The Tampa Bay Rays have been quiet since the calendar flipped to a new year, but there is still time to bolster the edges of the roster. The options are dwindling, though, and the Rays need to demonstrate a level of aggressiveness. Having said that, there are a couple of potential options that could raise the ceiling behind the plate.
The Rays are working under a limited budget. Any addition will need to be balanced against the incumbents already on the roster. In any event, the Rays can still peruse the market to boost the depth at the catching position.
The Rays’ Catcher Situation is Not Ideal
As the month of January comes to a close, there are fewer options to boost the current unit. The incumbents are Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia. Fans of another team would need to squint to identify any differences between the two. Fortes is a career .224 hitter in 1,174 plate appearances with a 17% strikeout rate and 5.4% walk rate. Feduccia struggled after arriving in Tampa Bay via trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, slashing .151/.265/.209 in 36 games. Rays catchers finished with the lowest batting average and OPS last season.
The Athletic reported earlier this month that the Rays had interest in free agent J.T. Realmuto before he re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a three-year, $45 million deal. Realmuto would have been an amazing fit on this Rays depth chart. As a veteran mentor to Feduccia, Realmuto would have improved the Rays on both sides of the ball. The problem was that the contract fell out of their comfort range.
The Rays had interest in JT Realmuto, according to Ken Rosenthal. They are also continuing to explore the catching market via trade. pic.twitter.com/kIegUau747
— Jake (@TBRaysCentral) January 17, 2026
What Can Be Done?
The rumors surrounding Realmuto indicate that the Rays are still on the prowl for upgrades. Externally, there are a couple of speculative fits, including the Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, and St. Louis Cardinals. Matt Thaiss would be a nice option on a cheap deal, but the Rays sent him packing after predictable results.
An appealing internal option remains Dominic Keegan. The 2022 fourth-rounder hit .241 in 69 games at Triple-A last year. Only 25, Keegan smacked 12 home runs and posted a .767 OPS. Keegan was added to the Rays’ 40-man roster in November, and manager Kevin Cash was extremely effusive in talking about his young catcher during baseball’s Winter Meetings last month.
We are excited about (Keegan), and we put him on the roster,” Cash said. “He battled some arm injuries in camp last spring, but there is a lot to be excited about.”
A Date with the Twins
The Rays should call up the Twins and see if they are willing to talk about their catching surplus. The Twins stole Rays target Victor Caratini when they inked him to a two-year, $14 million deal last week. That newly-created surplus has led to rumors about potentially trading Ryan Jeffers to bolster other parts of a Minnesota club that plans on contending in 2026. Jeffers will only be making $6.7 million in his final year before becoming a free agent.
Jeffers has become a very underrated catcher during his time in the Twin Cities. Jeffers demonstrated consistency on both sides of the ball. He slashed .266/.356/.397 with nine home runs, 47 RBI, and 47 runs scored, translating to a 113 wRC+, last season. He posted a career-best 10.8% walk rate and a solid 19.6% strikeout rate. Jeffers doesn’t necessarily possess game-changing power, but the Rays’ lineup can support him with the big bombers at the top.
Jeffers won’t be a free agent until 2027. That control window fits nicely because Keegan could be pushing for a starting role as soon as this season. The Rays could include someone like Garrett Cleavinger to help repair a Minnesota bullpen that was stripped down at last summer’s deadline.
The Last Word
Keegan will hopefully be the long-term answer behind the plate. The Rays have a couple of interesting options at the plate that could help them going forward. This season is an opportunity to evaluate young players because the Rays will have a very difficult time contending in the AL East.
It’s not like Rays fans haven’t already been dealing with lackluster production behind the plate. Think about what “average” production could mean in terms of wins and losses. At this point, anyone should raise the ceiling on this troublesome unit.
Main Photo Credit: © Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images