Bradley, Mead put in work to get to Futures Game

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ST. PETERSBURG -- Curtis Mead is a line-drive-hitting infielder who joined the Rays from Australia by way of a seemingly minor trade with the Phillies. Taj Bradley is a hard-throwing starting pitcher who was only 17 years old when the Rays drafted him out of Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Ga.

But the two 21-year-olds have a few things in common.

They’re the top Minor Leaguers in the Rays’ system, with Bradley ranked second behind top prospect Shane Baz and Mead third, according to MLB Pipeline. They’re among baseball's most promising overall prospects, with Bradley checking in at No. 34 on the Top 100 list and Mead at No. 61. And they’re both bound for the 2022 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, MLB’s annual prospect showcase, at Dodger Stadium on July 16.

They’re also both tireless workers, their coaches say, dedicated to improving and committed to being the best at what they do.

Take it from Double-A Montgomery manager Morgan Ensberg, who’s watching Bradley dominate the Southern League: “I think there’s a high baseball IQ. I think there’s an aptitude. I think there’s a willingness to learn. I think there’s a humbleness, even though he has elite stuff. He really has all of the ingredients to be an elite pitcher.”

And from Montgomery hitting coach Wuarnner Rincones, who’s worked with Mead the last two years: “He told me, ‘Hey, Wuarnner, I want to be one of the best in the game.’ I said, ‘Congratulations, man. You know what you want.’ And that is something that really pushes him to do what he needs to do daily and complete the goals that he has.”

Mead broke out last season, and he’s been just as good this year. In his first 64 games between Montgomery and Triple-A Durham, he hit .296/.392/.543 with 12 homers and 24 doubles. Mead has worked around the infield, mostly at third base and second. And he’s impressed his coaches with maturity well beyond his years.

“He knows what he wants, and he’s always working toward the goal for him,” Rincones said. “He works hard every day, and that’s one of the things that really gives him the opportunity to be consistent.

“When we were in the [Arizona] Fall League, he was playing four times a week, and when he wasn’t playing, those were the days that he worked harder. … He’s a kid that loves talking about baseball, talking about hitting. If you are around him, he’s going to try to find a way to talk about hitting.”

Bradley, a fifth-round pick in 2018, also took a big step forward in his development and was arguably the best pitcher in the Minors last season. He won over coaches with his aptitude for learning, occasionally repeating their advice from the pages of his journal, and his continued evolution on the mound.

He’s been even more dominant this year, entering Thursday’s start with a 1.65 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 76 strikeouts (with only 17 walks) in 65 1/3 innings. In 13 of his first 14 starts, he allowed one earned run or fewer. Ensberg compared his stuff and competitive drive to that of Baz and Shane McClanahan, no small compliment given their standing in the organization.

“Taj really makes it look easy. It’s a very smooth, under-control delivery with elite stuff at a very young age,” Ensberg said. “And the way he carries himself, his demeanor is really impressive for somebody that young. But underneath, which I think most great pitchers have, is the very strong fire in him.

“He expects a lot of himself. He believes in himself. And he works his tail off. So, it’s really awesome to have him and to be able to manage him.”