Vidal Brujan

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #3 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Brujan signed with the Rays for $15,000 in 2014 and ascended the minors as a switch-hitting second baseman, but the Rays shifted his focus toward becoming a utilityman in 2021 at Triple-A Durham. Bruján played 15 or more games at second base, shortstop and all three outfield spots in addition to playing six games at third base. His offensive numbers dipped with his attention on learning a host of new positions, but he still led all of Triple-A with 44 stolen bases and received his first major league callup in July.
  
  Scouting Report: Bruján’s athleticism and versatility are excellent assets, but they make it hard for him to settle in at any one spot. He has a quick first step, fluid actions and a plus, accurate arm. His hands are his weakest attribute, and he will bobble balls at times, but he turns the double play well in the middle infield and has the range to be an above-average center fielder. Offensively, Bruján made strides in hitting the ball harder in 2021—he raised his average exit velocity by 1 mph to 87 mph—but he’s unlikely to become a power hitter. He continues to have above-average contact skills and his ability to drive the ball for doubles makes him a more potent offensive weapon. A switch-hitter, Brujan is a better pure hitter from the left side and swings and misses more as a righthanded hitter.
  
  The Future: Bruján’s versatility allows him to step in at multiple positions. He’s most likely a Swiss Army knife whose versatility gets him regular at-bats while he plays a little bit of everywhere defensively.
  
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #4 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 80. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
  Track Record: The Rays spent big on the 2014 international class, including signing No. 1 prospect Adrian Rondon for $2.95 million. But Brujan, a $15,000 signing, looks like the best of the group. He quickly outpaced Rondon and finished the 2019 season at Double-A Montgomery. The Rays brought him to their alternate training site in 2020, then added him to their postseason taxi squad.
  
  Scouting Report: The speedy Brujan is a throwback to when leadoff hitters got on base and immediately stole second. He’s stolen 151 bases in five minor league seasons, including 48 in 2019. A switch-hitter, Brujan is hard to strike out with his excellent bat control and has sneaky power from the left side. His righthanded swing doesn’t have much power. Brujan is a versatile defender who moved from shortstop to second base when he signed but looked capable when the Rays played him at short again in 2019. He has just enough arm for the position, but his accuracy has to improve and he tends to rush in his throws. He got some work in center field at the alternate site and could be a rangy center fielder with his elite speed.
  
  The Future: The Rays have a crowded infield situation, but Brujan’s hitting ability, speed and athleticism should get him to the majors in due time.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #3 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Brujan's $15,000 signing bonus was par for the course for a short middle infielder on the international market, but he's earned plenty of attention with his speed and his high energy.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brujan is twitchy and deceptively strong, but it gets hidden at the plate because he hits so many grounders. He's much better against righthanders. He has a simple, short swing with little load from both sides. He understands the strike zone and rarely swings and misses. The Rays gave him his first extended exposure to shortstop in 2019, and he showed enough to make himself at least a viable backup option. Brujan has one of the quickest first steps in the organization and his hands work well, but what he doesn't have is a refined internal clock. His all-out, high-energy style sometimes leads to him rushing on plays where he should slow everything down. His footwork is only adequate.
  
  THE FUTURE: Brujan's speed, athleticism and versatility fits the Rays' love of multi-position regulars. Though he hasn't yet played center field, Brujan's athleticism and speed make him a potential fit there, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the Rays work him there in 2019. His ceiling is as a high-average, on-base-oriented table-setter who runs into 8-10 home runs a year while providing defensive value at multiple spots.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #7 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Brujan signed for just $15,000 as one of the lower-profile signings in a loaded Rays' 2014 international class. Ever since he's been one of the best players for every team he's played on. He served as Bowling Green's spark plug before performing even better with high Class A Charlotte.
  
  Scouting Report: Brujan is a 70 runner who finished second in the minors with 55 stolen bases. He's also an average defensive second baseman who has the first-step burst and an above-average arm that leads some scouts to wonder if he could handle shortstop in a pinch. Others believe he could be a plus defender in center field. His internal clock needs to improve. While Brujan has only gap power and doesn't project to hit more than 5-10 home runs per season, his line-drive swing gives him a chance to hit .300 with high on-base percentages because he works counts and doesn't chase. His righthanded swing looks nearly identical to his lefthanded stroke, but the consistency of his at-bats and power in his swing are better from the left side.
  
  The Future: The Rays are stacked with promising second basemen, but Brujan's combination of athleticism and on-base skills is hard to ignore. He will play in the big leagues because of his athleticism, but he has a chance to be much more than just a role player. The Rays love positional versatility among their players. While Brujan has focused on second base so far, he has the athleticism and speed to become a much more versatile defender in upcoming years.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #20 prospect in 2018
  Brujan hails from the forests of the Dominican Republic, and has blossomed quickly into a solid prospect with his quick-twitch athleticism. Signed for just $15,000, the switch-hitting Brujan is developing into the quintessential leadoff man. He led the short-season New York-Penn League in hits, runs and total bases, and ranked fifth in steals in 2017. Brujan also served as a key ingredient in Hudson Valley's NYPL championship. Brujan possesses excellent pitch recognition, solid strike zone discipline, and superior hand-eye coordination. He ranked as the second-toughest player to strike out in the NYPL, whiffing once every 8.4 plate appearances, and had nearly as many walks (34) as strikeouts (36). Among the fastest runners in the organization, Brujan is efficient getting on base and creating havoc, but is working on improving his ability to read pitcher's moves in order to get better jumps. He also needs to improve his bunting technique to make his speed a greater weapon. The Rays also want him to work on his pre-pitch footwork to maintain proper balance at contact. He has excellent range at second base and solid instincts with average arm strength. The Rays feel that he could handle center field should the need arise. After ranking as the fifth-best prospect in the NYPL in 2017, Brujan should continue to mature physically and emotionally as he moves up to low Class A Bowling Green.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #7 prospect in 2021
  Brujan is considered one of the more dynamic players in Tampa Bay’s loaded farm system thanks to an impressive blend of speed, contact ability and versatility. Power potential was never a major component. So when Brujan hit seven homers through his first 22 games for Durham this year after previously never hitting more than nine in a season, eyebrows were raised. Those gains didn’t quite hold up throughout the rest of the season. Brujan posted a .691 OPS with four homers through his next 82 games, sandwiched around a lackluster big league debut when he hit .077 in 26 at-bats. Brujan’s long-term profile remains very much intact. He has game-changing speed he used to lead all Triple-A East players with 41 steals as of Sept. 21. He makes a ton of contact from both sides of the plate, though he makes more impact from the left. His defensive value could ultimately come from his ability to play several positions adequately, and at his best could steal as many as 50 bases a year while adding 10-15 homers.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #15 prospect in 2019
  The Rays have put together the best farm system in the game, and within that system is a wealth of middle infield talent. Brujan gets overshadowed somewhat by Wander Franco, but he’s an extremely talented player in his own right. His best tool is 80-grade speed, which he uses on the basepaths and in the field. His athleticism allows him to switch back and forth between shortstop and second base and might give him a chance as a center fielder if the situation avails itself. Brujan is also a switch-hitter adept at making plenty of contact, though he has proved to be a much better hitter from the left side. He has little to no power and doesn’t project to hit for any either. The best utilization of his tools will be as a slash-and-burn player at the top or bottom of a lineup who creates havoc on the bases and provides value in the field as well.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #11 prospect in 2018
  Brujan finished second in the Midwest League with a .313 batting average, third in on-base percentage (.395), third in runs scored (86) and fifth in steals (43) despite an early August promotion to the Florida State League. Brujan is an excellent hitter from the left side, where he has sneaky power (he slugged .516 as a lefty with all nine of his home runs in 2018) to get with excellent bat-to-ball skills. As a righthanded hitter, he's much more of a slap hitter with well below-average power, but his plus-plus speed makes him capable of beating out infield hits when he pulls the ball on the ground. That speed is also useful on the basepaths. He finished second in the minors overall with 55 steals.
• 
  Ranked New York-Penn League #5 prospect in 2017
  The switch-hitting Brujan was one of the best table-setters in the league, as he showed prototypical leadoff hitter skills. For a 19-year-old, Brujan's ability to read pitches out of the pitcher's hand stood out. He produced professional at-bat after professional at-bat, finishing among the league leaders in on-base percentage (.378), runs (51), total bases (108) and stolen bases (16) while also being the second toughest hitter in the league to strike out (once every 8.4 plate appearances).

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #56 prospect in 2022
• Ranked Baseball America's #56 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #51 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #64 prospect in 2019

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Brujan signed with the Rays for $15,000 in 2014 and ascended the minors as a switch-hitting second baseman, but the Rays shifted his focus toward becoming a utilityman in 2021 at Triple-A Durham. Bruján played 15 or more games at second base, shortstop and all three outfield spots in addition to playing six games at third base. His offensive numbers dipped with his attention on learning a host of new positions, but he still led all of Triple-A with 44 stolen bases and received his first major league callup in July.
  
  Scouting Report: Bruján’s athleticism and versatility are excellent assets, but they make it hard for him to settle in at any one spot. He has a quick first step, fluid actions and a plus, accurate arm. His hands are his weakest attribute, and he will bobble balls at times, but he turns the double play well in the middle infield and has the range to be an above-average center fielder. Offensively, Bruján made strides in hitting the ball harder in 2021—he raised his average exit velocity by 1 mph to 87 mph—but he’s unlikely to become a power hitter. He continues to have above-average contact skills and his ability to drive the ball for doubles makes him a more potent offensive weapon. A switch-hitter, Brujan is a better pure hitter from the left side and swings and misses more as a righthanded hitter.
  
  The Future: Bruján’s versatility allows him to step in at multiple positions. He’s most likely a Swiss Army knife whose versatility gets him regular at-bats while he plays a little bit of everywhere defensively.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Brujan is considered one of the more dynamic players in Tampa Bay’s loaded farm system thanks to an impressive blend of speed, contact ability and versatility. Power potential was never a major component. So when Brujan hit seven homers through his first 22 games for Durham this year after previously never hitting more than nine in a season, eyebrows were raised. Those gains didn’t quite hold up throughout the rest of the season. Brujan posted a .691 OPS with four homers through his next 82 games, sandwiched around a lackluster big league debut when he hit .077 in 26 at-bats. Brujan’s long-term profile remains very much intact. He has game-changing speed he used to lead all Triple-A East players with 41 steals as of Sept. 21. He makes a ton of contact from both sides of the plate, though he makes more impact from the left. His defensive value could ultimately come from his ability to play several positions adequately, and at his best could steal as many as 50 bases a year while adding 10-15 homers.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 80. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
  Track Record: The Rays spent big on the 2014 international class, including signing No. 1 prospect Adrian Rondon for $2.95 million. But Brujan, a $15,000 signing, looks like the best of the group. He quickly outpaced Rondon and finished the 2019 season at Double-A Montgomery. The Rays brought him to their alternate training site in 2020, then added him to their postseason taxi squad.
  
  Scouting Report: The speedy Brujan is a throwback to when leadoff hitters got on base and immediately stole second. He's stolen 151 bases in five minor league seasons, including 48 in 2019. A switch-hitter, Brujan is hard to strike out with his excellent bat control and has sneaky power from the left side. His righthanded swing doesn't have much power. Brujan is a versatile defender who moved from shortstop to second base when he signed but looked capable when the Rays played him at short again in 2019. He has just enough arm for the position, but his accuracy has to improve and he tends to rush in his throws. He got some work in center field at the alternate site and could be a rangy center fielder with his elite speed.
  
  The Future: The Rays have a crowded infield situation, but Brujan's hitting ability, speed and athleticism should get him to the majors in due time.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 80. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
  Track Record: The Rays spent big on the 2014 international class, including signing No. 1 prospect Adrian Rondon for $2.95 million. But Brujan, a $15,000 signing, looks like the best of the group. He quickly outpaced Rondon and finished the 2019 season at Double-A Montgomery. The Rays brought him to their alternate training site in 2020, then added him to their postseason taxi squad.
  
  Scouting Report: The speedy Brujan is a throwback to when leadoff hitters got on base and immediately stole second. He’s stolen 151 bases in five minor league seasons, including 48 in 2019. A switch-hitter, Brujan is hard to strike out with his excellent bat control and has sneaky power from the left side. His righthanded swing doesn’t have much power. Brujan is a versatile defender who moved from shortstop to second base when he signed but looked capable when the Rays played him at short again in 2019. He has just enough arm for the position, but his accuracy has to improve and he tends to rush in his throws. He got some work in center field at the alternate site and could be a rangy center fielder with his elite speed.
  
  The Future: The Rays have a crowded infield situation, but Brujan’s hitting ability, speed and athleticism should get him to the majors in due time.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 40. Speed: 80. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
  Track Record: The Rays spent big on the 2014 international class, including signing No. 1 prospect Adrian Rondon for $2.95 million. But Brujan, a $15,000 signing, looks like the best of the group. He quickly outpaced Rondon and finished the 2019 season at Double-A Montgomery. The Rays brought him to their alternate training site in 2020, then added him to their postseason taxi squad.
  
  Scouting Report: The speedy Brujan is a throwback to when leadoff hitters got on base and immediately stole second. He’s stolen 151 bases in five minor league seasons, including 48 in 2019. A switch-hitter, Brujan is hard to strike out with his excellent bat control and has sneaky power from the left side. His righthanded swing doesn’t have much power. Brujan is a versatile defender who moved from shortstop to second base when he signed but looked capable when the Rays played him at short again in 2019. He has just enough arm for the position, but his accuracy has to improve and he tends to rush in his throws. He got some work in center field at the alternate site and could be a rangy center fielder with his elite speed.
  
  The Future: The Rays have a crowded infield situation, but Brujan’s hitting ability, speed and athleticism should get him to the majors in due time.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Brujan’s $15,000 signing bonus was par for the course for a short middle infielder on the international market, but he’s earned plenty of attention with his speed and his high energy.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brujan is twitchy and deceptively strong, but it gets hidden at the plate because he hits so many grounders. He’s much better against righthanders. He has a simple, short swing with little load from both sides. He understands the strike zone and rarely swings and misses. The Rays gave him his first extended exposure to shortstop in 2019, and he showed enough to make himself at least a viable backup option. Brujan has one of the quickest first steps in the organization and his hands work well, but what he doesn’t have is a refined internal clock. His all-out, high-energy style sometimes leads to him rushing on plays where he should slow everything down. His footwork is only adequate.
  
  THE FUTURE: Brujan’s speed, athleticism and versatility fits the Rays’ love of multi-position regulars. Though he hasn’t yet played center field, Brujan’s athleticism and speed make him a potential fit there, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rays work him there in 2019. His ceiling is as a high-average, on-base-oriented table-setter who runs into 8-10 home runs a year while providing defensive value at multiple spots.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Brujan's $15,000 signing bonus was par for the course for a short middle infielder on the international market, but he's earned plenty of attention with his speed and his high energy.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brujan is twitchy and deceptively strong, but it gets hidden at the plate because he hits so many grounders. He's much better against righthanders. He has a simple, short swing with little load from both sides. He understands the strike zone and rarely swings and misses. The Rays gave him his first extended exposure to shortstop in 2019, and he showed enough to make himself at least a viable backup option. Brujan has one of the quickest first steps in the organization and his hands work well, but what he doesn't have is a refined internal clock. His all-out, high-energy style sometimes leads to him rushing on plays where he should slow everything down. His footwork is only adequate.
  
  THE FUTURE: Brujan's speed, athleticism and versatility fits the Rays' love of multi-position regulars. Though he hasn't yet played center field, Brujan's athleticism and speed make him a potential fit there, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the Rays work him there in 2019. His ceiling is as a high-average, on-base-oriented table-setter who runs into 8-10 home runs a year while providing defensive value at multiple spots.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  The Rays have put together the best farm system in the game, and within that system is a wealth of middle infield talent. Brujan gets overshadowed somewhat by Wander Franco, but he’s an extremely talented player in his own right. His best tool is 80-grade speed, which he uses on the basepaths and in the field. His athleticism allows him to switch back and forth between shortstop and second base and might give him a chance as a center fielder if the situation avails itself. Brujan is also a switch-hitter adept at making plenty of contact, though he has proved to be a much better hitter from the left side. He has little to no power and doesn’t project to hit for any either. The best utilization of his tools will be as a slash-and-burn player at the top or bottom of a lineup who creates havoc on the bases and provides value in the field as well.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Brujan signed for just $15,000, but ever since he’s been one of the best players for every team he’s played on. He served as Bowling Green’s spark plug before performing even better with high Class A Charlotte. Scouting Report: Brujan is a 70 runner who finished second in the minors with 55 stolen bases. He’s also an average defensive second baseman who has the first-step burst and an above-average arm that leads some scouts to wonder if he could handle shortstop in a pinch. Others believe he could be a plus defender in center field. His internal clock needs to improve. While Brujan has only gap power and doesn’t project to hit more than 5-10 home runs per season, his line-drive swing gives him a chance to hit .300 with high on-base percentages because he works counts and doesn’t chase. His righthanded swing looks nearly identical to his lefthanded stroke, but the consistency of his at-bats and power in his swing are better from the left side. The Future: The Rays are stacked with promising second basemen, but Brujan’s combination of athleticism and on-base skills is hard to ignore. He will play in the big leagues because of his athleticism, but he has a chance to be much more than just a role player.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Brujan announced his presence loudly in the New York-Penn League last year and has continued showing off a four-tool skill set in full-season ball. He’s got mirror-image swings from both sides of the plate, though the results haven’t come yet from right side. He’s at second base now, but there’s a camp that believes his speed might be better utilized in center field.