Rays low-level prospect turns heads with two-homer game against Phillies

The majority of the Rays spring training invitees had made an in-game appearance prior to yesterday's exhibition against the Phillies. However, there were a few low-level prospects that were still exclusively taking reps on the back fields. They're probably itching to play in their first spring training game and show their worth in front of their teammates and the coaching staff. One particular minor leaguer got his opportunity yesterday and he certainly made the most of it.

The Rays second round pick in the 2022 draft was an outfielder from Stanford University named Brock Jones. Jones has been able to display some quality power numbers since joining the Tampa Bay organization, but his consistency at the plate has faltered in recent years. That is likely the reason why this 23-year old prospect has gone unnoticed by most fans. Nonetheless, he made his presence known yesterday in a big way. The 6'0 outfielder crushed two homers, one of which tied the game in the 9th inning.

The first home run was off of a 23-year old right-hander that plays for the Phillies Single-A affiliate. The second blast was against reliever Joel Kuhnel. Kuhnel has been granted significant time in the big leagues as he's approaching 100 career innings. Therefore, we can't overlook the performance that Brock Jones portrayed.

Obviously, this is a miniscule sample size, but we're sure that the Rays front office took notice of Jones's results. Two at-bats and two home runs is rather impressive no matter what the circumstance, so this young prospect should remain on your radar.

Although, the downside of his career to this point is his consistency at the plate. The California native has produced a .218 AVG over three seasons in the minor leagues. He also accumulated high strikeout totals with Single-A Bowling Green from 2023-2024. The right-handed slugger struck out 265 times over a span of 179 games. It's definitely a concerning part of Jones's game, but on the bright side, he hit 32 home runs over that same length of time.

The athletic center fielder also swiped 32 bags for Bowling Green a season ago, which is definitely an attribute that the Rays admire. All in all, Brock Jones still has a ton of work to do to prove himself at the highest level, but we can't deny this was an incredible first impression.