Snell centerpiece of Rays’ rosy future

ST. PETERSBURG — Looking forward is the best tack for Rays fans given the way the 2016 season has unfolded. And what better way to do so than taking a glance at the players who will drive the future for this team.

MLB.com’s lists for the Top 100 Prospects in baseball and the Top 30 Prospects for each individual organization were released on Thursday.

The ranking of baseball’s top prospects is done by MLBPipeline.com Draft and prospect experts Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Mike Rosenbaum, who compile input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors. It is based on analysis of players’ skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams. Only players with rookie status are eligible for the list. The rankings follow the Collective Bargaining Agreement guidelines for which players fall under the international pool money rules: Players who were at least 23 years old when they signed and played in leagues deemed to be professional (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cuba) are not eligible.

Little surprise to find left-hander Blake Snell ranked No. 1 among the Rays’ top prospects, and the 14th overall prospect in baseball. Following him in order were: shortstop Willy Adames (28th overall), right-hander Brent Honeywell (51) and first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers (90).

Snell is 2-4 with a 3.05 ERA for Tampa Bay and has strung together four quality starts. He impressed manager Kevin Cash on Sunday by overcoming first-inning trouble, when he allowed two runs and nothing else in 6 2/3 innings.

“It says a lot …

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