Four Bulls Tabbed MiLB Rays Organization All-Stars

MiLB.com announced their Tampa Bay Rays Organization All-Stars for the 2022 season, with four members of the 2022 Durham Bulls squad represented. Catcher Rene Pinto, infielders Miles Mastrobuoni and Jonathan Aranda, as well as right-hander Taj Bradley, were all recognized as among the best Rays minor league players during the 2022 campaign.

Aranda was tabbed the International League's Most Valuable Player despite spending the final month of the year with Tampa Bay, leading the circuit in on-base plus slugging percentage (.915), in addition to ranking second in batting average (.318) and on-base percentage (.394), fifth in slugging percentage (.521), seventh in hits (128), tied for seventh in RBI (85), and ninth in total bases (210). Aranda was also named Durham's MVP by the Rays' Player Development department after posting a .318 mark (128-403) in 104 contests with the Bulls, adding 71 runs, 26 doubles, one triple, 18 homers and 85 RBI.

Aranda is the first Bulls player to earn league Most Valuable Player honors since Russ Canzler was named International League MVP on 2011. He is also the tenth player in Bulls franchise history to be named league MVP and sixth since Durham began playing at the Triple-A level in 1998. Aranda was also named the Southern League's Most Valuable Player last season with Double-A Montgomery, in addition to being named a Southern League Post-Season All-Star and a Rays Organization All-Star.

Mastrobuoni was also named to the International League's Post-Season All-Star squad this year after pacing the IL in runs scored (82) while tying for the league lead in hits (152), as well as ranking second in doubles (32), fourth in on-base percentage (.377), fifth in batting average (.300) and total bases (238), tied for eighth in extra-base hits (51) and ninth in walks (63) despite being promoted to Tampa Bay on September 22. In 129 games with the Bulls he hit .300 (152-507) with 92 runs, 32 doubles, three triples, 16 homers and 64 RBI along with an .846 OPS.

He also earned Rays Organization All-Star honors in 2019, in addition to being named to the Southern League's Post-Season All-Star squad that year. On November 15, Mastrobuoni was acquired in a trade from Tampa Bay by the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-hander Alfredo Zarraga.

Pinto

Pinto posted a .266 average (75-282) with 39 runs, 26 doubles, two triples, 14 homers and 54 RBI in 73 games with Durham in 2022. He also saw time in the Big Leagues with Tampa Bay, batting .213 (17-80) with five runs, three doubles, two homers and ten RBI in 25 contests with the Rays, making his Major League debut in April.

2022 marks the second time Pinto has been named a Rays Organization All-Star after previously earning that honor in 2015. In two seasons with the Bulls he has combined for a .280 average (135-483) with 64 runs, 37 doubles, two triples, 26 homers and 89 RBI in 125 matchups.

Bradley earned a mid-season promotion to Durham after compiling a 3-1 record and 1.70 ERA (74.1 IP) in 16 starts with Double-A Montgomery, and earned Southern League Pitcher of the Year honors despite joining Durham on July 24. In 12 starts with the Bulls this year, the 21-year-old tallied a 4-3 mark and 3.66 ERA (59.0 IP), adding 53 strikeouts. Combined between Montgomery and Durham he posted a 7-4 clip and 2.57 ERA (133.1 IP) in 28 outings, adding 141 punchouts.

Following the 2022 season, Bradley was added to the Rays' 40-man roster. In 73 career minor league outings (70 starts) he has accumulated a 22-16 record and 2.61 ERA (310.2 IP), adding 345 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .209 batting average.

The full list of Tampa Bay Rays Organization All-Stars can be found by clicking here.