NR |
| 14 | RHP Cole Wilcox | 10 | 23 | 43.5% | 13 |
| 15 | OF Kameron Misner | 10 | 22 | 45.5% | NA |
| 16 | OF Heriberto Hernandez | 8 | 21 | 38.1% | 12 |
| 17 | SS Willy Vasquez | 9 | 25 | 36.0% | NR |
| 18 | RHP JJ Goss | 8 | 23 | 34.8% | 19 |
| 19 | RHP Colby White | 11 | 25 | 44.0% | NR |
| 20 | C Ford Proctor | 8 | 25 | 32.0% | 27 |
| 21 | 3B Austin Shenton | 9 | 20 | 45.0% | NA |
| 22 | RHP Sandy Gaston | 4 | 18 | 22.2% | 38 |
| 23 | C Blake Hunt | 5 | 18 | 27.8% | 16 |
| 24 | C Rene Pinto | 5 | 19 | 26.3% | NR |
| 25 | LHP John Doxakis | 5 | 18 | 27.8% | 30 |
| 26 | IF Junior Caminero | 5 | 16 | 31.3% | NA |
| 27 | IF Osleivis Basabe | 5 | 18 | 27.8% | 25 |
| 28 | 2B Cooper Kinney | 6 | 17 | 35.3% | NA |
| 29 | OF Ruben Cardenas | 6 | 19 | 31.6% | NA |
| 30 | 1B Kyle Manzardo | 7 | 19 | 36.8% | NA |
| 31 | RHP Nick Bitsko | ||||
| 32 | RHP Jayden Murray | ||||
| 33 | LHP Brendan McKay | ||||
| 34 | RHP Calvin Faucher | ||||
| 35 | IF Ryan Spikes | ||||
| 36 | LHP Jacob Lopez | ||||
| 37 | LHP Antonio Jimenez |
Here are your candidates for the next vote:
IF Osleivis Basabe (R/R, 6’1 188, 21 in 2022)
2021 statistics with Low-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green: 327 PA, .284/.347/.388, 18/22 SB, 19 XBH, 8.6 BB%, 13.8 K%
Basabe was acquired from Texas in the Nate Lowe trade. He’s known for making contact, and his low strikeout rate reflected that. Every report says he has power potential, but that doesn’t show in his slugging percentage yet. He also has good speed and stole bases pretty efficiently. Defensively, he has the arm and athleticism to stick at shortstop but also showed versatility by playing different positions.
RHP Nick Bitsko (6’4 225, 20 in 2022)
Did not pitch in 2021
Bitsko was the No. 24 pick in the 2020 draft after reclassifying to be drafted a year sooner. However, he has not yet made his pro debut. Shoulder surgery sidelined him in 2021, but he is expected to debut in 2022. Prior to the surgery, he had two potential plus pitches in his mid-90s fastball and curveball. His changeup has shown promise.
IF Junior Caminero (R/R, 5’11 157, 18 in 2022)
2021 statistics in Dominican Summer League: 171 PA, .295/.380/.534, 9 HR, 17 XBH, 11.7 BB%, 16.4 K%
Rather than lose him for nothing in the Rule 5 draft, the Rays traded Tobias Myers to Cleveland for Caminero. Cleveland signed him in the 2019 international period, and he made his pro debut in 2021. He played all four infield positions but mostly the corner spots. He led the Dominican Summer League in home runs and was eighth in slugging.
OF Ruben Cardenas (R/R, 6’2 185, 24 in 2022)
2021 statistics with High-A Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery: 441 PA, .292/.333/.523, 25 HR, 41 XBH, 6/10 SB, 5.4 BB%, 26.1 K%
Cardenas had a breakout season in 2021. Acquired from Cleveland for Christian Arroyo, he nearly doubled his career home run total as he began to tap into his above-average raw power. He can make pretty good contact too, but his approach is too aggressive. He’s a decent athlete who played all three outfield spots but is better in a corner.
LHP Antonio Jimenez (5’11 145, 21 in 2022)
2021 statistics with Florida Coast League Rays and Low-A Charleston: 48 IP, 2.63 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 7.2 BB%, 33.0 K%
Jimenez impressed enough in his U.S. debut that he was able to make a handful of appearances in a full-season league at just 20 years old. He showed improved control compared to his two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. According to FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, he throws in the low 90s with a plus slider and potentially average changeup.
2B Cooper Kinney (L/R, 6’3 200, 19 in 2022)
2021 statistics with Florida Coast League Rays: 47 PA, .286/.468/.371, 2/2 SB, 21.3 BB%, 19.1 K%
The Rays drafted Kinney No. 34 overall last year for his bat, and he got his career off to a nice start in a limited number of plate appearances. He makes good contact, and he showed a good plate approach. Right now, he doesn’t have a lot of power, but he has a chance to develop average or above-average power. With limited athleticism, his defensive home is a question.
1B Kyle Manzardo (L/R, 6’1 205, 21 in 2022)
2021 statistics with Florida Coast League Rays: 50 PA, .349/.440/.605, 2 HR, 7 XBH, 8.0 BB%, 12.0 K%
In his debut, Manzardo looked very much like a polished college hitter crushing young pitchers. He showed a strong plate approach at Washington State before the Rays drafted him in the second round, and that carried over to the start of his pro career. His hit tool is his best, but his power improved throughout his college career and could be above average. He’s not much of an athlete and is limited to first base.
LHP Brendan McKay (6’2 220, 26 in 2022)
2021 statistics with Double-A Montgomery: 7 IP, 12.86 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 11.1 BB%, 22.2 K%
It was another lost season for the No. 4 pick in the 2017 draft. McKay got off to a late start in 2020 due to COVID and then had shoulder surgery. In 2021, he had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, which is difficult for pitchers to come back from. At his best, he threw a lot of strikes with decent stuff, including an above-average fastball. His cutter, changeup, and breaking ball can all be above average too.
IF Ryan Spikes (R/R, 5’9 185, 19 in 2022)
2021 statistics with Florida Coast League Rays: 47 PA, .250/.362/.400, 1 HR, 4 XBH, 4/5 SB, 12.8 BB%, 27.7 K%
The Rays liked Spikes enough to draft him in the third round and gave him almost twice as much as the recommended signing bonus for his No. 100 overall selection. He makes good contact and is a decent athlete. Despite not being very big, he posts good exit velocities and could have decent power. With a good arm, he shows versatility in the infield, splitting time between second and third base in his brief pro experience.
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