Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45

The Rays have put together an interesting group of starting pitchers in the lower Minors, all of whom were teenagers when they finished last season in the postseason rotation for Single-A Charleston: Gary Gill Hill, Trevor Harrison and Suarez. They landed Suarez in a familiar way, picking him up in a relatively low-profile trade while he was pitching in the complex leagues. That strategy once brought them Curtis Mead and, more famously, Junior Caminero. In November 2022, they played that card again to get Suarez and starter Marcus Johnson from the Marlins for reliever JT Chargois and infielder Xavier Edwards.

The native of Cumana, Venezuela, was arguably the steadiest and most reliable arm in that season-ending Charleston rotation, but that’s not a knock on his stuff. His fastball sat in the mid-90s last season and touched 97 mph. His low-80s curveball is arguably the best hook in Tampa Bay’s system. He also throws a changeup that rounds out his arsenal. But his carrying trait, the thing that makes it all work for Suarez, is his control. With a repeatable delivery and a cool, collected mound presence, he consistently fills up the strike zone and has walked only 1.6 batters per nine innings in the Minors at an age when many starters are struggling to consistently put the ball where they want it.

Suarez’s tendency to throw strikes has also helped him induce chases outside the strike zone and enough swing-and-miss to succeed. Bottom line, Suarez has performed well wherever he’s gone, from his time as a statistical standout in the Dominican Summer League at age 17 to his 23-start campaign in Single-A last year. He doesn’t have a ton of physical projection left, unlike his rotation mates, but he might have the highest floor and the highest likelihood to make it as a starter, although triceps/shoulder issues have limited him in 2025.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

The Rays have made a habit recently of picking up intriguing, little-known prospects out of the complex leagues and turning them into big leaguers. That’s how they landed Curtis Mead, who became a Top 100 prospect shortly afterward. Junior Caminero came aboard in a similar deal and rocketed to the top of the list. Now, Suarez is making a case for himself as the top pitching prospect in the system a year after joining the Rays alongside Marcus Johnson in a November 2022 trade that sent Xavier Edwards and JT Chargois to the Marlins.

The Venezuelan right-hander was a statistical standout in the Dominican Summer League in 2022, showing unusual command for a 17-year-old pitcher. He continued that in his first season with the Rays, breezing through 10 outings with their Florida Complex League affiliate, then logging a 2.29 ERA in five starts for Single-A Charleston. He doesn’t have much physical projection left even though he’s only 19, but he has arguably the highest floor of any pitcher in the system for a simple reason: He throws strikes.

Suarez has a repeatable delivery and an even-keeled mindset, both traits indicating maturity beyond his years that should serve him well as he advances through the system. His fastball typically sits between 91-94 mph, with a bit more velocity when he needs it, and he rounds out his arsenal with a changeup and an upper-70s curveball. He’ll face older and more experienced competition, which could test his ability to miss enough bats, but he’s done nothing but perform well against his peers to this point.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45

Given their recent track record, you can’t help but notice when the Rays trade for a player out of a complex league. They plucked Curtis Mead out of virtual obscurity, and he became a Top 100 prospect almost immediately. Junior Caminero is following a similar path. Could Suarez be next? The Rays liked the Venezuelan righty as an amateur prospect and certainly seem to think they have something after picking him up alongside Marcus Johnson in the deal that sent Xavier Edwards and JT Chargois to Miami. 

Suarez was one of the better pitchers, statistically, in the Dominican Summer League last season. The 6-foot-2 right-hander posted a 2.31 ERA with 38 strikeouts and only six walks in 39 innings over 11 starts for the Marlins’ affiliate. So, while there is a fair amount of projection involved for a pitcher who only just turned 18 years old and has a relatively mature body, he’s already proven he can perform relative to his peers. That has continued this summer with his first stateside move to the Florida Complex League.

Suarez has seen his fastball velocity tick up to 91-94 mph, and he complements his heater with a changeup and a true curveball that sits between 75-79 mph. He has the traits of a starter, with a repeatable delivery and arm action that allowed him to consistently throw strikes in the DSL and FCL. He still has a long way to go, and he’ll have to prove himself against tougher competition, but there’s reason to believe Tampa Bay may have discovered another contributor in the complex leagues.

Awards

SAL Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
05/04/2025

FCL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

FCL Pitcher of the Year

Year	Team
2023

Baseball America Rookie All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/13/2025	RHP Santiago Suarez assigned to Durham Bulls from Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	09/13/2025	Durham Bulls activated RHP Santiago Suarez.
	08/16/2025	Bowling Green Hot Rods activated RHP Santiago Suarez from the 7-day injured list.
	05/09/2025	Bowling Green Hot Rods placed RHP Santiago Suarez on the 7-day injured list.
	05/09/2025	Bowling Green Hot Rods placed RHP Santiago Suarez on the 7-day injured list.
	04/01/2025	RHP Santiago Suarez assigned to Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	03/06/2025	activated RHP Santiago Suarez.
	08/15/2023	RHP Santiago Suarez assigned to Charleston RiverDogs from FCL Rays.
	08/15/2023	Charleston RiverDogs activated RHP Santiago Suarez.
	11/15/2022	Tampa Bay Rays traded RHP JT Chargois and SS Xavier Edwards to Miami Marlins for RHP Marcus Johnson and RHP Santiago Suarez.
	11/15/2022	FCL Rays activated RHP Santiago Suarez.
	11/15/2022	RHP Santiago Suarez assigned to DSL Rays.
	11/15/2022	FCL Rays activated RHP Santiago Suarez.
	11/15/2022	RHP Santiago Suarez roster status changed by Tampa Bay Rays.
	06/05/2022	RHP Santiago Suarez assigned to DSL Miami.
	06/05/2022	DSL Miami activated RHP Santiago Suarez.
	06/01/2022	Miami Marlins signed free agent RHP Santiago Suarez to a minor league contract.