Rays Recent Trade Acquisition Drumming Up a Lot of Excitement Heading Into Pro Debut
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The Tampa Bay Rays have made some major moves this offseason that can be argued to have set the franchise back a little bit for the 2026 season. But there is no denying that their long-term outlook is great.
The Rays have improved their farm system with trades completed this offseason. In a three-team deal that sent second baseman Brandon Lowe to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay received outfielder Jacob Melton and right-handed pitcher Anderson Brito from the Houston Astros.
That duo is ranked Nos. 4 and 6 in the team’s prospect pipeline. Coming in at Nos. 7, 8, 13 and 22 are the prospects acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for starting pitcher Shane Baz: right-handed pitcher Michael Forrett, outfielder Slater de Brun, catcher Caden Bodine and outfielder Austin Overn.
Out of that bunch, de Brun is one player that a lot of people are keeping an eye on. It is a bit of serendipity that he has ended up with the Rays because that pick used to draft him was involved in a trade this past summer.
Rays prospect Slater de Brun set to make highly-anticipated debut
When Tampa Bay acquired relief pitcher Bryan Baker from the Orioles, it was in exchange for a draft pick, which Baltimore used on the highly touted high school outfielder. The No. 1-ranked prep outfielder in the Class of 2025, he signed for a $4 million bonus.
Despite already being on his second Major League franchise, de Brun has yet to make his professional debut. It is something a lot of people are patiently waiting for, such as Ben Weinrib of MLB.com, who named him one of the 20 most exciting prospects set to make his professional debut in 2026.
Listed at 5-foot-10 and 187 pounds, the dynamic center fielder already has two elite traits that stick out as the foundation of his game: his speed and hit tool. He started to stand out with strong performances on the summer circuit in 2024 and an incredibly productive senior year in 2025.
Despite his current hitter’s profile, de Brun still received a solid 45 power grade. It will be interesting to see if he can grow into that without sacrificing speed. Right now, he knows his role is to get on base and be a terror on the basepaths.
Spent some time at Driveline today getting to know Bend, Oregon outfielder Slater de Brun. Big personality. Kid has packed on muscle this winter. Working to more consistently create more backspin. Vanderbilt commit. pic.twitter.com/LFnIaXM5BS
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) January 7, 2025
Drawing a lot of comparisons to Arizona Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll, de Brun is showing more power at the plate than Carroll did at this age.
Along with his advanced approach at the plate, where he exhibits an excellent eye for the strike zone and bat-to-ball skills, he looks the part of an elite defender in center field. His speed and athleticism translate to that part of the game.
He looks the part of a future top of the order table setter for the Rays, who can offer a little bit of pop to go along with his on-base skills and defense.
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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.