Breaking Down What Shortstop Position Will Look Like for Rays Next Season

Who will be the starting shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day?

Jul 9, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (mg) walks off the field in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays are awaiting the end of the postseason to officially get into the offseason. The franchise has a fair amount of excitement surrounding it with new ownership taking over just recently. This was a team that was a lot better than their record, and they could be a contender in 2026. 

This winter, the team will certainly be active in terms of trying to make some upgrades and perhaps moving some veterans to recoup prospects as well. As shown last summer, the Rays could be both buyers and sellers and that unique formula might be something that they look to continue. 

While time will tell what the team does in terms of roster moves, they do have a couple of positions that they will be looking to figure out during spring training. One of the positions the team will be trying to figure out is at shortstop. 

Fortunately, the position battle that will likely be coming features a proven defensive specialist and a young prospect looking to make a name for himself. The battle between Taylor Walls and Carson Williams should be a good one, and the franchise is in a good position to push Williams to try to produce. 

Will Williams Win the Shortstop Job?

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As the top prospect in the system still, Williams will be set to graduate in 2026, following getting his feet wet in the Majors last year. In 32 games, he slashed 172/.219/.354 with five home runs and 12 RBI. The numbers after being called up weren’t overly exciting for the young shortstop, and it is not a lock that he will be handed the starting job. 

Despite having a good amount of talent and depth at the position in 2025, Walls got the majority of the playing time at shortstop, and it is no secret why. Walls was one of the best defensive players in the league, helping result in a 2.6 bWAR. 

Unfortunately for Walls, what holds him back as a player is the production at the plate. In 2025, he slashed .220/.280/.319 with four home runs and 38 RBI in 102 games played. Those are some pretty terrible offensive numbers, and the Rays are likely hoping that Williams will be able to live up to the hype of a top prospect. 

Even though Walls might not be the long-term answer for the franchise, having a defensive specialist like him is undoubtedly useful. The 29-year-old should push Williams to be the best he can be and win the job, which provides insurance in case he can’t