Rays' Top Pitching Prospect Dropping in MLB Top 100 Is Concerning

Should the Tampa Bay Rays be worried about their top pitching prospect?

May 3, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) looks on the field during the first inning against San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field. | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have been one of the best teams in baseball to start the season, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. 

Coming into the year, expectations for the Rays were a bit low. They didn’t do much to improve on paper compared to some of the other teams in the American League East. However, with three of the five teams in the division under the .500 mark, it has been Tampa Bay who is leading the division in the middle of May. 

A major reason for the success of the team has been their starting rotation. This is a group that has some All-Star caliber talent leading the way for them, and the group as a whole is one of the best in the league. Despite some injuries cause starters to miss time, the group has been strong. 

Unfortunately, while the rotation has been a strength, one player who the team was likely hoping could be called up to the majors this year has not been doing well in the minors. With the group potentially needing some help, it likely won’t be coming anytime soon from their top pitching prospect. 

Recently, an updated version of the MLB Top 100 prospects was released and Rays’ right-hander Brody Hopkins moved down from 68th to 86th in a concerning drop. 

Hopkins Going Down in MLB Top 100 is Concerning

Montgomery Biscuit’s Brody Hopkins | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For a Tampa Bay team that had high expectations and likely thought Hopkins could be part of the team in the majors this year, the drop in the prospect rankings for their top pitching prospect is a concern. 

So far in Triple-A this season, the results for Hopkins haven’t been awful, but they are a bit concerning. He has totaled a (0-3) record and 3.79 ERA. While the ERA isn’t terrible, he has since his walk rate dramatically increased and his strikeout rate decrease at a higher level. 

Control has always been a sticking point for Hopkins, who has some excellent stuff. So far, the inability to throw strikes has held him back this season and is a concerning trend. With a current walk rate of 7.8 per nine innings, throwing more strikes has to be a focus for him moving forward. 

The drop is certainly concerning and before any type of thought about moving him to the majors, he has to get the walks under control. Hopefully, that will be something that he can improve upon over the next couple of months.