Future Watch: Xavier Edwards Rookie Baseball Cards, Rays – Xavier Edwards was drafted by the San Diego Padres with the 38th overall selection, but still in the first round, of the 2018 MLB Amateur Draft. After the draft, he went straight to rookie ball and started to have an impact.
According to his MLB.com Prospect Profile:
Edwards is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, but his skill set makes that easy to overlook. He stands out most for his speed, an easy plus-plus tool that can legitimately impact games. At the plate, Edwards uses all fields well, and he owns an advanced knowledge of the strike zone. While he’s not likely to be a home run threat, he could grow into his frame for more extra-base pop with an Eric Young-type build. He has excellent actions and footwork at shortstop and has shown he has enough arm to stay on the left side of the infield. With a combination of a mature approach, strong contact skills from both sides of the plate, and nearly elite speed, Edwards has all the requisite tools to hit atop a lineup for a long time. An ability to stick up the middle adds even more value to his profile and gives him a realistic Major League floor to go along with a high ceiling. ETA 2022.
In 2019, he finished out the season as a member of the Padres but in December, the Padres included him in what would be a five-player deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
He started to move up the ladder faster, ending in High A with the Rays and he started to play much more at second base and a little bit at shortstop.
- 2018 – (two teams) 8 2B, 1 3B, 16 RBI, 22 SB, .346 AVG
- 2019 – (two teams) 18 2B, 8 3B, 1 HR, 43 RBI, 34 SB, .322 AVG
Xavier Edwards was already on the radar of many prospectors after appearing in 2017 Leaf Metal Perfect Game All-American and 2017 Leaf Perfect Game National Showcase. The following year, Edwards had cards in Elite Extra Edition and Contenders Draft Picks from Panini. He also had cards in 2018 Bowman Chrome but no autographs.
Here’s a look at him in action:
Edwards will play in the big leagues. He’s not a masher but he has speed and he’s exciting to watch. The Rays have said they expect him to be an “anchor” for them for many years. They traded for him so expect him to have a long career and that means collectors have an opportunity to collect him before his call up and inevitable MLB career.
Future Watch: Xavier Edwards Rookie Baseball Cards, Rays – Stats
| Year | Age | AgeDif | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 18 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | A–Rk | SDP | 45 | 195 | 159 | 40 | 55 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 22 | 1 | 31 | 25 | .346 | .453 | .409 | .862 | 65 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 18 | -3.1 | Tri-City | NORW | A- | SDP | 24 | 107 | 86 | 21 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 15 | .314 | .438 | .360 | .799 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | 18 | -1.6 | Padres 1 | ARIZ | Rk | SDP | 21 | 88 | 73 | 19 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 10 | .384 | .471 | .466 | .937 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 19 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | A-A+ | SDP | 123 | 561 | 503 | 76 | 162 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 43 | 34 | 11 | 44 | 54 | .322 | .375 | .396 | .771 | 199 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2019 | 19 | -3.5 | Lake Elsinore | CALL | A+ | SDP | 46 | 217 | 196 | 32 | 59 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 14 | 2 | 14 | 19 | .301 | .349 | .367 | .716 | 72 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 | 19 | -2.3 | Fort Wayne | MIDW | A | SDP | 77 | 344 | 307 | 44 | 103 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 30 | 20 | 9 | 30 | 35 | .336 | .392 | .414 | .805 | 127 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| All Levels (2 Seasons) | 168 | 756 | 662 | 116 | 217 | 26 | 9 | 1 | 59 | 56 | 12 | 75 | 79 | .328 | .395 | .399 | .794 | 264 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 4 | ||||||
Future Watch: Xavier Edwards Rookie Baseball Cards, Rays – More Resources
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Russ Cohen
is the author of several top-selling sports related books.
Baseball’s Best Rookies
Numbers Don’t Lie: Mets: The Biggest Numbers in Mets History
100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters
100 Things Rangers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
“Strike Three!” – A Player’s Journey through the Infamous Baseball Strike of 1994
The Winter Classic: The NHL’s Savior
The Philadelphia Flyers: Images of Sports
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