Tampa Bay Rays Minor League Roundup: Week 4

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

This was the fourth week of minor league play with all of the Rays full season minor league teams having completed their first full week of play.

According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), the overall top hitter in the Rays farm system is NO LONGER Chandler Simpson after a year long reign. Instead, it is 25-year old Tanner Murray. The infielder is hitting .291/.333/.532 with 4 HR over 84 PA, registering a 127 wRC+.

Meanwhile, the top pitcher continues to be Ian Seymour, who delivered another solid fiv einnings of work. He now has a 2.70 ERA | 3.388 FIP with a 31.7 K% & 4.9 BB% over 20 IP.

Before we get to the statistical breakdowns. Here is some news or somethings I have noticed from around the Rays system.

Outfield prospect Brailer Guerrero made his season debut, going hitless over three at-bats and drawing a walk in Single-A. Tre’ Morgan and Xavier Isaac also made their season debuts
On Friday, the Charleston River Dogs were no-hit and only had one walk, but still won the game 1-0. In the bottom of the 8th, three players reached by either walking or being hit by a pitch. A sac-fly brought the eventual winning run home.
Also on Friday, the Montgomery Biscuits won a 13-12 contest in which they used three position players on the mound
On Saturday, Joe Boyle and the Durham Bulls threw a no-hitter. Boyle did the bulk of the work, delivering six no-hit innings, walking two and striking out seven; Cole Sulser and Jacob Waguespack pitched the final three innings.
Some interesting pitching developments in Durham. Joey Gerber has been employed as an opener with some success. Ian Seymour and Joe Rock have both been entering the game following Gerber.
Baseball America had two bits of Rays coverage: Statcast Standouts which includes Tanner Murray and Chanlder Simpson and then a singular piece on Simpson already establishing the fastest home-to-first time in baseball this year.

TEAM LEADERS

(minimum of 30 PA for hitters and 30 TBF for pitchers)
Baseball America top ten prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.

Tampa Bay Rays

Chandler SimpsonAAA: .300/.317/.333 | 9.4 K% | 3.1 BB% | 0 HR | 8 SB | 81 wRC+ | 64 PAMLB: .250/.250/.375 | 12.5 K% | 0.0 BB% | 0 HR | 1 SB | 80 wRC+ | 8 PA | 0.0 fWAR

Durham Bulls

Team Offensive Leaders:AVG: .308, Tres BarreraOBP: .360, Jamie WestbrookSLG: .718, Tres BarreraHR: 5, Tres Barrera wRC+: 177, Tres BarreraSB: 3, Carson Williams & Tristan Peters

Team Pitching Leaders:ERA: 0.00, Jacob WaguespackFIP: 1.72, Jacob WaguespackK%: 40.0%, Jacob WaguespackBB%: 3.1%, Joey KrehbielWHIP: 0.58, Jacob WaguespackAVG: .074, Connor SeaboldWHIFF%: 17.6%, Ian Seymour

Top 10 Prospects

Carson Williams:AAA: .164/.301/.262 | 39.7 K% | 15.1 BB% | 1 HR | 3 SB | 60 wRC+ | 73 PA
Tre’ MorganAAA: .357/.438/.500 | 6.3 K% | 6.3 BB% | 0 HR | 0 SB | 157 wRC+ | 16 PA

Montgomery Biscuits

Team Offensive Leaders:AVG: .362, Cooper KinneyOBP: .412, Cooper KinneySLG: .638, Cooper KinneyHR: 3, Cooper Kinney & Brayden Taylor wRC+: 208, Cooper KinneySB: 6, Homer Bush Jr & Colton Ledbetter

Team Pitching Leaders:ERA: 1.20, Duncan DavittFIP: 1.42, Austin VernonK%: 38.2%, Austin VernonBB%: 3.4%, Duncan DavittWHIP: 0.67, Ty CummingsAVG: .136, Ty CummingsWHIFF%: 28.4%, Austin Vernon

Top 10 Prospects

Brayden Taylor:AA: .200/.308/.422 | 34.6 K% | 13.5 BB% | 3 HR | 1 SB | 119 wRC+ | 52 PA
Xavier Isaac:AA: .154/.353/.308 | 41.2 K% | 23.5 BB% | 0 HR | 0 SB | 110 wRC+ | 17 PA

Bowling Green Hot Rods

Team Offensive Leaders:AVG: .500, Noah MyersOBP: .595, Noah MyersSLG: .893, Noah MyersHR: 2, Noah Myers, Hunter Haas, Blake Robertson, & Tony Santa Maria wRC+: 282, Noah MyersSB: 6, Aidan Smith

Team Pitching Leaders:ERA: 1.93, Garrett Edwards & Hayden SnelsireFIP: 2.18, Hayden SnelsireK%: 36.1%, Hayden SnelsireBB%: 3.3%, Marcus JohnsonWHIP: 0.75, Hayden SnelsireAVG: .143, Garrett EdwardsWHIFF%: 15.2%, Hayden Snelsire

Top 10 Prospects

Gary Gill HillA+: 2.40 ERA | 5.06 FIP | 18.6 K% | 5.1 BB% | .200 AVG | 8.7 WHIFF% | 15 IP
Santiago SuarezA+: 2.92 ERA | 4.48 FIP | 30.8 K% | 7.7 BB% | .208 AVG | 12.7 WHIFF% | 12 1⁄3 IP

Charleston River Dogs

Team Offensive Leaders:AVG: .314, Angel MateoOBP: .412, Larry MartinezSLG: .412, Angel MateoHR: 1, Angel Mateo, Jose Monzon, & Connor HujsakwRC+: 126, Larry MartinezSB: 7, Narciso Polanco

Team Pitching Leaders:ERA: 0.64, Ryan AndradeFIP: 2.70, Jacob KmatzK%: 30.0%, Jose UrbinaBB%: 0.0%, Dominic Niman & Jacob KmatzWHIP: 1.00, Jose UrbinaAVG: .154, Jose UrbinaWHIFF%: 15.5%, Garrett Gainey