Tampa Bay Rays: Updated Top 10 Prospects for 2018
8. Garrett Whitley, OF
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 3/13/97 (21)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A Bowling Green Hot Rods
2017 Stats: .249/.362/.430, 426 PA, 13 HR, 21 SB, 57/122 BB/K
Info: Considered to be among the best all-around high school athletes available in the 2015 draft, the Rays made Whitley the 13th overall pick out of high school in New York. His relative inexperience being a cold-weather player has led to a slower development path, which means he will spend his age 21 season in high-A in 2018.
Right now the strongest tool in the shed for Whitley would be his legs. He shows both exceptional quickness and very good underway speed. He’s had little trouble handling center field due to his speed, and his instincts there have ticked up significantly, leading many to think he could handle center field on the long term.
That’s where the positives turn into question marks with Whitley. He has prodigious power in the batting cage, certainly above-average raw power, if not even plus, but he struggles to bring that power to games. He’s tinkered a bunch with his swing since coming into pro ball, and it’s notable in his lack of consistency in his swing path and approach at the plate.
This has also led to an inconsistent ability to cover the zone with his swing, and due to that, he’s found himself with heavy strikeout numbers.
The raw tools are there to be a guy who could put up very impressive power/speed numbers on offense while also playing above-average center field defense, but Whitley will likely be moved slow through the system, starting with the Florida State League in 2018.
7. Wander Franco, SS
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 3/1/01 (17)
2017 teams/levels played for: none
2017 Stats: none
Info: It is certainly not a negative reflection on the Rays system to see a July 2nd signee this high in the rankings. To the complete contrary, it speaks to the strength of Franco’s resume as he enters pro ball.
Franco’s bloodlines only enhance his already-impressive tools. His uncle is current MLB shortstop Erick Aybar, his father (who shares the same name) played minor league ball, and he has two brothers who are also currently in the minor leagues.
However, it’s his own raw tools that earned Franco the top rating in most places that cover the July 2nd market in the class for this past summer. Franco earned a nearly-$4 million bonus in signing with the Rays, and he gives the team three recent high-impact signees when paired with Lucius Fox and Adrian Rondon.
Franco’s bloodlines only enhance his already-impressive tools.
While Franco’s ability to make contact with the baseball is fringe-plus as is, it’s his combination of skills across the board which make him such a unique and desirable player. Franco has flashed fringe-plus power in the cage and could certainly grow into above average power. He’s presently a definite plus runner, and even adding size some in the last year hasn’t changed his speed much at all.
Defensively, Franco has sure hands, and above-average arm, and his actions at the shortstop position are solid – for now. Many worry that Franco will fill into his frame in the lower half, possibly hurting his ability to handle shortstop long-term, but his impressive hands should allow him to slide over to second base quite well.
The Rays will likely open with Franco in the Gulf Coast League and let him work his way from there.
Next: #5 and #6