Rays Announce Winners of Minor League Awards for Season
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The Tampa Bay Rays farm system is one of the best in baseball, and a few of the players in the minor leagues have been recognized for their performance on the field this season.
As shared by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times on X, the Rays have revealed which players have won minor league awards for the 2026 season. The first award, Player of the Year, has co-winners this year: catcher Caden Bodine and outfielder Theo Gillen.
Acquired in an offseason trade from the Baltimore Orioles, Bodine has shot up the rankings this year. He started in Single-A and is going to end the campaign in Triple-A, knocking on the door of the Major Leagues.
While his defense remains strong behind the plate, it is his bat that has led to him moving rapidly through the minors. He has a .344/.411/.519 slash line in his first full pro season with 16 home runs, 27 doubles, two triples and 97 RBI. The most impressive part? He has drawn 49 walks and struck out only 33 times.
Rays recognize best minor leaguers with team awards
Gillen is another player whose arrow is pointing way up, skyrocketing up the rankings this year. He is a borderline top-10 prospect in the sport and earned it with a dominant season with High-A Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery.
The 20-year-old has a .315/.422/.550 slash line in 525 plate appearances with 22 home runs, 23 doubles, seven triples and 90 RBI with 44 stolen bases. He is a star in the making.
On the mound, recent Major League call-up Ty Johnson was named Pitcher of the Year. He made his MLB debut on Sept. 6 and earned it with some strong performances with Triple-A Durham.
A starting pitcher throughout his career, Johnson shifted into a bullpen role in August and thrived, earning him a promotion for the stretch run of the season. He had a 3.03 ERA across 62.1 innings with the Bulls, striking out 84 before his promotion.
#Rays announced minor-league player awards:
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) September 10, 2026
Co-Players of the year: Caden Bodine, Theo Gillen
Pitcher of the year: Ty Johnson
Top reliever: Alexander Alberto
Top baserunner: Tony Santa Maria
Top defensive player: Mac Horvath
Another pitcher, Alexander Alberto, was named the Top Reliever. Through 46 appearances and 55.2 innings pitched in Double-A and Triple-A, he had five saves and 68 strikeouts with a 3.72 ERA.
The top baserunner award has been given to Tony Santa Maria. He started the season with High-A Bowling Green and will end it with Triple-A Durham, scoring 75 runs in total and stealing 58 bases.
Last but not least is the top defensive player. That award went to Mac Horvath. A second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles, he made an impact with his glove all over the diamond.
Horvath played center field, right field, left field and second base this season for the Biscuits.
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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.