Tampa Bay Rays: Updated Top 10 Prospects for 2018

After two deals that brought in 3 prospects that were formerly top prospects in other organizations, we look at the updated Tampa Bay Rays list

Our team top 10 prospect lists at Call to the Pen are spearheaded by Benjamin Chase. Today, he gives us the top ten prospects for the Tampa Bay Rays.

This season, we will be going through teams by division, in order of record. The AL East will be first, followed by the AL Central and AL West. Then the focus will shift to the National League in the same order.

The format will be as it was last season for the same lists, with a system review, which will include last season’s list. The top 10 will follow in reverse order, two players per page in order to give adequate space to each player. Major trades or international signings will lead to an updated top 10!

Finally, don’t go away after #1 is revealed as each list will also contain a player either signed in the 2017 international free agent class or drafted in 2017 that isn’t part of the top 10 and should be tracked. Last season’s mentions in that area made over half of the top 10s this season, so this is a great way to get to know a player who could be making a big splash in the organization.

System overview

Last year’s list

For a few years, the Rays have been more of a middling system, ranking between #10 and #20 the last three years on my own personal list. Last year, the Rays ranked #14 in my rankings published here on Call To The Pen.

The Rays have done an exceptional job in the last two seasons re-directing their system emphasis to get top-end talent and then allowing that talent to push itself up the system rather than force time lines on players. While those absolute elite talents may not show up a ton on this top 10 right now, they do add significant depth to the farm system.

The Rays finished tied with two other teams (Angels and Royals) at 5 games out of the 2nd AL Wild Card in 2017. The system will allow them to believe that their best times are still ahead of them!

The Tampa Bay Rays have now acquired three solid prospects over the last two deals, one with the Twins and the three-way deal with the Yankees and Diamondbacks. These deals have certainly cemented the depth of the Rays system, though it may have indicated that the team won’t be competitive in 2018.

Let’s take a look at that system….

Next: #9 and #10

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

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

4. Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 12/18/95 (22)
2017 teams/levels played for: short-season A Hudson Valley Renegades
2017 Stats: Batting: .232/.349/.376, 149 PA, 4 HR, 2 SB, 21/33 BB/K; Pitching: 6 GS, 20 IP, 1.80 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 6.8% BB, 28.8% K

Info: In a rare year with two-way draft talents, McKay was the rare talent that had a legit ability to be a top draft prospect out of college both as a pitcher and a hitter. Frequently a top two-way player in a draft is a high school player, not a collegiate player, but not only was McKay doing it in college, he was a legit first-round talent both as a pitcher and as a first baseman.

The Rays announced McKay as a first baseman when he was drafted, but it came out within 24 hours of the selection that the Rays intended to utilize McKay both as a pitcher and a hitter.

On the mound, McKay works more with pitchability, sitting in the low-90s with his fastball, but using multiple pitches well, including a plus curveball, and showing typically plus control. He has used multiple variations of his change, and while each has been effective at the collegiate level, it has shown that he isn’t exactly comfortable with any one type of changeup.

not only was McKay (playing both ways) in college, he was a legit first-round talent both as a pitcher and as a first baseman

At the plate, McKay has a lot of legit comparison to another former two-way player that had a very good career as a first baseman, John Olerud. McKay has a very smooth swing path that generates plenty of sharp contact, often more line drives than home runs, but the power is definitely there.

McKay also showed advanced skills at the plate in his batting eye, with good pitch and zone recognition at the plate.

In his pro debut, McKay was allowed to do both and made a better impression on the mound than at the plate, but he still flashed impressive power at the plate and walked in 14% of his plate appearances, while keeping his strikeout rate to a reasonable 22.1%.

He’ll see full-season ball in 2018, and it will be interesting to see how the Rays handle him. He could skip over the Midwest League and go straight to the Florida State League to stay closer to the Tampa Bay Rays coaching staff to open the season.

3. Jesus Sanchez, OF

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 10/7/97 (20)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A Bowling Green Hot Rods
2017 Stats: .305/.348/.478, 512 PA, 15 HR, 7 SB, 32/91 BB/K

Info: At 6’3″ and 210-220 pounds, Sanchez has the physical build that would make you think that he’s going to be an absolute power monster, but he has one of the most balanced skill sets in full season ball with above average to plus tools all across the board.

Sanchez played all of 2017 as a 19 year old in full-season ball, and he showed very well, driving in 82 runs in the middle of the Bowling Green lineup, a move from hitting near the top in 2016 in his stateside debut.

Sanchez profiles as a future big bopper type, but he’s a guy who really does remind me a ton of Ron Gant in his raw skill set with the ability to hit for power with tremendous raw speed and good instincts in his base running (though his base stealing still could use some coaching).

Defensively, Sanchez profiles as an elite right fielder, but he can handle center field right now with exceptional range for his size and very good initial instincts off the bat. His arm is more above-average than plus, but he does well getting behind his throws.

Sanchez will open in high-A most likely to open 2018, and if he can continue to show progress, he could find his way to the upper minors by the end of the season at just 20 years old.

Next: #1 and #2

2. Willy Adames, SS

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 9/2/95 (22)
2017 teams/levels played for: AAA Durham Bulls
2017 Stats: .277/.360/.415, 578 PA, 10 HR, 11 SB, 65/132 BB/K

Info: It seems like Adames has stagnated in rankings this season simply because he didn’t “wow” evaluators. He really is not that type of player on the field, and that could allow him to slide under the radar, though he is one of the best prospects in all of the game.

Adames’ 6′ frame really led to many believing he would need to shift to third or second as he matured, due to a thick lower half naturally. Instead, Adames has filled out more in his upper body and retained his athleticism, allowing him to handle shortstop at a consistent level where he may not be a Gold Glove shortstop, but he certainly won’t hurt the team there.

However, no matter the work he can do with the glove, Adames will always draw his value from his offensive profile. Adames has lightning-quick wrists, getting the bat through the zone extremely quick, though he can at times have a bit of length to his swing entering the zone.

Once in the zone, Adames can generate elite line drive power, and if he focuses on that, he’s going to eventually develop 20-25 home run power as well as likely pounding the gaps for 30+ doubles and a handful of triples each season. Adames does have enough athleticism to steal a dozen bases a season, but he’s more valuable on the bases due to his base running than his base stealing.

Adames could make a legit push for the major leagues this spring, whether that’s moving across the keystone to second base, shortstop, or third base. He’d likely be the most talented Ray in camp at any of the three positions, but it’s a matter of if the team will open the season with him in the majors.

1. Brent Honeywell, RHP

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 3/31/95 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: AA Montgomery Biscuits, AAA Durham Bulls
2017 Stats: 26 GS, 136 2/3 IP, 3.49 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 6.2% BB, 30.3% K

Info: One of the most disappointing things for me personally with the Rays in September was watching a number of players get the call to the major league club and yet Honeywell remained in AAA, even after the AAA season was done.

The Rays originally selected Honeywell out of community college in the competitive balance B round of the draft in 2014. He’s developed his unique pitch mix ever since into one of the absolute elite prospects in all of baseball.

One of the big reasons many in the Rays rotation have been in trade rumors this offseason is due to the presence of Honeywell

Honeywell isn’t a guy who comes out with triple digit fastballs and simply blows guys away, though he does have a fastball that has a heavy sinking action, sits in the low-90s, and can run up to 96-97 at the top end. What makes Honeywell unique is his combination of secondary pitches.

Many know Honeywell as one of the rare guys who utilizes a screwball, and his screwball is excellent, with a remarkable ability to control what is a difficult pitch typically to even get a feel for, let alone control consistently. Honeywell works with a plus cutter and a fringe plus change as well that he can spot from the waist down with pinpoint accuracy. His curve isn’t great, but he gets excellent swings on the pitch as a “show me” pitch as a fifth option.

One of the big reasons many in the Rays rotation have been in trade rumors this offseason is due to the presence of Honeywell, ready to jump immediately into the Tampa Bay rotation. He has a bulldog mentality on the mound and truly can make even his plus stuff play up even better.

I would not be surprised if Honeywell develops into a front line starter in the major leagues. He will be likely be my top overall pitcher in my top 125.

Next: Newcomer to watch

2017 Acquisition: Michael Mercado, RHP

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 4/15/99 (18)
2017 teams/levels played for: Gulf Coast League Rays
2017 Stats: 8 GS, 21 1/3 IP, 1.69 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 4.7% BB, 16.3% K

Info: As I was preparing for the 2017 draft and reviewing scouting reports from friends and contacts in the scouting industry, one guy consistently caught my eye for the off-field stuff, and that was Mercado. His attitude about the game was great in the write-ups I read, and his ability on the mound was certainly such that he could have had a cocky attitude.

Mercado ended up going to the Rays with the 40th overall pick in the 2nd round in June, signing for above slot to go to the Rays.

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At 6’4″, Mercado has the natural frame to impress, though he’s tremendously lean in that frame now at a listed 160 pounds (though I’d wager he’s more in the 175-180 range in workout videos I’ve seen this winter of him). He already has a loose, easy delivery that generates low-90s velocity with plenty of projection in the arm.

What is impressive is his feel for pitching, especially in his breaking stuff. Mercado’s curve has a tremendous sharp break that left hitters either flailing wildly or completely frozen in the views I had on him. He throws a slider that doesn’t have the same sharpness, but he plays the pitch up by locating it very well and using it within counts well to keep hitters off-balance.

Mercado’s need to fill in his frame will likely mean for a slow initial progression through the Rays minor league system, likely playing short-season ball next year before working his way to the Midwest League in 2019, but the talent is here that once the reigns are released, he could absolutely fly through the system.

Next: Rays Mount Rushmore

That’s the Rays top 10 prospects going into the 2018 season. Who was too high? Who was too low? Who was missing? Let us know in the comments below!!