ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays hold the best record in the American League and a farm system deep enough to deal from, placing the franchise among the top 10 teams positioned to make moves before the Trade Deadline, according to MLB Pipeline analysts.
Jim Callis, breaking down the Rays on the latest MLB Pipeline Podcast, pointed to the club’s balance of pitching and hitting prospects as fuel for potential deals. “My suspicion is that the Rays may not make a blockbuster, but I bet they make a couple of moves to improve their team between now and the Trade Deadline,” Callis said.
Callis identified catcher Nathan Flewelling — the Rays’ No. 2 prospect and MVP of the Futures Game — and infielder Caden Bodine as tradeable assets from a position of surplus. Bodine, acquired in an offseason trade, hit .326 in his first year of professional ball last year and is batting .356 through 79 games this season. The Rays also hold last year’s first-round pick Daniel Pierce, a shortstop whose path could be complicated after Tampa Bay drafted Grady Emerson No. 2 overall this year at the same position.
Top prospect Theo Gillen, whom Callis called “one of the best prospects in baseball,” appears far less likely to move. “I hate using the word untouchable because in the right deal is anybody really untouchable? But Theo Gillen is one of the best prospects in baseball. I don’t know that they would move him,” Callis said.
The Rays are newcomers to the Pipeline podcast’s annual pre-Deadline list, joining the Guardians, Cardinals and Pirates as first-time entries for 2026. Six of the 10 teams named — including the Dodgers, Mariners, Brewers, Yankees and Cubs — appeared on last year’s list as well. All 10 teams chosen in 2025 traded prospects from their respective Top 30 lists at that Deadline, lending weight to the exercise.
Callis noted the Rays operate with fewer financial resources than even the Brewers, but called the front office “very resourceful” and “creative,” suggesting Tampa Bay could both acquire a prospect in one move and flip prospects for a veteran in another. The club’s record has tightened recently, adding urgency to any potential deal before the Trade Deadline arrives.