clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2022 DRaysBay Community Prospect List No. 27

The newest player on the list is also one of the newest members of the organization.

Detroit Tigers v Philadelphia Phillies Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB photos via Getty Images

Previous winner

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.


Jayden Murray was added to the list of players up for vote, and he will be the last player added this year. If the player you want to vote for wasn’t written up, the Other comment remains open.

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

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.

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.

RHP Jayden Murray (6’1 190, 25 in 2022)

2021 statistics with High-A Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery: 96 IP, 2.16 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 4.7 BB%, 26.4 K%

Murray was one of the most effective pitchers in the minors at keeping runners off the bases. Only one pitcher with 50-plus innings in a full-season league had a WHIP lower than him — teammate Colby White. He has great control of his above-average stuff. According to FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, his slider could be a plus pitch.

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.