The Tampa Bay Rays released their full-season affiliate rosters for Triple-A Durham, Double-A Montgomery, High-A Charlotte, and Low-A Bowling Green on Tuesday, showcasing the great amount of talent and organizational depth in the minor league system.
Durham is stacked with seven players — LHP Blake Snell, OF Mikie Mahtook, UTL Taylor Motter, 3B/OF Richie Shaffer, INF Nick Franklin, RHP Matt Andriese and RHP Andrew Bellatti — who could have easily started on the big league roster.
Shortstop Willy Adames will start the year in Montgomery along with eight other players who rank on the system’s top 30 prospect list — 1B/OF Jake Bauers, RHP Taylor Guerrieri, 1B Casey Gillaspie, RHP Jake Faria, RHP Chih-Wei Hu, RHP Ryne Stanek, SS Jake Hager and 2B Kean Wong.
Number two prospect, RHP Brent Honeywell, will start the year with the Charlotte Stone Crabs along with six others who led the team to the 2015 Florida State League Championship — RHP Greg Harris, RHP Mike Franco, RHP Hunter Wood, INF Jace Conrad and OF Justin Williams.
Josh Vitale (Suncoast Sports Now) offered some stray observations on the roster moves, something I’d highly encourage you to read. You can also check out where each prospect landed below.
Other noteworthy roster moves
— Ryan Brett has been placed on the Triple-A DL with a right wrist flexor strain.
— As you’re likely aware of by now, the Rays have released first baseman James Loney from his contract. This comes after the team informed Loney that he would not be crack the Opening Day roster, so the move wasn’t unexpected. Tampa Bay is still on the hook for the $8MM that they owe the veteran for the 2016 season.
According to Steve Adams (MLB Trade Rumors) Loney,
Has his sights set on landing a big league opportunity in free agency, per ESPN’s Buster Olney (links to Twitter). However, in the event that no Major League offers materialize, the veteran first baseman is willing to head to Triple-A, according to Olney. However, if he does go that route, Olney adds that he would probably push for a clause that allowed him out of said minor league pact should a Major League opportunity materialize elsewhere.
— Former Tampa Bay backstop Rene Rivera has agreed to a minor league deal with the New York Mets. Rivera was released by the Rays on March 30 after the team decided to go with the tandem of Hank Conger and Curt Casali behind the plate. The new agreement with the Mets marks a return to the organization for Rivera, who spent the 2009 season in their Triple-A affiliate.