2025 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: Vote for No. 14

Who’s next?

Previous Winner

13. Brailer Guerrero, OF
19 | L/R | 6’1” | 215
CPX | .330/.452/.466 (155 wRC+) 126 PA, 2 HR, 13 SB, 17.5% BB, 25.4% K

Guerrero’s first year state side went well enough, which was not a guarantee after requiring labrum surgery just 7 games into his career with the Rays after signing for $3.7 million in 2023. He got paid thanks to exit velo’s in the 110’s. This year he made it 28 games before succumbing to a shoulder injury again. It’s a special bat, but he has to stay healthy to be a viable top prospect.

Guerrero has consistently received votes for many cycles and finally slots in at No. 13 as the vote diversifies further. This is more a reflection of the Rays breadth of pitching depth than anything else. I try not to put my thumb on the scale, so Canadian Pitre who got equal tester votes to my suggestion of Ledbetter joins the list next; Pitre ranked No. 14 at Baseball America.

Candidates

Homer Bush Jr., OF
23 | R/R | 6’2” | 200
A+ (SDP) | .272/.362/.347 (111 wRC+) 341 PA, 4 HR, 43 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.3% K
A+ (TBR) | .272/.367/.498 (124 wRC+) 121 PA, 2 HR, 14 SB, 10.7% BB, 23.1% K

Son of a former Blue Jays and Yankees outfielder, Bush Jr. was acquired alongside RHP Dylan Lesko and C J.D. Gonzalez in the Jason Adam trade at the 2024 deadline and has the easiest path to the majors among the three. He might be the toolsiest player in the system, depending on your opinion of Smith’s bat. Bush Jr. is an elite runner and the skills to stick in center at every level. Fangraphs says, “Bush is poetry in motion on the basepaths, running with grace and speed unlike all but a handful of pro baseball players,” and Baseball America flagged him as their sleeper in the Rays system.

Theo Gillen, OF
19 | L/R | 6’2” | 195
A | .154/.353/.192 (86 wRC+) 34 PA, 0 HR, 1 SB, 23.5% BB, 41.2% K

The Rays top draft pick from 2024, the high school outfielder had several serious injuries to overcome to become the No. 18 overall pick, including labrum, wrist, and knee. His line drive swing is expected to add power as he develops, but given his injury history that is a question not a given. For now the Rays will treat him like a blue chip center field prospect, but he should have lots of time to develop.

Ty Johnson, RHP
23 | 6’6” | 205
A (CHC) | 3.48 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 33.2 IP (10 G, 4 GS) 36.1% K, 7.5% BB
A+ (CHC) | 3.62 ERA, 3.04 FIP, 27.1 IP (8 G, 6 GS) 28.4% K, 10.3% BB
A+ (TBR) | 0.78 ERA, 0.95 FIP, 23.0 IP (6 G, 3 GS) 46.4% K, 4.8% BB

Acquired as the final piece of the Paredes trade, Johnson is tall with blossoming velocity as a professional. His fastball is flat but up to 98 and he features a breaking ball with glove-side action that has constantly improved since being drafted. Johnson’s delivery has a unique dip and drive that features a compact arm action for his size, and finishes with a late leg kick and spin. His lack of a third pitch gives a reliever projection, but the Rays pitching lab has plenty of time to see if they can develop something horizontal to give him a starter’s projection.

Cooper Kinney, 2B/3B
22 | L/R | 6’1” | 200
A+ | .289/.352/.494 (137 wRC+) 361 PA, 10 HR, 6 SB, 8.9% BB, 22.2% K

2024 finally brought the performance that was expected from the 2021 34th overall pick’s pedigree. Promoted despite a mild year at Low-A in 2023 (after missing all of 2022 to a labrum injury), Kinney was all about the infield (53 G at 2B, 17 at 3B, 9 at 1B, and 24 at DH) but notably no appearances at short stop. He re-injured his shoulder, ending his season early. Cooper’s calling card is hard contact, but he has the barrel control and mind to work his counts at a major league level. Here’s to hoping he can stay healthy.

Dylan Lesko, RHP
21 | 6’2” | 195
A+ | 6.96 ERA, 6.27 FIP, 84.0 IP (22 G, 19 GS) 25.6% K, 19.2% BB

The key return for RP Jason Adam, Lesko was the Padres 15th overall selection in the 2022 draft despite him needing Tommy John surgery that Spring; his results have not yet materialized. I combined his results for both organizations in one stat line above as the Rays only gave him 6 appearances (3 starts) before the season ended. He has a fastball up to 98 mph and a plus-plus change.

Mason Montgomery, LHP
25 | 6’2” | 195
AAA | 6.26 ERA, 5.29 FIP, 87.2 IP (31 G, 14 GS) 26.1% K, 8.9% BB
MLB | 1.86 ERA, 1.20 FIP, 9.2 IP (9 G, 0 GS) 45.9% K, 13.5% BB

Montgomery is all fastball, as evidenced by his horrid results in Durham as a starter. He transitioned to relief in August where he focused on just throwing his plus-plus fastball and hard breaking ball, and that earned him a promotion to the Rays shortly thereafter, where he was able to max-effort his way into being an effective bullpen piece, with 93rd percentile fastball velocity and really good extension. The two-pitch combo is legit enough that he could be trusted with high leverage in 2025, provided batters aren’t barreling him up.

Emilien Pitre, 2B
22 | L/R | 5’11” | 185
A | .299/.402/.403 (141 wRC+) 92 PA, 0 HR, 7 SB, 13.0% BB, 12.0% K

It’s mildly surprising to put a second baseman with no pop in contention for a top prospect list, but the Rays were aggressive to grab the Quebecois in the second round of this year’s draft after he proved his contact-forward hitting for Kentucky playable in the wood bat Cape Cod League, despite the lack of power. He’s a plus runner and rangy, giving ample coverage up the middle. In 21 games played after the draft the Rays never tried him elsewhere than second, but it’d be interesting to see if his arm can play at short in a pinch.

Ian Seymour, LHP
26 | 6’0” | 210
AA | 2.36 ERA, 2.72 FIP, 91.1 IP (17 GS) 28.3% K, 6.3% BB
AAA | 2.33 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 54.0 IP (10 GS) 27.9% K, 8.4% BB

The Rays organization’s other Virginia Tech man with a big smile (I’m looking at you Erik) has a funky delivery, with a high over the top movement that requires atypical hip movement and a strong head jerk; it’s not one you’d teach your kids, but his consistent success speaks for itself. After a strong return from Tommy John surgery in 2023, Seymour ranked among the top ten pitchers in all of minor league baseball with 162 strikeouts across Double- and Triple-A, fully regaining his pre-surgery form and 92 mph fastball. His change up is the star of the show, tunneling exceptionally well with his fastball, but if he sticks to pitching multiple TTO he has a variety of breaking balls to work with.

Santiago Suarez, RHP
20 | 6’2” | 175
A | 4.11 ERA, 3.51 FIP, 111.2 IP (23 GS) 25.7% K, 4.7% BB

Suarez is everything you want in a starting pitching prospect, with projectable command and plus-plus control exhibited by his consistent, low walk rates. It’s a good body and delivery, a major league fastball and curve, and he’s already mixing in a cutter with maturity beyond his place in Charleston. He’s slated for a turn in High-A next season, but one has to wonder how aggressive the Rays could get with his journey up the ladder.

Owen Wild, RHP
23 | 6’2” | 230
A | 3.06 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 35.1 IP (7 GS) 26.6% K, 6.3% BB
A+ | 2.72 ERA, 3.08 FIP, 86.0 IP (17 G, 15 GS) 31.9% K, 6.2% BB

Wild has an 80-grade baseball name for a pitcher that hasn’t figured out his fall off the table breaking ball just yet. The 2023 seventh-rounder out of Gonzaga is still throwing in the low-90s, but has a plus fading change up that could be his ticket to the majors. He shouldered 121 innings in his first professional season, with a dip and drive, over-the-top delivery that looks clean, although repeatability is a concern with a truncated arm stroke that can be a little late. He should return to High-A in 2024, but could see promotion quickly if his third pitch locks in.