Taj Ali Bradley...Instagram: @taj.brad...selected out of Redan (Ga.) High School, the same school that produced former All-Stars Brandon Phillips, Domonic Brown and Wally Joyner...began pitching regularly as a high school senior after mostly playing the outfield in his youth...committed to the University of South Carolina before signing with the Rays...had initially committed to Hillsborough (Fla.) Community College before flipping during his senior year...Taj didn’t begin pitching regularly until he was a high school senior... he played several sports growing up, but was fully committed to baseball by age nine, albeit as an outfielder, corner infielder and catcher...although he initially had no desire to take the mound, scouts quickly took notice of his natural throwing ability...he is a product of the Marquis Grissom Baseball Association, playing on the same travel ball team as Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler...he was also childhood friends with fellow Grissom alumni Michael Harris II and Chandler Simpson...Taj is close with Hall of Fame pitcher CC Sabathia...the two regularly communicate via text and met up at a home run derby event in the Bahamas over the 2024-25 offseason...his mother, Ana Mosley, has kept notes of each of her son’s professional outings in a personalized scorebook since he debuted for Rookie-level Princeton in 2019...when she couldn’t attend in person, she followed along via streaming broadcasts...during his journey to the big leagues, Taj kept a journal so he had a foundation of what to build on from outing to outing...for Christmas one year, his mom got him three notebooks for different thoughts: pitching assessments, motivational quotes and off-the-field lessons...in addition to writing, one of Taj’s favorite hobbies is watching movies...growing up, he and his family enjoyed a weekly ritual of picking out Redbox movies for the weekend every Friday...he started a movie club with teammates while working through the Rays farm system, with a goal of watching and discussing one movie per week with teammates...went to Japan on vacation in the 2025-26 baseball offseason...attended 2026 TwinsFest at Target Field.
2025
Was in Tampa Bay's rotation to open the season as the club's No. 3 starter...made first start on March 30 vs. Colorado, earning the win, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings pitched, with no walks and seven strikeouts...Struck out season-high 10 batters June 1 at Houston (7 IP)...marked sixth time in career with double-digit strikeout totals...Made start on July 18 vs. Baltimore and became the fourth pitcher in Rays history to record 20-plus starts in each of their first three seasons, joining Joe Kennedy (3, 2001-03), James Shields (7, 2006-12) and Shane McClanahan (3, 2021-23)...Tied career-high for a homerless start streak, having not allowed one in five-straight starts from June 24-July 18...Went 4-5, 3.95 ERA (70.2 IP, 31 ER) with eight quality start in 12 starts from March 30-June 1... but went 2-1, 5.75 ERA (40.2 IP, 26 ER) with three quality starts in nine starts from June 7-July 23...Optioned to Triple-A Durham on July 23...Acquired by Minnesota on July 31, in exchange for right-handed pitcher Griffin Jax...reported to Triple-A St. Paul...Made three starts for the Saints from Aug. 6-17...Recalled by Minnesota on Aug. 24 and made Twins debut in a start at Chicago-AL that same day...allowing seven runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings pitched...Made six starts for Twins to end his season, from Aug. 24-Sept. 24, going 0-2, 6.61 ERA (31.1 IP, 23 ER) with 12 walks and 32 strikeouts...Ended his season with a quality start, allowing one run on one hit (1 HR), with two walks and nine strikeouts in six innings of work Sept. 24 at Texas...At Major League level, combined to go 6-8, 5.05 ERA (142.2 IP, 80 ER) with 56 walks and 127 strikeouts in 27 starts between Tampa Bay and Minnesota.
2024
Went 8-11 with a 4.11 ERA (138 IP, 63 ER) and 154 SO over 25 starts…Set career highs in nearly every major category while leading the club in strikeouts, wins and quality starts (tied for first, 10)...Joined Scott Kazmir (three times) and Joe Kennedy (twice) as the only pitchers in club history to complete multiple 20-start (or more) seasons before turning 24…His 25 starts were second-most in the Majors among pitchers age 23 or younger, fewer than only MIN's Simeon Woods Richardson (28)...Became the third Ray to record 150 SO or more in a season at age 23 or younger, joining Scott Kazmir (three times, 2005-07) and Matt Moore (2012)...Worked at least 6 IP in a team-leading 13 of his 25 starts and allowed three ER or fewer in 17 of them...Posted a 2.23 ERA (40.1 IP, 10 ER) from the fifth inning on, second-lowest among Major League starters (min. 20 starts) behind PIT's Paul Skenes (2.09)…Did not allow a run from the sixth inning on (19 IP)...Opened the season on the 15-day IL (right pectoral strain) due to an injury suffered while warming up for his scheduled Spring Training start on March 12 at BAL…Reinstated on May 8 and made his season debut on May 10 vs. NYY...Over a nine-start span from June 8-July 25, went 5-1 with a 0.82 ERA (55.0 IP, 5 ER), .162 (31-for-191) opp. average and 0.89 WHIP…It marked the lowest ERA over any nine-start span in Rays history (excluding openers)…Led the Majors in ERA and opp. average during the run, while his 65 SO trailed only SD's Dylan Cease (75)...Posted a career-best 24.0 scoreless inning streak from July 8-31, tied for the third-longest streak by an MLB starter in 2024 behind PHI's Ranger Suárez (32, April 6-27) and SD's Yu Darvish (25, April 14-May 19)…It marked the fourth-longest single-season stretch in club history behind J.P. Howell (27.1, 2012), Alex Cobb (24.2, 2014) and Kevin Kelly (24.1, 2024)…It was the sixth-longest streak overall, also trailing Pete Fairbanks (29.2, 2022-23) and Álex Torres (25.1, 2011-13)...From July 12-25, threw six or more scoreless innings in three straight starts, tying the longest streak in franchise history along with Ryan Yarbrough (2019), Jake Odorizzi (2016) and Alex Cobb (2014)...Named AL Pitcher of the Month for July after going 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA (31.0 IP, 5 ER) and 31 SO across five starts…Became the ninth pitcher (11x) in franchise history to earn AL Pitcher of the Month honors, including the first since Tyler Glasnow in July 2023…Also became the youngest player in Rays history to earn a monthly award from MLB...From July 31-Sept. 10, went 0-6 with an 8.27 ERA (41.1 IP, 38 ER), 40 SO, 14 walks and a 1.62 WHIP over eight starts—the ERA and WHIP were the highest in MLB...However, went 2-1 with a 1.76 ERA (15.1 IP, 3 ER) over his final three starts, allowing one run across his final two (11.0IP)...Concluded the year with 283 career strikeouts, second-most by a Ray before turning 24 behind Scott Kazmir (617)…His 282 strikeouts as a starter rank second by a Ray through 46 career starts, trailing Shane McClanahan (302).
2023
Went 5-8 with a 5.56 ERA over 22 games (21GS) in his first MLB season…Had four stints with the Rays: April 11-13, April 18-25, May 18–July 31 and Sept. 3 through the end of the season...Collected 128 SO in his 21 starts, most in Rays history through a rookie pitcher’s first 21 career starts…Also marked the fourth most through any pitcher’s first 21 starts after joining the Rays, behind Charlie Morton (152), Drew Smyly (137) and Tyler Glasnow (129)...His 128 SO as a starter mark the seventh most through an AL pitcher’s first 21 career starts over the last 10 seasons (2014-23)...Posted a 28.4 percent strikeout rate, the highest mark by a rookie in Rays history (min. 300BF)…Ranked seventh among AL pitchers with 20+ starts...He was the youngest pitcher in the Majors to make 20+ starts…Became the third pitcher (fourth instance) in Rays history to make 20+ starts in an age 22 or younger season, joining Scott Kazmir (32GS, 2005; 24GS, 2006) and Joe Kennedy (20GS, 2001)...Opponents hit .285 (81-for-284) with 19 HR against his fastballs (4-seam/cutter) compared to .181 (23-for-127) with three HR against his breaking/ offspeed pitches (curveball/changeup)...Produced a 41.3 percent whiff rate on his changeup, the seventh-highest mark on any AL pitcher’s changeup (min. 100 pitches swung at)...Excluding openers, became one of four pitchers in the expansion era (since 1961) to have zero SB attempted against him through his first 21 career starts, joining DET Tyler Alexander (2019-21), KC Yordano Ventura (2013-14) and CIN Travis Wood (2010-11)...The 1-4 spots in the opposing order hit .291 (62- for-213) vs. .212 (42-for-198) by the 5-9 spots…Held left-handed batters to a .660 OPS with five HR compared to a .941 OPS and 17 HR by righties...Went 5-3 with a 3.86 ERA (49.0IP, 21ER) over his first 10 career starts, a stretch that culminated in his first career quality start June 21 vs. BAL...Recorded eight six-plus SO performances within his first 10 career games, tied for seventh most in the majors since 1901 and one game shy of the record shared by six pitchers…On the season, went 5-3 with a 3.60 ERA (65.0IP, 26ER) when recording six-plus SO compared to 0-5 with an 8.84 ERA (38.2IP, 38ER) with five SO or fewer...Entered the season ranked as the Rays No. 3 prospect and the No. 44 prospect in the majors by Baseball America…Was ranked as the Rays No. 1 prospect and the No. 16 prospect in the Majors by MLB.com...On April 12 vs. BOS, notched eight SO while allowing three ER over 5.0 IP in his major league debut…It marked only the second time in the modern era (since 1900) a team on a winning streak of 10+ games had a rookie make their first career start, joining ATL Mike McQueen in 1969...The eight SO were the second most in a Rays pitcher’s debut behind Wade Davis on Sept. 6, 2009 vs. DET (9SO)...On June 15 at OAK, recorded each of his first nine outs via the strikeout, becoming the first MLB rookie to accomplish the feat since ATL Spencer Strider on July 7, 2022 vs. STL…His 11 SO on the day were tied with six other pitchers for the second most by a Rays rookie, trailing only Dan Wheeler (12SO) on Sept. 12, 1999 vs. OAK...From his April 12 debut through June 15, his 0.84 HR/9.0 IP was 12th lowest in the AL (min. 40.0IP)…From that point on, his 2.77 HR/9.0 IP was second highest in the Majors (min. 50.0IP) behind MIN Joe Ryan (2.79)...On June 21 vs. BAL, earned his fifth and final win of the season after throwing his first career quality start…Became the second rookie in Rays history to record eight-plus SO and zero walks in a start of 6.0 IP or fewer, joining Jake Odorizzi (two-time, last: 8/9/14 at CHC)...On June 27 at Ariz., surrendered career highs in runs (seven) and homers (four)…Entered that stretch leading MLB rookies (min. 25.0IP) with a 2.13 ERA (25.1IP, 6ER) on the road...On July 29 at HOU, allowed a HR for the seventh straight start in a 17-4 defeat, the longest streak by a Rays pitcher since Jake Odorizzi (15GS) from May 1–July 23, 2017...On Sept. 3 at CLE, held the Guardians to one run despite issuing a career-high five walks…Became the first Rays pitcher to throw 5.0+ IP with five-plus walks and one ER or fewer allowed since Rich Hill on June 23, 2021 vs. Boston (5.0IP, ER, 5BB)...On Sept. 29 at TOR, made his first career appearance out of the bullpen, entering in the seventh inning and surrendering one run after permitting back-to-back two-out doubles to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette...Went winless (0-5) with a 7.11 ERA (55.2IP, 44ER) over his final 13 outings (11GS)...Went 2-5 with a 6.45 ERA (37.2IP, 27ER) over 10 starts for Triple-A Durham…In his final four outings from Aug. 10-27, recorded a 1.37 ERA (19.2IP, 3ER).
2022
Split the season between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham, earning a July 21 promotion…went 7-4 with a 2.57 ERA (133.1-IP, 38-ER) and 141 SO in 28 starts between the two levels...Led Rays minor leaguers in starts and innings and ranked second in strikeouts...Named Southern League Pitcher of the Month for May, going 0-0 with a 1.06 ERA (17-IP, 2-ER) and 23 SO in four starts…allowed three hits (or fewer) in all four starts and one hit in three of those four starts...Started for the AL Team at the All-Star Futures Game, his first career selection…pitched around a double and walk for a scoreless first inning...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 44 overall prospect in the minors following the season… was the No. 3 prospect in the Rays system… the publication also tabbed him as having the Best Control in the organization and the Best Breaking Pitch and Best Control in the Southern League in its Best Tools survey.
2021
Split the 2021 season between Class-A Charleston and Class-A Bowling Green…went 12-3 with a 1.83 ERA (103.1-IP, 21-ER) in 23 apps (22 starts) between the two levels. Led full-season minor leaguers in ERA, tied for 3rd in wins and ranked 8th in opp avg. (.181) and 9th in WHIP (0.93)...Tied for the High-A East lead with nine wins...Led Rays minor leaguers in wins and ranked 3rd with 123 SO...Named Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for both June and July, going 7-1 with a 0.77 ERA (47-IP, 4-ER) in 10 starts over that stretch...Named to the Rays Organizational All-Star Team by MLB.com and to Baseball America’s Minor League All-Star Team...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 58 overall prospect in the minors following the season… was the No. 4 prospect in the Rays system…the publication also tabbed him as the Best Pitching Prospect in Low-A East in its Best Tools survey.
2020
In 2020, was not part of the Rays 60-man player pool and did not play following the cancellation of the Minor League season...Pitched in the Instructional League in Oct....Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 21 prospect in the Rays system following the season.
