There may not be a team in baseball that is as set at first base as the Tampa Bay Rays look to be.
They have a dynamic hitting duo at the Major League level with Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Diaz. Aranda was a breakout star in 2025, while Diaz has proven to be one of the most consistent hitters in the sport over the last few years.
Those two figure to handle a bulk of the playing time at the corner infield spot again in 2026. However, they will be challenged in the very near future by some talented prospects working their way through the minor league system.
Despite being set in the Big Leagues right now, the Rays have two of the most highly regarded first base prospects in the game. Over at MLB Pipeline, positional rankings have been shared and Tampa Bay had two players in the top 10.
Where did Xavier Isaac rank amongst first base prospects?
Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Tre’ Morgan came in at No. 10, while Xavier Isaac just beat him out, being placed at No. 9 in the rankings. A first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, he has an estimated time of arrival to the Major Leagues of 2027.
He has faced some life-altering obstacles during his professional career. This offseason, he announced that he underwent what he called “life-saving” surgery on his brain in July, but the expectation is that he will be back to full health for the 2026 campaign.
That is good news for the Rays and Isaac, so that the 22-year-old can get back to focusing on baseball. Power is the name of his game and the best attribute he brings to the table based on evaluations.
He hit the ground running in his first year as a professional, swatting 19 home runs with a .916 OPS between Single-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green. In 2024, he started off hot at Bowling Green again, earning a promotion to Double-A Montgomery.
Xavier Isaac’s 2026 is must-see TV:
2025 stats:
41 G
.201 BA
.366 OBP
.812 OPS
9 HR
144 wrc+
19.4% BB%
29.7% K%
63% Contact%
13.7% SwStr%
He decreased his Swing% by 10%, improved his Contact% by 2.7% and decreased his SwStr% from 18.7% to 13.7%. pic.twitter.com/HGXNvnZpni
— LouisAnalysis (@LouisAnalysis) January 21, 2026
He struggled in his first taste of Double-A that year before dealing with the challenges in 2025. In addition to the surgery, he also had to combat elbow and wrist injuries earlier in the year.
Keeping him healthy is the organization’s No. 1 priority moving forward; it is a major reason why he is returning to first base full-time. He was getting reps in the outfield, but the elbow injury will keep him in the infield.
Despite the underwhelming statistics in 2025, there were some improvements made by Isaac. He changed where his hands are in his stance and cut down on his whiff rate and chase rate as well.
Continuing to move in the right direction in those areas, while getting healthier, will get him back on track in no time.
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