Tampa Bay Rays: Joey Wendle could be the answer at second

Acquired through a minor deal with the Athletics, the Tampa Bay Rays may have found their future at second base in Joey Wendle.

Brought in for a player to be named later, the Tampa Bay Rays acquisition of Joey Wendle barely made a ripple. He had been unable to crack the Oakland Athletics roster, with just 36 games in the majors over the course of two seasons. As he is turning 28 during the course of the 2018 campaign, Wendle was not a player that was expected to be much more than a depth piece.

However, there was hope that Wendle could be more than minor league filler. Over the course of his time in the minors, he had displayed an interesting combination of power and speed. In his 2791 minor league plate appearances, Wendle posted a respectable .288/.338/.453 batting line, hitting 170 doubles, 58 homers, and stealing 58 bases.

With the Rays other trades and various injuries, Wendle is finally getting a chance to prove himself at the major league level. He has performed well thus far in the opportunity that he has had, with a .348/.333/.652 batting line in his first 23 plate appearances. Of his eight hits, four have gone for extra bases, including his home run on Monday, his first in a Rays uniform.

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Wendle did show some of that potential during his brief stints with the A’s. In his 118 plate appearances for Oakland, Wendle had a .266/.305/.339 batting line, hitting two homers and two doubles. He also showed a solid batting eye, drawing seven walks and striking out only 19 times. With that decent production, along with his track record in the minors, he seemed like the type of player the perpetually rebuilding A’s could have used.

Instead, he may have finally found a home in Tampa Bay. The Rays do have Willy Adames as a top prospect, but while there are questions as to his position in the majors, shortstop will be open should Adeiny Hechavarria depart as a free agent after this season. Brandon Lowe may be knocking on the door to the majors soon, but is likely at least a year away. Wendle can stake his claim to second, at least for a time, if he continues this hot start.

It is certainly possible that Wendle proves to be the future at second. His short, compact swing generates plenty of power, as evidenced by his performance against the White Sox on Monday. Not only did his first homer of the year leave the yard in a hurry, but he just missed a second homer earlier in the game. Wendle could be the type of player the Rays covet, especially since they are willing to give him a chance.

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The Tampa Bay Rays may be the perfect fit for Joey Wendle. Now that he is getting his chance, he could prove to be a late bloomer, and part of their future.