Tampa Bay Rays Top Position Needs for 2023

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As Spring Training rapidly approaches this year, the Tampa Bay Rays are still looking to strengthen their roster in hopes of a deeper playoff run than in 2022. One of the most important points heading into the offseason appeared to be bolstering the offensive side of the ball. However, a lack of activity in free agency has left the Rays with most of the squad they finished last year with.

Baseball Operations President Erik Neander mentioned in the season's wrap-up media session that the Rays would likely need to add some offensive firepower in the offseason. Tampa Bay dropped off significantly last year in run production compared to 2021, falling from 2nd in the league all the way to 21st. A few potential free agent targets in Sean Murphy, Trey Mancini, and Willson Contreras all inked deals with other teams, leaving the Rays empty-handed when it came to new lineup additions.

Starting pitching was an area the Rays did target in free agency, however, signing Zach Eflin to a 3-year deal to insert immediately into an already potent rotation. McClanahan, Glasnow, Eflin, Rasmussen, and Springs project to be the five starters for Tampa Bay this season, and many faces from last year's strong bullpen will likely be returning to solidify relief pitching. If health holds up, this could be one of the more efficient pitching staffs in the league, but as we all know, you're going to need to score some runs to win.

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In this article, I'll be reviewing some of the most prominent areas of need for the Tampa Bay Rays in the upcoming 2023 season!

1st Base

It seems like ages ago that Carlos Pena was mashing homers as the anchor of the Rays at first base. Since then, there have been a lot of short-term rentals and experiments that haven't yielded any consistent production at the position. Tampa Bay recently traded away their primary option in Ji-Man Choi to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor league pitcher Jack Hartman. This will most likely be the most intriguing position to watch this season, with a couple of different scenarios in play.

As of now, I believe the most likely scenario here could be utilizing Isaac Paredes at first base for a favorable number of games. At just 23 years old, he broke out last season with the Rays, hitting 20 home runs while getting playing time at first, second, and third base. Although his.205 season average was hampered by a poor offensive performance in the second half of the season, I believe he's shown enough at the plate to earn a spot in the starting lineup. This is likely contingent on consistency, though, as he has to improve that aspect of his game offensively to be a solid contributor when the Rays need it most. It's possible Yandy Diaz could see time at 1B on off days for Isaac, given his previous experience filling in at the position over the last few years.

The caveat is that Isaac played the fewest games at first base of the three positions he alternated between. If the production isn't consistent enough offensively, much less defensively, this is where I believe another scenario could come into play. Top 1B prospect Kyle Manzardo has garnered some buzz after hitting.323 for the Rays' Double-A affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits. He could be an interesting option at some point in the season, but he still needs to progress through Triple-A, and the Rays certainly don't want to rush his debut. Selected in the second round of the 2021 draft out of Washington State, his offensive potential is certainly being noticed, as this article from Marc Topkin discusses his invitation to Spring Training for the Rays.

This was definitely an area I was hoping the Rays could address over the offseason, with options like Trey Mancini, Brandon Belt, José Abreu, and Eric Hosmer as available candidates. Certainly, all four could have provided solid offense and defense as well as a veteran locker room presence. That's not to say Isaac Paredes can't do the same thing as he continues to grow as a player, but it certainly would have been interesting to see a splash free agent signing.

Catcher

The catcher's position is another area I believe the Rays need improvement in. Tampa Bay was rumored to be in play for both Sean Murphy and Willson Contreras at the trade deadline last year, but instead acquired Christian Bethancourt to pair alongside the young Francisco Mejia. Both players have shown flashes at times, but nothing quite consistent enough to be top producers for the team.

Mejia hit.242 with 31 RBI this season, while Bethancourt hit.252 with 34 RBI between Tampa Bay and Oakland. Both have been average at the plate and nothing to complain about defensively, but I think what gives Meja a slight edge here is his overall potential and knack for clutch hitting. He doesn't quite have the power stroke that the Rays would love to have at the position, but he's been able to come up big in situations by having good at-bats and finding holes in the defense. It also helps his cause that he is a switch hitter. It's likely the Rays will give Meja the chance, though, to prove he can keep a starting role if he's able to become a key contributor.

I see Christian Bethancourt as being a very serviceable second option to have for off days and against certain pitching matchups. He had the best year of his career offensively last season, but I don't quite think his offensive potential matches up with what Mejía may provide if his consistency picks up. A whole offseason and Spring Training with Rays pitchers should help Bethancourt feel even more comfortable defensively however in his second year with the squad.

Another position to keep an eye on as the season progresses, especially with Mike Zunino's departure. This would be an area the Rays would love to have as an offensive X-factor for the 2023 season, whether Mejia is able to break out or Bethancourt is able to make significant strides at the plate.

Bench Depth

Another thing the Rays will need this season is some bench depth behind the position player starters. With the lack of activity during free agency, it's likely the Rays are looking to depend on their young talent to step up and become solid assets to the team. Players like Jonathan Aranda, Josh Lowe, Vidal Bruján, and even Curtis Mead could find themselves in larger roles if their offensive production at the major league level pans out well.

Josh Lowe began last season on the major league roster but seemingly wasn't quite comfortable yet hitting against major league pitching. Vidal Bruján was on and off the roster throughout the season, mainly due to other injured players, but started to show flashes of improvement at the plate towards the end of the year. Along with the other base stealers on the roster, his speed on the basepaths has proven to be a valuable asset. Jonathan Aranda seemed to be the most comfortable transitioning to major league pitching, getting off to a hot start in the several games following his debut. He also showed the ability to bounce around to multiple positions to fill lineup spots.

The most interesting factor here might be Curtis Mead. His hitting ability has been highlighted significantly over the last year, with slashes of.298/.390/.532 over 76 games with both Double-A and Triple-A. The Rays could be enticed by his offensive prowess to bring him on to the roster as a utility man. He's been known to play third base primarily but has the versatility to switch between second and first as well. With an invitation to Spring Training, he'll undoubtedly look to demonstrate his worthiness at the highest level in order to compete for a roster spot. Mead has certainly displayed the tools to be a great hitter in the minors, and the Rays are certainly hoping they can get that consistency to translate to the majors.

A good addition in free agency may have been a veteran presence to have in the locker room and a nice reserve piece to plug in when needed. I think somebody like Joey Gallo could have been a nice signing, but the Rays seem confident now that the young guns are the way to go. Especially with a factor as unpredictable as health, it's never been more important to make sure a team's depth can withstand the ups and downs of a season.

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