2025 DRaysBay Community Prospect List:  Vote for No. 1!

Let’s get it started!

Welcome back to the 15th annual DRaysBay Community Prospect List!

Starting this list is usually not a great challenge, as there is typically a clear favorite, but we will indeed be voting each round just to see if our community agrees with the greater blogosphere.

The full rules on how to vote and links to resources can be found here. The gist is you comment “+1” under the name of who you want to vote for in the comments. If you dont see the player you want, you can add their name under Others. If you have a player you’d like to see in the next poll, put them under Testers; ideally we add one more each poll. Any other comments put under Discussion.

Stats below include the age of the player in 2025 | B/T (if relevant) | listed height and weight.

Candidates

Yoniel Curet, RHP
22 | 6’2” | 190
A+ | 3.28 ERA, 3.80 FIP, 93.1 IP (21 GS) 30.3% K, 12.2% BB
AA | 1.75 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 25.2 IP (5 GS) 35.9% K, 10.7% BB

International signing rules forced the Rays to add Curet to the 40-man roster in 2024, a massive vote of confidence from the organization for the Dominican signee from 2019. He has a good body, and doesn’t need max effort for his 98 mph fastball and hard slider to shine. Curet will return to Double-A to see if his ERA over his first five starts holds, and he’ll continue testing out a fading change up to prove he can stay on track developing as a starter, but if he can’t, it’s the floor of a top flight closer.

Gary Gill Hill, RHP
20 | 6’2” | 160
A | 3.15 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 108.2 IP (22 G, 21 GS) 24.2% K, 6.2% BB

The wheels fell off toward the end of his first full professional season, but before those last four starts Gill Hill had a 2.40 ERA over his first 18 appearances for Charleston, and it’s just one bad start that pushes that over 2 runs on average. His body has developed well as a starter despite a low arm slot, one of only three teenagers in 2024 to amass more than 100 IP (one of the others is fellow org pitcher Santiago Suarez). His fastball is up to 96 mph, and he’s tested a curve, slider, change, and cutter thus far, inducing weak contact all around.

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 injuries. His line drive swing is expected to add power as he develops, but what develops given his history is a question. For now the Rays will treat him like a top-tier center field prospect, but he should have lots of time to develop.

Trevor Harrison, RHP
19 | 6’4” | 225
CPX | 3.58 ERA, 3.36 FIP, 32.2 IP (8 G, 7 GS) 29.5% K, 6.1% BB
A | 3.15 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 40.0 IP (9 GS) 29.3% K, 11.0% BB

After the Rays convinced Harrison to forego an education at Florida State in 2023, the organization waited until 2024 for his debut, but the slow play has showed a promising path. His fastball sits at 95 mph (up to 99), and his change up is effective against opposite handed hitters. Baseball America views him as the organization’s top pitching prospect.

Brody Hopkins, RHP
23 | 6’4” | 200
A (SEA) | 2.90 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 83.2 IP (18 GS) 26.5% K, 11.2% BB
A+ (TBR) | 3.45 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 31.1 IP (7 GS) 29.0% K, 9.9% BB

Arguably Seattle’s top pitching prospect — and according to Baseball Prospectus, now the Rays — Hopkins was acquired in the Arozarena trade. He is a hard throwing side-armer with a plus-plus slider that has more reliever risk than your average starter, but modern pitching minds seem to think he’ll be able to stick in a rotation. His ability to keep his long arm path throwing strikes should make or break that possibility.

Xavier Isaac, 1B/OF
21 | L/L | 6’3” | 240
A+ | .287/.381/.535 (157 wRC+) 302 PA, 15 HR, 14 SB, 12.3% BB, 30.1% K
AA | .211/.346/.349 (113 wRC+) 133 PA, 3 HR, 1 SB, 15.8% BB, 40.6% K

One of the hardest hitting prospects in minor league baseball, Isaac had some contact issues upon his promotion to Double-A, but that is to be expected of even the best prospects in baseball. He’s proven to have some speed so expect to see Isaac test an outfield glove in 2025.

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.

Tre’ Morgan, 1B
22 | L/L | 6’0” | 215
A | .320/.398/.440 (149 wRC+) 115 PA, 2 HR, 9 SB, 8.7% BB, 11.3% K
A+ | .371/.447/.558 (184 wRC+) 231 PA, 6 HR, 10 SB, 11.3% BB, 7.8% K
AA | .211/.322/.342 (102 wRC+) 91 PA, 2 HR, 1 SB, 13.2% BB, 18.7% K

The inverse of Xavier Isaac, and a year ahead developmentally, Morgan is an LSU National Champ and a high contact first baseman with a plus-plus glove at the position. The Rays started playing with his swing at Double-A amidst the difficult jump, and sent him to the 2024 AFL, where his hitting got back on track with a .338/.391/.500 batting line over 88 PA as he tested out a corner outfield glove that I expect him to leave in Arizona.

Brayden Taylor, 2B/3B
23 | L/R | 6’0” | 180
A+ | .269/.389/.514 (154 wRC+) 383 PA, 14 HR, 26 SB, 15.9% BB, 24.8% K
AA | .194/.290/.435 (113 wRC+) 125 PA, 6 HR, 3 SB, 12.0% BB, 36.8% K

On the whole Taylor was one of the best performers in the Rays system last year, and looks the part of an average major leaguer, which I promise is high praise for the team’s first round selection from 2023. Depending on how his return to Double-A goes in 2025, he should be promoted quickly, and could have a fast track to the majors should the Rays part with Brandon Lowe anytime soon.

Carson Williams, SS
22 | R/R | 6’2” | 180
AA | .256/.352/.469 (142 wRC+) 505 PA, 20 HR, 33 SB, 11.5% BB, 28.5% K

Currently in the conversation for the best prospect in baseball, he’s a power hitting, plus defending short stop that Baseball America describes a “big league ready” with the glove and 500 PA away from the polish needed to not be overwhelmed at the top level. Williams has yet to be slowed by any stop in his minor league career, despite some strikeout fears. There seems to be some surprise he’s never tried any positions than short, but given the glaring long term need at that position at the major league level, why mess with a good thing.