Looking at the Rays Roster Construction Going Into Spring Training (Updated)

(This post was originally published on January 23rd, but we’re updating it to include the Jeff Keppinger signing.)

A commenter on our Facebook page asked an important question. The Rays have a whole bunch of players seemingly ready to contribute to their big league team in 2012, but they have to manage to cut their 40-man roster (here) down to 25 guys for the start of the season. Spring training will help them make a lot of those decisions, but let’s take quick look at the locks and favorites to be on the 25-man roster once the season begins, and the players who are in competition for roster spots.

Pitchers:

Locks: James Shields (SP1), David Price (SP2), Jeremy Hellickson (SP3), Matt Moore (SP4), Wade Davis/Jeff Niemann (SP5), Kyle Farnsworth (CL), Joel Peralta (SU), Fernando Rodney (MR)

In terms of 25-man roster efficiency, it doesn’t make any sense for the Rays to hang on to both Davis and Niemann, and I think that once Niemann agrees to arbitration terms, there’s a very good chance they trade either Davis or him. One of them will definitely be on the major league roster, but if a trade doesn’t occur, Niemann woulds start and Davis would go to the bullpen, as we saw in the postseason.

Probable: Brandon Gomes (MR), Jake McGee (LMR)

After nice showings in the big leagues, Gomes and McGee should have roster spots pending a completely disastrous spring training.

In Competition (for two spots): Burke Badenhop (MR/LR), J.P. Howell (LMR), Josh Lueke (MR), Alex Cobb (LR), Alex Torres (LR), Cesar Ramos (LOOGY)

Everyone other than Howell seems to have a minor league option remaining. Every single one of these pitchers other than Ramos will definitely receive big league time in 2012, but the question is who starts the season on the roster. My guess would be that Howell and Badenhop make it, with Lueke the 8th reliever if they choose to carry one. Torres and Cobb will go back to starting at Triple-A, and Ramos is a likely candidate to be designated for assignment after struggling mightily in 2011. Let’s go through the rest of the roster and see whether they will do that.

Catchers:

Lock: Jose Molina

We all hope that Molina will be a backup from early on the season as one of the other catchers (just wait one second) hold their own in the batter’s box, but Molina will definitely make the roster.

In Competition: Jose Lobaton, Robinson Chirinos

Lobaton and Chirinos, a pair of 27 year olds, will compete for big league catching time in spring training and hopefully one of them will do will enough to be the starting catcher heading into the season and hit decently. Don’t be surprised if the Rays trade Davis or Niemann for a near big league ready catching prospect, who would join the competition. Stephen Vogt is also on the Rays 40-man roster, but he’s more of a super utilityman that can catch than a starting catcher.

Infielders:

Locks: Evan Longoria (3B), Carlos Pena (1B), Ben Zobrist (2B/UTIL), Jeff Keppinger (INF)

We all know for a fact that Longoria, Pena, and Zobrist , who will compose most of the middle of the Rays’ lineup, will be on the roster and contributing in a big way to the Rays’ success. Since the Rays signed Keppinger to a big league deal, he will be on the roster as well.

Probable: Sean Rodriguez (INF), Reid Brignac (SS)

Rodriguez and Brignac will compete for the starting SS job or figure out how a platoon would work, but even if Rodriguez wins the starting SS job, Brignac will see time at second base and third base in spring training and be a utility infielder at least going into the season.

Next Call-up Competition: Elliot Johnson (INF), Will Rhymes (2B/UTIL)

Inevitably someone will get hurt, and Johnson and Rhymes seem like obvious candidates to fill in when that happens. The competition will continue into the beginning of the minor league season.

Outfield:

Locks: Desmond Jennings (LF), B.J. Upton (CF), Matt Joyce (RF)

There’s your 2012 Rays starting outfield… pending trade.

Probable: Sam Fuld (OF)

Fuld was a dependable backup outfielder and bench bat in 2011 and he’ll fill the same role in 2012 (and hopefully have a couple more “Super Sam” moments as well).

Designated Hitter

Lock: Luke Scott (DH/1B)

Scott replaces Johnny Damon as the Rays’ DH for 2012.

In case you’ve lost track of the number of roster spots I’m talking about here, we definitely have 12 pitchers, two catchers, six infielders, four outfielders, and a designated hitter, bringing us to 25 men on the roster. If no starting pitcher trade is made, Niemann will be the 5th starter and Davis will head to the bullpen, which would eliminate a roster spot for either a reliever, Reid Brignac, or Sean Rodriguez. It still seems like a trade of Davis or Niemann is possible if not probable because having both of them on the roster would limit the Rays’ roster flexibility, even with all the super-utility players the Rays have. We’ll have to see how this plays out as spring training approaches.

Here’s my projected 2012 Rays starting lineup.

1. Desmond Jennings, LF

2. B.J. Upton, CF

3. Evan Longoria, 3B

4. Carlos Pena, 1B

5. Ben Zobrist, 2B

6. Luke Scott, DH

7. Matt Joyce, RF

8. Jose Molina/Jose Lobaton/Robinson Chirinos, C

9. Reid Brignac/Sean Rodriguez, SS

There’s still a lot of things that are uncertain right now, but as first spring training and then the season itself approaches, everything will become more clear. But we now have a rough idea of the Rays’ 2012 roster and an idea of what to expect going into spring training.