What a difference a year makes! The Rays ranked 9th in HR’s last year.
The 2018 MLB season is close upon us and projected lineups have been released for all thirty teams. For the Tampa Bay Rays, that lineup shows potential in the OBS department. But the main issue for Tampa Bay is that it doesn’t have true power hitters in the line-up.
What a surprising assertion, given how the Rays performed last year! The team was 9th in the league in home runs, a standing that was influenced by the play of Logan Morrison, who hit 38 home runs, and Evan Longoria with 20 home runs and team-leading 86 RBI’s.
But Morrison remains unsigned and Longoria is gone — traded to the Giants.
So how might the Rays replace those power hitters?
Free Agency: One free agent that the Rays should consider is Neil Walker. Although not an HR Derby-type player, Walker has shown solid power, especially for a second baseman. He’s projected to hit 17 home runs with 55 RBI’s in 2018. Walker can also give current second baseman, Christian Arroyo, more time to develop in the minor leagues.
Prospects: A potential prospect is Jesus Sanchez–the 57th best prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline–if he can carry his minor league hitting ability to the majors. In 2017, Sanchez batted .305 with 15 home runs and 82 RBI’s. The challenge is that he’s young, only 20 years old, and may need more time to develop.
Another prospect is Brandon Lowe. Lowe, a second baseman, won the Florida State League MVP last season. He hit 9 homers and had 46 RBI’s in just 90 games. Weighing only 185, Lowe has great pound-for-pound strength and power. At issue is whether he can continue to increase his numbers.
With the clock ticking, the Rays need to fill the power-hitting hole in their line-up. The good news is that the team has options. The only question is what they’ll actually do.
