Rays Official Spring Training Invitees List Headlined by Top Prospects
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After a busy offseason, the Tampa Bay Rays are set to begin the 2026 season soon with spring training right around the corner.
It will be nice to see the team back on the field preparing for the upcoming regular season. Rays fans will get to see their favorite players in a competitive environment a little earlier with third baseman Junior Caminero and pitchers Griffin Jax and Garrett Cleavinger participating in the World Baseball Classic, representing Team Dominican Republic and Team USA.
Spring training is a breath of fresh air for baseball fans, getting to see their favorite teams gearing up and back in action. It also provides a sneak peek of what is to come in the future, with some young guys participating.
This year at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida, Tampa Bay fans will be in for a special treat. The team’s spring training invitees list has been revealed, and there are several top prospects who will be with the Big League club.
Brody Hopkins, Xavier Isaac highlight spring training invitees
The headliner is right-handed pitcher Brody Hopkins. Acquired in the Randy Arozarena blockbuster, along with outfielder Aidan Smith, from the Seattle Mariners, fans will be lining up to see him in action.
Incredibly athletic, he has all of the tools to develop into a front-end starter for the Rays. Viewed by many as the top pitching prospect in the organization, he is projected to begin the year with Triple-A Durham after producing a 2.72 ERA with an impressive 28.7% strikeout rate across 116 innings with Double-A Montgomery.
If Hopkins is viewed as the top pitching prospect, right behind him is Ty Johnson, who will also be at camp this year. He was acquired as part of the package from the Chicago Cubs in the Isaac Paredes deal ahead of the MLB trade deadline in 2024.
Johnson was one of the most productive pitchers in the entire minor leagues in 2025. Another exciting arm joining those two in camp this year is TJ Nichols.
Two of the team’s top positional player prospects, first baseman Xavier Isaac and first baseman/outfielder Tre’ Morgan, will also be in attendance. As a former first-round pick, Brayden Taylor.
Fans will be thrilled to see Isaac back out there after his 2025 season was cut short because of brain surgery. Getting back on the field for spring training is an incredible accomplishment for him.
Rays have some players with MLB experience coming to spring training
Morgan, an elite defender with excellent speed for someone at his position, is knocking on the door of a Major League promotion, and a strong showing in spring training will only get him closer to The Show.
The other players making up the 25 spring training invitees are pitchers Luis Guerrero, Trevor Martin, Austin Vernon, Andrew Wantz, Kodi Whitley, Logan Workman, Cam Booser, John Rooney, Chase Solesky and Jake Woodford.
At catcher, veteran Blake Sabol is joined by Logan Driscoll, Tatem Levins and Kenny Piper. On the infield, there are Logan Davidson, Raynel Delgado, Gregory Barrios and Cooper Kinney.
The only invitee listed as an outfielder is Edward Olivares.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.