The Tampa Bay Rays will continue seeking the right catching configuration during the offseason, president of baseball operations Erik Neander said.
Improving behind the plate remains a focus for the Tampa Bay Rays. Rays catchers have combined for 3.4 Wins Above Replacement since Mike Zunino’s 2021 season, the eighth-worst total in the Majors during that four-season stretch, according to FanGraphs.
The Rays have cycled through Francisco Mejia, Christian Bethancourt, Rene Pinto, Alex Jackson and Ben Rortvedt in recent years. Neander said the organization will continue looking for a catcher who can contribute in every area of the position.
Tampa Bay reshaped its catching group
The Tampa Bay Rays signed Danny Jansen last offseason and received a .703 OPS, 11 home runs and 29 RBIs from him in 73 games. The Rays traded Jansen to the Milwaukee Brewers and Rortvedt to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the end of July.
Tampa Bay also designated Matt Thaiss for assignment and acquired Hunter Feduccia from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Nick Fortes from the Miami Marlins. Fortes hit .213/.307/.348 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 38 games for the Rays, while Feduccia hit .151/.265/.209 with eight RBIs in 36 games.
Fedducia had hit .271 with an .808 OPS over seven Minor League seasons. Neander said Feduccia and Fortes helped the Rays more defensively than offensively, while Jansen made a greater impact at the plate.
“Hunter Feduccia is someone that we continue to have more belief in than certainly the offensive results that he showed,” Neander said. “Two guys that helped us more on the defensive side than the offensive side, where Danny was a little bit the other way.”
Fortes and Feduccia remain in the mix
Fortes and Feduccia are the only catchers on the Rays’ 40-man roster, according to the source. Dominic Keegan, Tampa Bay’s No. 15 prospect, is next in line behind them.
Keegan hit .241/.306/.429 with 10 home runs and 36 RBIs in 69 games for Triple-A Durham. Neander said the organization believes in Keegan and is interested in seeing how he develops.
“He’s a player that we like. He’s a person that we believe in, and we’ll see where it goes,” Neander said. “Catchers, their development path is far from linear, and we’re excited to see what Dom does this offseason and where he comes in next year.”
Manager Kevin Cash said the catchers’ “priority is to get to know the staff really quick, get to understand what makes these guys good when they’re out on the mound and just be able to help them execute that.”
Free-agent market includes several options
J.T. Realmuto is identified as the top free-agent catcher, while Danny Jansen and Victor Caratini are listed among the next-best options. The Rays could turn to the trade market or trust Fortes and Feduccia while keeping Keegan in the organizational mix.
The starting catchers for the final four teams in the reported postseason field were Cal Raleigh, Alejandro Kirk, Will Smith and William Contreras. Neander said it is difficult to find a catcher who excels offensively, defensively and in the other responsibilities associated with the position.
“We’re going to keep looking,” Neander said. “Finding someone that excels offensively, excels defensively and excels in all of the intangibles that come with that position, it is nearly impossible. There’s only a handful of them out there.”
“I can assure you we’re going to continue doing everything that we can to find the right configuration back there, and this winter will be no different,” Neander said.
Source: Original report