The talented teenager excels when healthy, but just can’t stay on the field
Over the offseason, the Draybay community takes part in an exercise in which we compile a list of 30 prospects in the Rays system based on popular vote.
Now that the 2024 season has concluded, we can look back at these rankings and see how each individual player performed.
We have already covered
We resume the reviews at #19.
The Rays signed Brailer Guerrero in Janaury 2023 at just 16-years old. He has an offensive skillset that makes scouts salivate and already can post eye popping exit velocity. During his first season as a professional, Guerrero hit .261/.379/.391 over 29 plate appearances before undergoing shoulder surgery, ending his campaign.
17 | BT: L/R | 6’ 1” | 215
DSL | .261/.379/.391 (.770 OPS, 110 wRC+) 29 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB
Tampa Bay paid $3.7 million to land this prospect in January 2023, and just 7 games into his career he needed shoulder surgery. The logline on Guerrero is an exit velocity in the 110’s despite being just 17 years old, but he’s not just free swinging; there appears to be a solid approach at the plate. He’s already listed at 6’1” and 215 lbs, so there’s some concern his longterm future is at first base, but until then he has the arm to pile up outfield assists from a corner, assuming he returns to playing ball right as rain.
Guerrero made the transition stateside in 2024 and was pummeling opposing pitchers in the Complex League. Unfortunately, it seems the same shoulder that ended his 2023 campaign would cause him issues again in 2024. Guerrero would lead the short-season Rays in most offensive categories, but would only appear in 28 games. The extent of Guerrero’s shoulder injury have not been disclosed, only that it is the same shoulder that he had surgery on in 2023.
Final 2024 Statline
CPX: .330/.452/.466 | 2 HR | 13 SB | 25.4 K% | 17.5 BB% | 155 wRC+ | 126 PA
This is a video of Rays prospect Brailer Guerrero when he was *checks notes* 16 years old. He missed most of last year with a shoulder injury but is still 17 until June. The Rays don’t have the best track record with developing power bats but I think Brailer could be an… pic.twitter.com/6ifd4b7F0G
— BigBobsCards (@BigBobsCards) February 7, 2024
