Tampa Bay Rays' Christopher Morel Projected For Biggest Individual Improvement in AL

Christopher Morel had a spotty 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays, but FanGraphs is projecting the dynamic 25-year-old to have the second-largest WAR improvement of any MLB player in 2025.

St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Christopher Morel (24) triples against the Minnesota Twins in the eighth inning at Tropicana Field. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays didn't get much out of Christopher Morel last season, but that could change in 2025.

On Friday, MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan compiled a list of the 10 players projected to improve the most year-over-year entering 2025. He combined FanGraphs' Steamer and ZiPS projections to find which players were in line to make the biggest WAR gains, and Atlanta Braves center field Michael Harris II came in at No. 1.

Just behind Harris and his 3.0 WAR swing, though, was Morel. After posting a -1.0 fWAR in 2024, Morel is projected to put up a 1.4 fWAR in 2025.

That 2.4 increase in WAR is just ahead of Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis García and Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez, whose respective WARs are projected to improve by 2.3. The rest of the top 10 is made up of Braves third baseman Austin RIley, Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler, San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts, Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, Rangers catcher Jonah Heim and Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco.

Morel hit .196 with 21 home runs, 60 RBI, eight stolen bases and a .634 OPS across 152 contests in 2024. After getting traded by the Chicago Cubs in July, he recorded just three home runs, nine RBI and one stolen base in 49 games with the Rays.

That was a major step down from Morel's production in 2023, when he hit .247 with 26 home runs, 70 RBI, six stolen bases and .821 OPS across 107 games.

Averaging out FanGraphs' Steamer and ZiPS models, Morel is projected to hit 23 home runs with 70 RBI and nine stolen bases in 2025, batting .230 with a .735 OPS.

Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the Rays were planning on using Morel more regularly in the outfield in 2025. He has experience everywhere except first base and catcher in his MLB career, serving as a third baseman in Chicago and a second baseman in Tampa Bay last season.

The 25-year-old Morel and the rest of the Rays' position players will report to spring training on Feb. 16.

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