The Tampa Bay Rays are actively pursuing a deal with the Miami Marlins for SS Adeiny Hechavarria. (Photo Credit: Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire)

6:00 PM Update: The Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins have reportedly agreed to a deal that will send shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria from Miami to Tampa Bay in exchange for a pair of prospects — minor league outfielder Braxton Lee and minor league right-hander Ethan Clark. The Rays will take on the balance of Hechavarria’s remaining salary.

Joe Frisaro (MLB.com) was the first to report that Tampa Bay had become the frontrunner for the middle infielder on Monday morning.

Hechavarria isn’t well known for his bat — owning a career .255 batting average along with 15 home runs, 183 RBI and a .291 OBP — rather he is a defensive specialist at shortstop, who is currently in line to earn $2-million for the remainder of the 2017 season ($4.35-million overall).

Hechavarria posted excellent defensive marks at short from 2015-2016, grading out at +18 Defensive Runs Saved and a +24.1 Ultimate Zone Rating, while accruing a +3.1 fWAR. He, however, has been hampered by an oblique strain this season, limiting him to just 20 games in 2017, and is currently rehabbing from his second bout with the injury.

It isn’t entirely clear how Hechavarria will fit into the Rays long-term plans. While he looks like the clear favorite to play shortstop until Matt Duffy returns from the DL, Tampa Bay will need to decide what to do with the combination of Tim Backham, Daniel Robertson, Taylor Featherston and Brad Miller — the latter of whom was the primary second baseman prior to getting injured. It should be noted that both Featherston and Robertson have options remaining, but Beckham does not, and a timetable for Miller’s return has yet to be announced.

Jerry Crasnick (ESPN) reported earlier that if the Rays were to take on all of Hechavarria’s remaining salary, they also wanted the  inclusion of a cheaper power arm with some team control to help facilitate the deal. Crasnick opines that Kyle Barraclough would fit that bill, although the Rays have not actually singled Barraclough out as a target. That rumor, however, has not gained further traction.

Hechavarria has one year remaining on his contract through salary arbitration, and will be a free agent in 2019.

As for the prospects Miami is to receive in return, per DRaysBay:

Lee has prodigious defense, typical of what the Rays have shown they value in previous success stories like Kevin Kiermaier or Andrew Toles, but would have been Rule 5 eligible in 2018. Given the Rays glut of outfielders, he would have found difficulty making the 40-man roster next season.

Clark is a 22-year old pitcher in Class A that has yet to replicate his great groundball rates from his two seasons in rookie ball in the Rays system. A 15th round selection from 2015, he is not dedicated to starting or relief at this time.

Neither player was featured on a top-30 prospect list this off-season.

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