Former Rays infielder forced to settle for minor league deal with Reds

There's no longer a Lowe on the Rays anymore whether it's Brandon (Lowe) or Josh (Lowe). Two major trades sent those fan-favorites away with top outfield prospect Jacob Melton and new second baseman Gavin Lux joining the club. Josh Lowe was definitely among the most liked Rays due to his pure athleticism and positive attitude. However, there's a certain Lowe that may have been forgotten by Rays' fans and now he's losing respect from the rest of the league as well.

Nathaniel Lowe forced to settle for a minor league deal with the Reds

In the summer of 2016, the Rays decided to plan their future around the Lowe family as they drafted Josh Lowe in the 1st round and Nathaniel Lowe in the 13th round of the MLB draft. Everything was going smoothly as Nathaniel made his big league debut three years later and his younger brother got called up in 2021. The older Lowe broke out in the Rays farm system as he crushed 50 homers in 338 contests, forcing their hand with a late 2019 call-up. He immediately produced in the majors as he finished his rookie campaign with a .263 AVG and seven home runs over 50 games.

Despite this great success, the Rays traded Nathaniel Lowe to the Rangers for a few lesser-known Rays including Venezuelan infielder Osleivis Basabe. Lowe flourished with the Texas organization as he compiled multiple awards in four seasons. The Georgia native was also the model of consistency as he averaged 154 games per season as the Rangers starting first base during his successful tenure.

Nathaniel Lowe's .274/.359/.432 slash line combined with 78 home runs and nearly 300 RBIs also proved his comfort level with the Texas Rangers. Regardless, they decided to part ways with the slugger after an injury-ridden 2024 season. Immediately after the 2024 season, the Rangers and Nationals struck a deal that sent their longtime first baseman to Washington D.C.

It must've been a disappointing move for Lowe as he was never the same player again. In 2025, he hit a career-low .228 and only managed a 0.1 WAR for both the Nationals and the Red Sox. To make matters worse, the Rays' Boston rivals DFA'd Nathaniel Lowe which forced him to enter a difficult first base market. In the end, he had to settle for a minor league deal with the Reds. It's an unfortunate circumstance for the former Rays infielder, but we know that he can still live up to Rangers' days if given the opportunity.