2025 2nd-rounder Flemming's hot bat fueling rapid rise in prospect rankings
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Barely a year removed from the high school fields of Southern California, Cooper Flemming has quietly emerged as one of the fastest-rising prospects in the Rays' organization.
Tampa Bay’s No. 4 prospect entered his first professional season in 2026 as an intriguing talent after he received an above-slot $2,297,500 signing bonus as a second-rounder in last year’s Draft. Originally committed to Vanderbilt after a standout prep career at Aliso Niguel HS (Calif.), Flemming has instead taken his talents to the Single-A Carolina League, where his performance has garnered plenty of attention.
Using a combined advanced plate discipline with surprising offensive polish for someone straight out of high school, evaluators across the industry have taken notice of the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder, including MLB Pipeline.
Flemming opened the 2026 season as the club’s No. 27 prospect but has skyrocketed 24 spots – the second-highest leap among all risers on Top 30 Prospects lists. To say it’s well deserved would be an understatement.
Flemming is slashing .293/.386/.444 with 31 extra-base hits, eight homers, 63 runs and 54 RBIs in 86 games for Single-A Charleston, posting above-average numbers in three of his first four months as a pro. His ability to consistently reach base while also showing some early pop has been particularly impressive for a teenager facing full-season competition.
Flemming burst out of the gates in April, hitting .361/.443/.578 over his first 97 plate appearances and carried that production into mid-May, before slumping through the rest of the month. However, the Atlanta, Ga.-born infielder responded with a solid June and an even better July, proving his aptitude to not only make adjustments, but battle through adversity.
It paints a picture of one of the most productive young hitters in the Minors, highlighting both his command of the strike zone and his ability to inflict damage when he puts the ball in play, evidenced by his 28 multihit contests and penchant for using all fields. The 19-year-old has gone oppo on nearly 40 percent of his knocks this season.
Scouts have long liked Flemming's athleticism, baseball instincts and projectable 6-foot-3 frame, but the biggest question entering pro ball was how quickly the bat would develop. So far, he has answered those concerns emphatically, displaying top-to-bottom offensive skills
For an organization renowned for developing homegrown talent, Flemming has the looks of yet another organizational success story. His offensive consistency, mature approach and defensive development have transformed him from an intriguing Day 1 draft pick into one of the most exciting young position players in the Rays' system.
If he continues producing at his current pace, his rise through the Rays' prospect rankings won’t be the only climb worth watching.