Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 65 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

The Rays selected Isaac 29th overall in 2022, bucking much of the public perception of the North Carolina prepster at the time, and the decision looked like a good one early on. Isaac put himself on the Top 100 radar with 19 homers and a .916 OPS in 102 games at Single-A and High-A in his first full season and continued to pop big exit velocities in his return to Bowling Green in ’24. He was humbled by his first taste of Double-A, returned to Montgomery for 2025 and worked through early elbow and wrist injuries. In the offseason, he announced he’d undergone “life-saving” brain surgery in July, and he’s expected to be back to full health for his age-22 season in ’26.

It's easy to chalk up last season as a lost one for Isaac, but there were a few interesting developments back in the Southern League before he went on the injured list. He moved his hands lower in his stance and cut his Double-A whiff rate by eight points. He also chased on only 17 percent of pitches with Montgomery, a decrease of 12 points. He still misses a ton on non-fastballs, even with the improvements, and the Rays have worked with him on keeping his swing from getting too uphill and getting it to spend more time through the zone. Isaac’s raw power remains some of the best in the Minors, and he doesn’t even need his A swing to get to it.

The Rays experimented with getting Isaac time in the outfield in the 2024 Arizona Fall League, hoping to take advantage of his increased athleticism, but the elbow issue will push him back to first base for 2026 and onward. Health is the utmost priority in Isaac’s return to the upper Minors.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 70 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Isaac was one of the surprises of the 2022 Draft when he went 29th overall to the Rays, but Tampa Bay officials insisted his bat speed and power would transition nicely to the pros. That proved true when the first baseman slugged 19 homers and finished with a .916 OPS in 102 games between Single-A and High-A in his first full season. Isaac got off to another quick start in 2024, slashing .287/.381/.535 with 15 homers in 71 games back at High-A, but struggled after an August promotion to Double-A Montgomery, where he posted a 40.6 percent K rate. Isaac got some extra at-bats in the hitter-friendly Arizona Fall League to end on a brighter note.

The left-handed slugger truly pops from a power standpoint already through his age-20 season. There is strength in his hacks leading to loud exit velocities routinely above 95 mph and occasionally above 110, and there’s an uppercut swing that turns that contact into extra-base hits. It’s the main driver of Isaac’s profile. But evaluators were getting more timid about him after he missed on 49.3 percent of his Double-A swings against all pitch types. Isaac started from an open stance in Montgomery but adjusted to be more straight-forward in the AFL, perhaps in search of less movement, and that’ll deserve monitoring. The Rays are also working with him on pitch selection to help him find the barrel more often.

Isaac has improved his agility ever since joining the Tampa Bay system while maintaining his prodigious strength, and he’s become a better runner, base stealer and fielder as a result. The Rays tried him out in right field -- keeping him on the same side of the diamond -- and plan to continue that at the upper levels, especially as Isaac shares rosters with Tre’ Morgan. Isaac was exclusive to DH in 2025 as he initially worked through elbow and wrist issues, and in the offseason, he revealed he underwent "life-saving" brain surgery in July.

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.

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.

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
	01/30/2026	Tampa Bay Rays invited non-roster 1B Xavier Isaac to spring training.
	09/26/2025	Montgomery Biscuits activated 1B Xavier Isaac from the 7-day injured list.
	07/06/2025	Montgomery Biscuits placed 1B Xavier Isaac on the 7-day injured list retroactive to July 5, 2025.
	07/05/2025	Montgomery Biscuits placed 1B Xavier Isaac on the 7-day injured list.
	04/15/2025	Montgomery Biscuits activated 1B Xavier Isaac from the 7-day injured list.
	04/04/2025	Montgomery Biscuits placed 1B Xavier Isaac on the 7-day injured list.
	03/06/2025	activated 1B Xavier Isaac.
	01/30/2025	Tampa Bay Rays invited non-roster 1B Xavier Isaac to spring training.
	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.
	08/02/2024	Montgomery Biscuits activated 1B Xavier Isaac.
	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.