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Tampa Bay Rays: Updated Top 10 Prospects for 2018

By Benjamin Chase

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 6: General view as baseball fans make their way into Tropicana Field before the start of an Opening Day game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles on April 6, 2015 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 6: General view as baseball fans make their way into Tropicana Field before the start of an Opening Day game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles on April 6, 2015 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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10. Lucius Fox, SS

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 7/2/97 (20)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, high-A Charlotte Stone Crabs
2017 Stats: .266/.350/.341, 476 PA, 3 HR, 30 SB, 45/113 BB/K

Info: Fox was a significant bonus baby in 2015 when he went back from his U.S.-based high school to his native Bahamas and was declared a free agent, signing for $6 million with the San Francisco Giants.

Fox struggled through his first season, pushed to low-A ball in his first professional season in the Giants system, but finished his season early due to a foot injury, so he did not play with the Rays system after being acquired in the deal that sent Matt Moore to the Giants. That first season showed extreme speed with 25 steals in 75 games, but a .207 batting average worried many evaluators.

Fox absolutely oozes tools at the shortstop position, with plus range at the position, legit plus-plus speed, and good hands and arm

Fox absolutely oozes tools at the shortstop position, with plus range at the position, legit plus-plus speed, and good hands and arm for the position. He really cleaned up his mental end of his game at short in 2017, but that’s still where he has some room to grow, often trying to do too much at the position.

Offensively, Fox has the prototype leadoff man setup with switch hitting skills where he has a solid line drive swing from both sides of the plate, but he also has the raw power that could translate to more down the road. Fox has good zone recognition, but his pitch recognition is currently lagging behind, which has led to more than a 2/1 K/BB rate in his pro career so far.

Fox got a 30-game audition at high-A in 2017, and the Tampa Bay Rays will likely plug him into that level again to open up 2018, but with the acquisition of fellow shortstop Jermaine Palacios, who is at the same level developmentally, one could get pushed up to AA to open 2018.

9. Nick Solak, 2B

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 1/11/95 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: high-A Tampa Yankees, AA Trenton Thunder
2017 Stats: .297/.384/.452, 538 PA, 12 HR, 14 SB, 63/100 BB/K

Info: Solak came out of one of the best collegiate programs in the country when he was the New York Yankees 2nd round selection out of Louisville in 2016. Solak isn’t a big guy at 5’11” and around 180 pounds, but he gets very solid contact on everything he hits and has the speed to consistently steal double-digit bases.

Solak showed a much better glove thus far than anyone saw in his pre-draft time, as he was seen more of a bat-first guy with Louisville with enough glove to play second base, but certainly he was not considered a guy with an elite glove by any means, but he’s received some discussion in that realm now with scouts I’ve talked with (though, to be clear, he’s not received that type of praise with everyone). His arm is going to force 2B if he’s on the dirt, however.

Solak has a quick bat through the zone that he does well to adjust to pitches, and his advanced zone and pitch recognition will serve him well as he moves quickly, likely opening at AA in 2018.

The Tampa Bay Rays could end up pushing Solak due to his advanced approach on the field and at the plate, giving him a real shot at seeing some major league time late in 2018 and a shot at a starting job in 2019.

Next: #7 and #8

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