Rays' Former First-Round Pick Quickly Has Emerged as Elite Prospect

Which prospect for the Tampa Bay Rays has rose through their system?

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

As the Tampa Bay Rays prepare for what is going to be an interesting offseason, there is a lot to like about what the franchise is building towards. Even though the 2025 campaign might not have gone according to plan, the team should be optimistic about the future. 

When looking at the roster for the Rays currently, there is reason to believe that they are going to be a contender heading into next season. However, there will be some looming questions regarding them potentially moving a veteran or two from their lineup in a trade this winter. 

While that might impact the team in the short-term, there are some good players in the minors who appear ready to step up and make a name for themselves in the Majors. Tampa Bay is notorious for having one of the best farm systems in baseball every year and that is still the case. However, there were a couple of players who really stood out. 

MLB PIpeline recently wrote about the top prospects for the Rays this year and their best hitter was their first-round pick from 2024, Theo Gillen. 

Gillen Deserving of Honor 

Some first looks at Tampa Bay Rays 2024 1st round pick Theo Gillen thanks to our very own Alex Kempton.

He laces a triple here in the Bridge League.

Gillen was taken 18th overall and signed for $4.37 million. pic.twitter.com/Xl3XE4OPw1

— Prospects Live (@ProspectsLive) August 24, 2024

After getting his feet wet briefly in Single-A after being drafted, Gillen came into the 2025 campaign as a prospect to watch in the organization. The 20-year-old has a lot of potential and has quickly risen up the ranks not only in the organization but in all of baseball. 

Following this year, he is now ranked as the second-best prospect in the Rays’ system and 65th overall according to MLB Pipeline. Expectations are certainly high for him now, and for good reason after a stellar season in Triple-A. 

This year, Gillen slashed .267/.433/.387 with five home runs, 18 RBI, and 36 stolen bases in 73 games played. Even though he might have had his season cut short due to injury, he had a significant impact and proved that he could be a great player for the team moving forward. 

Gillen’s ability to get on base in 2025 was very impressive, he averaged nearly one walk per game, and for a player that has his ability on the basepaths, that’s encouraging. As he continues to get older and stronger, the power numbers should increase a bit as well, but there is a lot to like about his current approach at the plate. In a farm system with a lot of talent, Gillen was deserving of being deemed the top hitter.