5 Tampa Bay Rays make Baseball America's top 100 prospect list

No. 8 Shane Baz RHP

Yes finally, the Rays top prospect, Shane Baz cracks the top 10 prospect list at number 8. Baz has already made quite the name for himself thanks for his performances pitching for Team USA in last year's Summer Olympics.

Baz dominated the AA and AAA leagues last year, striking out 113 batters while walking only 13, and holding a 2.06 ERA. He went 3-0 in his 3 regular season starts for the Rays at the end of the season.

Unfortunately, Baz could not hold the hot Red Sox bats in the playoffs, like the Rays needed. However, at 22 years old, Baz will have to look at 2021 as an extreme positive. He dominated the minors, lead Team USA to a silver medal, and got valuable game expierence in the Majors.

His deadliest pitch is his elevating fastball that can be thrown at 99 mph. Most MLB hitters love elevated fastballs in the zone. Which is great for Baz because he deceives the batter into thinking his fastball is right over the plate, but before you know it the batter has mistakenly swung at a pitch on the same level as their eye balls or helmet.

The sky is the limit for Baz, as the Rays are going to need him this year, especially with the news of Glasnow missing most of the 2022 season. Whether or not Baz will play the majority of his games in Durham or Tampa is unclear. What is clear is that the Rays are going to need Baz's electric arm not just for the future, but for the upcoming playoff run in 2022.