Brent Honeywell

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #12 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Honeywell ranked in the Rays top 30 seven consecutive seasons, reaching Tampa Bay’s No. 1 spot in 2018, but missed three consecutive seasons returning from a trio of elbow surgeries. Honeywell returned in 2021 and finally made his big league debut for the Rays, but pitched mostly in a bulk-innings role for Triple-A Durham. Squeezed for 40-man roster spots, the Rays traded Honeywell to the Athletics in November.
  
  Scouting Report: There is hope that another year removed from injury will allow Honeywell’s stuff to further regain its crispness. Honeywell always relied on a deep arsenal and he turned to all of his pitches in 2021. His fastball velocity is nearly back, sitting 93-96 mph, and he occasionally uses a low-90s cutter as well. Honeywell still throws two distinct breaking balls, a mid-80s slider and a slower curveball, although he trusted the slider more in 2021. Honeywell continues to flash a plus changeup and sprinkles in his putaway screwball as a fifth offering. All of his secondaries miss an average amount of bats, but his command isn’t always consistent.
  
  The Future: The Athletics saw oft-injured righthander James Kaprielian settle into their rotation in 2021. A similar redemption story for Honeywell represents a best-case scenario.
  
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #17 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: If Honeywell's career had gone as planned, he would be arbitration eligible by now. Instead he ranks as a Rays Top 30 Prospect for the seventh time. Right before he was expected to join the Rays' rotation in 2018 he blew out his elbow. He fractured his repaired elbow in 2019. Then he had a further surgery in May 2020 to remove scar tissue that was compressing his ulnar nerve in that elbow. But he returned to the mound at the alternate training site, was added to the Rays' taxi squad for the playoffs and came close to making his big league debut.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: As hard as it may be to believe, Honeywell's stuff has returned to close to where it was before he missed three consecutive seasons. His average fastball is now more 91-93 mph rather than the 94-96 he flashed before his string of injuries, but his plus screwball and plus changeup are very close to what they were before. So too is his above-average mid-80s cutter. His command and control were not back yet to average in 2020.
  
  THE FUTURE: Honeywell was able to get back to 90% of where he was pre-injury in an abbreviated 2020. If that's where he ends up, he will be a useful big league starter and could help the Rays in 2021. If he finds a little more as he puts distance between his last surgery, he could somehow still be a mid-rotation starter, though his durability is a significant question.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #5 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Honeywell's father Brent was a pitcher in the Pirates farm system in the 1980s. While he didn't get to the majors, he did pass on his love of pitching and his screwball to his namesake. The younger Honeywell dominated at every level of the minors and headed into spring training in 2018 battling for a big league job, but he tore his ulnar collateral ligament in a side session. He returned to the mound in spring 2019 after Tommy John surgery but fractured his elbow. His repaired ligament was intact, but the injury forced him out for another season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Before his two full years of elbow problems, Honeywell was a big league-ready starter with five pitches and was comfortable with using all five. Honeywell was again throwing in the low 90s before his elbow fracture. When healthy he sat 93-95 mph and has touched 99. Honeywell's plus changeup has enough tumble to get swings and misses. His above-average mid-80s slider has some power and generates swings and misses. His screwball is a plus-plus pitch, in part because it's something hitters are not used to seeing, but also because of its quality. His curveball is his weakest pitch, but it still flashed average.
  
  THE FUTURE: Honeywell will likely need time to shake off the rust, but if healthy he should pitch in Tampa Bay in 2020. He isn't likely to be ready in spring training, but should be back on the mound soon afterward.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #2 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Honeywell felt his elbow ligament pop while throwing batting practice early in spring training. An MRI confirmed what Honeywell already knew, and he had Tommy John surgery that will lead to a late start to his 2019 season.
  
  Scouting Report: Prior to his surgery, Honeywell was ready to get outs in the big leagues. He has a five-pitch mix, with all his pitches showing average or better potential. He had little trouble mixing in two breaking balls, a changeup and a screwball while blowing hitters away with a 93-95 mph fastball that touched 99 mph. Honeywell's plus fastball sets up a plus changeup he uses to both baffle hitters and induce them to chase out of the strike zone. But he's just as comfortable getting ahead with an average curveball that sets up an above-average, mid-80s slider with the power and late break to be a swing-and-miss offering. He could stand to use his 70-grade screwball more often. Honeywell has improved the consistency of his release point to the point where he has above-average control.
  
  The Future: If his stuff returns to form, Honeywell has all the pieces to be a No. 2 starter. He will likely be ready to join the Rays by June or July.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #1 prospect in 2018
  Honeywell displays the necessary arrogance to succeed in the major leagues. That confidence was evident in 2017, when he shined as the MVP of the Futures Game and helped guide Durham to the Triple-A national championship. Honeywell has had success at every level while posting a career 2.88 ERA in 79 minor league outings. After two dominant starts at Double-A Montgomery to open 2017, Honeywell made a seamless transition to Triple-A, becoming one of the youngest starters in the International League. He registered a 4.91 ERA in his first 12 starts before making adjustments and logging a 2.35 ERA in his final dozen starts. The lone negative was a four-game suspension imposed by the Rays in August for “disciplinary reasons.” Honeywell mixes five pitches with precision to keep hitters off balance. He works off his plus fastball that sits 93-94 mph and touches 97, and he features solid movement and above-average command. His best secondary pitch is a plus changeup, which coaxes hitters to chase outside the strike zone on occasion. He throws his above-average curveball primarily early in counts to set hitters up while altering their eye level. His above-average slider resides in the mid-80s and is developing into a plus pitch with improving sharp break. Honeywell also throws a screwball, which earned him some recognition early in his career. He pulls the plus offering out of his bag a few times a game, and more often than not, the results are devastating. Honeywell is a cerebral pitcher who knows how to get opponents out, and he's never afraid to challenge batters. A driven and determined young man, Honeywell understands the need to make adjustments. He did just that over the course of 2017, improving the consistency of his release point and generating better extension. Even though Honeywell may have ruffled some feathers with a series of September tweets in which he referenced less-accomplished players who earned promotions to the big leagues while he remained with Durham, the fact is he would have already made his big league debut in many other organizations. The Rays, however, tend to move pitchers slowly. Many scouts project Honeywell as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter, while others envision him developing into a true ace.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #2 prospect in 2017
  Undrafted out of high school, Honeywell established himself as a prospect as a junior college freshman in 2014. He built his legend with his screwball, a pitch he learned from his father, who learned it from his cousin, former Dodgers reliever Mike Marshall. Honeywell's velocity jumped in junior college, and the Rays selected him in the supplemental second round. Honeywell has a well-rounded arsenal, with five pitches he can throw for strikes. His plus fastball works in the mid-90s and shows late life to induce weak contact. He has shown feel for his plus changeup and screwball, with the latter showing more fade and horizontal movement. His average curveball shows occasional bite and his cutter was a developmental focus in 2016. He missed six weeks in the middle of the summer with forearm soreness, but his fastball reached 97 mph in his first start back. Honeywell succeeded at Double-A Montgomery to close 2016, and will probably repeat that level to start 2017 before heading to Triple-A Durham.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #3 prospect in 2016
  After going undrafted out of high school, Honeywell quickly developed into a top prospect during his lone season at Walters State (Tenn.) CC. He gained fame with his throwback screwball, but he made noise with his loose delivery, plus fastball and promising athleticism. The Rays selected Honeywell 72nd overall in the 2014 draft, signed him for $800,000 and watched as he quickly developed into one of the organization's top prospects by recording an elite 1.05 WHIP and strikeout rate of 8.9 batters per nine innings in 2015. Honeywell has a chance to develop a deep, four-pitch arsenal. His fastball routinely ranges from 90-95 mph, and the pitch shows explosive life. He has feel for his changeup down in the zone, and it's an upper-70s offering with bat-missing ability. He throws his changeup to both lefties and righties. Honeywell's screwball shows similar velocity and movement to his arm side but with more depth. His curveball shows tight spin, though the pitch sometimes breaks too early, allowing hitters to recognize it before it enters the zone. He has a slight head whack to his delivery, but he repeats his stride and arm action. Honeywell spent the second half of 2015 at high Class A Charlotte and should open 2016 at that level before moving to Double-A Montgomery at age 21. If he maximizes his stuff and athleticism, he could develop into a No. 3 starter.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #8 prospect in 2015
  Undrafted out of high school, Honeywell went to Walters (Tenn.) State JC for one year and became its highest draft pick since 1985. His status skyrocketed during pre-draft workouts last spring, and he carried that momentum into pro ball after being the 72nd overall pick and signing with the Rays for $800,000. His father, a lefty also named Brent, pitched for three seasons in the minors. Possessing a lean, athletic body with plenty of projection and tremendous intensity, Honeywell pounds the strike zone with remarkable command of five pitches and a good feel for how to attack hitters. He has a quick arm and an effortless, deceptive delivery that he repeats consistently with a short stride. He works off a plus fastball that sits at 91-94 mph and was clocked as high as 97 prior to the draft. While he mixes his two-seam and four-seam fastballs, his best pitch is a screwball that looked unhittable in the Appy League. He did not throw it often, but awareness of the pitch was enough to disrupt the mindset of opposing batters. His curveball is his least consistent offering at this point but shows tight spin and potential. Honeywell also displays a solid feel for a developing plus changeup. Honeywell exceeded expectations in his first taste of pro ball and excited the Rays with his potential. He is expected to move up to low Class A Bowling Green to open 2015.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #195 prospect in 2014 draft
  Undrafted out of high school, Honeywell has developed considerably in one junior college season, sporting a four-pitch mix. The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder has an athletic build with room to add strength. His velocity has increased as the season has worn on, sitting 89-93 mph while touching 95 down the stretch from a short stride and quick arm. His breaking ball is a below-average offering, while his changeup has average potential. His out pitch is his screwball that is tough for scouts to evaluate because of how infrequently he uses it, but it has above-average potential. Honeywell is an athlete with a good feel for pitching and strike-throwing ability, so he should be able to remain a starter. His father, also named Brent, played in the minor leagues.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #4 prospect in 2017
  Honeywell used a five-pitch mix to great success in his first stint at Triple-A. He ran up a 4.91 ERA through his first 12 starts but lowered that to 2.35 in his final 12 starts as he focused on getting a more consistent release point and better extension on his fastball. Honeywell sits 92-93 mph and hits 96 with his fastball and backs it up with a wide array of secondary weapons. Known for his screwball, he throws the pitch just a few times per game and instead uses a plus changeup as his go-to secondary. He can throw it in any count, whether for called strikes on the black or for chases out of the zone. Honeywell has two breaking balls: a slider with potential to be an out pitch and an early-count curveball. Honeywell profiles as a No. 3 starter or perhaps better if he can improve his pacing and hold his velocity deeper into games.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #5 prospect in 2016
  Like Kopech, Honeywell used the Fall Stars game as his coming out party, throwing two perfect innings to start the game for the West team. The 21-year-old righthander struck out five of the six batters he faced while showing off one of the most diverse repertoires among AFL pitchers. He finished the AFL season with a 5.40 ERA, in part due to a rough couple of outings to start the season, but finished his five-game stint by giving up only one run in his last 10.2 innings. One key to Honeywell's bag of tricks is a high-70s screwball that gets plenty of swings-and-misses, along with a 93-94 mph fastball that hit 98.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #12 prospect in 2016
  Honeywell came down with elbow tenderness in his second stint in the FSL, but the pain subsided enough for him to make 10 starts before earning a promotion to Double-A in July. The Rays handled him carefully, and it paid off when he made improvements during his disabled-list stint. Noted for the screwball he learned from his father, a former Pirates minor leaguer and cousin of screwball godfather Mike Marshall, Honeywell added power to all his secondary pitches, including his screwgie, making them more effective. His curveball has added depth and power, though it remains inconsistent, and he's learned to pitch more off his fastball, which remains a plus pitch at 92-94 mph and reaching 97. Loose-armed and lean, he has a feel for manipulating his fastball, cutting it, sinking it and moving it to all four quadrants of the strike zone. Honeywell earns strong plaudits for his makeup as well. Charlotte manager Michael Johns recounted a story of when the pitcher, while on the DL, came to the park to welcome teammates to the clubhouse at 2 a.m., after a bus trip from a road series. "He's cut from a different cloth," Johns said.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #7 prospect in 2016
  Honeywell might have the best arm in the Rays system now that Blake Snell has graduated to the majors. He cruised through 10 starts at high Class A Charlotte, missed six weeks with elbow soreness and then earned a quick promotion to Montgomery on July 11, shortly after his return. He ranked 13th in the minors in both ERA (2.34) and WHIP (1.03) this season. Honeywell throws an explosive fastball that sits 94 mph and touches 97. The pitch plays as at least plus and effectively sets up his wide array of secondary pitches, one of which will need to take a step forward. The leading contender is his solid-average curveball, which features power but not the consistent, sharp vertical break to force batters to look low in the hitting zone. He tends to work up in the zone and is an extreme flyball pitcher who generates few groundball double plays. Honeywell throws an average changeup and excellent screwball but doesn't use his high-80s cutter to work in on lefthanders enough. As he gains experience, he will learn how to use his varied weapons to maximum effect and grow to become a possible No. 2 starter.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #9 prospect in 2015
  Honeywell has gained notoriety for throwing a screwball, and as a nephew of 1974 Cy Young Award winner Mike Marshall, who threw the pitch, it makes some sense. Scouts and managers say he uses his screwball and that it's a plus pitch, as much for the element of surprise as for its action. "It works like a lefthander's slider,"" one scout said with a laugh. However, the screwball at times obscures the perception of Honeywell, who would be a prospect without it. He's athletic and loose-armed, with an above-average fastball that reaches 94 mph and jumps out of his hand with good life. His curveball gives him a second above-average offering, and his changeup flashes above-average as well. Best of all, Honeywell has above-average control of all his pitches and may have true plus command when he reaches his ceiling, thanks to his easy arm action, good feel and athleticism.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #7 prospect in 2015
  The Rays like to take it slow with their young pitching prospects. For example, Blake Snell, the 2015 Minor League Player of the Year, didn't make it out of low Class A until his fourth pro season. Honeywell forced the team to place him on a faster track. He earned a promotion to high Class A Charlotte after just 12 starts in the MWL because he was simply too advanced for the league. He kept hitters off balance with a well-rounded assortment of offerings, adeptly pitching off a 90-95 mph fastball, an average curveball and an average changeup. He sporadically mixes in a screwball as well. Honeywell's delivery is compact. His motion does include a head whack, but he has shown that it has not affected his control. He's a strike-thrower who walked just 1.7 batters per nine innings at Bowling Green.
• 
  Ranked American League #5 prospect in 2014
  Honeywell picked up a lot of steam in the spring and impressed in pre-draft workouts when he ran his fastball up to 97 mph before signing for $800,000 as a second-rounder. His present stuff was arguably the best of any starter in the Appy League, for he showcased a deep repertoire, polish and pitchability. Honeywell's fastball sat 90-94 mph and touched 96 while jumping out of his hand with downhill plane and varied life to both sides. He has a quick, loose arm and throws from a high three-quarters slot. His screwball is a true out-pitch that is at least plus, while his changeup shows at least average potential and flashes better. His curveball flashes average but played as fringe-average to below this summer. Honeywell is a fierce, intense competitor who draws rave review for his makeup and preparation. The projectable and high-waisted Honeywell is an attacking strike-thrower with the best strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.7) of any starter in the league while walking 1.6 per nine.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #80 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #23 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #14 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #30 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #65 prospect in 2016

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Honeywell ranked in the Rays top 30 seven consecutive seasons, reaching Tampa Bay’s No. 1 spot in 2018, but missed three consecutive seasons returning from a trio of elbow surgeries. Honeywell returned in 2021 and finally made his big league debut for the Rays, but pitched mostly in a bulk-innings role for Triple-A Durham. Squeezed for 40-man roster spots, the Rays traded Honeywell to the Athletics in November.
  
  Scouting Report: There is hope that another year removed from injury will allow Honeywell’s stuff to further regain its crispness. Honeywell always relied on a deep arsenal and he turned to all of his pitches in 2021. His fastball velocity is nearly back, sitting 93-96 mph, and he occasionally uses a low-90s cutter as well. Honeywell still throws two distinct breaking balls, a mid-80s slider and a slower curveball, although he trusted the slider more in 2021. Honeywell continues to flash a plus changeup and sprinkles in his putaway screwball as a fifth offering. All of his secondaries miss an average amount of bats, but his command isn’t always consistent.
  
  The Future: The Athletics saw oft-injured righthander James Kaprielian settle into their rotation in 2021. A similar redemption story for Honeywell represents a best-case scenario.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: If Honeywell's career had gone as planned, he would be arbitration eligible by now. Instead he ranks as a Rays Top 30 Prospect for the seventh time. Right before he was expected to join the Rays' rotation in 2018 he blew out his elbow. He fractured his repaired elbow in 2019. Then he had a further surgery in May 2020 to remove scar tissue that was compressing his ulnar nerve in that elbow. But he returned to the mound at the alternate training site, was added to the Rays' taxi squad for the playoffs and came close to making his big league debut.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: As hard as it may be to believe, Honeywell's stuff has returned to close to where it was before he missed three consecutive seasons. His average fastball is now more 91-93 mph rather than the 94-96 he flashed before his string of injuries, but his plus screwball and plus changeup are very close to what they were before. So too is his above-average mid-80s cutter. His command and control were not back yet to average in 2020.
  
  THE FUTURE: Honeywell was able to get back to 90% of where he was pre-injury in an abbreviated 2020. If that's where he ends up, he will be a useful big league starter and could help the Rays in 2021. If he finds a little more as he puts distance between his last surgery, he could somehow still be a mid-rotation starter, though his durability is a significant question.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: If Honeywell's career had gone as planned, he would be arbitration eligible by now. Instead he ranks as a Rays Top 30 Prospect for the seventh time. Right before he was expected to join the Rays' rotation in 2018 he blew out his elbow. He fractured his repaired elbow in 2019. Then he had a further surgery in May 2020 to remove scar tissue that was compressing his ulnar nerve in that elbow. But he returned to the mound at the alternate training site, was added to the Rays' taxi squad for the playoffs and came close to making his big league debut.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: As hard as it may be to believe, Honeywell's stuff has returned to close to where it was before he missed three consecutive seasons. His average fastball is now more 91-93 mph rather than the 94-96 he flashed before his string of injuries, but his plus screwball and plus changeup are very close to what they were before. So too is his above-average mid-80s cutter. His command and control were not back yet to average in 2020.
  
  THE FUTURE: Honeywell was able to get back to 90% of where he was pre-injury in an abbreviated 2020. If that's where he ends up, he will be a useful big league starter and could help the Rays in 2021. If he finds a little more as he puts distance between his last surgery, he could somehow still be a mid-rotation starter, though his durability is a significant question.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: If Honeywell's career had gone as planned, he would be arbitration eligible by now. Instead he ranks as a Rays Top 30 Prospect for the seventh time. Right before he was expected to join the Rays' rotation in 2018 he blew out his elbow. He fractured his repaired elbow in 2019. Then he had a further surgery in May 2020 to remove scar tissue that was compressing his ulnar nerve in that elbow. But he returned to the mound at the alternate training site, was added to the Rays' taxi squad for the playoffs and came close to making his big league debut.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: As hard as it may be to believe, Honeywell's stuff has returned to close to where it was before he missed three consecutive seasons. His average fastball is now more 91-93 mph rather than the 94-96 he flashed before his string of injuries, but his plus screwball and plus changeup are very close to what they were before. So too is his above-average mid-80s cutter. His command and control were not back yet to average in 2020.
  
  THE FUTURE: Honeywell was able to get back to 90% of where he was pre-injury in an abbreviated 2020. If that's where he ends up, he will be a useful big league starter and could help the Rays in 2021. If he finds a little more as he puts distance between his last surgery, he could somehow still be a mid-rotation starter, though his durability is a significant question.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Honeywell’s father Brent was a pitcher in the Pirates farm system in the 1980s. While he didn’t get to the majors, he did pass on his love of pitching and his screwball to his namesake. The younger Honeywell dominated at every level of the minors and headed into spring training in 2018 battling for a big league job, but he tore his ulnar collateral ligament in a side session. He returned to the mound in spring 2019 after Tommy John surgery but fractured his elbow. His repaired ligament was intact, but the injury forced him out for another season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Before his two full years of elbow problems, Honeywell was a big league-ready starter with five pitches and was comfortable with using all five. Honeywell was again throwing in the low 90s before his elbow fracture. When healthy he sat 93-95 mph and has touched 99. Honeywell’s plus changeup has enough tumble to get swings and misses. His above-average mid-80s slider has some power and generates swings and misses. His screwball is a plus-plus pitch, in part because it’s something hitters are not used to seeing, but also because of its quality. His curveball is his weakest pitch, but it still flashed average.
  
  THE FUTURE: Honeywell will likely need time to shake off the rust, but if healthy he should pitch in Tampa Bay in 2020. He isn’t likely to be ready in spring training, but should be back on the mound soon afterward.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Honeywell's father Brent was a pitcher in the Pirates farm system in the 1980s. While he didn't get to the majors, he did pass on his love of pitching and his screwball to his namesake. The younger Honeywell dominated at every level of the minors and headed into spring training in 2018 battling for a big league job, but he tore his ulnar collateral ligament in a side session. He returned to the mound in spring 2019 after Tommy John surgery but fractured his elbow. His repaired ligament was intact, but the injury forced him out for another season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Before his two full years of elbow problems, Honeywell was a big league-ready starter with five pitches and was comfortable with using all five. Honeywell was again throwing in the low 90s before his elbow fracture. When healthy he sat 93-95 mph and has touched 99. Honeywell's plus changeup has enough tumble to get swings and misses. His above-average mid-80s slider has some power and generates swings and misses. His screwball is a plus-plus pitch, in part because it's something hitters are not used to seeing, but also because of its quality. His curveball is his weakest pitch, but it still flashed average.
  
  THE FUTURE: Honeywell will likely need time to shake off the rust, but if healthy he should pitch in Tampa Bay in 2020. He isn't likely to be ready in spring training, but should be back on the mound soon afterward.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Honeywell felt his elbow ligament pop while throwing batting practice early in spring training. An MRI confirmed what Honeywell already knew, and he had Tommy John surgery that will lead to a late start to his 2019 season. Scouting Report: Prior to his surgery, Honeywell was ready to get outs in the big leagues. He has a five-pitch mix, with all his pitches showing average or better potential. He had little trouble mixing in two breaking balls, a changeup and a screwball while blowing hitters away with a 93-95 mph fastball that touched 99 mph. Honeywell’s plus fastball sets up a plus changeup he uses to both baffle hitters and induce them to chase out of the strike zone. But he’s just as comfortable getting ahead with an average curveball that sets up an above-average, mid-80s slider with the power and late break to be a swing-and-miss offering. He could stand to use his 70-grade screwball more often. Honeywell has improved the consistency of his release point to the point where he has above-average control. The Future: If his stuff returns to form, Honeywell has all the pieces to be a No. 2 starter. He will likely be ready to join the Rays by June or July.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Honeywell is one of the most promising pitching prospects in the minors, but the Rays will have to wait a little longer to unleash his array of plus or better pitches on the world. The righthander blew out his elbow in spring training and will miss the entire 2018 season.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Undrafted out of high school, Honeywell established himself as a prospect as a junior college freshman in 2014. He built his legend with his screwball, a pitch he learned from his father; his father learned it from his cousin Mike Marshall. Honeywell saw a jump in velocity in junior college, and the Rays selected him in the supplemental second round. Scouting Report: Honeywell has a well-rounded arsenal of weapons, with five pitches he can throw for strikes. His plus fastball routinely works in the mid-90s and shows the late life to induce weak contact. He has shown feel for his plus changeup and screwball, with the latter showing more fade and horizontal movement. His average curveball shows occasional bite, though it lacks the consistent power and hard snap of a classic plus pitch. Honeywell's cutter was a developmental focus in 2016. He has an athletic lower half and repeats his mechanics well despite a head whack and a somewhat long arm action. Honeywell missed six weeks in the middle of the summer with forearm soreness, but his fastball reached 97 mph in his first start back.
  
  The Future: Honeywell succeeded at Double-A Montgomery to close 2016, and he probably will repeat that level to start 2017, though he could earn a promotion to Triple-A.
• August, 2016 Scouting Report
  Like Kopech, Honeywell used the Fall Stars game as his coming out party, throwing two perfect innings to start the game for the West team. The 21-year-old righthander struck out five of the six batters he faced while showing off one of the most diverse repertoires among AFL pitchers. He finished the AFL season with a 5.40 ERA, in part due to a rough couple of outings to start the season, but finished his five-game stint by giving up only one run in his last 10.2 innings. One key to Honeywell's bag of tricks is a high-70s screwball that gets plenty of swings-and-misses, along with a 93-94 mph fastball that hit 98.