Could the Rays buy low on Dodgers catching prospect?

The Rays are not going big-game hunting this offseason for Juan Soto, and they're certainly not signing or trading for any players with any type of big dollar amount.

Their unfortunate stadium situation and usual tight-purse-string methods speak to a team that will need to do their usual thing with roster construction, taking on projects and forgotten or unmentioned players to build depth and competence across their organization.

Enter Diego Cartaya, the former top prospect in the Dodger's organization who has fallen out of favor after a step back in production following his promotions to AA and AAA.

Mar 4, 2023; Surprise, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Diego Cartaya against the Kansas City Royals during a spring training game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Luckily for the Rays, with Will Smith's recent contract extension and Dalton Rushing playing out of his mind, Cartaya has become expendable for LA. In fact, he might be so expendable as to not cost anything of real significance.

Cartaya could likely be acquired for a combination of low-level prospects, or included as a fun throw-in for a larger, more significant deal involving one of the Rays' "high-priced" talents like Pete Fairbanks or Brandon Lowe.

What upside does Cartaya still provide despite his middling production in AAA this past season?

Well, he was ranked as the Dodgers' top prospect as recently as 2021 for good reason; the Venezuelan backstop tore it up in the bottom half of the Dodgers minor league systems with huge power numbers and an acceptable approach at the plate. He recently ran into a wall in AA, sporting a 71 wRC+ for the Tulsa Drillers in 2023.

He rebounded nicely in 2024 with a 111 mark in that category over 46 games at the AA level, earning a promotion to Oklahoma City. However, he fizzled out a bit to end his season, recording a .350 slugging percentage for his 49 games at the AAA level in 2024.

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Dalton Rushing, has mashed over his first couple seasons in organized ball, with a near 150 wRC+ in high-A and AA. He finally earned a promotion to AAA and finished his 2024 campaign there with a .396 OBP as he showed off the elite plate discipline that has many ranking him as one of the best prospects in the Dodgers system.

Oklahoma City's Dalton Rushing (21) grounds out during a baseball game between the Oklahoma City Baseball Club and the Round Rock Express at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

So why should the Rays trade for Cartaya, much less give him a shot as the Rays starting catcher in 2025?

To be honest, there's still massive upside with his power. Cartaya is rated as having 50 raw power currently with a potential for 60 in that category according to FanGraphs. This is a rare occurrence for a backstop as he has been taking full advantage of his 6'3 build.

According to MLB.com's scouting report on Cartaya, he also showed improvement defensively in 2023, handling a really quality pitching staff at the AA level and showing a lot of progress across the board defensively.

If he's able to continue that development behind the dish defensively and cut down on a bit of the swing-and-miss he showed at times the past couple seasons, he could turn himself into a quality starting catcher. This would be a welcomed site as the Rays haven't seen consistency behind the plate since Mike Zunino.

Jun 5, 2022; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (10) rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago White Sox in the sixth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

If they can get away with acquiring Cartaya for not a lot or as part of a bigger package, the Rays could find themselves another hidden gem off the scrap heap of the Dodgers abundance of quality prospects.

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