2026 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: Vote for #7

Daniel Pierce, S.S
19 | R/R | 6’0” | 185

Pierce, the 14th overall pick in the 2025 draft, is a preternatural defender at shortstop, with a top glove that can rival any player in the organization. According to initial reports, he has already started building muscle as a professional, which is useful for his projection in attack. His hit tool carries, with a swing similar to that of Bobby Witt Jr. – from the draft he received compositions by a ‘faster Dansby Swanson’. As the son of a coach, he has a good face and should be given the starting role in the Holy City and given plenty of time to develop to or beyond his projection of an above-average regular player.

We were back to the majority consensus, with the top draft selection of 2025 finishing sixth. The Rays organization is now stocked with several top draft picks from last season thanks to several trades, and I’m curious to see if Pierce’s nomination leads to a run on recent draftees. In honor of Danny Pierce’s nomination, you can also enjoy this mic video from earlier in the offseason:

Jadher Areinamo, INF
22 | R/R | 5’8” | 160
A+ (MIL) | .255/.316/.397 (126 wRC+) 415 PA, 11 HR, 15 SB, 8.2% BB, 11.6% K
AA (TB) | .255/.316/.697 (111 wRC+) 159 PA, 4 HR, 6 SB, 7.5% BB, 11.9% K
VEN | .364/.420/.692 162 PA, 13 HR, 5 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.3% K

Acquired in exchange for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over to the Venezuelan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second-highest marks in the league. He is believed to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor skills, excellent bat control and defensive flexibility, all of which could make him an entertaining Major League debut.

Caden Bodine, C
22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200
A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K

Bodine was drafted 30th overall in 2025 and was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe player thanks to his bat-to-ball skills near 70, and comfortable plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to marginal power, but these concerns are offset by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left-handed. All attractive prospects will see their value proposition change with the challenge system, but his defensive plays, leadership and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid Major League contributor.

Anderson Brito, RHP
21 | 5’10” | 155
A+ (HOU) | 3.28 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 49.1 IP (12 GS), 31.1% K, 13.4% BB

Acquired via Brandon Lowe, Brito has three-plus pitches with a fastball that hits 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers on a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider that he knows best. He also mixes a low-90s cutter and a scattered but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong speed and motion separation, with some extra guile from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he has posted below-average strikeout percentage in A-ball from 2024-25 and lacks consistent touch off the slider, allowing him to profile as a somewhat wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability and meaningful command gains, he’s a mid-rotation starter, potentially giving him the widest range of results on this list.

Slater de Brun, OR
18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187

De Brun was drafted 37th overall in 2025, traded via a draft pick by the Rays, and was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects, he isn’t expected to develop much power, but this is offset by the ability to hit all fields, and he has the benefit of years of development. His hitting tools score plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed boosts both his baserunning and range up the middle; he has a strong arm and can hold on for long periods of time. The key to his development will be improving field selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a professional match, he is a good bet to skip the complex competition and debut in Charleston this season.

Michael Forret, RHP
22 | 6’3” | 190
A+ (BAL) | 1.51 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 59.2 IP (16 G, 15 GS), 33.5% K, 7.5% BB
AA (BAL) | 1.88 ERA, 2.03 FIP, 14.1 IP (3 GS), 15 K, 3 BB

Forret, a product of State College of Florida Manatee – Sarasota (formerly Manatee Junior College), was well over the 14th round draft pick ($450,000) in 2023 and arrives via the Shane Baz trade. Despite missing some time in 2025 due to a back injury, his range of fastballs and breaking balls already appears ready for the Major Leagues. He seems adept at trying new things, as he picked up a scent-worthy kick change in 2024 and is already tinkering with a Rays-like sweeper, both through his offseason program with Tread Athletics. He has a low release point (under 6 feet) but a rising fastball, and has – to quote Eric Longenhagen – “sensational touch.” He throws efficiently and with variety, and could quickly climb the ladder in 2026.

Xavier Isaac, 1B
22 | L/L | 6’3” | 240
AA | .201/.366/.446 (144 wRC+) 175 PA, 9 HR, 1 SB, 19.4% BB, 29.7% K

Isaac’s season was cut short in large part due to the discovery of a brain tumor, disrupting an otherwise stellar start to the season that saw him duplicate his cup of coffee in Double-A as a 20-year-old despite some minor arm injuries along the way. He has the best power projection in the system, and if he can hold his own for a full season in 2026 — especially against lefties, which is somewhat concerning — his first-round pick (29th overall, 2021) could be restored to the top of the Rays’ rankings.

Tre’Morgan, 1B/LF
23 | L/L | 6’0” | 215
AAA | .274/.398/.412 (119 wRC+) 402 PA, 8 HR, 8 SB, 15.9% BB, 19.2% K

Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a major disincentive for some evaluators, but his current 50-grade hitting tool and feel for the zone make a Major League projection possible. He continued his improved, quieter two-stroke approach in 2025, which built on his success in reshaping his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.

TJ Nichols, RHP
24 | 6’5” | 190
A+ | 3.63 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 96.2 IP (19 G, 18 GS), 30.4% K, 5.4% BB
AA | 0.97 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 37.0 IP (6 GS), 28.0% K, 6.8% BB

Nichols was a 2023 sixth rounder who came into the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development Heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strikeout rate ranked 10th among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a small pond thanks to its two-plane movement. In my opinion, he has a dead zone-style mid-90s fastball with easy, exaggerated heat and a classic but inconsistent changeup. For all his gains in control, it’s his command that may be holding him back, but he fills the zone and can potentially eat up innings, which is enough for a back-end starter floor. If you buy stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.

Santiago Suarez, RHP
21 | 6’2” | ?
A+ | 2.88 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 40.2 IP (10 GS), 26.9% K, 3.6% BB
AAA | 5 ER (9 H, 2 BB, 3 HR) 11.0 IP (2 GS), 9 K

Suarez moved up to Triple-A to finish a short season as some triceps/shoulder issues hampered his 2025 season, but when called up, this Venezuelan striker has earned the trust of his managers to go there and pitch. He has two-plus fastballs, with easy heat but average ride on the 4-seam, and a hard cutter with a tight bite. His only complementary pitch so far is a 12-6 curve, making it a fairly vertical arsenal. He gets good extension, although I’d be remiss not to mention the double pump in his plant leg, which sounds like noise at first glance but has led to obvious repeatability. What Suarez prides himself on in control, he perhaps lacks in control. At the moment it is a supinator profile with a medium arm slot. To make progress, he’ll either need to add some east-west depth to his arsenal (à la Chris Bassitt), or find ways to unlock spin rates a little more (Shane Baz). I would expect him to fit into Montgomery’s rotation as one of the younger starters for his level.

Brendan Summerhill, OF
22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200
A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 6 BB, 5 K

After an All-Star appearance in the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill displayed some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from hitting a cooler) and was drafted 42nd overall, but Summerhill rebounded nicely with a dominant stop in Charleston to end the year. Summerhill has more barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach to his long swing. He also has plus speed, which offers the opportunity to stay in the middle. Reviewers would like to see more power to complete a five-instrument profile. Even if the power doesn’t materialize, it’s a projection from an above-average contributor.