Rays Newly Acquired Outfielder Lands on MLB Top 100 Prospect List

Where did a Tampa Bay Rays outfielder land in the top 100 MLB prospects list?

May 14, 2018; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a Tampa Bay Rays hat and glove on the dugout fence before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays were busy this offseason, reshaping their roster not only for the 2026 season but long-term as well.

One of their needs coming into the winter was to fix their outfield. They have shaken things up in a major way with Josh Lowe, Jake Mangum and Christopher Morel no longer on the roster. Those were three of the top four outfielders for the Rays in 2025 in terms of games played.

Chandler Simpson is the only holdover from that top four group. Taking the places of the other three players will be some combination of free agent signing Cedric Mullins, veteran Jake Fraley, Johnny Deluca, Justyn-Henry Malloy and Ryan Vilade.

Another name to keep an eye on heading into spring training is Jacob Melton. He was acquired, along with Anderson Brito, from the Houston Astros in a three-team deal that included the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Where did Jacob Melton land on top 100 prospects list?

Jun 5, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Houston Astros left fielder outfielder Jacob Melton (31) hits a two run single against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Mangum, All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe and right-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery were all sent to the Pirates. It is a deal that created another void in the lineup at the keystone, but brought back some high-upside youngsters.

Melton is the player people will be watching closely. He is considered one of the best prospects in the game, being ranked No. 81 by Kiley McDaniel of ESPN in his recently released Top 100.

It is easy to see why the 25-year-old is so highly regarded despite struggles in his first taste of the Major Leagues. In a small sample size of 78 plate appearances, he had a .157/.234/.186 slash line with one extra-base hit and 29 strikeouts.

There are worries about whether he will be able to make enough contact at the next level, which were on full display during his debut with the Astros. But his production in the minor leagues, where he crushed Triple-A pitching, provides a lot of promise.

Jacob Melton (acquired by TB) is a borderline Top 100 Prospect who shattered AAA with jaw-dropping power and strong plate discipline metrics. His MLB was not as fruitful, but there is a lot to dream on with these underlying stats pic.twitter.com/c7U3WAicEo

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) December 19, 2025

Possessing plus power and speed projections, Melton is also showing improvement with his defensive skills. There is a chance that he can stick in center field, which would improve his value even more.

At the very least, he will be able to handle himself in the corner outfield spots defensively. Anything he gives with the glove is a bonus to what could be a perennial 25/25 threat for home runs and stolen bases should he reach his ceiling.

It would not be shocking to see Tampa Bay give Melton every opportunity to earn a spot on the Major League roster for Opening Day during spring training. If he doesn’t make the team right out of the gate, he will be someone worth watching for as a midseason call-up.