Brody Hopkins played both ways as a college junior, but his professional position has been pitcher ever since the Mariners drafted him in the sixth round in 2023.
The righthander shined at Low-A for Seattle before the Mariners traded him to the Rays as part of the July 2024 Randy Arozarena deal. Hopkins kept succeeding at High-A last season and at Double-A Montgomery this season.
His 2.72 ERA and 141 strikeouts both ranked fourth in the Southern League. He pitched in the Futures Game. He fired five shutout innings in his first playoff start.
“He just showed a lot of growth as a starting pitcher,” Rays assistant GM Kevin Ibach said. “He was a guy who was a position player in college for a long time and has limited innings on the mound as a professional … So I think going to Montgomery this year, in a smaller league, you’re facing a lot of the same competition over and over again, he was able to post every fifth day and make adjustments along the way—because the stuff is certainly there.”
Hopkins has a strong pitch mix. The Rays are encouraged by his increasing pitchability, durability and results at Double-A.
He logged 25 starts and 116 innings this season and missed bats, though his walk rate of 12% was fifth-worst among Double-A pitchers with at least 100 innings.
“He can really spin the baseball,” Ibach said. “But I think it’s just being able to get ahead with his fastball or the cutter.
“Strike one has always been what we’ve been preaching to him, and I think he’s done a good job throughout the year of really adapting to that mentality and really trying to get ahead of hitters.’’
The Rays were well aware they were getting a superior athlete, still likely one of the best in their organization. What they learned in 2024 was the extent of his competitiveness.
“He really wants to win, really is hard on himself, and expects big things out of himself,” Ibach said. “So you couple that athleticism with that mentality, and I think you have a really, really good starting pitching prospect on your hands.”