Rays' trades have impact on Durham Bulls

A team that is two games over .500 and three games out of a wildcard spot would not normally be a seller at the Major League Baseball trade deadline. The Tampa Bay Rays have never been a normal organization.

They have mastered the art of being a low revenue team while always being in position to advance to the postseason. They have a unique ability to identify young talent and maximize their talents through their exceptional development system. They know when a veteran will cost more than the production they provide. The Rays flip those veterans for multiple prospects that posses high-end tools. Tampa Bay consistently ranks among the top farm systems in MLB.

So, when General Manager Erik Neander began evaluating his team as they headed to the July 30th deadline, he saw a good team on the field. He did not see a great team. He could have made minor transactions that might keep the last wildcard spot in sight, he made an extremely hard decision and did what the Rays do best. He zigged when other general managers would zag. On July 26th, Neander effectively raised the white flag on the 2024 season and trained his sights on the 2025 season and beyond. He shipped out five popular, productive, and respected veterans and accumulated 10 new prospects, a player to be named later, and an intriguing pair of 25 year old major leaguers in 3B in Christopher Morel and OF Dylan Carlson.

Extensive roster overhaul that trades like the ones Neander consummated do not just change the complexion of the parent club but have a ripple effect throughout the system. When the dust settles and prospects are moved between levels, the Durham Bulls will sport a different team on the field. Prospects will get the call they have dreamed of their whole life. Their efforts since they first donned a baseball glove will be rewarded with a recall to Tampa. So as those players move up, new prospects will be elevated to Durham to fill the newly created vacancies.

Neander has not made any prospects promotions so far, waiting to see how his acquisitions adapt to their new teammates and culture. Inevitably promotions will occur. 3B/SS Junior Caminero is the Rays top prospect and the #3 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He has superstar written all over his profile. Should Morel have any problems adjusting to his new surroundings, Caminero will be on the first transport from Durham. The Rays remain a franchise with elite players throughout the system. Caminero has the elite skills to electrify the Rays lineup once he is brought on board.

Tampa Bay is still a young organization. They have been masterful at drafting, signing, and developing prospects. The Rays way of operating is to flood the lower minors with talent and let prospect Darwinism run its course. Any player who has reached the upper minors will have been pushed to their limits and their skills forged to near perfection. Due to this approach, most top 30 prospects are currently playing below AA. That does not mean Tampa Bay does not have assets available at Durham.

The pitching aspect of baseball is a matter of attrition. Pitchers get hurt. Pitchers lose their effectiveness. Pitchers get “figured out.” Successful organizations need to have pitching depth to withstand the rigors of a 162 game schedule and playoffs. The Rays do have pitching assets in Durham. LHPs Mason Montgomery, the Rays ninth best prospect and Jacob Lopez, their 16th best prospect, are ready to fill any vacancies that might occur in the big league pitching staff. If they are not recalled in August, there is a chance they may reach the Rays when the major league roster is expanded slightly in September.

As with any evolutionary process, openings at AAA create opportunities for those refining their games at AA. When Caminero is elevated to the MLB roster, the leading beneficiary of the move will be the Rays second best prospect, SS Carson Williams. Like Caminero, Williams is a top 10 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. If Neander summons one of his Durham lefties, RHP Trevor Martin, the Rays 26th best prospect, should expect a promotion as well. The Bulls currently have only three OF on their roster. An injury or recall to any of them will necessitate are promotion from Birmingham. The top rated OF prospects playing for the Barons are Chandler Simpson, 12th overall, and recently acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers, Matthew Etzel, 29th overall. Either would be a solid choice to move up.

Trades do not always create opportunities. They create competition. C J.D. Martinez was acquired by Neander from the San Diego Padres. He became the Rays 28th best prospect and second highest rated catching prospect behind sixth overall prospect Dominic Keegan. Keegan is assigned to Birmingham and Martinez will begin his Rays career with the Low A Charleston RiverDogs. There are no legitimate catching prospects on the Bulls roster. Keegan and Martinez will batter to become Durhams go to catcher. The loser of the battle could be an asset in a future trade to further bolster the Rays plentiful prospect pool.

Tampa Bay fans will be disappointed with the early acknowledgement that 2024 will be another season without an elusive World Series title. Perhaps the flurry of activities of Neander around the trade deadline added the missing ingredients to a championship recipe. Tampa Bay’s system is in a better position to field the most talented squad each game in 2025. Neander has acquired players that will push one another to maximize results. The results of Neander’s shopping spree should usher in a new sense of optimism in 2025 that the title drought is nearly over. For fans of the Durham Bulls, they will get a sneak peak of the better days ahead.