These are the Tampa Bay Rays top prospects entering 2023 according to MLB.com

It is no secret the Tampa Bay Rays are ... not the most spendthrift of franchises, relying more on savvy deals and keeping a well-stocked minor league system to remain in contention against the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays. Tuesday, MLB.com announced its updated list of the top 30 Rays prospects, let by the likes of Taj Bradley and Curtis Mead.

A 6-foot-2, 190-pound 21-year-old, Bradley began his 2022 season with Double-A Montgomery before finishing up with Triple-A Durham. Between the two he posted a 2.57 ERA in 133 innings on the mound. He ranks No. 23 overall on both MLB's list of top prospects as well as Baseball Prospectus'. The right-handed starting pitcher has been in major league camp to start spring training this year and threw a scoreless inning Sunday against the Red Sox.

Mead, a 22-year-old who has played at both second and third base, is TB's second-ranked prospect and MLB's No. 33 overall, per MLB.com. He ranks as high as 16th at Baseball Prospectus and a little lower at 36th from Baseball America. He, too, split his time between Montgomery and Durham, going a combined .298 average, .390 OBP, .532 slugging between the the levels. He had 13 home runs and 27 doubles.

Tampa Bay Rays prospects ranked in MLB.com's Top 100 overall

1. Taj Bradley, RHP (MLB No. 20), Triple-A
2. Curtis Mead, 3B/2B (MLB No. 33), Triple-A
3. Carson Williams, SS (MLB No. 72), Single-A
4. Kyle Manzardo, 1B (MLB No. 73), Double-A

*highest level achieved in 2022 noted

MLB.com's Adam Berry noted in his story this year's top 10 list entering the season includes two players acquired in trades -- Junior Caminero (ranked No. 5 in TB's organization) and Osleivis Basabe (No. 7) -- as well as 2021 draftees Carson Wiliams, Kyle Manzardo, Mason Montgomery (No. 6), and Mason Auer (No. 8).

Tampa Bay Rays Top 10 in the organization, per MLB.com

1. Taj Bradley, RHP (MLB No. 20), Triple-A
2. Curtis Mead, 3B/2B (MLB No. 33), Triple-A
3. Carson Williams, SS (MLB No. 72), Single-A
4. Kyle Manzardo, 1B (MLB No. 73), Double-A
5. Junior Caminero, INF, Single-A
6. Mason Montgomery, LHP, Double-A
7. Osleivis Basabe, INF, MLB
8. Mason Auer, OF, Advanced-A
9. Cole Wilcox, RHP, Single-A
10. Xavier Isaac, 1B, Rookie

At The Athletic, Keith Law listed the organization No. 5 overall (sub req) in February, while Prospects1500 has it No. 6.