3 potential non-tender candidates for the Rays ahead of Friday's deadline

Tomorrow, the MLB has scheduled a deadline for MLB teams to decide who they will non-tender for the upcoming season. Non-tendering players shows that the team is choosing not to offer the player a contract to remain in their organization. Therefore, the athlete immediately becomes a free agent.

The Tampa Bay Rays currently have nine players remaining in arbitration, as they look to agree on a contract for a part of that group. However, there may be a few players that get non-tendered due to limitations of an MLB roster. We believe that the three most likely possibilities are middle infielder, Taylor Walls and left-handed relievers, Colin Poche and Tyler Alexander.

Taylor Walls

There is no question that his defense leaves people speechless nearly every game, but the Rays front office has to decide if it's valuable enough to allow him to remain on the roster.

Despite the impeccable fielding skills, Walls has been a major hole in the Rays lineup since he was called up in 2021. Presumably, the swift infielder has recorded the lowest batting average among American League shortstops since his promotion to the major leagues.

Also, Walls has a sub .300 on-base percentage and slugging percentage, making him a considerable liability at the plate. When the league invents the designated fielder, then we could lock him into that spot, but for now, we believe that the Rays should consider non-tendering this Florida State product.

Colin Poche

The next non-tender candidate on our list is hard-throwing reliever, Colin Poche. The former 5th round pick was a staple in the Rays bullpen in 2023, but injuries have limited his playing time.

We are on the fence about his fate on Friday. If the Dallas native can replicate his 2023 production next year, then his projected $3.4 million 2025 salary would be a no-brainer for Neander and company.

However, it is very difficult to foresee any particular player's success or failure. The front office will need to compare Poche to some of the other left-handed options out of the pen in order to gain clarity on the situation

Ian Seymour and Joe Rock are two left-handed relievers that were just added to the Rays 40-man roster. The insertion of these young hurlers could lead to the loss of another lefty in Poche or Alexander.

Tyler Alexander

Although, Tyler Alexander may be the more likely non-tender choice of the two. First of all, the 30-year old's 2024 campaign saw worse results than any of Poche's four seasons in Tampa Bay.

Moreover, Alexander was primarily used as a fill-in starter in 2024, as the rotation was riddled with injuries. Shane McClanahan, Jeffrey Springs, and Drew Rasmussen will be back next season, leaving the former Detroit Tiger as the odd man out.

Regardless, the Rays have some very important decisions to make by tomorrow at 8 pm that could certainly impact the structure of the present roster.