Rays 2016 Top 50 Prospects: Number 43, Oscar Rojas

Rays Top 50 Prospects includes a tremendous number of high-quality prospects. We at RCG are bringing you an in-depth look at those we consider to be the Top 50.

While gathering as much information as possible from various sources, we’re going to put it all together for your enjoyment and raise the bar on what you expect from a prospect knowledgable site. Stay tuned, check-in often, and please let us know how we’re doing.

More from Rays Colored Glasses

• Tampa Bay Rays give richest contract in franchise history to Wander Franco
• Remembering Julio Lugo’s time with the Tampa Bay Rays
• Are you the 2021 FanSided Sports Fan of the Year?
• Rays: Just how good was Randy Arozarena’s rookie season?
• Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino stands out despite low batting average

Being such a lengthy process, some encouragement will go a very long way. We hope you’ll enjoy reading this series as much as we enjoy putting it together. If anything, all of us will know that much more about the quality of the Rays system.

The rankings will be based on all aspects of each prospect, but will focus first on how likely the player is to make an impact in MLB, and ceiling next. Mikie Mahtook and Enny Romero have been graduated to the majors and will not be included in these rankings.

Once completed, the Top 50 will be updated mid-season with an explanation to why they’re moving up or down, and the entire process will be repeated each season.

The next player to be examined in detail is …

#43: Oscar Rojas, OF,  years old

• Bats: Right Ht/Wt: 5’11” 170 lbs
• Signed: as an international free agent on Dec 17th 2012
• 2015 Affiliate: GCL Rays
• MLB: from 2020+

Rojas’ Stats

Rojas’ Fielding Stats

Rojas’ 2015 Splits

Player Facts

• Named VSL MVP by the Rays for 2014
• Named GCL MVP by the Rays for 2015
• Had his best numbers when hitting with 2 outs, .298/.389/.340 in 47 AB
• Led the GCL Rays in doubles, triples, RBI, Runs, and SB
• Managed a career high .365 wOBA and 126 wRC+
• Walked 6.9% of the time, struck out only 17.3% of the time
• Pretty well split time between CF and RF, only made 2 errors
• Over last 62 PA, hit .302/.377/.358
• Hit .306/.379/.455 against pitchers who were older than he was
• You can see his spray chart here. It indicates how well he uses the entire field and squares up a ton of pitches, driving them up-the-middle

Best Tools

• Ability to control the strike zone
• Power for his size
• Crushes LHP (.385/.442/.615 with 5 doubles / 1 triple in 39 AB)

Our Thoughts

More from Rays Prospects

• Tampa Bay Rays: Erik Neander has turned this team into a 26-man wrecking machine
• Tampa Bay Rays’ future arrives (hopefully) on Monday night with Shane Baz
• Who should the Tampa Bay Rays call-up when rosters expand?
• Tampa Bay Rays 2021 First Round Draft target: Gavin Williams
• Tampa Bay Rays 2021 Draft target: Colson Montgomery

We can’t help but to be impressed with how seamless the transition from the VSL to the GCL was for Rojas. He came in a led the team in most categories and was a force to be reckoned with. Playing both CF and RF, he provided the team with above-average defensive capabilities and proved that CF may be the best option for him moving forward.

Despite being on a smaller side, Rojas continued to prove he has pop in his bat and wound up being 4th in the entire GCL in extra-base hits as a result. To put things into perspective, he outhit Garrett Whitley in the GCL handily and is only 8 months older, a clear indication that his performance should not be understated.

Honestly, if we knew more about him, we would have ranked him higher on this list. Of the players in our 41-50 range, he has the best chance to jump into the top 30 in 2016 and possibly make his name heard and know with yet another MVP worthy performance.

Conclusion

Rojas, along with Angel Moreno, Manny Sanchez, and others, provide the Rays with intriguing options in the OF should others ahead of them in the system falter. With the way he handled his days in the GCL, there’s a decent chance he is pushed to Hudson Valley for 2016. His position will likely continue to be CF going forward, and if he adds size and strength to his frame, he could become one of the more prominent OF prospects in the system by the end of the season.

Next: Tampa Bay Rays Top 50 Prospects: #12 Casey Gillaspie

None of these players should be discounted as a possible future OF in Tampa, and the fact that we have Rojas at 43 is no slight on his potential. If anything, it’s only a reflection of the depth of this system. Keep an eye on Rojas in 2016, he could become one of your – and our – favourites in the lower end of the minors at CF.