Rays' first baseman Jonathan Aranda seeking first All-Star selection with great start

ByMason Stacy|
Tampa Bay Rays v Toronto Blue Jays
Tampa Bay Rays v Toronto Blue Jays | Vaughn Ridley/GettyImages

It's been a long road for Jonathan Aranda, but the Rays' front office always believed that this day would come where he would take the league by storm. Most baseball fans are shocked by his overwhelming statistics, including Rays' fans. However, if you analyze his career path, this breakout makes perfect sense and it is coming at the ideal time.

In 2015 the Rays signed the 17-year old Mexican infielder to a minor league deal. The left-handed slugger was actually scouted alongside former Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena, as the two of them took part in a workout in Tijuana, Mexico. Aranda displayed high quality play that resulted in him joining the Tampa Bay organization.

Nobody could've predicted his success though. The young athlete climbed through the minor league ranks steadily as he opened eyes at every level. In the lefty's first full season as a professional, he hit .257 with 12 extra-base hits in 49 games.

Aranda's bat only improved as his career unfolded. His best season came in 2023 when he played 95 games for Triple-A Durham. Aranda slashed .339/.449/.613 with 25 home runs and earning his second minor league All-Star appearance. That season made it clear to Erik Neander and company that the major leagues was the only logical next step for Aranda.

Unfortunately, injuries delayed his inevitable first season with the Rays. In 2024, Jonathan Aranda suffered an unexpected finger injury that left him off the roster until May. A second ailment pushed his return back to September. Therefore, Aranda only played in 44 regular season contests for the Rays. He still managed to produce 30 hits and 13 extra-base knocks, but the small sample size only helped the club so much.

2025 was going to be his year, but nobody really knew what that meant at the highest level. Well, Aranda is showing us precisely what it means. He's not only performing at a high level, but he's also in the top 10 among American League hitters in key statistics such as batting average (.306) and on-base percentage (.391). To add to his success, Jonathan Aranda is second among AL first basemen in batting average and slugging percentage, making him a great candidate for joining his first All-Star team.