Tampa Bay Rays defied the odds in 2018 – will that continue?
By David Hill
The Tampa Bay Rays youth movement exceeded expectations
For the Tampa Bay Rays to contend, they need to hit on their prospects, especially in trades. The 2018 campaign was a promising sign for the future.
On the pitching side, Snell was the biggest story. He took a huge step forward, becoming the ace that the Rays have lacked since David Price was traded away. At just 25 years old, he posted a stellar 21-5 record, with a 1.89 ERA and a 0.974 WHiP, striking out 221 batters in 180.2 innings of work. The best may still be yet to come.
Offensively, the youth movement began to appear. The first wave of prospects have come forth, with Willy Adames and Jake Bauers establishing themselves in the lineup. Trades were made to open up playing time for the duo, as the Rays expect both former top prospects to be a key part of the present and future. Meanwhile, Daniel Robertson emerged as a viable super utility player, potentially capable of developing into another Ben Zobrist.
That youth movement is only going to be furthered next year. Mallex Smith, who is hardly a grizzled veteran himself, was traded to open a spot up in the outfield for Austin Meadows, and to bring in catcher Mike Zunino. None of the pitchers on the Rays 40 man roster, with the exception of Chaz Roe, are arbitration eligible. And if Honeywell and De Leon can come back healthy, the Rays youngsters could be quite the entertaining group to watch.
The Tampa Bay Rays started their latest youth movement last season. While it will continue, the results could not have been much better than they were in 2018.