Under the Radar Prospects: Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are the subjects of this week’s installment of Under the Radar Prospects in which five unheralded players within a team system are identified as players to watch out for. Among the five players this week is perhaps the fastest player in all of baseball, a catcher who hits more fly balls than anyone, a defensive wunderkind at first base, and two pitchers who have suddenly made great strides in their arsenals.

Chandler Simpson, OF - Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays knew exactly what they were getting when they selected Chandler Simpson with the 70th overall selection in the 2022 draft. Simpson’s offensive profile is that of a prototypical table setter atop a starting lineup. The 23-year old possesses elite speed and an elite contact ability that allows him to fully weaponize his speed. He turns routine ground balls into base hits and singles into doubles. Once on base, he will almost certainly attempt to steal his way over to the next base. Originally drafted as an infielder, the Rays quickly moved Simpson to the outfield where his speed could turn him into an above average defender and make up for a subpar throwing arm.

It’s not just projected tools for Simpson though as he is showcasing his abilities in games and forcing his way up the Rays system, despite not hitting for any power; he actually has one professional home run and it was of the inside-the-park variety. Simpson started the season in High-A where he hit .364/.431/.372 over 147 plate appearances and 31 stolen bases in just 32 games. Simpson received an early season promotion to Double-A where he has hit .373/.413/.460 over 139 plate appearances with 23 stolen bases in just 29 games. Meanwhile, his strikeout rate is the lowest it’s been at any stop of his career at a lowly 4.3%. The Rays are proving to be aggressive in their advancement of Simpson and if he keeps up current rate of play, he could find his way to Tampa Bay in the near future should the team find the need for his valuable skill set.

Trevor Martin, RHP - Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays selected Trevor Martin in the 3rd round of the 2022 draft and since then, he has been among the most consistent starting pitchers within their system. Making his full season debut in 2023 with Single-A, Martin pitched well with a 3.52 ERA | 3.90 FIP with a 28.7 K% & 9.0 BB% over 110 innings pitched. This season, the 23-year old started the campaign with High-A and produced more of the same as he compiled a 2.88 ERA | 3.10 FIP with a 29.6 K% & 6.4 BB% over 72 innings pitched, necessitating a promotion to Double-A.