Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Rays' Talented Pitcher Increases Expectations as Top 100 Prospect

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 1:00 PM ET

As the offseason comes to a close for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team is taking shape for the 2026 campaign.

It has been a very busy offseason for the Rays, and the team has been reshaped quite a bit. As expected, Tampa Bay was active this winter, but the moves have been a bit mixed in terms of whether or not they can compete.

While the Rays will certainly do their best to hang around in the American League East, the likelihood of them being a contender is low. This is a division that really loaded up with talent this winter, and Tampa Bay simply can’t compete in that area.

The Rays have loaded up in their farm system this winter with some moves made for the future. However, even though they added some excellent talent in trades and strengthened the overall depth of the unit, Tampa Bay had some good talent before those deals were made.

Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline recently released the Top 100 prospects heading into the 2026 campaign. For the Rays, pitcher Brody Hopkins made the list at 85.

Hopkins Establishes Himself in Top 100

.@MLBPipeline has released its 2026 Preseason Top 100 prospect list

Theo Gillen, Brody Hopkins & Carson Williams are listed, but none are in the top 50. Williams leads at #63, with Gillen at #76 and Hopkins at #85 #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/oykKoGxU5b
— SleeperRays (@SleeperRays) January 24, 2026

In terms of pitchers in the system, Hopkins is the highest rated for the Rays, and his being in the Top 100 is a great indication of the pitcher he might be able to become. While the starting rotation could be the strength of the team heading into the campaign, they do have some question marks for the unit.

They are expecting to have their ace Shane McClanahan back and healthy for the start of the season, and he will undoubtedly be the X-factor for the team. While he might not be able to start 30 games after missing two years because of injuries, he could be elite for the team.

Furthermore, they are also relying on Steven Matz to transition back from being a reliever to a starter. The left-hander hasn’t been a successful starter in a number of years and is going to be a major question mark.

Fortunately, the team does have some talented young arms in the organization, and Hopkins is one of the best. The right-hander could very well be part of the starting rotation in 2026, and that will be exciting for the team to watch.

As a Top 100 prospect, expectations will be high for Hopkins, but the talented right-hander should be ready for them. He has performed well in the minors, and a chance in the majors seems likely in 2026.