The 24 best players in Tampa Bay Rays history

The most recognizable name in Tampa Bay Rays history is an easy one, and it belongs to their longtime third baseman, Evan Longoria. Tampa Bay selected the California State University, Long Beach product third overall in the 2006 draft, and by the time he left the organization 11 years later he was the franchise's all-time leader in almost every discernible offensive category. In 1,435 games with the Rays, Longoria slashed .270/.341/.483 with 261 home runs, 892 RBI, 338 doubles, 19 triples, and 51 stolen bases. He was the 2008 American League Rookie of the Year, represented the club in three All-Star games, earned three Gold Gloves, and even won a Silver Slugger. Tampa Bay traded its franchise player to San Francisco just before Christmas in 2017, but he hasn't come close to matching the production he delivered in southwest Florida. Longoria is still an active player and is suiting up for the Diamondbacks here in 2023, but when he ultimately retires you'd have to assume the Rays will officially retire his number 3. It's already been unofficially taken out of circulation since he left. 

Outfielder Carl Crawford spent the first nine years of his career with the Rays and gave Tampa Bay the most dangerous speed threat in the American League for a long time. In 1,235 games with the club he slashed an excellent .296/.337/.444 with 104 home runs, 592 RBI, 215 doubles, 105 triples, and an eye-opening 409 stolen bases. Crawford represented the Rays in four All-Star games and earned MVP honors in one of them, won a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove, and finished 7th in the AL MVP voting in 2010. He led the junior circuit in triples and steals four times each, and was able to parlay his strong performance in Tampa Bay into a hefty free-agent payday with Boston. 

Switch-hitting utilityman Ben Zobrist was a promising minor leaguer in the Astros' system when the Rays acquired him in a deal that sent veteran Aubrey Huff to Houston in 2006, and while Zobrist proved to be a late bloomer, the deal eventually paid major dividends for Tampa Bay. In his 1,064 games with the franchise, the Eureka, IL native slashed .264/.354/.429 with 114 homers, 511 RBI, 229 doubles, 32 triples, and 102 stolen bases. His ability to play several different positions and be a plus defender at each of them gave the Rays enviable roster flexibility, and he was consistently a respected leader in the Tampa Bay clubhouse. Zobrist wore a Rays cap in two All-Star games and was somebody the Rays came to miss after they traded him to Oakland in January 2015. 

Tampa Bay selected center fielder Kevin Kiermaier in the 31st round of the 2010 draft, and it's safe to say he vastly outperformed the expectations that generally come from being picked that late. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native debuted for the Rays late in 2013, and he'd go on to become the best friend of the team's pitching staff for nearly a decade. Kiermaier earned three Gold Gloves while with the Rays, and seemingly every night came up with a highlight-reel catch that kept opposing teams from scoring. Offensively he was no slouch, either, slashing .248/.308/.407 with 273 extra-base hits, 316 RBI, and 112 stolen bases in 914 games. After a somewhat disappointing campaign in 2022 the Rays felt comfortable letting Kiermaier depart as a free agent, though surely they would have preferred he didn't sign in their division with the Blue Jays. 

David Price will always hold a special place in Rays lore, as he's unquestionably the most accomplished hurler this club has ever employed. Tampa Bay selected the southpaw with the top overall pick in the '07 draft coming out of Vanderbilt, and by late 2008 he was already in the big leagues and playing a leading role in the Rays' first American League pennant. In the seven seasons Price pitched in southwest Florida, he earned 82 victories and pitched to a strong 3.18 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP. He struck out 1,065 hitters in 1,143.2 frames, tossed 10 complete games, and gave the team well over 200 innings for three straight years from '10-'12. Price won an ERA title with the Rays, led the league at least once in innings, wins, strikeouts, and complete games, represented the club in four All-Star games, and most impressively was named the 2012 AL Cy Young award winner. 

James Shields was a teammate of David Price for several years, and together the duo was tasked with leading the Tampa Bay rotation. The right-handed Shields had a well-earned reputation as a tenacious bulldog on the mound, and was the type of consistent workhorse every team likes to have on its pitching staff. In 218 outings with the Rays, he won 87 games and posted a 3.89 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 1,454.2 innings. He struck out 1,250 batters, threw 19 complete games — including eight shutouts — and threw more than 200 innings for the Rays six times. Durability was one of Shields' trademarks, as he made all of his scheduled starts in every one of his full campaigns in Tampa, and he was proud to represent the Rays in the 2011 Midsummer Classic. 

Left-handed swinging first baseman Carlos Pena's short stay in Oakland early in his career was much publicized in the book and movie "Moneyball," and while much to the chagrin of the A's coaching staff he never blossomed into a star in the Bay Area, that certainly changed on the other side of the country. After a productive stint in Detroit, Pena arrived in Tampa Bay ahead of the 2007 campaign, and almost instantly emerged as one of the most lethal power threats in the American League. In five seasons with the Rays he slashed .230/.360/483 with 163 home runs, 468 RBI, and 113 doubles. He qualified for the only All-Star Game of his career while with Tampa Bay, and was able to take home a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove with the team as well. 

Nearly two decades later, simply uttering the name Scott Kazmir in a room of Mets fans is certain to illicit death stares. At the trade deadline in 2004, New York sent its former first-round pick to Tampa Bay in a dreadful trade for starter Victor Zambrano. Zambrano was a complete bust in Queens, while Kazmir ended up playing a huge role on the Rays pitching staff for a half-dozen years. In 145 outings with his new team, Kazmir pitched to a 3.92 ERA with a 1.39 WHIP in 834 innings. He made the American League's All-Star team twice, led the league in strikeouts in 2007, and at 24 years old was pitching in the World Series. 

Norfolk, VA native B.J. Upton was selected by the Rays with the second overall pick in the 2002 draft, and he eventually developed into a core player for them for eight years. In 966 games in a Tampa Bay uniform, Upton slashed .255/.336/.422 with 118 home runs, 447 RBI, 202 doubles, 20 triples, and 232 stolen bases. He never qualified for an American League All-Star team, but Upton gave the Rays three different 20/20 seasons and was an important part of their American League pennant-winning team in 2008.

The Rays selected second baseman Brandon Lowe in the third round of the 2015 draft coming out of the University of Maryland, and just a few short years later he had already developed into one of the team's best players. Lowe made the All-Star team and finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, had a phenomenal COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, and was simply one of the best players in baseball in '21. That season, the left-handed hitter crushed 39 homers, drove in 99 runs and contributed 31 doubles, yet inexplicably was not voted into the All-Star Game. Injuries hampered him mightily in 2022, but in 109 games in '23 he crushed 21 homers and reestablished himself as one of the most talented Rays. Heading into 2024 he remains a critical part of what Tampa Bay does, and the team is excited to see what he can accomplish moving forward. 

Infielder Julio Lugo played for seven different major league teams during his 12-year career, but his most productive seasons came in a Tampa Bay uniform. In 505 games with the Devil Rays, as they were known at the time, Lugo slashed .287/.350/.421 with 162 extra-base hits, 212 RBI, and 88 stolen bases. He never made the All-Star team or led the league in a major category, but for four years Lugo was the primary attraction on some pretty lean Tampa Bay teams. 

Outfielder Desmond Jennings had a relatively short-lived MLB career, but there was a time in the early 2010s when he was a highly productive member of the Rays lineup. In parts of seven seasons with the club, the Birmingham, Ala. native slashed .245/.322/.393 with 55 homers, 191 RBI, 99 doubles, 22 triples, and 95 stolen bases. He finished 7th in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2011 and contributed more than 30 doubles in both '13 and '14. 

Right-handed swinging Yandy Diaz never really got a fair shake to prove himself as a capable big league starter in Cleveland early in his career, but that changed in a big way once he got to Tampa Bay in 2019. The Rays saw the potential in Diaz' bat and have been rewarded handsomely by his ability to consistently put the ball in play and hit it with authority. The 31-year-old has already given Tampa Bay four seasons with 20 or more doubles, and in 2023 he turned in his best year yet. In 137 games, Diaz slashed .330/.410/.522 and set new career highs in home runs (22), RBI (78) and doubles (35). He won the batting title, made his first all-star team, and even took home a Silver Slugger award. Tampa Bay is excited to see what he can do for an encore. 

Raleigh, NC native Chris Archer debuted for the Rays as a 23-year-old rookie in 2012, and before long he blossomed into the ace of Tampa Bay's staff and one of the better starting pitchers in the American League. In 185 outings for the club, the righty earned 55 wins and pitched to a 3.71 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP in 1,082.1 innings. He punched out 1,167 hitters in a Rays uniform, tossed three complete-game shutouts, and made more than 32 starts for the club in four consecutive years from '14-'17. Archer represented Tampa Bay in two All-Star games, and at the trade deadline in 2018 was sent to Pittsburgh in a masterful trade that netted the Rays Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows, and Shane Baz.

Left-handed slugger Aubrey Huff spent the first six and a half seasons of his career with the Devil Rays, and for most of that time was the team's primary offensive weapon. In his 799 games with the club, Huff slashed .287/.343/.477 with 128 home runs, 449 RBI, 172 doubles, 9 triples, and 20 stolen bases. He gave Tampa Bay more than 20 home runs four different times, and drove in 92 or more runs for the team in three consecutive years from '03-'05. At the trade deadline in 2006 the Devil Rays sent Huff to Houston in a deal that brought them back future cornerstone player, Ben Zobrist. 

Tampa Bay selected southpaw Blake Snell in the first round of the 2011 draft coming out of Shorewood High School outside of Seattle, and it didn't take all that long for him to become one of the most recognizable names in this franchise's history. In 108 starts as a member of the Rays, Snell pitched to a strong 3.24 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP, while striking out 648 hitters in 556 innings and winning 42 games. He won the American League Cy Young award in 2018 when he also led the majors in wins and earned the ERA title en route to his first All-Star Game appearance. Frustratingly for Snell, his Rays tenure is remembered most for the image of him walking off the mound in the 2020 World Series when the team made the conscious decision to remove him from the game far too early. The pitching change blew up in Tampa Bay's face; they lost the game and the series to the Dodgers, and Snell was traded to San Diego two months later. 

 Next up on the list is shortstop Wander Franco, who may or may not still be an active player for the Rays. The 22-year-old switch-hitter spent several years atop most of baseball's prospect rankings, and while he was slowed a little by injuries early in his career, his pure talent eventually started to shine through. Last season Franco was well on his way to having a full breakout campaign, slashing .281/.344/.475 with 17 homers, 58 RBI, 23 doubles, and 30 stolen bases in 112 games. Unfortunately, he then landed in some serious hot water with legal allegations back in the Dominican Republic and has not played since. 

Righty Alex Cobb spent six seasons as an important part of the Rays' starting rotation, and was a nice find for them in the fourth round of the 2006 draft. In 115 starts for Tampa Bay, the Boston, Mass. native went 48-35 with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, while striking out 570 hitters in exactly 700 innings and tossing three complete games. Cobb never made the American League All-Star team and was never considered an ace or a star, but for a long time he was a reliable middle-of-the-rotation hurler that Tampa Bay felt would give the team a good chance to win every time he took the mound. 

Outfielder Randy Arozarena came to Tampa Bay in a January 2020 deal that included lefty Matthew Liberatore as the primary piece headed to St. Louis. It's safe to say the Cardinals would like that trade back. With the Rays, Arozarena has emerged as one of the most electric and exciting players in the American League. In his first full big-league season in '21 he was named the American League Rookie of the Year, and he's given Tampa Bay back-to-back-to-back 20/20 campaigns. In 2023 he set a new career high with 23 home runs and was selected to participate in his first all-star game. Arozarena's energy and attitude is a big part of the Rays culture, and heading into 2024 he's at the top of the list of the team's most important everyday players. 

Versatile Joey Wendle gave the Rays sort of a modern-day Ben Zobrist in the four years he spent in Tampa Bay. The Wilmington, DE native was probably a better second baseman than anything else, but he capably played five different positions for the Rays, which helped give them increased lineup flexibility. Offensively, the left-handed hitter slashed .274/.330/.414 with 125 extra-base hits, 151 RBI, and 40 steals in a Rays uniform, and his consistently low strikeout rate made him a tough out. Today, Wendle suits up for baseball's other major league team in Florida, the Miami Marlins. 

The Rays acquired shortstop Jason Bartlett in a trade with the Twins shortly after Thanksgiving in 2007, and he immediately gave his new team a productive regular at a premium defensive position. In his 400 games with Tampa Bay, the former Oklahoma Sooner quietly slashed an excellent .288/.349/.403 with 113 extra-base hits, 150 RBI, and 61 stolen bases. He was the Rays' starting shortstop when they reached the World Series in 2008, and was selected to represent the club in the '09 Midsummer Classic. 

Let-handed swinging outfielder Matt Joyce called Tropicana Field home for six seasons, and was often a quietly productive and underrated hitter in the middle of the Rays lineup. In 633 games with the club, the Tampa native slashed .250/.342/.435 with 76 home runs, 280 RBI, 111 doubles, 10 triples, and even 29 stolen bases. He was an All-Star in 2011 when he drove in a career-high 75 runs, was a steady defensive player in both of the corner outfield positions, and even had a knack for being a highly successful and dangerous pinch-hitter. 

Outfielder Rocco Baldelli was born in the heart of Red Sox country in Woonsocket, RI, and for most of his playing career ended up suiting up for one of his hometown team's fiercest rivals. Baldelli spent six of his seven major league seasons with the Rays, slashing .280/.324/.444 with 165 extra-base hits, 239 RBI, and 59 stolen bases. He finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2003, contributed 20 or more doubles three times, and was a member of Tampa Bay's AL pennant-winning team in 2008. Following his playing career, Baldelli became a coach with the Rays, and was later named the manager of the Minnesota Twins, with whom he won the Manager of the Year award in 2019. 

Second baseman Logan Forsythe only played in Tampa Bay for three seasons, but was able to accumulate just enough WAR to sneak into the last spot on this list. In the 390 games he played with the Rays, the Memphis, Tenn. native slashed .262/.334/.419 with 119 extra-base hits, 146 RBI, and 10 steals. He never made an American League All-Star team, but he did give the Rays 17 or more homers in back-to-back seasons, and was a solid defensive infielder up the middle.