Jacob Melton, OF
25 | L\/L | 6\u20193\u201d | 208
AAA (HOU) | .286\/.389\/.556 (141 wRC+) 150 PA, 6 HR, 12 SB, 14.7% BB, 20.0% K
MLB (HOU) |.157\/.234\/.186 (22 wRC+) 78 PA, 0 HR, 7 SB, 7.7%BB, 37.2% K<\/p>\n
Brought over from Houston in the Brandon Lowe deal<\/a>, Melton was the Astros top prospect and provides strong value defensively, pairing excellent first-step instincts and above-average range with an arm that, while light, is sufficient for the position. At the plate, his 2025 season provided a clear breakout through a dramatic spike in both hardhit rate and exit velocity. Ongoing mechanical refinements have unlocked more of his natural strength without eroding his contact skills. While this approach leaves some exposure to soft stuff and pitches on the outer third\u2014placing added importance on continued growth in swing decisions\u2014the overall profile fits comfortably as an above-average everyday center fielder with power upside.<\/p>\n RankPlayerPositionVotesTotalPercentageLast Season1Carson WilliamsSS142556%12Brody HopkinsRHP192576%83Jacob MeltonOF142850%N\/A<\/p>\n This is a strong round of applause from our commentariat to bring Melton up to three on the Rays prospect list, but great news if you want to believe in what Neander and Co. are building. Up next we add Nichols, who ranked No. 4 at Baseball America.<\/p>\n Jadher Areinamo, INF Acquired in return 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 into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league. He\u2019s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut.<\/p>\n Caden Bodine, C Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade<\/a>. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to near-70 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.<\/p>\n Anderson Brito, RHP Acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade<\/a>, Brito has three plus pitches with a fastball that touches 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers in a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider he commands best. He also mixes in a developing low-90s cutter and a scattershot but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong velocity and movement separation, with some added deception from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he\u2019s posted below-average strike rates in A-ball across 2024\u201325 and lacks consistent feel outside the slider, leaving him to project as a slightly wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability, and meaningful command gains, he has mid-rotation starter upside, giving him possibly the widest range of outcomes on this list.<\/p>\n Slater de Brun, OF
22 | R\/R | 5\u20198\u201d | 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<\/p>\n
22 | S\/R| 5\u201910\u201d | 200
A (BAL) | .326\/.408\/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K<\/p>\n
21 | 5\u201910\u201d | 155
A+ (HOU) | 3.28 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 49.1 IP (12 GS), 31.1% K, 13.4% BB<\/p>\n
18 | L\/L | 5\u201910\u201d | 187<\/p>\n