Tampa Bay Rays Minor League Roundup: Week 5

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

This was the fifth 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 22-year old Cooper Kinney. The 2021 34th overall pick is an infielder that is hitting .353/.405/.676 with 5 HR over 74 PA in Double-A, registering a 216 wRC+.

Meanwhile, the top pitcher continues to be Ian Seymour, continues to be a model of consistency. He now has a 2.49 ERA | 4.04 FIP with a 33.3 K% & 6.7 BB% over 25 1⁄3 IP.

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

Outfield prospect Theo Gillen made his season debut on Sunday in Single-A.
The Rays have signed a former Nationals top-10 prospect, Andrew Stevenson. The 30-year old outfielder has big league experience over five seasons with Washington and one season with the Minnesota Twins; most recently he played in Japan during the 2024 season.
Owen Wild, an under-the-radar pitching prospect that dominated last season, made his season debut in Double-A. Thus far, he has thrown seven scoreless innings with a 30.4 K% and 8.7 BB% over two starts.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote about Chandler Simpson

TEAM LEADERS

(minimum of 40 PA for hitters and 40 TBF for pitchers)
Baseball America top ten prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.

Tampa Bay Rays

Chandler SimpsonAAA: .301/.325/.329 | 9.0 K% | 3.8 BB% | 0 HR | 8 SB | 77 wRC+ | 78 PAMLB: .400/.455/.433 | 12.1 K% | 9.1 BB% | 0 HR | 3 SB | 170 wRC+ | 33 PA | 0.4 fWAR

Durham Bulls

Team Offensive Leaders:AVG: .292, Tres BarreraOBP: .352, Kenny PiperSLG: .667, Tres BarreraHR: 5, Tres Barrera wRC+: 162, Tres BarreraSB: 3, Carson Williams & Tristan Peters

Team Pitching Leaders:ERA: 0.75, Jacob WaguespackFIP: 2.04, Jacob WaguespackK%: 34.1%, Garrett ActonBB%: 6.3%, Logan WorkmanWHIP: 0.67, Jacob WaguespackAVG: .114, Garrett ActonWHIFF%: 17.6%, Ian Seymour

Top 10 Prospects

Carson Williams:AAA: .171/.292/.317 | 39.6 K% | 13.5 BB% | 2 HR | 3 SB | 68 wRC+ | 96 PA
Tre’ MorganAAA: .235/.350/.324 | 25.0 K% | 10.0 BB% | 0 HR | 0 SB | 91 wRC+ | 40 PA

Montgomery Biscuits

Team Offensive Leaders:AVG: .353, Cooper KinneyOBP: .405, Cooper KinneySLG: .676, Cooper KinneyHR: 5, Cooper Kinney wRC+: 216, Cooper KinneySB: 11, Colton Ledbetter

Team Pitching Leaders:ERA: 0.96, Austin VernonFIP: 1.82, Austin VernonK%: 34.1%, Austin VernonBB%: 3.8%, Duncan DavittWHIP: 0.75, JJ GossAVG: .135, JJ GossWHIFF%: 24.6%, Austin Vernon

Top 10 Prospects

Brayden Taylor:AA: .156/.280/.328 | 28.0 K% | 14.7 BB% | 3 HR | 1 SB | 85 wRC+ | 75 PA
Xavier Isaac:AA: .200/.368/.467 | 34.2 K% | 21.1 BB% | 1 HR | 0 SB | 148 wRC+ | 38 PA

Bowling Green Hot Rods

Team Offensive Leaders:AVG: .419, Noah MyersOBP: .544, Noah MyersSLG: .674, Noah MyersHR: 2, Noah Myers, Hunter Haas, Blake Robertson, & Tony Santa Maria wRC+: 230, Noah MyersSB: 8, Aidan Smith

Team Pitching Leaders:ERA: 1.71, Gary Gill HillFIP: 2.07, Hayden SnelsireK%: 39.3%, T.J. NicholsBB%: 3.3%, T.J. NicholsWHIP: 0.77, Hayden SnelsireAVG: .134, Garrett EdwardsWHIFF%: 16.6%, T.J. Nichols

Top 10 Prospects

Gary Gill HillA+: 1.71 ERA | 4.29 FIP | 18.5 K% | 3.7 BB% | .208 AVG | 9.6 WHIFF% | 21 IP
Santiago SuarezA+: 2.45 ERA | 3.47 FIP | 30.3 K% | 5.3 BB% | .208 AVG | 15.6 WHIFF% | 18 1⁄3 IP

Charleston River Dogs

Team Offensive Leaders:AVG: .304, Larry MartinezOBP: .396, Larry MartinezSLG: .424, Angel MateoHR: 2, Angel Mateo & Connor HujsakwRC+: 121, Larry MartinezSB: 7, Narciso Polanco

Team Pitching Leaders:ERA: 1.00, Jonalbert Rumbol & Ryan AndradeFIP: 2.56, Jose UrbinaK%: 29.3%, Trevor HarrisonBB%: 2.3%, Andy RodriguezWHIP: 0.91, Jose UrbinaAVG: .169, Ryan AndradeWHIFF%: 26.0%, Noah Beal

Top 10 Prospects

Trevor HarrisonA: 3.18 ERA | 3.36 FIP | 29.3 K% | 16.0 BB% | .206 AVG | 14.2 WHIFF% | 17 IP
Theo GillenA: .200/.200/.200 | 20.0 K% | 0.0 BB% | 0 HR | 0 SB | 15 wRC+ | 5 PA