By: J.P. Schwartz
@Jaypers413 on Twitter
JP’s FreedomCardboard Blog

2012 Tampa Bay Rays Top 15 Prospect Rankings

Every year at this time I like to rank each team’s top prospects. My criteria is based upon both past performance and future potential to his parent team. This is my ranking of the 2012 Tampa Bay Rays Top Prospects. If you have any questions about my rankings, feel free to shoot me a message on twitter @Jaypers413

To qualify, a prospect must have fewer than 130 at-bats or 50 innings in MLB

#1 Matt Moore LHP
Born: 6/18/1989
Highest Level Reached: MLB Tampa Bay Rays
2011 Combined Stats: MINORS: 12-3, 1.92ERA, 155IP, 46BB, 210K, .184BAA
MAJORS: 1-0, 2.89ERA, 9.1IP, 3BB, 15K, .243BAA

#2 Hak-Ju Lee SS
Born: 11-4-1990
Highest Level Reached: Double-A Montgomery Biscuits
2011 Combined Stats: .292, 17(2B), 15(3B), 5HR, 30RBI, 33SB

#3 Taylor Guerrieri RHP
Born: 12/1/1992
Highest Level Reached: 1st Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft
2011 Combined Stats: Did Not Play In 2011

#4 Enny Romero LHP
Born: 1/24/1991
Highest Level Reached: Low-A Bowling Green Hot Rods
2011 Combined Stats: 5-5, 4.26ERA, 114IP, 68BB, 140K, .245BAA

#5 Drew Vettleson OF
Born: 7/19/1991
Highest Level Reached: Rookie League Princeton Rays
2011 Combined Stats: .282, 13(2B), 4(3B), 7HR, 40RBI, 20SB

#6 Chris Archer RHP
Born: 9/26/1988
Highest Level Reached: Triple-A Durham Bulls
2011 Combined Stats: 9-7, 4.09ERA, 147.1IP, 86BB, 130K, .263BAA

#7 Mikie Mahtook OF
Born: 10/30/1989
Highest Level Reached: 1st Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft
2011 Combined Stats: Did Not Play In 2011

#8 Josh Sale OF
Born: 7/5/1991
Highest Level Reached: Rookie League Princeton Rays
2011 Combined Stats: .210, 11(2B), 3(3B), 4HR, 15RBI

#9 Tim Beckham SS
Born: 1/27/1990
Highest Level Reached: Triple-A Durham Bulls
2011 Combined Stats: .271, 28(2B), 4(3B), 12HR, 70RBI, 17SB

#10 Alex Torres LHP
Born: 12/8/1987
Highest Level Reached: MLB Tampa Bay Rays
2011 Combined Stats: MINORS: 9-7, 3.08ERA, 146.1IP, 83BB, 156K, .249BAA
MAJORS: 1-1, 3.38ERA, 8IP, 7BB, 9K, .258BAA

#11 Derek Dietrich SS
Born: 7/18/1989
Highest Level Reached: .277, 34(2B), 4(3B), 22HR, 81RBI
2011 Combined Stats:

#12 Brandon Guyer OF
Born: 1/28/1986
Highest Level Reached: MLB Tampa Bay Rays
2011 Combined Stats: MINORS: .312, 29(2B), 5(3B), 14HR, 61RBI, 16SB
MAJORS: .195 (8 hits in 41 at-bats), 1(2B), 2HR, 3RBI

#13 Felipe Rivero LHP
Born: 7/5/1991
Highest Level Reached: Rookie League Princeton Rays
2011 Combined Stats: 3-3, 4.62ERA, 60.1IP, 13BB, 57K, .264BAA

#14 Kes Carter OF
Born: 3/3/1990
Highest Level Reached: Rookie League GCL Rays
2011 Combined Stats: .231 (3 hits in 13 at-bats), 1RBI (Supplemental 1st Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft)

#15 Alex Colome RHP
Born: 12/31/1988
Highest Level Reached: Double-A Montgomery Biscuits
2011 Combined Stats: 12-9, 3.82ERA, 157.2IP, 72BB, 123K, .216BAA

Disclaimer – I did not attend any minor league games this year, nor do I claim to have any scouting experience. These lists are the product of my own research of statistics and online scouting reports.