The Tampa Bay Rays have started up their offseason, and there is plenty of work to do to get this team to where they need to be for the 2026 campaign.

After missing the playoffs and finishing eight games under the .500 mark, the Rays are going to be working hard this winter to make some improvements. Fortunately, there are several reasons to believe that the team is going to be better with some key players getting healthy and some of their young talent likely to improve. 

Even though there are some good things in place, the team will also be seeking to make some improvements in certain areas. One area that the team will undoubtedly be looking to add is some depth for their starting rotation. This is a clear need at the back end of the unit, and getting someone to eat some innings will be key. 

While that is arguably the top need for the team, making an improvement behind the plate would also be beneficial for the team. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the catcher position being one of the top needs for the team this winter. 

Will Tampa Bay Be Able to Upgrade at Catcher?Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Fortes getting a single

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Coming into the winter, upgrading at catcher felt like a clear need for the team based on production from the position in 2025. While Danny Jansen was a solid player for the team before he got traded, the production after he was dealt really dropped off. 

The combination of Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia really didn’t get the job done all that well behind the plate, but they are currently the two choices to get the bulk of the playing time. While Fortes is a solid defensive catcher, he doesn’t bring much to the plate with his bat. 

Feduccia has flashed some potential in the minor leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he really didn’t impress at the plate when given the opportunity with the Rays. Surprisingly, Erik Neander recently spoke highly of the combination going into the year. 

With another position in the lineup that has some questions at shortstop being an uncertainty, especially offensively, it would be hard for the team to be where they need to be if both spots have issues. While the team isn’t going to be able to get a star catcher, there are some potential options that would really improve things for the franchise. 

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