2024 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: Vote for No. 29
LHP Jacob Lopez, who made his debut last season, joins the list.
Previous Winner
Jacob Lopez, LHP
AA | 2.57 ERA, 28.0 IP (8 G, 6 GS) 45 K, 9 BB
AAA | 2.72 ERA, 79.1 IP (18 GS) 26.0% K, 14.0% BB
MLB | 4.38 ERA, 12.1 IP (4 G, 1 GS) 8 K, 2 BB
Lopez missed 2022 for Tommy John surgery, but rode the shuttle to the big leagues when he returned in 2023. Like most system southpaws, he’s a deception lefty with low velo stuff, and his profile is a 2-seam/slider combo that plays in the lower third. He has a change, but lacks a third pitch vs lefties. It’s unlikely the Rays see a starter in his stuff, but his utility as an up-and-down bulk guy will keep him on your television screen this season. As for whether he could be something more, Lopez gets great extension and spins some quality armside run, so who knows what the Rays pitching lab could cook up for him.
Jacob Lopez was a pleasant surprise in 2023 when the southpaw returned from Tommy John surgery with solid stuff as a starter. The Rays promoted him and used him as a reliever to fill the gaps in 2023 over four games. The next round adds Cooper Kinney.
Rules
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Candidates
Ryan Cermack, OF
A | .268/.346/.465 (.811 OPS, 129 wRC+) 160 PA, 6 HR, 8 SB
Drafted No. 71 overall in 2022, Ryan Cermack enters his age-23 season with less than 200 plate appearances in the Rays system. He has the profile of a power hitting center fielder, but fell off prospect lists this off-season after missing three months mid-year with a wrist injury, and although he didn’t miss a beat on his return, there appears to be some skepticism that his hit tool will click as he climbs the ladder. Cermack’s draft slot was acquired alongside Isaac Paredes in the Austin Meadows trade.
Carlos Colmenarez, SS
Rk-A | .211/.349/.313 (.661 OPS, 96 wRC+ in A) 370 PA, 6 HR, 10 SB
There was a time Colmenarez was viewed as the heir to Wander Franco’s hype, but that has all but died, and not just because Colmenarez reported stateside 4 inches shorter than expected. Viewed by some as the top prospect in the 2020 international recruiting class, and signed for a $3 million bonus, it’s been a rough showing in his professional career. A broken hamate kept Colmenarez almost completely off the field in 2021, and a tendency to strikeout reared its ugly head in 2022 that carried into 2023 with a a 38.2 K%. Accordingly, it will be interesting to see what level the Rays place him in his age-20 season. The organization has an opening at A+ for shortstop, but will his bat be ready? Whatever the result, athletic shortstops hitting from the left side are to be desired in any system, so there’s still hope he might offer value as he climbs the ladder.
Cooper Kinney, 2B
A | .274/.341/.393 (.734 OPS, 110 wRC+) 505 PA, 10 HR, 3 SB
Kinney was drafted No. 34 overall by the Rays in 2021 out of high school, signing for north of $2 million, but missed the 2022 season after injuring his shoulder in Spring Training. Because the injury required surgery, Kinney’s first full season of baseball didn’t occur until 2023. Entering his age-21 season, there’s little reason to think his hitting ability and power potential that got him drafted so highly has disappeared. His physical development could go either direction from second base, but his reporting to camp in great shape with improving agility was a positive. His arm was sapped in 2023, but that was to be expected after his injury.
Erick Lara, SS
DSL | .305/.416/.445 (.861 OPS, 133 wRC+) 154 PA, 2 HR, 5 SB
The latest teenage trade acquisition for the Rays, Lara is a 17-year old 6’2” shortstop with a loose, left handed swing with feel. With a prospect this far off, it’s an open question as to how his body will fill out, but he’s got a solid approach at the plate and enough bat speed to provide a distant power projection. He’s expected to get the promotion to the complex league for his age-18 season.
Tanner Murray, 2B/3B
AA | .256/.345/.438 (.783 OPS, 110 wRC+) 200 PA, 5 HR, 0 SB
In 2022, Murray got a handful of games in the AFL after a strong showing at Class-A (151 wRC+) and an average showing in A+ (100 wRC+), but it’s not clear that the Rays knew what to do with the 2020 4th rounder out of UC Davis. To start 2023 he bounced between A+ and Triple-A, perhaps to meet a roster need, but was injured just 9 games into his season on a play at second base. He returned mid-July and the Rays sent him to Double-A, where he worked a utility-style infield rotation but mostly settled in at second base. He’s got sure hands and good plate discipline, but his swing was under construction in 2023.
Kenny Piper, C
A+ | .216/.333/.458 (.791, 115 wRC+) 270 PA, 13 HR, 3 SB
AA | .293/.389/.610 (.999 OPS, 160 wRC+) 95 PA, 7 HR, 0 SB
Where most hitters struggle the most when promoted to Double-A, Piper found a power stroke and went on a tear in his age-24 season once promoted to Montgomery, belting 7 HR in less than a hundred plate appearances. Was it simply a hot streak, or a legitimate improvement? We’ll have to find out. As an 18th round draft pick from 2021, Piper will be Rule 5 eligible at the end of this season, so time is of the essence. The draw here is plus power. His long swing is cocked and ready, and has enough speed to belt them to all fields.
Bob Seymour, 1B
A+ | .310/.391/.556 (.947 OPS, 154 wRC+) 248 PA, 13 HR, 1 SB
AA | .343/.443/.537 (.980 OPS, 165 wRC+) 79 PA, 4 HR, 0 SB
Once the 2019 ACC player of the year, 25-year old Seymour is a 2021 late round senior our of Wake Forest who has performed well at every level, even though he might be considered a late bloomer. His left handed swing has power to all fields, and didn’t take a step back even when making the transition to Double-A. He’s limited to first base defensively, and is considered a below average runner, but you can’t deny he has impressed with his offense, earning Player of the Month honors in June.
Ronny Simón, 2B/SS
AA | .240/.323/.391 (.714 OPS, 91 wRC+) 416 PA, 10 HR, 26 SB
AAA | .282/.380/.427 (.807 OPS, 107 wRC+) 137 PA, 3 HR, 5 SB
Acquired from the Diamondbacks ahead of the 2022 season for Jordon Luplow, Simón gets most of his play at second base, but has potential as a switch-hitting utility player if his defense continues to improve, or could settle in as a solid starter at second base. This off-season, Simón played a starring role for the Dominican’s Toros Del Este, where he led the league in both AVG (.323) and OBP (.432). His best attribute is his speed on the base paths, and entering his age-24 season is starting to develop real in-game power (not for lack of trying, despite a diminutive size). It’s a high-effort, linear swing, but thanks to some added patience it’s starting to come together for a player who’s been Rule 5 eligible two off-seasons running.
Willy Vasquez, 3B
A+ | .233/.310/.393 (.703 OPS, 93 wRC+) 472 PA, 16 HR, 17 SB
In another life, Vasquez is in Caminero’s shoes, but back-to-back seasons hitting under 100 wRC+ have dimmed the bright light of his other tools. Either his long swing needs reinvention, or he needs to prove himself against advanced pitching, as time is running out. Despite some struggles hitting for average at Class- and High-A these last two seasons, a trip to Double-A is next, and an opportunity to prove he’s worth addition to the 40-man roster next year. If he figures it out, the rest of his tools give a major league projection for an infield role.
Colby White, RHP
Rk | 2 ER, 10.1 IP | (11 G) 12 SO, 11 BB
A+ | 2 ER, 5.0 IP (5 G) 4 K, 2 BB
AA | 0 ER, 6.2 IP (8 G) 8 K, 4 BB
Relief-only prospect White returned from Tommy John surgery (due to an elbow fracture at the ligament) mid-way through 2023 after missing all of the previous season, and in total threw 22.0 IP with a 1.64 ERA across three levels. His potential as a high-leverage reliever is sky high, so much so that Tampa Bay added him to the 40-man roster last off-season to ensure he was not poached, despite being unable to pitch at the time. His game prior to the surgery was a 70-grade rising fastball and an above average power slider, but Marc Topkin reports he now boasts two breaking balls that Kyle Snyder calls, “better off-speed pitches than he’s ever featured before.”