ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays made a handful of difficult decisions prioritizing the future over the present this weekend, removing key players from their big league roster while revitalizing their farm system with an influx of young talent.

On Friday, they dealt star outfielder Randy Arozarena to the Mariners and Opening Day starter Zach Eflin to the Orioles. On Sunday, they sent high-leverage reliever Jason Adam to the Padres and All-Star infielder Isaac Paredes to the Cubs.

They received a trio of prospects in each of the first three deals. The Cubs sent more of an MLB-ready return in Christopher Morel, Hunter Bigge and Ty Johnson, although Bigge and Johnson are still prospect-eligible.

Eight of those players immediately joined the Rays’ Top 30 Prospects list, according to MLB Pipeline. Including Gregory Barrios, the shortstop prospect the Rays got from Milwaukee for Aaron Civale, nine of the Rays’ Top 30 prospects have been acquired in trades this month. And they aren’t done dealing.

Here’s a rundown of what you need to know about each of Tampa Bay’s new top prospects.

Dylan Lesko, RHP, High-A Bowling Green
Pipeline scouting report: Lesko entered his senior season at Buford (Ga.) High School in 2022 with plenty of hype after becoming the first-ever junior Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year the prior spring. He was delivering on his promise, only to undergo Tommy John surgery in late April. The Padres still selected the right-hander 15th overall and signed him for just under slot at $3.9 million. Lesko made his pro debut in June 2023 – nearly 14 months after surgery – and despite a 5.45 ERA, showed his high potential again with 52 strikeouts over 33 innings across three levels, ending the season at High-A Fort Wayne. He returned to High-A for 2024 but never dominated as he was capable of doing, and the Padres traded him to the Rays at the Trade Deadline as part of a three-player package for reliever Jason Adam.

Lesko sits 92-96 mph with his fastball, touching 98, and makes the offering play even better with impressive carry up in the zone. That’s not even his best pitch. That remains his low-80s changeup with tremendous separation off the heater and movement that gets some silly swings, earning it consistent plus-plus grades. (Lefties hit just .186 with a 38.8 percent K rate off Lesko in 2023 as a result.) His mid-70s curveball flashes plus with 12-to-6 movement and promising spin rates but is still developing consistency.

The 6-foot-2 right-hander experienced control problems in his first year back from surgery in 2023, and those issues have continued into this summer. That created an opportunity for Tampa Bay to buy low, with the Rays hoping to harness his promising stuff and get Lesko back to filling the zone with more regularity.

Organizational fit: The Rays had good intel on Lesko thanks to Christian Wonders, a Minor League pitching coordinator who got to know the Top 100 prospect well during their shared time with the Padres. Wonders and Tampa Bay’s amateur scouting staff stumped hard for Lesko, believing his control issues are the result of him shaking off the post-surgery rust. “This year, the results to date, just don’t think that’s representative of the talent and the potential that sits in front of him,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander said. The Rays still see Lesko as someone with the mental and physical tools to be a mid-rotation or front-end starter.

ETA: 2026

Homer Bush Jr., OF, High-A Bowling Green
Pipeline scouting report: The son of the seven-year Major Leaguer and 1998 World Series champ of the same name, Bush was a two-time solid summer performer in the Appalachian and Cape Cod Leagues, but he really made a name for himself as a junior at Grand Canyon, slashing .370/.478/.500 with 38 walks, 27 strikeouts and 25 steals in 58 games. The Padres took Bush in the fourth round, signed him for slot money at $511,600 and then gave him 44 games in the Minors, including eight for Double-A San Antonio during a Texas League postseason push. He spent the start of his first full season with High-A Fort Wayne and was traded to the Rays at the Trade Deadline as part of a three-player return for reliever Jason Adam.

Batting from the right side, Bush can get aggressive in the box as he lets his bat-to-ball skills do the work to keep strikeouts down. In college and his first taste of the pros, that approach came at the detriment of his power, and the Padres have worked with Bush on swing changes, beginning with standing up a little taller in the box to let his natural raw power -- which shows up in batting practice -- play in games. Even when he does hit dribblers, his plus-plus speed tests defenses, and he got even more aggressive with his wheels in the Minors, stealing 22 bags in 44 games.

That quickness gives Bush ample range in center field, and his instincts out there improved over time in school. It was notable that the former Antelope rotated to the corners in deference to Samuel Zavala and fellow 2023 pick Dillon Head during his time at Single-A, but he was back to the middle of the grass before the trade. He gives Tampa Bay another absolute speedster alongside Chandler Simpson.

Organizational fit: With his big league bloodlines, exceptional makeup and elite athleticism, the Rays liked Bush leading into the 2023 Draft. He also offers a lot of skills that the Rays value. He doesn’t chase pitches outside the strike zone, puts the ball in play, runs well and plays excellent defense. “Incredibly gifted physically,” Neander said. “A lot of value with his feet on both sides of the ball.” Sounds a lot like Simpson, who quickly blossomed into one of the Rays’ best prospects.

ETA: 2026

J.D. Gonzalez, C, Single-A Charleston
Pipeline scouting report: Gonzalez was working his way back from a knee injury in the spring, but despite not being scouted much, he still looked like the best Draft prospect out of Puerto Rico in the 2023 class. That status was cemented when he headed to the Draft Combine in June, and by Draft day, he'd established himself as MLB Pipeline’s No. 213 prospect in the class. The Padres liked him even more than that, selecting him in the third round and signing him for $550,000. Gonzalez became the first Puerto Rican catcher selected in the first 10 rounds since 2017 (Santis Sanchez, A’s). He opened with Single-A Lake Elsinore in 2024 and was traded to the Rays at the Deadline as part of a three-player return for reliever Jason Adam.

There are plenty of interesting parts of Gonzalez’s profile, starting with his status as a left-handed-hitting backstop. The Combine was the perfect place for him to show above-average raw power with a steady rate of exit velocities above 96 mph, and there’s a chance he could add even more pull-side pop in pro ball.

The biggest raves he earns are reserved for his arm strength, with one evaluator noting he has a “bazooka” behind the dish. His blocking and receiving skills could end up being solid with professional work, and therein lies the rub. Having only turned 18 in October of his Draft year, Gonzalez faces a potentially long developmental path, and the history of prep catchers isn’t terrific across the game. But the building blocks, in this case, are worthy of some early excitement and intrigue, and that’s what the Rays were buying into with this acquisition.

Organizational fit: The Rays have some history with Gonzalez. He worked out at Tropicana Field before the 2023 Draft and had what Neander called “a big-time advocate” in Victor Rodriguez, a former Rays scout who’s now the Nationals’ director of Latin American scouting. He hasn’t hit well in his full-season debut, batting just .205 with a .551 OPS before the trade, but it’s important to remember he’s only 18. The Rays have long struggled to develop homegrown catchers, and Neander said they were “strongly advised not to look at the results to date as representative of what his potential can be.”

ETA: 2027

Aidan Smith, OF, Single-A Charleston
Pipeline scouting report: Smith was touted by some scouts as holding a place among the best pure hitters in the realm of talent-rich Texas high school players, particularly after a big senior season and a solid performance at the MLB Draft Combine in 2023, where he rocketed a few balls beyond 100 mph and 400 feet. It was enough for the Mariners to take him in the fourth round and pry him away from his commitment to Mississippi State with a $1.2 million bonus, more than double slot value. He was off to a solid start at Single-A Modesto in 2024 when the M’s moved him to the Rays in a deal involving Randy Arozarena.

Given the three high-upside high school hitters Seattle selected with its first three picks, Smith flew more under the radar, but he has many likable tools that could keep pace with that group. With good balance and a small stride, he optimizes his contact and consistently drives the ball to his pullside. Some within the Seattle organization pointed to his mental acuity as an avid golfer translating to his approach at the plate, though he sometimes struggled with high fastballs in the California League. He showed flashes of being an above-average hitter as an amateur, and while he has just solid power now, some of his present doubles could turn into future homers in his 20s.

With an athletic 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame that can add more strength along with strong wheels to go with a plus arm, there’s a good chance he can stick in center field, giving him a solid floor. Moving out of the hitter-friendly California League will test how the rest of his profile holds up in the Tampa Bay system.

Organizational fit: Typically more flush with infielders than outfielders, the Rays viewed Smith as the leading piece of their return for Arozarena. President of baseball operations Erik Neander said the athletic outfielder “has tools that can impact the game on both sides of the ball” and “very advanced skills” for someone so young and new to pro ball. They believe his frame is fit to add more strength, allowing him to grow into an everyday player -- and potentially a high-end one.

ETA: 2027

Brody Hopkins, RHP, High-A Bowling Green
Pipeline scouting report: The brother of former Red and current Giant TJ Hopkins, Brody Hopkins was a two-way player, starting at College of Charleston, where he pitched very sparingly over two years. He moved to Winthrop and got the chance to play the outfield and start, showing enough on the mound for the Mariners to take him in the sixth round of the 2023 Draft while signing him for an under-slot bonus of $225,000 with the intent to develop him as a pitcher. He got off to a tremendous start at Single-A Modesto and was traded to the Rays before the Trade Deadline in a move for Randy Arozarena.

Long and loose, the 6-foot-4 right-hander has some good stuff he can rely on. While his fastball was typically in the 93-96 mph range in college, he could reach back for 98, and he’s carried that promising velocity into his first full season. His low-80s slider can flash plus at times and misses a good amount of bats and plays well off the riding fastball out of his low release height. His mid-80s changeup lags behind the other two offerings, and he's also added a cutter that helps play between the fastball and slider.

The biggest thing that could hold Hopkins back is his command. He walked 7.3 per nine at Winthrop in 2023 but exhibited promising steps forward in the Seattle system before the trade. The Rays were in need of promising arms with starting capabilities, and they’ll hope Hopkins can continue his upward trajectory now that he’s focused on the mound.

Organizational fit: Despite their reputation for churning out pitching prospects, the Rays' system is relatively light on high-end arms at the moment. They think Hopkins could help change that. As a former two-way player, Neander noted, Hopkins “probably will be the best athlete in our organization once he throws in our uniform.” And that’s no knock on any of the tremendous athletes in Tampa Bay’s system, Neander said. “That speaks more to just how athletic and powerful he is.” The Rays believe he can grow into a power starter, throwing an explosive fastball from a lower arm slot.

ETA: 2026

Mac Horvath, INF/OF, High-A Bowling Green
Pipeline scouting report: That Horvath went undrafted as a high school senior and as a Draft-eligible sophomore at North Carolina had more to do with his asking price than his toolsy combination of power and speed, which has long intrigued scouts. It also had something to do with his inconsistency at the plate, though Horvath dispelled enough of those questions with a strong junior year in Chapel Hill for the Orioles to select him in the second round of the 2023 Draft and sign him for a slightly under slot $1.4 million. Horvath opened his first full season at High-A Aberdeen, where he didn’t hit for average but performed in other ways, and was traded to the Rays in late July as part of a deal that sent Zach Eflin the other way.

Horvath uses bat speed and strength to generate at least plus raw power, and he’s especially adept at trusting his quick, powerful hands to turn on inside pitches and hammer mistakes in the zone. The result is an uphill right-handed stroke and extremely pull-heavy batted-ball profile, which helps him to drive the ball out of the park but also works against him with catchable pop flies. He tends not to chase breaking balls out of the zone all that often but is more vulnerable against quality fastballs up in the zone, leading to some significant swing-and-miss. He does know how to see pitches and walked at a higher clip in his debut than he did in college. That on-base ability jives with above-average speed that enabled him to steal 14 bases in 15 attempts last summer.

Horvath was drafted as a third baseman and possesses plus arm strength, but struggled with accuracy so much that at this point he doesn’t really have a true position. He moved between third, second and right to begin 2024, and even saw a few games in center. If he can develop defensively, Horvath’s power and speed would be more valuable at an infield spot, though added versatility could also work to his advantage, especially with Tampa Bay.

Organizational fit: The Rays love versatile players and good defenders, and they think Horvath can be both. Neander noted Horvath “can be a plus infielder, can be a plus outfielder.” The Rays have plenty of infield options at Bowling Green, so he might see more time in the outfield initially. Combine that with his offensive ability, and the Rays think he will eventually provide value as an everyday player.

ETA: 2026

Jackson Baumeister, RHP, High-A Bowling Green
Pipeline scouting report: A converted catcher ranked as a high school prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, Baumeister had a chance to be picked fairly high in the 2021 Draft. But he went unselected after announcing on the day of the Draft that he was honoring his commitment to Florida State, and it wasn’t until two years later that the Orioles took him in Competitive Balance Round B with the 63rd overall pick in 2023. Baumeister signed for an over-slot $1.61 million bonus and moved to High-A Aberdeen for his first full season, posting a 3.06 ERA with a 29.5 percent strikeout rate over 70 2/3 innings. The Rays picked him up as part of a three-prospect return for Zach Eflin at the Trade Deadline.

At 6-foot-4 and 224 pounds, Baumeister is a tall, physical right-hander with exciting raw stuff. His best pitches are a low-to-mid-90s fastball that can get as high as 97 mph and a playable mid-70s curve he uses to keep hitters off balance. He also can dunk in a developing cutter-like slider at times as well as a fringy changeup, but both those pitches are behind his primary offerings. The fastball shows some good riding quality up in the zone, and it’s not hard to believe Baumeister will be able to get to consistently plus velocity with it as he grows and develops.

Baumeister began his college career pitching in relief and then had mixed results in the rotation as a Draft-eligible sophomore, in part because he’s had trouble at times limiting walks. He might be able to clean up those issues because of his fairly simple delivery and his size suggests he can be durable. That remains a work in progress on the pro side, but his overall pitch shapes should make for exciting additions to the Tampa Bay pipeline.

Organizational fit: A Jacksonville native who pitched at Florida State, the Rays see Baumeister as a “big arm” with a quality fastball, someone they liked heading into last year’s Draft. He still has to develop his secondary offerings to reach his ceiling as a starter, but he has performed well in his first taste of professional baseball and should have plenty of time and opportunity to develop given Tampa Bay’s need for pitching prospects.

ETA: 2026

Matthew Etzel, OF, Double-A Montgomery
Pipeline scouting report: Etzel spent one semester at Texas A&M before transferring to Panola (Texas) JC for two seasons. A strong turn with Williamsport in the MLB Draft League preceded his transfer to Southern Mississippi for 2022-23, and by slashing .317/.381/.472 with seven homers and 23 steals in 66 games, the outfielder helped the Golden Eagles reach the Super Regionals. Etzel went to the Orioles in the 10th round of last year’s Draft, signing for exact slot at $167,000, and was a well-above-average performer at High-A Aberdeen in his first full season, earning a promotion to Double-A in early June. Baltimore traded the 22-year-old to Tampa Bay as part of a three-prospect Deadline package for Zach Eflin.

Batting from the left side, Etzel makes a decent amount of contact from a slightly open stance that allows him to see the ball well. He handled fastballs well in college, and that’s continued into pro ball, even at Double-A. He can be susceptible to the down-and-away slider, however. Still, he is contact-oriented, and that can result in a sizable diet of ground balls (close to 50 percent at Double-A before the trade). That profile can work with a plus-plus runner like Etzel, but his slugging percentage will likely be driven by doubles and triples rather than homers.

The former Golden Eagle puts his wheels to good use by being aggressive on the basepaths, and he was second in the O’s system with 41 steals through 83 games at the time of the deal. The Orioles moved him around all three outfield spots to take advantage of the speed, and Etzel even saw some time at first base in High-A to keep his bat in the lineup. The Rays know a thing or two about versatile speedsters, making this a solid fit.

Organizational fit: Etzel was “not as famous” as his counterparts in the trade, Neander noted, but he moved quickly to Double-A for a reason. The Rays’ scouts, staff and analysts all project him to be a regular, someone the Rays are “really high on and … a big part of why we made this deal,” Neander said. He’s most likely to wind up in a corner outfield spot, given the Rays’ high standards for center field defense, but he could also be the first player from these deals to reach the Majors.

ETA: 2025