Rays’ new No. 1 prospect closing in on return from injury

Infielder Curtis Mead moved up a spot to imagine the spot Bradley vacated as Tampa Bay’s new No. 1 prospectin keeping with MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old Australian earned his place on the Top 100 Prospects listing with a pair of excellent seasons within the Rays’ system in 2021-22, however didn’t get off to the beginning he wished this yr.

Mead performed solely 22 video games for Triple-A Durham to begin the season earlier than being hit by a pitch on April 29 that resulted in a fractured left wrist. Mead spent almost two months recovering and rehabbing the harm, however he’s set to rejoin Durham sooner or later subsequent week.

Mead started taking part in Minor League rehabilitation video games with the Rookie-level Florida Complicated League Rays on Thursday and took the sphere once more on Saturday. He’ll probably play a number of extra video games for the FCL Rays earlier than heading north.

It would take a while for Mead to regain his timing on the plate, however the Rays had been inspired by the work he put in with the group’s prolonged spring group in Sarasota, Fla. Because the harm was remoted to his left wrist, he was in a position to maintain his legs and throwing arm in movement even earlier than he was cleared to renew full baseball actions.

“We all know how good he will be offensively and have little doubt that he’ll attain these peaks that he was in a position to during the last couple seasons,” mentioned Jeff McLerran, the Rays’ director of Minor League operations. “He is actually put in numerous work defensively together with his mobility and his agility to actually be as well-rounded of a participant as he will be.”

Right here’s a fast have a look at one prospect impressing at every of the Rays’ 4 full-season ranges.

Triple-A Durham: C Blake Hunt
Hunt isn’t at present ranked on Tampa Bay’s Prime 30 Prospects listing, however he’s supplied a reminder of why he was a extremely regarded prospect when the Rays acquired him from the Padres as part of the Blake Snell trade. The 24-year-old struggled on the plate in his first season with the group and for a lot of ‘22, however he made an adjustment that allowed him to hit .274/.320/.537 over his closing 27 video games final yr and carried that into this season.

In 46 video games, most of them in Double-A, Hunt has hit .271/.346/.530 with 10 homers. Extremely regarded for his defensive work, Hunt was promoted to Durham as a result of the Rays wanted somebody to switch the injured René Pinto. He’s making an argument that he deserves to remain, although, by going 12-for-34 with eight extra-base hits in his first 9 video games in Triple-A.

Between his efficiency and age, the 25-year-old nook infielder might be due for a promotion. However the Rays are about to be much more jammed up at third and first base in Triple-A with Mead quickly becoming a member of Kyle Manzardo, the scorching-hot Jonathan Aranda and the versatile Osleivis Basabe.

Excessive-A Bowling Inexperienced: SS Carson Williams
Strikeouts stay a work-in-progress for Williams, the Rays’ top pick in the 2021 MLB Drafthowever he’s making incremental progress in that space. After posting whiff charges of 35.7% in April and 27.9% in Might, Tampa Bay’s third-ranked prospect — who simply turned 20 on Sunday — lowered that determine to 25.3% whereas upping his stroll price to 14.5% by 19 video games this month.

These could sound like small strides, however they’re notable for a participant as gifted as Williams, who entered Sunday hitting .255/.364/.484 with 9 homers, 4 triples and 11 steals. Improved plate self-discipline is the final step for somebody who already hits the ball arduous, runs the bases nicely and performs glorious protection at a key place.

Single-A Charleston: 1B Xavier Isaac
As his first full season goes on, Isaac continues to show why the Rays made him a considerably shocking first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. The 19-year-old is greater than only a hulking energy hitter, displaying superior plate self-discipline, pitch recognition and phone means that’s allowed him to extra constantly show his vital power.

Isaac is hitting .271/.397/.447 with 34 walks and 36 strikeouts total this season, numbers boosted by a current sizzling stretch through which he slashed .302/.388/.547 with 5 homers and 9 doubles in 28 video games since his Might 18 return from a minor wrist harm.