Next Up: Can These Teams Bring Home the Gold?

DCG's Taitn Gray crosses home plate after scoring a home run against Johnston on July 7, 2025, in Johnston. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Previous Winner Taitn Gray, 1B/OF/C 18 | S/R | 6’4” | 220 The Rays 86th overall pick in 2025, Gray fell to the third round due to some concern about whether he will stick at catcher, but that buries the lead. Still just 17 at the time of the draft, Gray showed up to the Rays organization and proved his rumored power was real, running exit velocities up to 115 mph from both sides of the plate, although the left handed swing is sweeter.

He has plus athleticism, which elevated his bat speed, foot speed, and fluidity — despite his size. It will be interesting to see where the Rays deploy him on defense, but it’s a great bat to dream on. Rank Player Position Votes Total Percentage Last Season 1 Carson Williams SS 14 25 56% 1 2 Brody Hopkins RHP 19 25 76% 8 3 Jacob Melton OF 14 28 50% NA 4 Theo Gillen OF 14 26 54% 13 5 Ty Johnson RHP 12 25 48% 15 6 Daniel Pierce SS 13 23 57% NA 7 Jadher Areinamo INF 15 28 54% NA 8 TJ Nichols RHP 13 28 46% NR 9 Michael Forret RHP 8 33 24% NA 10 Santiago Suarez RHP 11 30 37% 16 11 Anderson Brito RHP 7 28 25% NA 12 Xavier Isaac 1B 9 28 32% 3 13 Caden Bodine C 10 25 40% NA 14 Brendan Summerhill OF 11 27 41% NA 15 Slater de Brun OF 10 25 40% NA 16 Nathan Flewelling C 8 26 31% NR 17 Trevor Harrison RHP 9 26 35% 10 18 Jose Urbina RHP 13 26 50% 25 19 Tre’ Morgan 1B/LF 15 25 60% 4 20 Jackson Baumeister RHP 12 27 44% 12 21 Aidan Smith OF 17 29 59% 6 22 Homer Bush Jr.

OF 10 25 40% 21 23 Dom Keegan C 10 28 36% 9 24 Gary Gill Hill RHP 8 25 32% 11 25 Brailer Guerrero OF 8 24 33% 14 26 Brayden Taylor 2B/3B 6 25 24% 2 27 Adrian Santana SS 6 26 23% NR 28 Austin Overn OF 7 21 33% NA 29 Taitn Gray 1B/OF/C 8 23 35% NA The trend of new acquisitions is going strong once again as draftee Gray enters the list after a new acquisition. Who will take the final official spot before honorable mention voting? For candidates, we add a top-20 prospect from last year Cooper Kinney.

Candidates Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161 A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.