Prior to the 2018 season, the organization of the Tampa Bay Rays endured a lot of heat for questionable moves in the construction of their roster. To many around the league it seemed as if the team finally developed a good core of hitters and if the rotation performed slightly above average, then the team could sneak into a wildcard spot. Why would those in charge give up on this prospective? Onlookers everywhere failed to see the bigger picture. The organization has a unique vision and the players to execute it.
The Rays currently have the number four rated farm system in baseball according to MLB.com. There is something cooking in Tampa Bay and people are starting to take notice. An extremely talented young core is on the horizon. With a few more pieces in the outfield and on the pitching staff, this team will be scary well before their potential new stadium opens up in 2022. This is refreshing for a city of fans that do not look interested in supporting a Major League Baseball team. The lack of fan interest is a huge cause for concern and the main reasoning behind a push for a new stadium on behalf of local tax-payers. The surest method for generating fan interest is a winning product. The development of the new Rays core will propel the team to heights only experienced a few times in the team’s short history. The Rays finally have a direction for fans to get behind and be excited about.
The up-and-coming Rays have been assembled internally through the draft, development, and creative trades. The talent has begun to cultivate in the form of exciting young position players, all 25 and under. The talented first baseman Jake Bauers is at the center of this exciting new wave of talent. If you want comparable trajectory for him, look no further than Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both players are sizeable figures who are extraordinary athletes with speed that is rare for their position. What makes Bauers so dynamic, is that he may be the most complete hitter developed by the Rays in their organization’s history. He has a smooth swing with power to all fields. It is not only his power that makes his future so bright, it is his plate discipline and contact ability that will see him slotted in the middle of the Rays lineup for years to come. Rays fans are not accustomed to this type of consistency but should grab their popcorn and enjoy the ride while Bauers develops into an elite hitter. Since the All-Star break, he has struggled but has not wavered in his approach. Peaks and valleys should be viewed as crucial growing pains for the young player. The bat is not all that he brings to the table. He has the potential to also be one of the best defensive first baseman in all of baseball. His athleticism and soft hands foreshadow a player who could compete for gold gloves in the American League.
Daniel Robertson is a defensive chameleon who will be an instrumental part of the youth movement and the mission of the organization. What makes D-Rob so special? His ability to play multiple defensive positions and play them all at an extremely high level. Some members in the baseball community believe that (before his injury) if there was a gold glove award for utility players, then Robertson would be in the thick of it, and most likely win it. The value of a player like this cannot be understated. The league shifts, plays position-less baseball, and a player like Robertson thrives on being moved around the diamond. The manager can do this without sacrificing any ability with the glove. He provides plus defense at 2B, 3B, has looked solid at SS when deployed, and also appeared in the outfield this season. His bat still has some work but, this season he has showed flashes of power and the ability to have consistent, quality at-bats. His overall numbers were on the rise prior to thumb surgery.
Unlike D-Rob, Wily Adames looks primed to stick to one position in the infield at shortstop for the foreseeable future. This is outstanding news for Rays fans as it is well-documented that Adames and Bauers are extremely close friends. This is ideal for teambuilding as both of these players have the potential to be leaders for this ball club. They both know the importance of team chemistry and have set the tone with the relationship they have developed. Adames is not as complete of a hitter as Bauers. His ceiling looks to be a solid everyday short stop with All-Star potential. On the defensive side, the departure of Adeiny Hechavarría has allowed the organization to play Adames every day at shortstop. He will not win a gold glove in his career, but has shown flashes of being able to successfully handle the hardest position in baseball for a full season. He can be inconsistent but with time to develop for the remainder of 2018 and all of 2019, he is on the right path of becoming a cornerstone for this team.
The pipeline contains a few more position players that could also be cornerstones for the big-league club. 3B Christian Arroyo, OF Austin Meadows, and 1B/P Brendan McKay all look on their way to making a huge impact for the Rays. Arroyo is well-known for his glove. He is developing to be the eventual replacement for Evan Longoria and the gold glove defense Longo supplied at the hot corner. His bat is lagging behind his glove but it looks as if he has made strides with his swing to make it at the highest level. Another exciting all-around player is OF Austin Meadows, formerly a top prospect in the Pirates organization. Much like Arroyo, Meadows possesses a strong glove, is extremely athletic and looks to be a power, speed combo threat at the plate. The outfield pipeline once looked weak outside of Kevin Kiermaier. It is now a strong point for the team. In the near future, this group has the opportunity to flourish through speed, power and defense. These skill sets will make this team as exciting as ever. Brendan McKay is another outside the box prospect that is breezing through the minors in his first professional season. He is pitching and hitting effectively as a 1B/P. If he can stay on this upwards trajectory, it is easy to envision him fitting into the Rays “opener” philosophy and then going to play in the field, while the Rays mix and match.
It does not stop at position player talent. The team has a young ace with the potential to be one of the best pitchers in the American League. Blake Snell looks to have the stuff and mentality to become the first true number one for the Rays since David Price. There is no denying that Snell took a monumental leap forward this year as he approaches the 20-win plateau. His command is pinpoint and with it, he is starting to develop a bulldog mentality that every ace needs. The big difference this year has been the youngster’s ability to locate in, out and vertically. His secondary pitches, starting with the changeup, are much improved and this revelation to complement with his fastball command has made his devastating breaking ball even more effective.
Tyler Glasnow will hope to follow this same path to end this season and be ready to start 2019 strong. Glasnow has top of the rotation stuff, including a fastball that is among the hardest in MLB. The pitch has natural cutting action, making him even more difficult on right-handed hitters. He is a flamethrower who lives and dies by his fastball. He could complete a dynamic 1-2-3 trio at the top of the Rays rotation as early as next season. Since being the highlight of the Chris Archer deal, the organization has eased him into a starting role and early dividends have been promising. With all this young talent, it is easy to overlook the pitcher who may end up being the best of the young arms discussed. Despite an injury setback this season, the reviews on Brent Honeywell are glowing. He is the complete package with four plus pitches in his arsenal. Still only 23 years old, he had an outstanding 2017 season, going 12-8 in Triple-A while sporting a 3.64 ERA. This is an arm that was ready for the show prior to his arm injury. Honeywell’s arsenal has a plethora of weapons including a fastball with late sinking action, and a screwball that may take baseball by storm next season. It does not stop there, he also has a curveball with outstanding bite, and a good feel for the changeup. These three talented arms should make up a strong top of the rotation needed to compete in the vaunted AL East. Farther down the road, keep in mind pitchers Matthew Liberatore and Shane Baz who are still very young and raw but have a ton of upside.
Many fans have questioned the Rays identity following the dizzying moves made following the 2017 season. It is now clear that the Rays have an identity, mission, and talent to compete in the top-heavy American League for the next few seasons. What is the Rays window for capturing a World Series title? The BoSox and Yanks also boast teams with strong young talent but the time is now for the Rays to go all in. With much less money and resources, it will come down to the accumulation of young talent. The organization is very deep in this aspect and the future is bright.