Rays' hopes spring on arms, new faces, future

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- It’s still too early to get a clear picture of what the Rays’ roster will look like on Opening Day against the Pirates, but a handful of developments do stand out through the first couple of weeks of Spring Training.

The Rays have played two full weeks of games and are scheduled to break camp on March 20, which will force them to make some tough roster decisions soon. But before then, let’s look at three things that jump out after two weeks of Grapefruit League action.

Pitchers pick up right where they left off
Throughout the spring, pitchers will tinker with different pitches, and the Rays staff is no exception. But even through the experiments, Tampa Bay’s arms are showing signs, even this early, of how dominant they could be if they stay healthy.

The rotation pieces have looked impressive. Charlie Morton, Tyler Glasnow and Ryan Yarbrough have yet to allow an earned run this spring, but even that isn’t indicative of how good their stuff has looked. Yonny Chirinos pitched three scoreless innings on Friday and his velocity has improved, clocking in at 96 mph throughout the spring. And Blake Snell, who missed a start after receiving a cortisone shot on his left elbow, came into Spring Training motivated. He is scheduled to return to the mound on Monday against the Blue Jays.

In the bullpen, the unit has shown why they finished atop the American League with a 3.66 ERA in ‘19. Nick Anderson, Diego Castillo, Oliver Drake and Pete Fairbanks have yet to allow a run or even much traffic on the bases. Anderson has yet to give up a hit in three innings, while Castillo has allowed two hits but has nine strikeouts over five innings of work. Andrew Kittredge has also impressed through camp, and Chaz Roe and José Alvarado look like they have returned to form.

Fitting right in
The Rays have a handful of new faces on the 40-man roster, and they already have made an impact. Yoshitomo Tsutsugo is the most noticeable addition, and the Japanese slugger is fitting in well with the rest of the clubhouse. Tsutsugo and Willy Adames are constantly talking in Spanish, which appears to be helping with the transition. On the field, Tsutsugo has looked the part defensively both in left field and at third base.

Despite being just 4-for-24 at the plate, José Martínez has been vocal around the clubhouse and he has been a positive in the clubhouse. Martínez has gotten most of his playing time at first base, which is where the Rays want to see him improve defensively.

Randy Arozarena’s personality is a bit more reserved, but the Cuban outfielder has displayed his talent in his first Spring Training with Tampa Bay. Arozarena is hitting .533, and he has flashed his aggressiveness on the basepaths, as well as displayed his outfield defense. Because of the outfield depth, Arozarena will likely start the season at Triple-A Durham, but he’s expected to make an impact at the big league level in the 2020 season.

The future is bright
The Rays farm system has received a lot of praise, and the prospects in big league camp have shown why. Left-hander Shane McClanahan, the team’s No. 7 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has been the most impressive young player in camp with a four-seam fastball that has reached 99 mph, but he isn’t the only prospect making a good impression. Vidal Brujan, the team’s No. 3 prospect, has shown off his speed, and Ronaldo Hernandez, the No. 11 prospect, has displayed his talent from the catcher position in his first big league camp.

Pitcher John Curtiss, who has yet to allow a run in six innings this spring, has also been impressive, while Joe Ryan, the team’s No. 8 prospect, and Josh Fleming, the No. 28 prospect, have given the Rays some more viable depth options in the rotation.