Corey Ray
| AB | 2 |
|---|---|
| AVG | 0 |
| OBP | .333 |
| SLG | 0 |
| HR | 0 |
- Full name Corey Donte Ray
- Born 09/22/1994 in Chicago, IL
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 196 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Louisville
- Debut 04/24/2021
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Drafted in the 1st round (5th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016 (signed for $4,125,000).
View Draft Report
A 33rd-round pick of the Mariners out of a Chicago-area high school, Ray opted to head to Louisville instead of signing, earned a spot in the starting lineup late in his freshman year and has been a star for the Cardinals ever since. Scouts have few concerns about his hit tool as they expect him to be at least an average hitter, especially after the refinement of his approach this spring. He has a short stroke and is balanced at the plate with a wide stance. Scouts had worried about Ray's ability to hit lefthanders but as of early May he had an .865 OPS against them. Ray shows plus raw power and projects to hit 15-18 home runs as a pro. He's a plus runner with the eye for stealing bases–he's topped 30 steals for a second consecutive year and he's done it with an 85 percent success rate. The questions with Ray revolve around his eventual defensive position. Scouts seems almost evenly divided over whether he's a solid average to tick-above-average center fielder or a future left fielder. Even as a left fielder, Ray does enough things well to be a big league regular, but his eventual impact will be determined by whether he can stay up the middle.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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TRACK RECORD: The Brewers had high hopes when they drafted Ray fourth overall in 2016. He won MVP of the Double-A Southern League in 2018 but scuffled upon reaching Triple-A in 2019, when a wrist issue limited his playing time. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ray has a promising combination of power and speed, but his swing-and-miss rate has hampered his production. His swing gets long, he has difficulty recognizing offspeed pitches and he chases too many pitches outside the strike zone. Those holes have been exposed against better pitching, with Ray striking out in 32% of his plate appearances at Double-A and Triple-A. Ray is a plus runner who is a dangerous stolen base threat. He is an average defender in center field with an average arm.
THE FUTURE: Ray will open 2021 back at Triple-A. He needs dramatic improvement with his contact rate and strike-zone management to have any kind of major league career. -
TRACK RECORD: Ray struggled after the Brewers took him fourth overall in 2016, but he appeared to break through when he won MVP of the Double-A Southern League in 2018. Instead of a strong follow-up season, Ray suffered a hand injury during spring training that hampered his swing the entire year. A wrist issue later in the year resulted in another stay on the injured list, and overall Ray hit just .218 over 69 games in what became a lost season.
SCOUTING REPORT: When healthy, Ray's combination of power and speed makes him a dynamic player. There is a lot of swing and miss to his game due to below-average pitch recognition, his aggressive nature and a long swing, but the trade-off is above-average power to all fields. When he does reach base, Ray is a difference-maker with plus speed and the willingness to run at any time. That speed also plays well in center field, where he chases down balls from gap to gap while displaying an average arm.
THE FUTURE: Ray never figures to hit for a high average but should compile enough extra-base hits to make up for it. He needs to show he can stay healthy in order to be a major league option in 2020. -
Track Record: No prospect in the Brewers' system had more to prove than Ray, the fifth overall pick in 2016 who signed for a franchise-record $4.125 million. He suffered a knee injury in instructional league in 2016 that required minor surgery, then he got totally out of whack in 2017 with his hitting mechanics. He regrouped in 2018 at Double-A Biloxi, rediscovering his power stroke and performing so well he won Southern League MVP.
Scouting Report: With his swing back in order, Ray displayed tremendous bat speed and power with plenty of hard contact. He still has considerable work to do in pitch recognition and plate discipline after striking out 176 times. Strikeouts likely will remain a part of Ray's game due to his aggressiveness and long swing at times, but it's a fair trade-off for the all-fields power he generates. Ray's plus speed makes him a threat to steal any time he reaches base, and it also allows him to chase down balls in center field, where he is above-average with an average arm.
The Future: Now that his confidence is back, Ray should continue to improve as a hitter. He'll head to Triple-A San Antonio in 2019 and fits t he swing-and-miss, power-packed profile being played at the top level these days. -
When the Brewers tabbed Ray with the fifth overall pick in 2016 and signed him for a franchise-record $4.125 million, they assumed he would rise quickly through the system as an advanced college hitter. Instead he struggled badly at the plate at high Class A Carolina in 2017, looking nothing like the hitter he was at Louisville. He got a delayed start in 2017 after being held back in spring training to assure he was fully recovered from minor knee surgery. Ray looked completely out of sorts for much of the season, showing signs of frustration. He swung at breaking balls off the plate, got jammed by inside pitches and generally did not make pitchers throw strikes. He had huge holes in his swing, displaying little of the bat speed and budding power he flashed in college. Ray also showed too much head movement at times and will need major mechanical adjustments to get back on track. Ray used his plus speed to chase down balls in center field and showed enough arm to remain there. He is a threat to steal when he reaches base, though he needs to improve his jumps. The Brewers sent Ray to the Arizona Fall League with the hope of salvaging something from 2017, but he struggled badly there too. He might have to repeat the Carolina League to reestablish his plate discipline and hitting setup. -
The Brewers selected Ray with the No. 5 overall pick in 2016 and signed him for $4.125 million, the largest bonus in club history. He put his combination of power and speed on display at Louisville with 15 home runs and 44 stolen bases. The Brewers aggressively assigned him to high Class A Brevard County, a brutal hitter's park, and while he hit just .247 in 57 games, he showed above-average power. He joined low Class A Wisconsin late in the year for its playoff run. Ray has tremendous bat speed and makes hard contact consistently, which is why he hit for both average and power at Louisville. He uses the entire field and has shown improved plate discipline and pitch recognition, though he still chases breaking balls off the plate. He has plus speed and uses it well on the bases, stealing with abandon. Ray played mostly right field in college, but the Brewers believe he has center-field tools and played him there in his pro debut. He has average arm strength and at least solid-average range. Ray ended 2016 on a down note by having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after tearing his meniscus in instructional league. He should be ready to go in spring training and faces a probable return to high Class A and in-season move to Double-A Biloxi. The Brewers view him as an impact outfielder who could be big league ready at some point in 2018.
Draft Prospects
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A 33rd-round pick of the Mariners out of a Chicago-area high school, Ray opted to head to Louisville instead of signing, earned a spot in the starting lineup late in his freshman year and has been a star for the Cardinals ever since. Scouts have few concerns about his hit tool as they expect him to be at least an average hitter, especially after the refinement of his approach this spring. He has a short stroke and is balanced at the plate with a wide stance. Scouts had worried about Ray's ability to hit lefthanders but as of early May he had an .865 OPS against them. Ray shows plus raw power and projects to hit 15-18 home runs as a pro. He's a plus runner with the eye for stealing bases–he's topped 30 steals for a second consecutive year and he's done it with an 85 percent success rate. The questions with Ray revolve around his eventual defensive position. Scouts seems almost evenly divided over whether he's a solid average to tick-above-average center fielder or a future left fielder. Even as a left fielder, Ray does enough things well to be a big league regular, but his eventual impact will be determined by whether he can stay up the middle. -
A regular on the showcase circuit, Ray established himself as one of Illinois' best 2013 draft prospects early in his high school career. The 6-foot, 180-pounder has some bat speed and feel for hitting from the left side of the plate, but he hasn't had a great spring with the bat. He projects to have gap power and is an average runner with good instincts in center field. His proponents think he could be a poor man's version of Jackie Bradley, while others see him as more of a tweener in the mold of Jody Gerut, who played at a Chicagoland high school before going on to Stanford and the big leagues. Ray has committed to Louisville, and most scouts think he'd be best off playing three years of college baseball.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The fifth overall pick in 2016, Ray looked out of whack and overmatched in his full-season debut in the high Class A Carolina League in 2017. He redeemed his prospect value in 2018 as the SL’s top power-speed prospect. He led the league with 27 home runs, 32 doubles and 37 stolen bases and won the circuit’s MVP award. With plus power to his pull side, Ray made pitchers pay when they missed inside with fastballs, but his strikeout rate climbed as the season progressed and pitchers threw a heavier mix of breaking pitches. He needs to improve his pitch recognition to be more than a below-average hitter, though with a grooved swing he will crush enough pitches in his happy zone. With plus speed and baserunning instincts, Ray is a threat to steal each time he reaches first base. His speed and athleticism play in center field, where he draws average grades and shows an above-average, if erratic arm. -
The fifth overall pick in June, Ray signed for $4.125 million and jumped straight to high Class A, a surprising assignment considering his reputation for being somewhat raw out of Louisville. Brevard County led the minors with 97 losses, but FSL managers saw first-round tools and center-field profile ability before Ray went to low Class A Wisconsin to finish the season and participate in the Midwest League playoffs. Ray still is learning to parlay his 70-grade speed (on the 20-80 scouting scale) on the bases but showed aptitude. He picked up three bunt singles after telling Brewers officials he had none in college. He showed his raw power particularly against righthanders but will need experience against lefthanders, which was evident in college. He's prone to chase both breaking balls and fastballs up, but managers gave him a bit of a pass considering the long season and his experience level. He also impressed with his range in center field, though his routes and reads need polish. "He took three triples away from us," Clearwater manager Greg Legg said, vthen hit a home run too. I was very impressed."
Top 100 Rankings
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Athlete in the Milwaukee Brewers in 2020
- Rated Best Athlete in the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019
- Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019
- Rated Best Power Hitter in the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019
Scouting Reports
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TRACK RECORD: The Brewers had high hopes when they drafted Ray fourth overall in 2016. He won MVP of the Double-A Southern League in 2018 but scuffled upon reaching Triple-A in 2019, when a wrist issue limited his playing time. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ray has a promising combination of power and speed, but his swing-and-miss rate has hampered his production. His swing gets long, he has difficulty recognizing offspeed pitches and he chases too many pitches outside the strike zone. Those holes have been exposed against better pitching, with Ray striking out in 32% of his plate appearances at Double-A and Triple-A. Ray is a plus runner who is a dangerous stolen base threat. He is an average defender in center field with an average arm.
THE FUTURE: Ray will open 2021 back at Triple-A. He needs dramatic improvement with his contact rate and strike-zone management to have any kind of major league career. -
TRACK RECORD: The Brewers had high hopes when they drafted Ray fourth overall in 2016. He won MVP of the Double-A Southern League in 2018 but scuffled upon reaching Triple-A in 2019, when a wrist issue limited his playing time. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ray has a promising combination of power and speed, but his swing-and-miss rate has hampered his production. His swing gets long, he has difficulty recognizing offspeed pitches and he chases too many pitches outside the strike zone. Those holes have been exposed against better pitching, with Ray striking out in 32% of his plate appearances at Double-A and Triple-A. Ray is a plus runner who is a dangerous stolen base threat. He is an average defender in center field with an average arm.
THE FUTURE: Ray will open 2021 back at Triple-A. He needs dramatic improvement with his contact rate and strike-zone management to have any kind of major league career. -
TRACK RECORD: Ray struggled after the Brewers took him fourth overall in 2016, but he appeared to break through when he won MVP of the Double-A Southern League in 2018. Instead of a strong follow-up season, Ray suffered a hand injury during spring training that hampered his swing the entire year. A wrist issue later in the year resulted in another stay on the injured list, and overall Ray hit just .218 over 69 games in what became a lost season.
SCOUTING REPORT: When healthy, Ray’s combination of power and speed makes him a dynamic player. There is a lot of swing and miss to his game due to below-average pitch recognition, his aggressive nature and a long swing, but the trade-off is above-average power to all fields. When he does reach base, Ray is a difference-maker with plus speed and the willingness to run at any time. That speed also plays well in center field, where he chases down balls from gap to gap while displaying an average arm.
THE FUTURE: Ray never figures to hit for a high average but should compile enough extra-base hits to make up for it. He needs to show he can stay healthy in order to be a major league option in 2020. -
TRACK RECORD: Ray struggled after the Brewers took him fourth overall in 2016, but he appeared to break through when he won MVP of the Double-A Southern League in 2018. Instead of a strong follow-up season, Ray suffered a hand injury during spring training that hampered his swing the entire year. A wrist issue later in the year resulted in another stay on the injured list, and overall Ray hit just .218 over 69 games in what became a lost season.
SCOUTING REPORT: When healthy, Ray's combination of power and speed makes him a dynamic player. There is a lot of swing and miss to his game due to below-average pitch recognition, his aggressive nature and a long swing, but the trade-off is above-average power to all fields. When he does reach base, Ray is a difference-maker with plus speed and the willingness to run at any time. That speed also plays well in center field, where he chases down balls from gap to gap while displaying an average arm.
THE FUTURE: Ray never figures to hit for a high average but should compile enough extra-base hits to make up for it. He needs to show he can stay healthy in order to be a major league option in 2020. -
After suffering a knee injury in instructional league in 2016, Ray became a mess mechanically at the plate last year and didn’t look anything (156 strikeouts in 449 ABs) like the impact hitter he was at Louisville when the Brewers made him the fifth overall pick in the ’16 draft. To his credit, Ray regrouped this spring, found a routine that worked for him and began getting results again. His at-bats have improved, with more hard contact and has used his above-average speed on the bases and in center. He’s hit 16 home runs this season by the MLB all-star break, more than doubling his 2017 home run production. Ray continues to work on lowering his strikeout rate. -
Track Record: When the Brewers tabbed Ray with the fifth overall pick in 2016 and signed him for a franchise-record $4.125 million, they assumed he would rise quickly through the system as an advanced college hitter. He struggled badly at the plate at high Class A Carolina in 2017, however, looking nothing like the hitter he was at Louisville. Scouting Report: Ray looked completely out of sorts for much of the season, showing signs of frustration. He swung at breaking balls off the plate, got jammed by inside pitches and generally did not make pitchers throw strikes. He had huge holes in his swing, displaying little of the bat speed and budding power he flashed in college. Ray also showed too much head movement at times and will need mechanical adjustments to get back on track. Ray used his plus speed to chase down balls in center field and showed enough arm to remain there. He is a threat to steal when he reaches base, though he needs to improve his jumps. The Future: The Brewers sent Ray to the Arizona Fall League with the hope of salvaging something from 2017. He might have to repeat the Carolina League to reestablish his plate discipline and hitting setup. -
Background: The Brewers selected Ray with the No. 5 overall pick in 2016 and signed him for $4.125 million, the largest bonus in club history. He put his combination of power and speed on display at Louisville with 15 home runs and 44 stolen bases. The Brewers aggressively assigned him to high Class A Brevard County, a brutal hitter's park, and showed above-average power. Scouting Report: Ray has tremendous bat speed and makes hard contact consistently, which is why he hit for both average and power at Louisville. He uses the entire field and has shown improved plate discipline and pitch recognition, though he still chases breaking balls off the plate. He has plus speed and uses it well on the bases, stealing with abandon. Ray played mostly right field in college, but the Brewers believe he has center-field tools and played him there in his pro debut. He has average arm strength and at least solid-average range.
The Future: Ray ended 2016 by having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after tearing his meniscus in instructional league. He should be ready in spring training and faces a probable return to high Class A and in-season move to Double-A Biloxi. The Brewers view him as an impact outfielder who could be big league ready at some point in 2018.
