Rays’ Theo Gillen Hits Stride In First Full Pro Season
Theo Gillen has come a long way in the last year, from Westlake High in Austin, Texas, to Low-A Charleston in the Carolina League.
Which has the Rays excited about how far—and how fast—he can keep going.
After being the Rays’ top draft pick last year at No. 18 overall, Gillen saw time in just eight minor league games amid plans to convert him from shortstop to center fielder. Then he was delayed further this spring by a left calf strain.
Gillen was rolling this season. Through his first 33 games, he hit .281/.432/.439 with four home runs and 19 stolen bases. Perhaps most impressively for a teenager: He had 28 walks and 34 strikeouts.
“Couldn’t be happier with where Theo’s at and how he’s performed year to date,” Rays minor league operations director George Pappas said. “The quality of his work, the intent and the aptitude are exactly what you’d hope for and speak to how mature he is at 19 years old. His successes so far reflect all that.
“He’s taking his walks, not forcing anything. The swing decisions, contact ability and quality are top of the scale. He’s asking intelligent questions on a daily basis to his coaches and our coordinator group who come through town.
“Theo’s better for it, and he makes others around him better, too. Now it’s a matter of keeping him healthy and giving him the space to compete over the course of the summer.”
Pappas said the exposure to game action last season was a good thing for Gillen, even though he batted just 4-for-26 with 14 strikeouts.
“The game reps challenged him,” Pappas said, “and he may have been a little passive in the box—results speak to that—but we felt it was important to give him runway during his draft summer to acclimate to the stuff that he’s facing now in his first full season.”
COOL RAYS
— The Rays designated catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment on May 28, and after clearing waivers he accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Durham. With Kenny Piper and Dominic Keegan also with the Bulls, Tres Barrera was demoted to Double-A Montgomery.
— When Durham righthander Joe Boyle was named International League pitcher of the week for June 2-8, it was his third time this season earning weekly honors and the 13th time a Tampa Bay player was honored this year, matching the Blue Jays, Brewers, Dodgers and Giants for tops in the game.
