Rays Prospect Could Earn Chance in Majors With Elite Defensive Abilities

Will the Tampa Bay Rays give a great defender a chance in 2026?

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 start of the 2026 campaign gets closer, the Tampa Bay Rays are trying to balance being competitive this season while also thinking about the future. Fortunately, it is a future that does look bright. 

When new ownership took over for the Rays, there was an initial hope that spending would start to increase right away. However, with the main priority for the ownership group to build a nice stadium complex for Tampa Bay, that will likely have to wait a bit more. 

Fortunately, operating with a low payroll is something that the team is very comfortable with and something that they have navigated well. This winter, the moves have certainly favored the team having an eye toward the future rather than trying to realistically win in 2026. Considering how good the rest of the American League East is, that might not be the worst idea. 

Sam Dykstra of MLB recently wrote about some of the best prospects at first base working their way through the minors. For the Rays, they have a couple of talented players at the position, including Tre’ Morgan. The young prospect is considered to be the best defensive prospect in the Top 10 at his position heading into 2026. 

Morgan is Elite Defensively

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Following a couple of trades this winter, the farm system for Tampa Bay is once again one of the best in baseball. While they have a lot of talent coming in, they also have some good prospects in the system from before the deal. 

One of the top prospects in the system for the Rays is their talented first baseman, Morgan, who is an interesting player at the position. In 92 games in Triple-A last year, the 23-year-old slashed .274/.398/.412 with eight home runs, 45 RBI, and eight stolen bases. It isn’t often that a first baseman is able to steal bases, but Morgan has some excellent athleticism. 

With a 70 grade defensively, Morgan is a difference maker in the field and could be a gold glove caliber first baseman. However, his development at the plate is going to be key to how high his upside could be. 

Currently, the Rays do have a good slugger in Jonathan Aranda at the position, but Morgan possesses an elite defensive ability, which could propel him to the next level. With a fair amount of experience in Triple-A last year, it will be interesting to see if he gets a chance in the majors in 2026.