Rays Minor League Roundup: Week 8
T.J. Nichols had a stellar start and is getting national attention
This week’s minor league roundup will only feature the numbers accumulated prior to the start of play on Monday.
This was the eigth week of minor league play.
According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), the overall top hitter in the Rays farm system is 23-year old Mac Horvath. Baltimore selected Horvath in the 2nd round of the 2023 draft and sent him to the Rays in the Zach Eflin deal. He has been scorching lately and is currently hitting .264/.364/.537 with 9 HR and 8 SB over 34 games, registering a 148 wRC+.
Meanwhile, the top pitcher continues to be Ian Seymour, despite enduring the worst start of his season his last time out. Seymoure allowed four runs on seven hits over 3 2⁄3 IP; both his shortest outing of the year and the most runs he has yielded. Regardless, he has still been the top pitcher in the Rays system; his full season numbers are listed further below.
Before we get to the statistical breakdowns. Here is some news or somethings I have noticed from around the Rays system.
- Brailer Guerrero is off to a hot start in Single-A and caught the attention of Baseball America’s Roboscout
Brailer Guerrero has all the tools but the Rays outfielder has battled injuries in his short professional career. Hopefully he is actualizing his potential in 2025. Guerrero has two home runs and six stolen bases in 71 plate appearances. The most impressive numbers, however, are found in his quality of contact, as he’s hit a ball 111 mph and another at 115 mph this year. Those are extremely impressive figures for an 18-year-old.
- RHP T.J. Nichols had a fantastic start last week where he racked up 12 strikeouts over six scoreless innings, he also made an appearance on Baseball America
He struck out 12 batters in a six-inning start this past week. He has a mid-to-upper-90s fastball with big extension, a mid-80s slider that generates whiffs and a solid changeup that has nearly 10 inches of vertical and velocity separation. He seems like another pitching success story in the Rays system.
- Baseball news in general: MLB will be introducing a checked swing challenge system to the minor leagues, debuting in the Florida State League.
- MLB.com highlighted an interesting prospect from each team in the league and showcased infielder Cooper Kinney
PLAYERS PLACED ON THE INJURED LIST
- RHP Jacob Watters (AA)
TEAM LEADERS
- (minimum of 70 PA for hitters and 70 TBF for pitchers)
- Baseball America’s top twenty prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.
Tampa Bay Rays
Top 20 Prospects
- #8 Chandler Simpson
AAA: .301/.325/.329 | 9.0 K% | 3.8 BB% | 0 HR | 8 SB | 74 wRC+ | 78 PA
MLB: .301/.327/.344 | 12.1 K% | 4.0 BB% | 0 HR | 9 SB | 95 wRC+ | 99 PA | 0.0 fWAR
Promoted to the MLB on 4/19 - #19 Hunter Bigge
MLB: 2.40 ERA | 6.15 FIP | 20.0 K% | 8.3 BB% | .204 AVG | 14.5 WHIFF% | 15 IP
On the Injured List since 5/6 with a right lat strain
Durham Bulls
Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .280, Tristan Peters
OBP: .410, Tre’ Morgan
SLG: .487, Kenny Piper
HR: 10, Bob Seymour
wRC+: 118, Kenny Piper
SB: 8, Carson Williams
Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 1.46, Joe Boyle
FIP: 3.35, Joey Gerber
K%: 36.1%, Paul Gervase
BB%: 1.4%, Joey Krehbiel
WHIP: 0.84, Joe Boyle
AVG: .144, Joe Boyle
WHIFF%: 18.9%, Joe Boyle
Top 20 Prospects
- #1 Carson Williams:
AAA: .171/.284/.343 | 39.5 K% | 13.0 BB% | 5 HR | 8 SB | 67 wRC+ | 162 PA - #3 Tre’ Morgan
AAA: .272/.410/.333 | 22.0 K% | 16.0 BB% | 0 HR | 0 SB | 108 wRC+ | 100 PA - #15 Ian Seymour
AAA: 2.40 ERA | 3.49 FIP | 31.4 K% | 6.3 BB% | .241 AVG | 17.2 WHIFF% | 45 IP
Montgomery Biscuits
Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .318, Homer Bush Jr
OBP: .431, Tatem Levins
SLG: .549, Cooper Kinney
HR: 8, Cooper Kinney
wRC+: 157, Cooper Kinney
SB: 16, Colton Ledbetter
Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 1.96, Austin Vernon
FIP: 3.27, Ty Johnson
K%: 38.0%, Ty Johnson
BB%: 2.7%, Duncan Davitt
WHIP: 1.04, Austin Vernon
AVG: .164, Austin Vernon
WHIFF%: 20.2%, Austin Vernon
Top 20 Prospects
- #2 Brayden Taylor:
AA: .157/.283/.296 | 26.1 K% | 15.2 BB% | 3 HR | 3 SB | 75 wRC+ | 138 PA - #4 Xavier Isaac:
AA: .209/.414/.465 | 31.0 K% | 25.9 BB% | 2 HR | 1 SB | 162 wRC+ | 58 PA - #11 Brody Hopkins
AA: 3.79 ERA | 3.83 FIP | 26.7 K% | 12.7 BB% | .220 AVG | 11.3 WHIFF% | 38 IP - #13 Jackson Baumeister
AA: 8.22 ERA | 5.70 FIP | 17.9 K% | 12.4 BB% | .274 AVG | 12.5 WHIFF% | 30 2⁄3 IP - #17 Yoniel Curet
AA: Currently on the Injured List. Hasn’t played this season - #20 Homer Bush
AA: .318/.397/.411 | 18.2 K% | 8.8 BB% | 0 HR | 10 SB | 141 wRC+ | 148 PA
Bowling Green Hot Rods
Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .323, Noah Myers
OBP: .500, Noah Myers
SLG: .537, Mac Horvath
HR: 9, Mac Horvath
wRC+: 180, Noah Myers
SB: 15, Adrian Santana
Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 1.78, Santiago Suarez (IL since 5/9)
FIP: 2.71, T.J. Nichols
K%: 35.7%, T.J. Nichols
BB%: 2.3%, Marcus Johnson
WHIP: 0.80, T.J. Nichols
AVG: 1.70, Santiago Suarez (IL since 5/9)
WHIFF%: 17.0%, Hayden Snelsire
Top 20 Prospects
- #6 Gary Gill Hill
A+: 4.02 ERA | 4.84 FIP | 16.2 K% | 5.8 BB% | .267 AVG | 9.7 WHIFF% | 40 1⁄3 IP - #7 Santiago Suarez
A+: 1.78 ERA | 3.24 FIP | 28.3 K% | 5.1 BB% | .170 AVG | 14.8 WHIFF% | 25 1⁄3 IP
Placed on the Injured List on 5/9 - #12 Aidan Smith
A+: .221/.336/.303 | 32.2 K% | 12.6 BB% | 1 HR | 12 SB | 92 wRC+ | 143 PA - #14 Emilien Pitre
A+: .226/.327/.358 | 30.8 K% | 11.3 BB% | 2 HR | 4 SB | 98 wRC+ | 159 PA
Charleston River Dogs
Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .328, Brailer Guerrero
OBP: .423, Brailer Guerrero
SLG: .508, Brailer Guerrero
HR: 3, Angel Mateo
wRC+: 166, Brailer Guerrero
SB: 14, Narciso Polanco
Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 2.06, Ryan Andrade
FIP: 2.34, Andy Rodriguez
K%: 28.6%, Jose Urbina
BB%: 1.3%, Andy Rodriguez
WHIP: 1.00, Jose Urbina
AVG: .186, Jayden Voelker
WHIFF%: 14.6%, Ryan Andrade
Top 20 Prospects
- #5 Trevor Harrison
A: 3.69 ERA | 3.34 FIP | 23.3 K% | 12.8 BB% | .233 AVG | 12.7 WHIFF% | 31 2⁄3 IP - #9 Brailer Guerrero
A: .328/.423/.508 | 25.4 K% | 14.1 BB% | 2 HR | 6 SB | 166 wRC+ | 71 PA - #10 Theo Gillen
A: .255/.433/.451 | 27.5 K% | 23.2 BB% | 2 HR | 10 SB | 159 wRC+ | 69 PA
Complex League Rays
Minimum 20 PA & 25 TBF
Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .438, Yirer Garcia
OBP: .565, Yirer Garcia
SLG: .455, Alberth Palma
HR: 0, EVERYONE
wRC+: 186, Yirer Garcia
SB: 7, Felix Cotes
Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 0.00, Baldemix Cabrera
FIP: 3.02, Jharold Clemente
K%: 23.5%, Miguel Toscano
BB%: 0.0%, Jharold Clemente
WHIP: 0.57, Jharold Clemente
AVG: .160, Jharold Clemente
WHIFF%: 18.6%, Andres Galan
Top 20 Prospects
- #16 Dominic Keegan
CPX: .400/.571/.800 | 14.3 K% | 28.6 BB% | 1 HR | 0 SB | 247 wRC+ | 14 PA
Currently on the Injured List with an elbow issue. Began rehab assignment with CPX on 5/13 - #18 Dylan Lesko
A+: 23.63 ERA | 15.46 FIP | 14.3 K% | 28.6 BB% | .615 AVG | 4.9 WHIFF% | 2 2⁄3 IP
REASSIGNED TO COMPLEX LEAGUE ON 4/29