Unfortunate Circumstances Led to Rays Top Prospect Prediction Being Wrong
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The Tampa Bay Rays know that the pressure is on when it comes to developing prospects because of the disadvantage they face in terms of spending on their Major League roster.
To contend with their rivals in the American League East, they need to hit on young players. They have found a formula to consistently do that with pitchers, getting the most out of arms other organizations have overlooked.
However, the same consistency has not yet been found with their positional players. In some cases, something occurs that is outside of their control, such as with Xavier Isaac.
Predicted two years ago to be the No. 1-ranked prospect for the Rays, unforeseen circumstances have kept that from happening. Last July, he underwent brain surgery, which has led to other prospects jumping him in the rankings.
Xavier Isaac has been jumped by other Rays prospects
As shared by Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Sam Dykstra of MLB.com, the top-rated prospect for Tampa Bay is shortstop Carson Williams. He is No. 63 overall in the sport, with his power and defensive ability providing optimism that he can be an incredibly productive Big Leaguer.
The 2026 lists haven’t been generated yet, but Isaac barely held onto a top 10 spot in the final 2025 edition of the Rays' Top 30 prospects rankings. He is the No. 6-ranked positional player behind Williams, Theo Gillen, Jacob Melton, Daniel Pierce and Slater de Brun.
Melton and de Brun were both acquired this winter in trades from the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.
There is still plenty to like about Isaac as a prospect. The surgery was a setback, but he is only 22 years old and possesses the kind of tools that led to him being predicted to be the organization’s No. 1 prospect.
— Xavier Isaac (@xavierisaac__) November 29, 2025
He has incredible raw power, receiving a 70 grade on the 0-80 scale. The Rays looked smart to this point, banking on that bat speed and power translating to the professional ranks, launching 19 home runs in 102 games during his first season with Single-A and High-A.
Another strong start was produced in 2024 before being promoted to Double-A Montgomery. He struggled there, with a real hole in his game emerging with his astronomical strikeout rate of 40.6%.
Cutting down on that strikeout rate is the No. 1 way for him to continue moving through the minor league system and up the prospect rankings. His prodigious power has remained, and Tampa Bay has done a great job increasing his agility, which has led to improvements in other areas of his game, such as base running and defense.
Receiving a non-roster invite to spring training is another opportunity to showcase his talents.
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.