The Rays deepened their infield combine with yesterday’s signing of Amed Rosario to a one-year contract, however regardless of the 28-year-old’s expertise as a beginning shortstop in each Cleveland and in New York, he’ll be ticketed for a multi-position position along with his new membership. Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander tells Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Occasions that Rosario will seemingly see time at each center infield spots and within the outfield corners. Commerce acquisition Jose Caballero, in the meantime, continues to be seen because the starter at shortstop resulting from his superior glovework.
Accidents and/or efficiency can all the time change these plans, significantly with the whole lot of spring coaching nonetheless to play out, nevertheless it appears Rosario can be used to spell a number of gamers and to spice up the workforce’s manufacturing in opposition to left-handed pitching. The righty-swinging veteran is a profession .298/.339/.467 hitter in opposition to lefties (121 wRC+) however has posted a fairly hole .262/.296/.374 line in his profession in opposition to right-handed pitching.
Getting into the 2023 season, Rosario seemed like he might be in line for a notable multi-year deal as soon as he reached free company. From 2021-22, he’s posted a strong .282/.316/.406 batting line (103 wRC+) with sufficient defensive aptitude to be valued between 5.2 wins above substitute (by way of FanGraphs) and 6.2 WAR (Baseball Reference). He stumbled with a .263/.305/.378 slash in 2023, nevertheless, and seemingly wasn’t capable of finding a workforce prepared to place down a big wager that he might rebound to his earlier standing as a viable starter on the shortstop place.
The transfer to a utility position can be a brand new one for Rosario, who’s performed the overwhelming majority of his profession at shortstop. He logged 190 innings with the Dodgers at second base in 2023, following a deadline swap that despatched him to L.A. in alternate for Noah Syndergaard, and he logged a mixed 171 innings within the outfield from 2019-22 with the Mets and Guardians. Rosario has simply 48 profession innings in left subject and none in proper subject. He’s tallied greater than 6400 innings at shortstop in his profession. Whereas Rosario lacks expertise within the outfield, he does nonetheless rank within the ninety fifth percentile of MLB gamers when it comes to dash velocity, per Statcast, so he ought to have the uncooked capability to cowl floor within the corners. His route-running will presumably be some extent of focus in camp.
Rosario’s addition helps the Rays take a extra affected person strategy with various their younger infielders. Junior Caminero and Curtis Mead are extensively thought-about to be among the many recreation’s prime prospects (Caminero, specifically), and the Rays even have younger infielders Jonathan Aranda, Osleivis Basabe and Austin Shenton on the 40-man roster. Aranda is right down to his ultimate minor league choice 12 months and doubtless ticketed for a giant league look to start the season, however the others every have a number of choices remaining.
