Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 45 

East Forysth HS (Kernersville, N.C.) spawned one of the best college hitters in the 2021 Draft in Connor Norby, who went to the Orioles in the second round after starring at East Carolina. Now the Eagles offer one of the top prep sluggers for 2022 in Isaac. He has been hard to get a read on, however, because he missed most of his junior season and all of the showcase circuit with a foot injury.  

Isaac's massive 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame packs plenty of strength and bat speed that give him close to top-of-the-scale raw power from the left side of the plate. He does a good job of focusing on hard contact rather than selling out for home runs that will come naturally, leading to hope that he'll hit enough to make the most of his pop. But he has almost no track record of at-bats against quality pitching, so projecting his bat involves a lot of guesswork. 

Almost all of Isaac's value will come from his offensive production. He's a well-below-average runner and a substandard defender at first base, though he does have average arm strength. A team that believes in his bat could take him in the top three rounds, though it's also possible clubs will let him prove he can do damage in college at Florida before paying him.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 65 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

A foot injury limited Isaac for part of his junior year at East Forsyth HS (Kernersville, N.C.) and also kept him from displaying his skills at showcase events that could have propped up his Draft status. The Rays surprised much of the industry by still taking him in the first round (29th overall), making him the highest-selected first baseman in the 2022 Draft class, and then signed him for full slot at $2,548,900. That faith was backed up when Isaac hit .285/.395/.521 with a 154 wRC+ over 102 games between Single-A and High-A in his first full season. His 19 homers were sixth-most by a Minor League teenager in 2023.

The left-handed slugger’s biggest pre-Draft supporters believed his bat speed would translate to the pro game, and that happened quickly. Starting from a slightly open stance, Isaac can turn on drivable pitches and post exciting exit velocities that may only increase as he matures. His power projection has only grown as a result of his pro success, and he’s bordering on plus-plus pop. With a 14.8 percent walk rate, he proved he’s also willing to take free passes when allowed, giving him the starter kit for a well-rounded offensive profile.

Once thought to be a future base clogger, Isaac impressed Rays officials by developing a leaner and more agile body. He may still be below average in terms of overall foot speed, but he did go 12-for-12 in stolen-base attempts at the lower levels and should move well enough to be average defensively at the cold corner. Isaac still needs to hit aplenty, but his gains in all areas make him all the more valuable in the Tampa Bay system.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 55

Isaac hails from East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, N.C. -- the same school that produced Orioles infielder Connor Norby -- so scouts had some familiarity with the program. A foot injury kept the 6-foot-4 first baseman from showing out as a junior and on the showcase circuit, and that made the Florida commit a question mark heading into the 2022 Draft. The Rays saw enough of Isaac to shock the industry and select him 29th overall, making him the highest true first baseman taken in his class.

Those in the Rays' organization who backed Isaac’s selection were big believers in his ability to generate bat speed and exit velocity from his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame and think his approach of aiming for hard contact, over selling out for power from the left side will ease his transition to the pro game. Those skills will be tested, however, against tougher pro pitching as Isaac only played five games in the Florida Complex League last season. Tampa Bay coaches, who have just gotten to work with Isaac for the first time, have praised his willingness to take on instruction and prove he’s worthy of his high pick.

That value is likely to come from his bat almost exclusively. While the Rays have made defensive work and agility a primary focus in the 19-year-old’s first offseason, he will be stuck to first base, where he was below-average with the glove as an amateur, and his 30-grade speed won’t help him on the basepaths either. Isaac will need to be a masher, and Tampa Bay has to hope it can take his raw pieces and develop him into its next prospect star.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 45 

East Forysth HS (Kernersville, N.C.) spawned one of the best college hitters in the 2021 Draft in Connor Norby, who went to the Orioles in the second round after starring at East Carolina. The Eagles offered another one of the top prep sluggers for 2022 in Isaac. He was hard to get a read on because he missed most of his junior season and all of the showcase circuit with a foot injury. Tampa Bay shocked many by taking the Florida commit 29th overall in July, and the organization backed up its confidence in Isaac by signing him to its biggest bonus at exact slot value for $2,548,900. 

Isaac's massive 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame packs plenty of strength and bat speed that give him close to top-of-the-scale raw power from the left side of the plate. He does a good job of focusing on hard contact rather than selling out for home runs that will come naturally, leading to hope that he'll hit enough to make the most of his pop. But he has almost no track record of at-bats against quality pitching, so projecting his bat involves a lot of guesswork. 

Almost all of Isaac's value will come from his offensive production. He's a well-below-average runner and a substandard defender at first base, though he does have average arm strength. The Rays proved they believed enough in his bat, and the organization does think he’ll hit enough to place himself more squarely on the industry’s radar as he settles into pro ball.

Awards

SAL Top MLB Prospect

Year	Team
2024

SAL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2024

Futures Game Selection

Year	Team
2024

SAL Player of the Week

Week	Team
05/12/2024

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Baseball America Low Class A All-Star

Year	Team
2023

CAR Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/25/2024	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to Mesa Solar Sox.
	08/02/2024	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to Montgomery Biscuits from Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	07/14/2024	American League Futures activated 1B Xavier Isaac.
	04/02/2024	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	04/02/2024	Bowling Green Hot Rods activated 1B Xavier Isaac.
	03/17/2024	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to Tampa Bay Rays.
	03/07/2024	Tampa Bay Rays Prospects activated 1B Xavier Isaac.
	09/12/2023	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to Charleston RiverDogs from Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	08/22/2023	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to Bowling Green Hot Rods from Charleston RiverDogs.
	04/04/2023	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to Charleston RiverDogs from FCL Rays.
	08/16/2022	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to FCL Rays.
	07/29/2022	1B Xavier Isaac assigned to Tampa Bay Rays.