By Dan Hock

July 26, 2024

The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired right-handed pitcher Brody Hopkins, outfielder Aidan Smith and a player to be named later from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder Randy Arozarena.

Hopkins, 22, is 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA (83.2IP, 27ER), 95 strikeouts, 40 walks, a 1.22 WHIP and only two home runs allowed (0.22 HR/9.0 IP) over 18 starts for Class-A Modesto this year in his first professional season. He ranks among California League leaders in starts (T1st), opponent batting average (2nd, .207), ERA (3rd), strikeouts (4th) and WHIP (4th). In his last five starts, he is 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA (25.2IP, 5ER). The Summerville, South Carolina native was selected by the Mariners in the sixth round (No. 187 overall) of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of Winthrop University, where he was a two-way player.

In 2023, Hopkins hit .288 (46-for-160) with 9 HR, 39 RBI and a .906 OPS in 49 games while pitching to a 1-5 mark and 5.83 ERA (54.0IP, 35ER) over 15 appearances (12 starts) on the mound for Winthrop. He is rated as Seattle’s No. 15 prospect by Baseball America and No. 22 by MLB.com.

Smith, 20, is batting .284/.402/.470 (99-for-368) with 26 doubles, one triple, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 63 runs scored and 28 stolen bases over 77 games for Modesto this season, the second of his professional career. He is a two-time California League Player of the Week, earning the honor for the weeks of May 26 and June 30. Smith leads the California League in doubles, extra-base hits (36) and runs while also ranking in steals (2nd), OPS (4th, .872), total bases (4th, 139), walks (5th, 52), on-base percentage (6th) and slugging percentage (6th). The 26 doubles pace all Mariners farmhands and are tied for sixth most in the minor leagues.

Smith, who hails from Tulsa, Oklahoma, hit .208/.321/.361 (15-for-72) with six extra-base hits and 8 RBI over 22 games between the ACL Mariners and Modesto in his first professional season in 2023. He was selected by the Mariners in the fourth round (No. 124 overall) of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of Lovejoy (Tx.) High School. Smith is rated as the Mariners No. 14 prospect by Baseball America and No. 12 by MLB.com.

The 29-year-old Arozarena hit .211/.318/.394 (74-for-350) with 19 doubles, 15 HR and 37 RBI in 94 games for the Rays this season. In 568 career games with the Rays, he slashed .255/.345/.441 (531-for-2,080). He ranks among all-time franchise leaders in hit-by-pitches (T1st, 58), stolen bases (6th, 94), doubles (T8th, 113), home runs (9th, 85), extra-base hits (9th, 207) and runs scored (9th, 321). He is also the club’s all-time postseason leader (min. 30AB) in batting average (.349), OPS (1.138), hits (38), extra-base hits (17), home runs (11) and runs scored (23).

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