Catching Prospect Will Be Player to Watch for Rays Next Season

Which player on the Tampa Bay Rays is a prospect to watch in 2026?

Apr 3, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A general view of a Tampa Bay Rays hat and glove during the seventh inning of the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. | Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays are preparing for an important offseason in which they will have a lot of big decisions to make regarding some key players. With new ownership, there is some uncertainty regarding what the plan will be for the franchise, but there is certainly some optimism. 

Even though the Rays may have fallen short of their goals in 2025, this was a team that featured a good amount of talent with multiple All-Stars. In the first half of the year, Tampa Bay was a contender and looked like it could make a run in the American League East. This was a division that turned out to be one of the best in baseball, and Tampa Bay didn’t have enough to keep up. 

While the division is once again going to be strong in 2026, the Rays also could be an improved squad. This is a team that has a lot of young talent and more that is continuing to develop in the minors. Tampa Bay frequently has one of the best farm systems in baseball and that is continuing. Adam Berry of MLB recently wrote about the talented catcher of the Rays Nathan Flewelling being a prospect to watch in 2026. 

Flewelling Will Be Prospect to Watch

Two stellar months for our MnL Player and Pitcher of the Month!

C Nathan Flewelling had the best month of his pro career in August, ultimately earning a promotion to A+ BG last week, and P Brody Hopkins continued his 2025 tear, posting a 0.87 ERA for AA MTG.

Congrats, guys! pic.twitter.com/5QFWidCsZu

— Rays Player Development (@RaysPlayerDev) September 4, 2025

Finding and developing a good catcher is not easy and it is currently a position of need for Tampa Bay. Adding a veteran in free agency or via a trade would make a lot of sense to help improve a clear area of need for the team. However, there is reason to believe that Flewelling could be the future. 

Currently, at just 18 years old he is ranked 27th prospect in the system and there is reason to believe that he will be rising quickly in the system this coming season. In 2025, he slashed .229/.393/.336 with six home runs and 49 RBI in 102 games played. 

Even though the numbers might not jump off the page, one area that is really encouraging for a player his age is the on-base percentage. Flewelling has a a great eye at the plate and some excellent plate discipline. For a player that is just 18 years old, there is a ton of upside. 

After a full season in Single-A, it will be interesting to see what the plan is for Flewelling in 2026. A move up to Double-A certainly makes sense based on his production, but he is still extremely young and could spend some more time in Single-A.