Jonathan Aranda

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #6 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: It took Aranda six pro seasons to reach Double-A, where was honored as Southern League MVP in 2021. In his seventh season, he reached the majors, earning three callups as the Rays attempted to bolster a sagging offense. Aranda started out hot in MLB and was hitting .325/.386/.500 in mid September, but he finished the season on a 2-for-38 slide.
  
  Scouting Report: The Rays collect players who make plenty of quality contact, and Aranda has long been viewed as one of the organization's best pure hitters. Few minor league hitters have a better plan at the plate. He's comfortable hitting breaking balls and will be selective to get to the pitch he wants to hit, sometimes spitting on a tough-to-hit strike because he trusts his two-strike approach. Aranda rarely swings and misses, and he controls the strike zone. His power is average at best and his bat speed is average, which explains why he can be beaten by top-notch velocity. Aranda's stumbling block is his defensive position. The Rays have tried Aranda at first base, second base and third base as well as left field, but he's a below-average defender at all of them. His hands are adequate, but he has slow feet, limited range and a slow first step. The effort level is there, but often he is a step too slow to make a play, or he gets caught on an in-between hop since he struggles to go in or back quickly enough to create better hops.
  
  The Future: Aranda's bat is big league ready, but with his defensive limitations his best shot at a regular job in Tampa Bay is to claim a spot as a first baseman/DH who can play elsewhere in a pinch. He's going to need to hit--and hit quickly--because first baseman Kyle Manzardo is not far away, and Manzardo is a better fielder with better power.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 65. Power: 50. Run: 30. Field: 40. Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #20 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Rays signed Aranda out of Mexico in 2015 and then patiently watched him develop as a hitter. He didn’t make it to full-season ball until his fourth pro season and hadn’t played above Class A until this season. He had a breakout season in 2021, leading the Double-A South in batting average, on-base and slugging percentage.
  
  Scouting Report: If hitting ability is the most important tool, Aranda has checked off the biggest box a prospect can check. Scouts are adamant that he can be a useful big league hitter. He works counts, understands what pitchers are trying to do and drives the ball with a short stroke and a modest timing step/leg lift. His .330 average was eighth-best in the minors. Aranda should be a plus hitter with average power. He made a clear attempt to hit the ball harder, and managed to do so without losing his ability to make contact. Aranda’s issue is finding a defensive home. Aranda is below-average defensively wherever he plays. He’s best at first base, where his lack of range is less noticeable. He has well below-average range at second or third. He also played left field in winter ball in Mexico.
  
  The Future: The Rays added Aranda to the 40-man roster, knowing he was a big risk to be picked in the Rule 5 draft. Aranda’s readiness for Tampa Bay depends on his defensive improvement.
  

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Southern League #10 prospect in 2021
  Aranda entered the 2021 season having played just a handful of games above Low-A. He exited it as a bona fide prospect after wowing league managers and scouts with his hitting ability. Aranda led Double-A South in average (.325), on-base percentage (.410) and slugging (.540) and hit a career high 14 homers, counting his 21 games in High-A. Aranda presaged his breakout by hitting .333 in the Mexican Pacific League last winter. He takes good at-bats and unleashes his short, compact lefthanded swing to frequently find the sweet spot on his bat. He hit the ball harder in 2021 and has sneaky pull power, but his strength is barreling the ball gap to gap. He’s a tough two-strike hitter who has learned to punish mistakes with improved bat speed and leverage. Aranda’s defensive profile is a limiting factor, but not a disqualifying one. At 5-foot-10, he is on the short side for first base, his best position, and too heavy-footed to stand out at second or third base.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #96 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: It took Aranda six pro seasons to reach Double-A, where was honored as Southern League MVP in 2021. In his seventh season, he reached the majors, earning three callups as the Rays attempted to bolster a sagging offense. Aranda started out hot in MLB and was hitting .325/.386/.500 in mid September, but he finished the season on a 2-for-38 slide.
  
  Scouting Report: The Rays collect players who make plenty of quality contact, and Aranda has long been viewed as one of the organization's best pure hitters. Few minor league hitters have a better plan at the plate. He's comfortable hitting breaking balls and will be selective to get to the pitch he wants to hit, sometimes spitting on a tough-to-hit strike because he trusts his two-strike approach. Aranda rarely swings and misses, and he controls the strike zone. His power is average at best and his bat speed is average, which explains why he can be beaten by top-notch velocity. Aranda's stumbling block is his defensive position. The Rays have tried Aranda at first base, second base and third base as well as left field, but he's a below-average defender at all of them. His hands are adequate, but he has slow feet, limited range and a slow first step. The effort level is there, but often he is a step too slow to make a play, or he gets caught on an in-between hop since he struggles to go in or back quickly enough to create better hops.
  
  The Future: Aranda's bat is big league ready, but with his defensive limitations his best shot at a regular job in Tampa Bay is to claim a spot as a first baseman/DH who can play elsewhere in a pinch. He's going to need to hit--and hit quickly--because first baseman Kyle Manzardo is not far away, and Manzardo is a better fielder with better power.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 65. Power: 50. Run: 30. Field: 40. Arm: 50
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: It took Aranda six pro seasons to reach Double-A, where was honored as Southern League MVP in 2021. In his seventh season, he reached the majors, earning three callups as the Rays attempted to bolster a sagging offense. Aranda started out hot in MLB and was hitting .325/.386/.500 in mid September, but he finished the season on a 2-for-38 slide.
  
  Scouting Report: The Rays collect players who make plenty of quality contact, and Aranda has long been viewed as one of the organization's best pure hitters. Few minor league hitters have a better plan at the plate. He's comfortable hitting breaking balls and will be selective to get to the pitch he wants to hit, sometimes spitting on a tough-to-hit strike because he trusts his two-strike approach. Aranda rarely swings and misses, and he controls the strike zone. His power is average at best and his bat speed is average, which explains why he can be beaten by top-notch velocity. Aranda's stumbling block is his defensive position. The Rays have tried Aranda at first base, second base and third base as well as left field, but he's a below-average defender at all of them. His hands are adequate, but he has slow feet, limited range and a slow first step. The effort level is there, but often he is a step too slow to make a play, or he gets caught on an in-between hop since he struggles to go in or back quickly enough to create better hops.
  
  The Future: Aranda's bat is big league ready, but with his defensive limitations his best shot at a regular job in Tampa Bay is to claim a spot as a first baseman/DH who can play elsewhere in a pinch. He's going to need to hit--and hit quickly--because first baseman Kyle Manzardo is not far away, and Manzardo is a better fielder with better power.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 65. Power: 50. Run: 30. Field: 40. Arm: 50
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 55/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Rays signed Aranda out of Mexico in 2015 and then patiently watched him develop as a hitter. He didn&#39t make it to full-season ball until his fourth pro season and hadn&#39t played above Class A until this season. He had a breakout season in 2021, leading the Double-A South in batting average, on-base and slugging percentage.
  
  Scouting Report: If hitting ability is the most important tool, Aranda has checked off the biggest box a prospect can check. Scouts are adamant that he can be a useful big league hitter. He works counts, understands what pitchers are trying to do and drives the ball with a short stroke and a modest timing step/leg lift. His .330 average was eighth-best in the minors. Aranda should be a plus hitter with average power. He made a clear attempt to hit the ball harder, and managed to do so without losing his ability to make contact. Aranda&#39s issue is finding a defensive home. Aranda is below-average defensively wherever he plays. He&#39s best at first base, where his lack of range is less noticeable. He has well below-average range at second or third. He also played left field in winter ball in Mexico.
  
  The Future: The Rays added Aranda to the 40-man roster, knowing he was a big risk to be picked in the Rule 5 draft. Aranda&#39s readiness for Tampa Bay depends on his defensive improvement.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 70. Power: 50. Run: 40. Field: 40. Arm: 50.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Rays signed Aranda out of Mexico in 2015 and then patiently watched him develop as a hitter. He didn’t make it to full-season ball until his fourth pro season and hadn’t played above Class A until this season. He had a breakout season in 2021, leading the Double-A South in batting average, on-base and slugging percentage.
  
  Scouting Report: If hitting ability is the most important tool, Aranda has checked off the biggest box a prospect can check. Scouts are adamant that he can be a useful big league hitter. He works counts, understands what pitchers are trying to do and drives the ball with a short stroke and a modest timing step/leg lift. His .330 average was eighth-best in the minors. Aranda should be a plus hitter with average power. He made a clear attempt to hit the ball harder, and managed to do so without losing his ability to make contact. Aranda’s issue is finding a defensive home. Aranda is below-average defensively wherever he plays. He’s best at first base, where his lack of range is less noticeable. He has well below-average range at second or third. He also played left field in winter ball in Mexico.
  
  The Future: The Rays added Aranda to the 40-man roster, knowing he was a big risk to be picked in the Rule 5 draft. Aranda’s readiness for Tampa Bay depends on his defensive improvement.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Aranda entered the 2021 season having played just a handful of games above Low-A. He exited it as a bona fide prospect after wowing league managers and scouts with his hitting ability. Aranda led Double-A South in average (.325), on-base percentage (.410) and slugging (.540) and hit a career high 14 homers, counting his 21 games in High-A. Aranda presaged his breakout by hitting .333 in the Mexican Pacific League last winter. He takes good at-bats and unleashes his short, compact lefthanded swing to frequently find the sweet spot on his bat. He hit the ball harder in 2021 and has sneaky pull power, but his strength is barreling the ball gap to gap. He’s a tough two-strike hitter who has learned to punish mistakes with improved bat speed and leverage. Aranda’s defensive profile is a limiting factor, but not a disqualifying one. At 5-foot-10, he is on the short side for first base, his best position, and too heavy-footed to stand out at second or third base.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Yet another bat-first infielder with some defensive questions, Aranda has played every spot around the infield, but he is stretched anywhere other than first thanks to fringy range. His bat could clear a path anyway. He has bat speed, developing power and hand-eye coordination.