With the offseason continuing on for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team will be continuing to make some improvements to a couple of key areas. However, they will be hoping some of their internal players take a step forward as well. 

After a disappointing finish to the 2025 season, the Rays came into the winter as a team that was seeking to improve. Right off the bat, Tampa Bay was aggressive in free agency, adding a couple of nice veterans on short-term deals. The team was able to sign both Jake Fraley and Cedric Mullins to improve their outfield, while bringing in Steve Matz to help the starting rotation. 

However, while the moves indicated the team was trying to improve for 2026, they then traded Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz. The return they received for the two players was impressive, but it did set them back quite a bit. As of now, the team looks like they will be building for the future, but a lot can still change. However, while the team tries to balance keeping an eye toward the future while competing now, they will be hoping one of their top prospects steps up. 

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the most MLB-ready prospects, and for the Rays, it was their talented shortstop Carson Williams. 

Williams Could Be X-Factor