Rays Minor League Roundup: Week 2

All of the Rays full season minor league teams have begun play

This week’s minor league roundup will only feature the numbers accumulated prior to the start of play on Monday.

The second week of minor league play with the Rays full season minor league teams joining Durham Bulls and have started their regular seasons.

According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), the overall top hitter in the Rays farm system is Chandler Simpson, who is hitting .297/.325/.351 with 1 extra base hit and 5 stolen bases over 8 games played.

Meanwhile, the top pitcher is Ian Seymour, followed up his Opening Day outing with another excellent performence. He now has a 0.90 ERA | 1.26 FIP with a 39.5 K% & 2.6 BB% over 10 IP.

Seymour and Simpson were the Rays top players for most of the 2024 minor league season as well.

Before we get to the statistical breakdowns. Here is some news from around the Rays system.

• Although FanGraphs doesn’t have him as the top offensive player for the Rays, Bob Seymour has gotten off to a tremendous start. So just highlighting him here; so far he is hitting .344/.417/.594 with 2 HR over 36 PA.
• Baseball America highlighed Joe Boyle in their weekly Statcast Standouts article.
• Baseball America also included Jackson Baumeister among a list of 20 pitching prospects they think could have a breakout year; Baumeister is currently in Double-A.
• Another Baseball America article: Tanner Murray and Ian Seymour were included on their Hot Sheet; Murray is looking like the most improved hitter in the Rays system and could be a helium riser on prospect charts, if he doesn’t make his big league debut in the near future.

Baseball America top ten prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.

Tampa Bay Rays

Durham Bulls

Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .368, Tres Barrera
OBP: .462, Dru Baker
SLG: .895, Tres Barrera
HR: 3, Tres Barrera
wRC+: 238, Tres Barrera
SB: 5, Chandler Simpson

Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 0.90, Ian Seymour
FIP: 1.26, Ian Seymour
K%: 39.5%, Ian Seymour
BB%: 2.6%, Ian Seymour
WHIP: 0.78, Logan Workman
AVG: .100, Logan Workman
WHIFF%: 19.8%, Ian Seymour

Top 10 Prospects

• Carson Williams:
  AAA: .185/.333/.185 | 36.4 K% | 15.2 BB% | 0 HR | 2 SB | 64 wRC+ | 33 PA
• Chandler Simpson
  AAA: .297/.325/.351 | 7.5 K% | 5.0 BB% | 0 HR | 5 SB | 86 wRC+ | 40 PA
• Tre’ Morgan
  AAA: Currently on the Injured List

Montgomery Biscuits

Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .375, Will Simpson
OBP: .375, Will Simpson & Brayden Taylor
SLG: .667, Brayden Taylor
HR: 1, Colton Ledbetter & Brayden Taylor
wRC+: 170, Brayden Taylor
SB: 1, Homer Bush Jr., Colton Ledbetter, & Brayden Taylor

Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 2.08, Brody Hokpins
FIP: 5.64, Brody Hopkins
K%: 19.0%, Brody Hopkins
BB%: 5.6%, Jackson Baumeister
WHIP: 2.08, Brody Hopkins
AVG: .250, Brody Hopkins
WHIFF%: 11.5%, Jackson Baumeister

Top 10 Prospects

• Brayden Taylor:
  AA: .167/.375/.667 | 50.0 K% | 25.0 BB% | 1 HR | 1 SB | 170 wRC+ | 8 PA
• Xavier Isaac:
  AA: Hasn’t been assigned to Double-A or placed on the Injured List, but this is his most likely destination

Bowling Green Hot Rods

Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .455, Noah Myers
OBP: .500, Noah Myers
SLG: .727, Noah Myers
HR: 1, Noah Myers & Emilien Pitre
wRC+: 215, Noah Myers
SB: 1, Aidan Smith

Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 0.00, Hayden Snelsire
FIP: 1.91, Hayden Snelsire
K%: 44.4%, Hayden Snelsire
BB%: 0.0%, Hayden Snelsire & Garrett Edwards
WHIP: 0.00, Hayden Snelsire
AVG: .000, Hayden Snelsire
WHIFF%: 14.9%, Marcus Johnson

Top 10 Prospects

• Gary Gill Hill
  A+: 2.25 ERA | 4.08 FIP | 22.2 K% | 5.6 BB% | .250AVG | 7.4 WHIFF% | 4 IP
• Santiao Suarez
  A+: Hasn’t pitched yet this season

Charleston River Dogs

Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .462, Angel Mateo
OBP: .500, Angel Mateo
SLG: .462, Angel Mateo
HR: 0
wRC+: 167, Angel Mateo
SB: 1, Angel Mateo

Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 3.00, Ryan Andrade
FIP: 1.94, Jose Urbina
K%: 33.3%, Jose Urbina
BB%: 11.1%, Jose Urbina
WHIP: 1.25, Jose Urbina
AVG: .188, Jose Urbina
WHIFF%: 14.1%, Jose Urbina

Top 10 Prospects

• Trevor Harrison
  A: 15.43 ERA | 3.44 FIP | 42.9 K% | 28.6 BB% | .300 AVG | 16.9 WHIFF% | 2 ¹⁄₃ IP
• Theo Gillen
  A: Hasn’t been assigned to Single-A, and is currently dealing with a calf issue. But this is his most likely destination