There is a lot to be thankful for as Tampa Bay Rays fans

The growing influence of Randy Arozarena

Randy Arozarena is one of the most polarizing figures in baseball. His antics while representing Mexico were well-documented during the World Baseball Classic earlier this year. Not only was he playing well, but he was doing it in style. Some people would call it cocky. Others respected it because he was backing it up on the field. Arozarena hit .450 in six games, slugging a home run and nine RBIs while making some stunning defensive plays, including a home run robbery against Japan in the semi-finals. His celebration pose also gained some notoriety.

When Arozarena returned to St. Petersburg for the start of the season, his star power was off the charts. He turned in another incredible season, recording his third-straight 20/20 season with a career-high 23 home runs and his first All-Star Game appearance in August. Left field was dubbed "Randy Land" for Friday night home games in honor of the star. Arozarena has three more years under team control before potentially hitting the market, so the team has some time to ponder his future. Regardless, Arozarena's influence is growing around the world, putting eyes on Tampa Bay.

Yandy Diaz rightfully getting MVP consideration

While several players contributed to the Rays' success offensively, no one did it better than Yandy Diaz in 2023. Diaz led the American League with a batting average of .330, becoming the first Rays player to win a batting title. He also set career highs in almost every major hitting category, slugging 22 home runs and 78 RBIs to go with his team-high 173 hits. He also earned the first Silver Slugger of his career, taking the honors as the top-hitting first baseman in the American League.

The accolades didn't stop there for the Rays' first baseman. After winning the batting title and putting together a strong season, Yandy Diaz was rightfully in consideration for the AL's Most Valuable Player. While Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani was the unanimous decision, Diaz placed sixth in voting, appearing on 28 of the 30 ballots.

He was third on four ballots, but most of his votes were for a sixth-place finish. Diaz might not be as widely celebrated as Randy Arozarena, but his contributions to the team are recognized and appreciated by the fanbase. He was the firestarter for many rallies down the stretch, simply with his ability to get on base. The Baseball Writers' Association of America noticed and gave Diaz the recognition he deserved.

The future of the Tampa Bay Rays is bright

The Tampa Bay Rays are widely renowned for their ability to draft and develop players that turn into contributors at the MLB level. They rank in the Top 10 in team prospect pools consistently, doing so again this season during the preseason and midseason rankings by MLB.com. They currently have the sixth-rated prospect in the game, Junior Caminero, who we saw get some action late in the season, as well as Curtis Mead, who is ranked No. 34. This success isn't new for the organization and can be seen throughout the minor leagues.

Along with the top prospects expected to contribute in the near future, there is plenty of young talent at the big league level to help lead the way. Isaac Paredes just led the team in home runs and RBIs at 24 years old. 25-year-old Josh Lowe put together a breakout season. Regulars like Jose Siri, Rene Pinto, and Taylor Walls are still in their mid-20s. The Rays batted the third-youngest lineup on average in the league. Even some of their "older" stars are in their late 20s, like Randy Arozarena, Brandon Lowe, and Harold Ramirez. Add some young pitchers into the mix who are likely to mature, like Taj Bradley, and this team's success could carry on for a while.