Trade Pickup Will Simpson’s Righthanded Power Excites Rays

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The Rays had plenty of reasons to make the mid-December trade that sent veteran lefthander Jeffrey Springs to the Athletics and returned righthander Joe Boyle.

The Rays also included lefty Jacob Lopez in the deal and got back a 2025 supplemental first-round draft pick and prospects Will Simpson and Jacob Watters.

While Boyle is likely to provide the more immediate return, Simpson could make the deal turn out right.

That’s because the 23-year-old first baseman does something that is in short supply in the Rays’ farm system: He hits the ball often and hard from the right side.

“We’re really fortunate to have a lot of talent spread throughout our system, but when you look at the profiles we have, righthanded hitters who are driven by their bat, we don’t have as much of that,” Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said.

“He’s somebody who has the ability to impact the baseball from the right side and is driven by his bat.’’

Drafted in the 15th round in 2023 out of Washington, Simpson displayed power in his first full season by hitting 18 home runs in a 2024 season spent mostly at High-A Lansing. He reached Double-A Midland for 18 games and batted .282/.378/.482 in 127 games overall.

Simpson’s strength is obvious, but the Rays also like his aggressiveness at the plate.

Two of the Rays’ top position prospects are lefthanded-hitting first basemen Tre’ Morgan and Xavier Isaac, so the Rays will give Simpson a look at third base and possibly in the outfield corners, figuring to take advantage of his athleticism.

“A lot of size (6-foot-3, 225 pounds), strength and pretty good foot speed,” Neander said of Simpson. “(We are) excited to get him in here, get him a lot at-bats and just kind of see where that bat and the power from the right side ultimately settle in.”

COOL RAYS

— Righthander Joey Krehbiel, a product of nearby Seminole High, rejoined his hometown team by signing a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp. The 32-year-old spent most of 2021 with Triple-A Durham, pitching once for the Rays, then was claimed in September by the Orioles and stayed with them through 2023. He spent 2024 with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate.

— Reversing their initial position, the Rays in a Dec. 30 letter to St. Petersburg officials said they now “support and expect” the city to repair hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field in time for the 2026 season. The city still has to approve the funding and construction, most notably to replace the shredded roof. The Rays will play the 2025 season at Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field, the spring home of the rival Yankees.

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