Twins Prospect Hot Sheet, July 14, 2025: Marco Raya Knocking On the Door

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

As the Twins look to stay competitive in the AL Central, help may not be far away, with several prospects making noise throughout the minor-league system. Whether it’s a college bat on a power tear, a once-hyped arm finally stringing together dominant starts, or a dynamic infielder terrorizing opposing batteries on the basepaths, Minnesota is seeing real development in key areas. Jaime Ferrer, Marco Raya, and Kyle DeBarge are each making compelling cases for more attention and (possibly) a faster track toward Target Field.

C/1B/OF Jaime Ferrer, Cedar Rapids Kernels
The Twins selected Ferrer in the 4th round of the 2024 MLB Draft, out of Florida State University. While he wasn’t a headliner on draft day, the organization saw potential in Ferrer’s bat speed, plate discipline, and strength. All tools that gave him a chance to outplay his draft slot. After a solid pro debut (.748 OPS in 24 games), he entered 2025 with a chance to establish himself as a legitimate power-hitting prospect. The Twins moved him between catcher, corner outfield and first base to find the best fit for his glove, while letting the bat do most of the talking.

Hitting the Hot Button
That bat has been shouting over the last week. In a three-game stretch for High-A Cedar Rapids, Ferrer hit .545, with a double, a triple, two home runs, four RBIs, and four runs scored. His OPS for the series? A staggering 1.947. That kind of offensive explosion isn’t just impressive for a 22-year-old playing his first full professional season. He’s showing the ability to punish mistakes while also controlling the zone, drawing walks and laying off breaking pitches in the dirt. His walk rate has improved from 6.5% to 7.4% in 2025. If the hot streak continues, Ferrer could force his way to Double A before the end of the season and join a growing list of under-the-radar hitters turning into legitimate threats in the Twins’ system.

RHP Marco Raya, St. Paul Saints
Raya has been one of the Twins’ more tantalizing pitching prospects since being selected in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of high school in Texas. Injuries delayed his early development, but by 2023 and 2024, he had emerged as one of the more intriguing arms in the system thanks to a fastball that touched the upper 90s and a sharp slider that missed bats. While he was used carefully to protect his health, the flashes of dominance were enough to keep evaluators and fans excited. He entered the 2025 season looking to build innings and prove he could handle a full starter’s workload.

Hitting the Hot Button
Raya may be answering those questions. Pitching for Triple-A St. Paul, Raya turned in one of his best starts of the season last Thursday against Iowa. He went six innings, allowing just one run on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. It was a commanding performance that showcased the full arsenal. His fastball velocity held deep into the outing, his slider induced empty swings, and his command was crisp throughout. Over his last four starts, he has posted a 1.64 ERA while holding batters to a .547 OPS. Now 22 years old, Raya is starting to show that he’s more than just potential; he’s a near-ready contributor. If the Twins need a spot starter or bullpen help down the stretch, Raya is beginning to look like a legitimate option, especially if he can continue to prove durable and efficient.

INF Kyle DeBarge, Cedar Rapids Kernels 
When the Twins picked DeBarge with the 33rd overall pick of the 2024 draft out of Louisiana-Lafayette, they saw an athlete with energy, bat control, and defensive versatility. What wasn’t immediately clear was how quickly he’d turn into one of the system’s premier base-stealing threats. Still just 21 years old, DeBarge opened his pro career at Fort Myers, holding his own at the plate (.322 OBP) while wreaking havoc on the bases (15-for-18 in SB attempts). He’s played mostly at shortstop and second base, flashing soft hands and solid instincts in the field, but it’s the wheels that are drawing the most attention in 2025.

Hitting the Hot Button
DeBarge is up to 46 stolen bases on the season, and it’s only mid-July. He’s swiping bags at a rate that few in the league can match, often turning routine singles or walks into immediate scoring threats. He’s only been caught stealing three times. What makes his success even more impressive is the fact that he’s more than a year younger than the average player in High-A, facing older pitchers in over 88% of his plate appearances. Despite that, he’s shown poise and maturity at the plate, keeping his on-base percentage north of .360. DeBarge is smart on the bases, picking the right spots and rarely running into outs. If he continues this level of production and stays healthy, a promotion to Double-A Wichita seems inevitable, and he could enter the Twins’ long-term middle infield discussion in the years ahead.

The farm system doesn’t just exist to nurture future All-Stars. It also helps round out rosters, spark midseason promotions, and provide value when trade deadline conversations start heating up. Ferrer’s offensive outburst is putting him on the prospect map. Raya is finally pairing health with performance and showing he’s close to ready. And DeBarge’s elite speed and developing offensive profile make him one of the most unique prospects in the Twins’ pipeline.

The Twins have plenty of star power in their top 10 prospects, but this trio reminds us that big-league help often comes from throughout a prospect list. With performances like these, Ferrer, Raya, and DeBarge won’t stay under the radar much longer.

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Which performance stands out the most? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[FlyingFinn]

Many were calling for the Twins to dump Raya but this is why you hang with pitchers with talent for a long time, especially when they continually face many guys older than them. If the Twins make a move at the back end of the pen, Raya could suddenly be a very important piece in 2026 (I believe he will be in the bullpen).

[Fatbat]

I haven't been following Ferrer so this is a very interesting bit of info!! That 3 game series was crazy!! I just assumed Olivar and Diaw were the two best young C’s in minors. We have drafted well the last few years!

[Dman]

While I think it's great those guys are doing well those are all small sample sizes.  

Ferrer just started hitting the last two weeks.  His OPS in the month of June was .565. That's not his slugging that was his OPS for all of June.  July is different story it is a 1.059 OPS which is impressive but is this just a hot streak or who he is for real? His OPS for the year is still .646.  I don't see him moving up anytime soon. 

Same with Raya.  He has been horrible most of the year and even with getting on track his ERA is 5.97. Granted his FIP and xFIP are a full run lower so he has been a bit unlucky, but that's not the only thing holding him back his WHIP is 1.64. Can't walk and give up that many hits at the MLB level.  Again maybe if he keeps this up he could be an option late in the year, but he needs to prove it longer than a few starts.

DeBarge can steal bases, but he has plenty to work on at the High A level as his OPS for the year is only .759.  That doesn't scream promotion to me.  His batting average is only .249. He hits the ball on the ground way too much and doesn't have much power.  He should work on that in A ball before joining the big boys. I wouldn't rush him just because he can steal bases. He has been hitting worse as the season wears on with .678 OPS in June and a .600 OPS in July.  I don't see a promotion in his near future unless he turns things around soon.

All three are good players and yeah they all will likely get promoted eventually.  I just don't see a few good games meaning all that much compared to their larger body of production this year.

[DJL44]

Raya missed his window. If he had put together this streak a month ago he would have been promoted instead of Travis Adams. Now it looks like Zebby will be back before Raya gets a shot.

[Dman]

1 minute ago, DJL44 said:

Raya missed his window. If he had put together this streak a month ago he would have been promoted instead of Travis Adams. Now it looks like Zebby will be back before Raya gets a shot.

Yeah it would have been cool to see him up there if he was ready.  I like his pitches better than Adams and he is still only 22 years old.  If he can repeat what he did his last start and show some consistency that would be huge for this organization. 

[DocBauer]

DeBarge looks like a really good prospect who can play almost anywhere and get OB and provide speed and some pop. He might be a better version of Castro at some point. But he's a professional rookie, not quite 22, and already excelling at AA ball. But there's room to still grow as a HITTER despite a good OB%. There's no need to rush him. He's doing just fine in his rookie pro season.

Ferrer is just fine where hes at, ALSO in his rookie season. He was a TOP prep catcher prospect who FL State moved around because of depth and his talent. The Twins are converting him back to catcher. His bio is exactly the same for fellow 2024 draft pick and teammate Diaw. TWO very talented athletes who have the ability and at least some previous experience as catchers. The bad news is Diaw is out for the season. The silver lining is Ferrer gets even more time behind the plate. But he doesn't need to be promoted. He's doing well after after a slow start and just needs to stay where he's at right now for development sake.

As far as Raya is concerned, I  will state yet again he was added to the 40 man because he needed to be. But he began the season behind Matthews, and Festa, and Morris and Lewis even though the latter 2 weren't even on the 40 man. Unfortunately, there has been discussions about him making an appearance due to injuries galore in the rotation, including Morris, and a poor season from Lewis. 

The plan all along, IMO, was for Raya to just SIT at AAA all season and just develop. And so far, to this point, isn't that EXACTLY what we're starting to see? 

SWR is doing well and continuing to  grow and develop, as is Festa. Matthews might be back in days to help. But Raya is right where he should be, developing and getting ready for 2026.

[arby58]

I don't get too excited about prospects until at least AA - a lot can happen, and the winnowing process from A to AA means generally better, more consistent competition. So, I'll hold off on Ferrer and DeBarge.

Raya, though, is starting to get me excited. Iowa is a good hitting club - they have four players in their lineup with an OPS of .900 or more, and he held them to 1 run on 3 hits over 6 innings, with 7 Ks and 1 walk. Four straight starts with an ERA well under 2.00 is impressive. If he's figured things out, his collective ERA for the year is not that important.

[D.C Twins]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Raya missed his window. If he had put together this streak a month ago he would have been promoted instead of Travis Adams. Now it looks like Zebby will be back before Raya gets a shot.

Raya can get a look in the bullpen this year if they trade Duran and Jax like they should

[Fatbat]

8 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Raya missed his window. If he had put together this streak a month ago he would have been promoted instead of Travis Adams. Now it looks like Zebby will be back before Raya gets a shot.

We are always 1 guy away from the next guy up….. Raya will get a shot at MLB when he is ready. 

[twinstalker]

10 hours ago, Fatbat said:

I haven't been following Ferrer so this is a very interesting bit of info!! That 3 game series was crazy!! I just assumed Olivar and Diaw were the two best young C’s in minors. We have drafted well the last few years!

Take any player.  I'm willing to bet you can find a 3 game period that was "crazy!!"  It's just fun with numbers.  Ferrer's been a disappointment.  His college numbers indicated he should be better than he's doing right now.

Meanwhile DeBarge is more tanking than he is hot.  His July numbers:  .250/.283/.318, and he's .211/.301/.328 since early June.  He's turned out to be just what I feared.  He's not young for his level as a prospect.  He's 22 (today!) playing at A+, and he was a first round pick (a terrible one, I said).  I can't believe I backtracked a little on that opinion this spring.  

My first impression of Marek Houston was Kyle DeBarge (the one that was a terrible pick) with a better glove for shortstop.  We'll see.

Finally, Raya.  Definitely deserving of Hot Sheet inclusion.  Good for him.  He'll have some stories to tell his grandkids about a small stretch he had in AAA before he moved to relief.

[Trov]

The fact that Raya went 6 innings is huge.  He has gone 6, 6, 5, and 5 over last 4 which is huge for him.  Over the years they never let him go more than like 3. 

Debarge is a throw back type guy and I do not think he will fit in the Twins plans.  We have a lot of depth at middle infield and unless he becomes a good utility type guy he will be either traded or sit in AAA most of the time.  He has little power, and his average is not great.  He does take some good walks, but that will have to be seen how it changes in upper leagues when they have better control. Yes, his speed will be an asset, but unless he is elite defender or elite hitter, having top speed is more of a playoff need.  I could see him getting playoff runs if he sticks around to be late inning runner. 

[Dman]

22 minutes ago, twinstalker said:

TMy first impression of Marek Houston was Kyle DeBarge (the one that was a terrible pick) with a better glove for shortstop.  We'll see.

 

This is my greatest fear with Houston.  Even in his profile it said he hit the ball on the ground at a 50% clip and just like DeBarge in his draft year he hit more home runs, but wasn't expected to keep that up in pro ball.

Still most analysts had him firmly in the top 15 to 20 picks and the Twins scouts seemed sure he is the "right" guy. They were right about Culpepper when most of us felt unsure about that pick.  Won't really know until midway through the year next year, but I hope Houston looks more like Culpepper than DeBArge in the end.

[Doctor Gast]

Although I like Debarge, high A doesn't make me excited.

We are in desperate need of long relief. IMO, Raya could be our answer. He should be put in long relief to get familiar with that role & be called up as soon as possible.

I'm in the camp of developing catchers. We have to draft pure catchers & then have them devote themselves only to catching. Catching is very demanding & intricate; if they don't have the heart & talent to progress, you cut them. You don't throw a player at RF, 1B, DH & catching for years & hope they miraculously stick at catching.

 

[Heiny]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Although I like Debarge, high A doesn't make me excited.

We are in desperate need of long relief. IMO, Raya could be our answer. He should be put in long relief to get familiar with that role & be called up as soon as possible.

I'm in the camp of developing catchers. We have to draft pure catchers & then have them devote themselves only to catching. Catching is very demanding & intricate; if they don't have the heart & talent to progress, you cut them. You don't throw a player at RF, 1B, DH & catching for years & hope they miraculously stick at catching.

 

It is my opinion that Rocco does not know how to use a long reliever.  So long relief is a death sentence for any pitcher in the Twins minors.  Hey somebody here had to bitch about Rocco.

[Otaknam]

I hope Raya keeps pitching well and gets a shot this year. The extreme caution with him on pitch counts has always been surprising.

[Western SD Fan]

I can see a couple of opportunities arise for Raya before Ober and Matthews return from the IL.  I don't believe that Ober has even started a rehab assignment and I'm guessing Matthews will have at least one more rehab start before being recalled.  I also believe that Raya will replace Adams as the "bulk starter" in case they get an offer to trade Paddack before the deadline.

[tony&rodney]

Raya should get a look this season, likely in August but surely in September.

Matthews is more than ready. He totally dominated an I-Cubs team full of players who will hold down positions in MLB at some point. Perhaps he is on the mound versus Colorado this weekend.

[jmlease1]

A good weekend (even a great weekend) isn't enough to get me too excited about Ferrer yet. He's doing ok, but one big weekend isn't enough to make any kind of call on whether his prospect status has changed or anything.

Raya's recent work is a little more notable. We're not talking about 1-2 good starts, we're looking at 4 straight, which may be an indicator that he's figured something out. I'll be interested to see where he sits in another month, but it's encouraging to see him going in the right direction. He's pitching in a league with a lot of offense, so these strong results are nice to see. I suspect that if he'd had this string of success in hand a few weeks ago he might have gotten tapped for the Adams role. With Zebby doing rehab starts, I suspect we won't see Raya up soon, but when Adams goes back down Raya might be positioned well to take the slot if needed again before Pablo gets back.

DeBarge is interesting. The steal are impressive, but the reality is it's not that hard to run in A-ball: the pitchers aren't that focused on/skilled at holding runners on, and the catching is often a little all over the place too. That say, the volume is impressive and shows a tool in his bag. But his overall hitting has fallen off after a hot start, with a not so great June and a bad July. His speed and positional flexibility make him interesting, but he's got to be more consistent at the plate and be more of a threat at the plate or it won't matter if he's got a good eye at the plate because more advanced pitchers will overwhelm him and not be concerned enough about his ability to do damage on a "get over" pitch that those easy walks he gets from A-ball pitchers that can't find the zone dry up. One note that I'm very curious about, and it might just be a statistic fluke, but he's been great at home and trash on the road (.953 OPS vs .558). Maybe he's struggling a little to adjust to the travel schedule? Can't sleep on the road? 

[Dman]

15 hours ago, arby58 said:

Raya, though, is starting to get me excited. Iowa is a good hitting club - they have four players in their lineup with an OPS of .900 or more, and he held them to 1 run on 3 hits over 6 innings, with 7 Ks and 1 walk. Four straight starts with an ERA well under 2.00 is impressive. If he's figured things out, his collective ERA for the year is not that important.

I did go back and look at the numbers and he has been better longer than I had remembered.  Since about June 11th he has pretty much pitched 5 or 6 innings with a solid K rate and WHIP.  The one stinker messing those numbers up was June 17th.  

Consistency has been the problem, but he might be working his way there.  Still I would want to see another 3 to 4 games at these current levels to be sure he is ready and man I hope he is.  If you have watched him his stuff has great movement IMO and he is only 22.  He might have better stuff than Festa, Matthews and SWR so if he can harness it he could be a special arm.

[Fatbat]

8 hours ago, twinstalker said:

Take any player.  I'm willing to bet you can find a 3 game period that was "crazy!!"  It's just fun with numbers.  Ferrer's been a disappointment.  His college numbers indicated he should be better than he's doing right now.

Meanwhile DeBarge is more tanking than he is hot.  His July numbers:  .250/.283/.318, and he's .211/.301/.328 since early June.  He's turned out to be just what I feared.  He's not young for his level as a prospect.  He's 22 (today!) playing at A+, and he was a first round pick (a terrible one, I said).  I can't believe I backtracked a little on that opinion this spring.  

My first impression of Marek Houston was Kyle DeBarge (the one that was a terrible pick) with a better glove for shortstop.  We'll see.

Finally, Raya.  Definitely deserving of Hot Sheet inclusion.  Good for him.  He'll have some stories to tell his grandkids about a small stretch he had in AAA before he moved to relief.

Plausible points for sure but nothing is written in stone until each player retires. I do like the way to organization drafts but have been critical of several picks over the years. I do believe strongly that the farm system has gotten much better in the last decade and is primed to send many guys to MLB. How long they last, no one knows…

[DocBauer]

12 hours ago, Trov said:

The fact that Raya went 6 innings is huge.  He has gone 6, 6, 5, and 5 over last 4 which is huge for him.  Over the years they never let him go more than like 3. 

Debarge is a throw back type guy and I do not think he will fit in the Twins plans.  We have a lot of depth at middle infield and unless he becomes a good utility type guy he will be either traded or sit in AAA most of the time.  He has little power, and his average is not great.  He does take some good walks, but that will have to be seen how it changes in upper leagues when they have better control. Yes, his speed will be an asset, but unless he is elite defender or elite hitter, having top speed is more of a playoff need.  I could see him getting playoff runs if he sticks around to be late inning runner. 

Keep in mind DeBarge is still a professional rookie. There are going to be highs and lows, but he's got a lot of athletic talent. But I do believe he's going to be a SU player similar to Castro. And there's great value in that.

I had given up on Schobel, a similar player with maybe a little less talent, despite him only playing 3 seasons and a solid 2023. Then he bottomed out in 2024 and I dismissed him. Unfortunately, he's hurt right now, but he's rebounded with a very good 2025 up until his injury.

[DocBauer]

6 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

A good weekend (even a great weekend) isn't enough to get me too excited about Ferrer yet. He's doing ok, but one big weekend isn't enough to make any kind of call on whether his prospect status has changed or anything.

Raya's recent work is a little more notable. We're not talking about 1-2 good starts, we're looking at 4 straight, which may be an indicator that he's figured something out. I'll be interested to see where he sits in another month, but it's encouraging to see him going in the right direction. He's pitching in a league with a lot of offense, so these strong results are nice to see. I suspect that if he'd had this string of success in hand a few weeks ago he might have gotten tapped for the Adams role. With Zebby doing rehab starts, I suspect we won't see Raya up soon, but when Adams goes back down Raya might be positioned well to take the slot if needed again before Pablo gets back.

DeBarge is interesting. The steal are impressive, but the reality is it's not that hard to run in A-ball: the pitchers aren't that focused on/skilled at holding runners on, and the catching is often a little all over the place too. That say, the volume is impressive and shows a tool in his bag. But his overall hitting has fallen off after a hot start, with a not so great June and a bad July. His speed and positional flexibility make him interesting, but he's got to be more consistent at the plate and be more of a threat at the plate or it won't matter if he's got a good eye at the plate because more advanced pitchers will overwhelm him and not be concerned enough about his ability to do damage on a "get over" pitch that those easy walks he gets from A-ball pitchers that can't find the zone dry up. One note that I'm very curious about, and it might just be a statistic fluke, but he's been great at home and trash on the road (.953 OPS vs .558). Maybe he's struggling a little to adjust to the travel schedule? Can't sleep on the road? 

The one thing to remember in regard to Ferrer and DeBarge is that they are professional rookies this year. I understand they were college draftees, but they were sent to A+ for that very reason. DeBarge started hot but is slumping right now. Ferrer started slowly but is heating up.

What matters is how they develop, and how they finish overall.

[DocBauer]

12 hours ago, Dman said:

This is my greatest fear with Houston.  Even in his profile it said he hit the ball on the ground at a 50% clip and just like DeBarge in his draft year he hit more home runs, but wasn't expected to keep that up in pro ball.

Still most analysts had him firmly in the top 15 to 20 picks and the Twins scouts seemed sure he is the "right" guy. They were right about Culpepper when most of us felt unsure about that pick.  Won't really know until midway through the year next year, but I hope Houston looks more like Culpepper than DeBArge in the end.

You and I have discussed this previously, so no new ground here. Houston just isn't an exciting draft pick. He's not a speed demon or a powerful potential OF. He wasn't my pick at that spot.

I keep reading about DeBarge being disappointing as he started hot and has cooled down. He's also a professional rookie. Just because Culpepper had been CRAZY GOOD in his rookie season...and Keaschall did pretty much the same...really shouldn't reflect on DeBarge.

If Houston's defense is even close to projections, he's in line to be a very good ML SS in a couple of years. If he only has enough power for 10-15 HR with some solid DBL numbers, with some speed on the bases and can actually HIT decently, he's a very good ML player. 

I have no clue how good he might or not be. But like you, I've got some faith in the Twins scouting department because they sure seemed to get Keaschall and Culpepper right. 

[Dman]

2 hours ago, DocBauer said:

You and I have discussed this previously, so no new ground here. Houston just isn't an exciting draft pick. He's not a speed demon or a powerful potential OF. He wasn't my pick at that spot.

I keep reading about DeBarge being disappointing as he started hot and has cooled down. He's also a professional rookie. Just because Culpepper had been CRAZY GOOD in his rookie season...and Keaschall did pretty much the same...really shouldn't reflect on DeBarge.

If Houston's defense is even close to projections, he's in line to be a very good ML SS in a couple of years. If he only has enough power for 10-15 HR with some solid DBL numbers, with some speed on the bases and can actually HIT decently, he's a very good ML player. 

I have no clue how good he might or not be. But like you, I've got some faith in the Twins scouting department because they sure seemed to get Keaschall and Culpepper right. 

Yeah I keep reading.  Going back to scouting reports and they all say great defense and good hit tool.  Just power not likely there.  I doubted Miller's defense when they drafted him and I doubted their ability to get Culpepper to not chase.  We'll know more once we see him play. I'm guessing I'll feel better once I see him.

He was ranked pretty much right at 15 most of the draft cycle falling some the last week. I looked back at the board and the only other player I could think of that I might have liked better was Cunningham, but what were we gonna do with likely yet another 2nd baseman? I don't think they would have taken Irish with the character concerns. Houston can legit play up the middle most of the next 8 to 10 picks couldn't and there was no center fielder in that range either. 

The Twins scouts have watched him a ton and what little was written seemed to suggest they love the player and were very happy with the pick. I doubted them last time and they were right, but still if the hit tool is light it does take some of the shine off of this pick.

If he works out like the Twins think he can then can you even imagine having two legit shortstops on the team with good hit tools?  That might blow my mind.

 

 

[jkcarew]

On 7/14/2025 at 8:12 PM, FlyingFinn said:

Many were calling for the Twins to dump Raya but this is why you hang with pitchers with talent for a long time, especially when they continually face many guys older than them. If the Twins make a move at the back end of the pen, Raya could suddenly be a very important piece in 2026 (I believe he will be in the bullpen).

“Dump”? No. Exactly zero people here wanted the org to dump him.