Rating the prospects acquired in the Rays Holiday Haul

In a series of moves involving the Pirates, Astros and Orioles, the Rays acquired six prospects and a comp pick. While B-Lowe will be missed, the Rays delivered an impressive return that will positively impact the big league roster in 2026. And after the Baz trade, the Rays found a plethora of promising prospects piled under their Delmon Young-Chris Archer trade tree.

I’ve put together my own summary scouting reports and projections for all six players I acquired while on vacation, and organized them by Future Value (FV) levels.

Above average Major League level (55+ FV)

Melton looks like the everyday CF the Rays have been looking for. He is a plus defender thanks to his well-above-average jumps and solid foot speed. His arm has fringes, but that isn’t as important with CF as it is with the angle OF the spots.

What’s most intriguing about Melton is how much his offensive game improved from 2024 to 2025. His hard-hit percentage increased from a below-average 39.2% to a near-elite 56.1%, and his average exit velocity on hard-hit balls rose from 102.4 MPH to 104.1 MPH — indicating significant strength gains from Melton. He has always had a big frame with plus bat speed, but Melton is now showing near-70 power. It appears he has been able to tap into his power more by adjusting the path of his hands.

Despite the grainy AAA footage, we can see that Melton starts with his hands slightly higher than last season, allowing him to fully extend his arms during his swing, resulting in increased power. It also appears that he is more balanced if he puts his weight on his back leg before moving the club forward. Melton has been able to find more power without sacrificing any bat-to-ball ability, and the quality of his batted ball has also improved, as shown in the chart below:

While we don’t have bat-to-ball interception point data in AAA yet, the increase in his pull and line drive rates suggests Melton is catching the ball further in front of the plate than he was in 2024, leading to a greater angle of attack. His shorter hand path also supports this conclusion; he’s shorter to the ball, so it makes sense he can catch it in front of the plate. The downside to this is that he is prone to off-speed pitches and breaking balls in the outer third of the plate, so he will need to continue to improve his marginal average swing decisions to make the most of his impressive power.

Fortunately, the bar for CF is relatively low in terms of offensive production, so as long as he’s roughly an average hitter in the league (and I’m pretty sure he will be), Melton could be an above-average everyday CF with power upside for a long time.

Slater de Brun is an underpowered LH CF with strong tools across the board. While he may never have more power at 6-foot-1, he does have below-average power and can spray line drives to all fields. His hit tool looks plus thanks to his fast, compact swing, and his double-plus speed allows him to get down the line quickly and cover a lot of ground in CF. De Brun’s arm is solid and he should be able to sustain CF long term.

The Rays will be tasked with developing his field selection to get the most out of his power, and that will be the difference between average and above average here. Despite not having played any professional matches yet, I believe De Brun will transcend the complex competition and make his debut in Charleston this season.

Average Major League level (50 FV)

Caden Bodine got his feet wet in pro ball last season with a handful of games in low A. A switch-hitting catcher with nearly 70 bat-to-ball skills and solid discipline, Bodine is also a comfortable plus receiver behind the plate, making him a relatively safe catching candidate.

Now for the negatives: He may not develop into anything more than a marginal force due to his smaller frame, but I like the overall package – especially because of his defensive plays. There isn’t much room for growth with his throwing either because his exchange is already quick and I don’t think there is much room to project any gains in arm strength. Despite the challenge system, I still think there is quite a bit of value in having a strong receiver and leader behind the plate.

Bodine appears to be a solid contributor at his position, but isn’t establishing himself as a headliner-style catcher yet. The Rays could start him in Bowling Green if they wanted to be aggressive against him, but starting the year in Charleston seems more realistic.

Anderson Brito is a 5’11 RHP who throws from a high slot. He spent all of 2025 in A+ with an above-average fastball in the mid-90s (has touched 100) with a cut-ride shape, allowing him to throw something to either side of the plate. He paired that fastball with a pair of above-average breaking balls: a mid-80s curveball with significant depth relative to his height and a mid-80s slider that he has solid feel for. Brito also throws a mid-low 90s cutter that he is still developing, and a mid-80s changeup that is a bit spread out but has greater velocity and separation of motion than the fastball when he can locate it. There’s a bit of deception in his arsenal due to his smaller frame, which allows him to suppress hard contact better than you might expect.

The problem for Brito was his command. He has posted below-average strikeout percentage at both stops in A-ball in 2024 and now in 2025, and he shows no advanced feel for any of his pitches except for the slider. Brito currently looks like a high-leverage reliever with his deep but inconsistent arsenal. However, thanks to his multiple positive throws, he has the makings of a solid mid-rotation starter if he’s able to build his durability and take a few steps forward with his command. Brito has the widest range of possible outcomes of anyone on this list. I think he’ll start the year in Bowling Green.

Competitive balance around a choice

While not technically a player yet, this pick will fall between the first and second rounds. The guys available in this range are generally high school students who can be persuaded to forego college commitment for a few million dollars in the form of a signing bonus, or they are handy college students who may not have the strong track record of performance of their peers selected earlier in the round. This pick also gives the Rays additional financial flexibility in the draft by increasing their bonus pool, allowing them to exceed the slot value on other picks in the draft.

A player selected in this round typically has an average or slightly below average ML projection.

Major League Role Player Level (45 FV)

Austin Overn is a strong athlete who profiles himself as a plus defender at CF. In his first two seasons in pro ball, Overn has stolen 80 bases (85.1% success rate) in just 135 games thanks to his speed of 70. His contact skills are below average and he’s still growing into a potentially average power, but his above-average plate discipline from the left allows him to get the most out of his fringe bat.

I think Overn currently profiles as a 4th OF type who can play a plus CF. There is a lot of value in that type of player off the bench, but his athleticism makes me think more impact can be unlocked in his bat. The offensive numbers might not be great if he starts the year in the Southern League with Montgomery because no one is really scoring well there, but that seems to be his “Goldilocks zone” right now.

Michael Forret is a 6’3 RHP who throws from a 3/4 slot with a wide arsenal. He features an average pair of low-90s fastballs that can run into the mid-90s. He has a feel for both his four- and two-seam variations, and he compliments them with a pair of low, breaking ball shapes from the ’80s: a slurvy, two plane slider and a curveball. The Rays like to strive for a split between fastball and offspeed in their pitchers, and Forret has used three different offspeed pitches at times in his pro career: a standard changeup, a kick changeup and a relatively new split-grip variation.

The Rays will likely look to consolidate and optimize his arsenal and clean up his approach on each side of the plate, making him a bit more of a project than his strong 2025 results would seem to suggest. His sense of spin and wide arsenal make him an interesting rotation candidate, and his improved command from 2024 to 2025 (average 63.9 strike rate in 2024, above-average 65.1% in 2025) suggests he should be able to slot into the back of a rotation at the very least. Expect him to work with the pitching coaches in Montgomery to refine his arsenal and continue his command gains.