PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Wednesday was a pretty special day for Brayden Taylor.

After spending the last two weeks getting a feel for things in his first Minor League Spring Training, the Rays’ first-round pick in the 2023 Draft joined the big league club for Wednesday’s pregame work and took over at shortstop for José Caballero to play the final three innings of their 4-3 win over the Twins at Charlotte Sports Park.

“It was pretty surreal at first, just kind of being around all these guys that I’ve just watched on TV,” said Taylor, Tampa Bay’s No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, after his first big league spring experience. “I got to kind of pick their brains a little bit, and it was a good time.”

This weekend should be pretty special for Taylor, too, as he will take part in the first-ever Spring Breakout prospect showcase. Taylor will join a group of the Rays’ top prospects against a team of Twins prospects on Saturday during the back half of a big league/prospect doubleheader at Lee Health Sports Complex.

Even after the thrill of his first big league spring game, Taylor was looking forward to sharing a lineup with so many of the organization’s top prospects, including shortstop Carson Williams (No. 2) and first baseman Xavier Isaac (No. 4).

“I'm really excited,” he said. “I've gotten to know quite a few guys here so far. It'll be fun to kind of see that type of team together and see how we react together. It'll be really cool because I'm so close with these guys already. Just excited to go out and play with them.”

Taylor played alongside some of his Spring Breakout teammates while finishing last season with Single-A Charleston, and he’s gotten to know more of them during the daily grind of Spring Training. He’s still learning to develop a routine that works for him and getting used to spending more time at shortstop after mostly playing third base in college.

It should come as no surprise that one of his favorite things is getting to be at the ballpark every day. Another highlight? His teammates, whether they’re on a big league field, in the Minors or at Spring Breakout.

“That's what's great about this organization,” Taylor said. “Everyone's so welcoming to me and all of my teammates. It's been very fun.”

Aranda keeps crushing
Arguably no hitter in Rays camp is having a better spring than Jonathan Aranda, and it continued Wednesday. The left-handed-hitting infielder sliced a first-inning single down the left-field line, worked a walk in the third and bashed a two-run homer in the fifth to cap another excellent offensive showing.

“He's had a solid spring. Want to see it keep going and just keep building that confidence,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He's really impacted the baseball really well to all fields.”

Aranda is seemingly on his way to securing one of the open bench spots on Tampa Bay’s Opening Day roster, having already thoroughly dominated the Triple-A level and now hitting .414 (12-for-29) with a 1.124 OPS in Spring Training. But he isn’t letting himself get too comfortable yet.

“I don't like to say that I have that spot already locked up. Keep on working hard,” Aranda said through interpreter Manny Navarro. “I don't have the starting position yet, but I'm going to continue to work to get it, and that's going to be the goal is to hopefully get that spot sometime.”

Around the horn
• Left-hander Jacob Lopez had his sharpest outing of the spring, striking out five with just one walk and one hit allowed over three scoreless innings. The rookie added a cutter to his arsenal over the last two weeks, and he was pleased with the results it delivered Wednesday.

“I don't have a lot of experience with it. But it's good to get in the game, and that's the best place to learn it,” Lopez said. “I'm just throwing it like it's another one of my pitches, and it's been good so far.”

• Phil Maton, Shawn Armstrong and Jason Adam each struck out two, and Garrett Cleavinger finished the game with a strikeout after allowing a two-out single.

• Brandon Lowe blasted his first home run of the spring out to center field in the first inning.

Up next
Right-hander Zack Littell will take the mound as the Rays face the Braves on Thursday at CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla. Yandy Díaz, Randy Arozarena, Amed Rosario, Isaac Paredes and René Pinto are among the regulars expected to start, while closer Pete Fairbanks and setup man Colin Poche are also expected to pitch.

Chris Sale is expected to start for Atlanta. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m., with no Bally Sports Sun or Rays Radio coverage scheduled.