Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Nathan Flewelling delivered an MVP-caliber performance in the Futures Game at one of baseball's most iconic stadiums this weekend.
- Rival evaluators praised Flewelling's offensive toolkit and character, seeing him as a potential everyday major leaguer despite some defensive questions.
- The buzz around this prospect's development timeline suggests a franchise could be getting a impactful new star in the next few seasons.
PHILADELPHIA – Entering Sunday, the only major-league ballpark that Nathan Flewelling had homered in was the Rogers Centre. Then, in the top of the sixth inning in the Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park, Flewelling hit a two-run homer that would eventually lead to a 6-1 victory for the American League.
Flewelling, the Tampa Bay Rays’ No. 2 prospect, was later named the Futures Game MVP. There was a belief in some industry circles that Flewelling would play his career in Toronto at the Rogers Centre with the Blue Jays doing extensive research on him throughout the draft process. But the Rays selected him with the 94th pick, one pick ahead of the Blue Jays, and Flewelling has since grown into one of the top catching prospects in baseball.
Nathan Flewelling made a name for himself at the Futures Game
This season, Flewelling has come into his own at the plate. He’s mashed 16 home runs in 73 games. He’s hitting .261/.394/.496 with an .890 OPS in High-A. Rival scouts refer to him as an offense-first catcher, a statement that he agreed with after the Futures Game, and said “it’s very important to develop both.”
“Trying to get better every single day is where we’re at,” Flewelling said. “Treating every game like it’s the seventh game of the World Series and obviously training as hard as I can so when that day comes, it’s just a normal day.
“I just think be as consistent as possible. Just try to have my best at-bats every single day, not give any pitches up obviously, and defensively I’m just trying to call good games and work on my receiving as much as I can for my pitchers.”
When asked about eventually getting called up, Flewelling said he hasn’t thought about it yet. He’s focused on the season and noted “there’s a long way to go in my development.” But as one reporter noted postgame, he turned heads at the Combine, and now has done so at the Futures Game. And it gave the Rays and its fanbase a glimpse into what will be coming to Tampa Bay around 2028 – perhaps even sooner.
What rival MLB scouts think of Rays prospect Nathan Flewelling
Here’s what three rival scouts had to say about Flewelling after the Futures Game:
Scout 1: “90-grade makeup, self-awareness off the charts, easy power. He’s Canadian tough.”
Scout 2: “He can hit, walks and strikes out a lot because he gets deep into the count regularly. Average behind the plate. Hits right-handers very well.”
Scout 3: “Always liked the power and the arm strength. Plenty of swing and miss risk. Not the most agile behind the plate, but there’s absolutely every day catcher upside.”
Tool | Grade |
|---|---|
Hit | 50 |
Power | 55 |
Run | 35 |
Arm | 50 |
Field | 50 |
Overall | 55 |
Flewelling is the No. 72 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. The prospect database projects he'll make his debut in Tampa come the 2028 season, so he has a long way to go. At the time he was drafted, most of Flewelling's catching background came from Youtube videos, so it was safe to call him a project. At 6-2, he's a big target behind the plate, but offers plenty of upside at the plate with a 55 power tool that was on full display at Citizens Bank Park Sunday.
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