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DRaysBay

https://www.draysbay.com/ | 211 entries published

A Tampa Bay Rays Blog: Ball on a Budget

Latest Entries

2026 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: Vote for No. 23

Previous Winner Homer Bush Jr., OF24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a […]

MLB

13 days ago | 2 reads

GDT: Ryan Pepiot makes his spring debut

Ryan Pepiot takes the hill the today as he makes his first appearance of the Spring. There will be local radio coverage of the game today by the Rays. First pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays is at 1:05 at Charlotte Sports Park Today’s highlight package is from September 14-16, 1999 when the Devil Rays […]

13 days ago | 4 reads

New pitch alert! — Rays changeups

A few Rays pitchers have debuted new pitch shapes this spring — and they all have one thing in common: they’re offspeed pitches. That’s not a coincidence. The Rays are quietly building a pitching optimization template: preserve the fastball traits, kill lift on the offspeed, widen the vertical angle of approach (VAA) gap, and let […]

13 days ago | 4 reads

Rays announce first three New Stadium public community engagement sessions

The Tampa Bay Rays today announced the first three public community engagement sessions, inviting residents across Hillsborough County to learn more about and share their input on the vision for a new ballpark and mixed-use district.  In partnership with Hillsborough College, the Rays will kick off the series on Tuesday, March 3, at the College’s […]

14 days ago | 3 reads

2026 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: Vote for No. 22

Previous Winner Aidan Smith, OF21 | R/R | 6’2” | 190A+ | .237/.331/.388 (114 wRC+) 459 PA, 14 HR, 41 SB, 11.5% BB, 31.2% K Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That […]

MLB

15 days ago | 2 reads

GDT: Brody Hopkins makes his spring debut

The Tampa Bay Rays top overall prospect will make his spring debut this afternoon, getting the start against the Baltimore Orioles. There isn’t any radio coverage today, but the Orioles are broadcasting the game so it can be seen on MLB.tv. First pitch is at 1:05 at Ed Smith Stadium

15 days ago | 2 reads

The Case for a 5.5-Man Rays Rotation

With Shane McClanahan hopefully returning to the rotation for the first time in two seasons, the Rays will need to manage his workload carefully to ensure he’s healthy for October – both this year and beyond. The goal isn’t necessarily to restrict or limit him, but to preserve his health while also allowing him to […]

16 days ago | 3 reads

Rays Your Voice: Ben Whitelaw on fringe players to watch this spring

On this week’s episode of Rays Your Voice, Darby Robinson and I talk to Ben Whitelaw about fringe roster players to keep an eye on throughout spring training. Ben has written about several players that are far from household names, even for Rays fans, but on this episode we talk about which of those players […]

16 days ago | 5 reads

Governor DeSantis, Florida Cabinet give land toward Rays Stadium project

The Tampa Bay Rays announced a statement from Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby following today’s meeting of Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet: “The Tampa Bay Rays are grateful for the approval granted today by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet for the conveyance of state land to Hillsborough College for the purpose […]

MLB

16 days ago | 4 reads

2026 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: Vote for No. 21

Previous Winner Jackson Baumeister, RHP23 | 6’4” | 224AA | 4.62 ERA, 4.15 FIP (15 GS) 62.1 IP, 19.5% K, 9.6% BBAFL | 6 ER (1 HR), 9.0 IP (4 G, 3 GS), 10 K, 9 BB A shoulder injury derailed what should have been Baumeister’s coming out party, as his previously plus breaking ball […]

17 days ago | 0 reads

GDT: Do these games mean anything yet?

Let’s seize the means of production the coveted Grapefruit League title No TV covereage today, but the game can be heard through the radio. First pitch is 1:05 against the Boston Red Sox at Charlotte Sports Park.

17 days ago | 2 reads

Cam Booser and the baseball story you need to know

The Tampa Bay Rays made several franchise altering moves this offseason as they traded away Shane Baz and Brandon Lowe in separate trades made just hours apart. The deals also included Jake Mangum and southpaw Mason Montgomery. The inclusion of Montgomery was significant because the Rays have a lack of left-handed pitchers on the roster.  […]

MLB

18 days ago | 1 read

When did you become a true Rays fan, and why?

Was it as simple as you were living nearby? I grew up on the Space Coast, just 2 hours away from Tampa and seemingly 3 from St. Petersburg, in a family that stayed loyal to the Braves over the Marlins over the years — but I was the perfect age to become a Rays fan, […]

18 days ago | 5 reads

Jake Woodford’s Outlier Traits

Earlier this offseason, the Rays signed RHP Jake Woodford to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. He has bounced around several teams over the last six seasons, throwing over 250 innings with a career ERA and FIP that both flirt with 5.00. On the surface, there’s little reason for excitement. But […]

19 days ago | 2 reads

Which team do you hate the most?

For me this is an easy question. Anyone who has a vested interest in the Tampa Bay Rays success knows there’s one team whose presence looms over the franchise, and soon the new owners will seek to undo decades of damage when they build a stadium that shadows over big brother. Yes, I’m talking about […]

MLB

19 days ago | 1 read

GDT: The first Rays lineup of 2026

BASEBALL IS BACK…sort of The Tampa Bay Rays are set to play their first game of the Grapefruit League as they’ll take on the Atlanta Braves at Charlotte Sports Park. Taking the mound for Tampa Bay is T.J. Nichols, who had a breakout season in 2026 and emerged as one of the Rays top pitching […]

19 days ago | 3 reads

2026 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: Vote for No. 20

Previous Winner Tre’ Morgan, 1B/LF23 | L/L | 6’0” | 215AAA | .274/.398/.412 (119 wRC+) 402 PA, 8 HR, 8 SB, 15.9% BB, 19.2% K Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. […]

20 days ago | 3 reads