Tampa Bay Rays Breakout MLB Prospects Entering 2024

Breakout Prospects

Jose Urbina, RHP

Preseason rank: 14
BA Grade: 50. Risk: Extreme.

TRACK RECORD: In the 1990s and 2000s, teams often spent big to sign the best arms in Latin America. But after high-priced arm after high-priced arm failed to make it to the major leagues, the approach changed. Now, even the best international pitchers don’t come close to matching the bonuses handed out to the top hitters. But even considering that, Urbina is an unusual case. He signed with the Rays for $210,000 out of Venezuela in January 2023, but he’s already one of the team’s most promising pitching prospects.

SCOUTING REPORT: When teams were scouting Urbina, he was an athletic, well-built righthander with a clean delivery and a fast arm, but he maxed out at 90 mph. There was a hope that he’d add more velocity, but it would have been hard to expect it would happen this quickly. The Rays skipped the polished Urbina over the Dominican Summer League, and he debuted as a 17-year-old in the Florida Complex League. While his statistics weren’t particularly impressive, he showed some of the best stuff and feel in the league. Urbina sits in the mid 90s and touches 97 mph with a potentially plus fastball with above-average life. He also spins a future plus curveball and will flash feel for his still-developing changeup.

THE FUTURE: For years, the Rays seemed to produce front-line starters at will, but at present there are few pitchers in the system who the organization projects as even midrotation starters. Urbina has arguably the highest upside of any of them. His athleticism, clean delivery and feel for spinning a breaking ball to go with rapidly improving velocity makes him an arm to watch.

Scouting Grades
Fastball: 55. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 40. Control: 45.

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Erick Lara, 3B

Preseason rank: 30
BA Grade: 50. Risk: Extreme.

TRACK RECORD: At $85,000, Lara was a relatively low-cost signing by the Marlins at the start of the 2023 international signing period. But he quickly established himself as a promising hitter with a solid Dominican Summer League debut. Right after the Marlins announced long-time Rays executive Peter Bendix as the team’s new general manager, Bendix acquired Vidal Brujan and Calvin Faucher from his old team for Lara and righthander Andrew Lindsey.

SCOUTING REPORT: Lara is relatively strong for his size and a lefthanded hitter who already shows he knows how to drive the ball, even if he doesn’t yet have much strength to actually drive it. He has some adaptability in his swing, but he’s so young and relatively inexperienced that it’s hard to project whether he develops more as a hitter or a slugger. Defensively, Lara seems athletic enough to stay on the left side of the infield, but his 6-foot-2, 165-pound has plenty of room to fill out and force him to third base or a corner outfield spot. 

THE FUTURE: Lara is an interesting flier of a prospect. The Rays like his bat and his athleticism, but there’s a massive amount of risk and variability remaining in his projection, because he’s a 17-year-old who is just getting settled in as a pro.

Scouting Grades
Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Run: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.