2 Rays who've played their way onto the roster, 2 who've played their way off

The 2026 spring training has certainly opened the eyes of the fans and the front office as some players are making the most of their potential, while others are faltering prior to Opening Day. There are still some position battles before the roster is finalized. The outfield and bullpen are key spots with some unclaimed jobs. Therefore, every player on this Rays roster, including the non-roster invitees, should be playing like they have something to prove.

2 players who've played their way onto the roster

1. Joe Rock

Joe Rock was acquired by the Rays in a trade at the conclusion of the 2024 spring training. The left-handed reliever has done everything right since his arrival to the organization. His 220 strikeouts in two seasons with the Durham Bulls stuck out to Rays management as they have included him in spring training prior to each season.

His spring numbers are especially eye-popping as he has produced a 1-0 record and allowed one run in nine innings of work. It seems like it's only a matter of time before Rock forces himself onto this roster.

2. Mason Englert

Englert joined the Rays in a deal with the Tigers a year ago. He actually earned his way onto the Rays roster out of spring training in 2025, but it was a rollercoaster season for the Texas native. He was sent up and down throughout the season and totaled only 45 innings of work in the majors.

However, his sub-4.00 ERA wasn't too shabby and it marked a career-high for him. The 26-year-old reliever has seemed to improve even more over the offseason as he's pitched a perfect 6.1 innings this spring, giving up zero earned runs on eight hits. Due to the injuries of Edwin Uceta and Steven Wilson, Englert may have a clear path to this wide-open bullpen.

2 players who've played their way off the roster

1. Hunter Feduccia

Although the Rays have likely made their decision about including Feduccia in the 2026 roster, he hasn't done his part of proving his worth this spring. In 18 at-bats, the 28-year-old catcher has collected only two hits. His counterpart, Nick Fortes, has had opposite fortunes with a .286 AVG in 14 at-bats.

Now, it's definitely not fair to judge a player on less than 20 at-bats, but Feduccia didn't show any more promise during his 2025 stint. In 86 at-bats last season, the young catcher hit .151 with zero home runs and only eight RBIs.

2. Justyn-Henry Malloy

The Rays acquired Justyn-Henry Malloy from the Tigers over the offseason. It appeared that they were just trying to take him off the payroll as they accepted cash for their former outfielder. Unfortunately, Malloy's spring has displayed his clear flaws. In 23 at-bats, the 26-year-old is hitting .217 with only five hits and one extra-base hit. This is definitely not a welcome sight as the Rays' outfield last year struggled with their offensive production, especially in the extra-base hit department.

Malloy's previous two seasons in Detroit don't help his case either as he has produced a .209 AVG in 123 contests. The Rays added this former Tiger as a depth piece for the outfield. The outfield mix is still somewhat in the air, but we can likely confirm that Malloy will begin the season in Triple-A.