Rays Outfield Picture Has Added Twist After Trade With Marlins
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The Tampa Bay Rays are gearing up for a spring training showdown of the ages to determine who will claim the starting outfield spots, and another name just joined the mix.
Victor Mesa Jr. was acquired from the Miami Marlins in exchange for 18-year-old shortstop Angel Brachi in an under-the-radar trade. While seemingly banal at first glance, the Rays pounced on the opportunity to pick up the recently DFA’d former top prospect for his intriguing blend of skills.
Adding another layer, Mesa Jr. will be the fifth left-handed-hitting outfielder added to the 40-man roster, where the plan in the Tampa Bay outfield seems to be to let competition determine who will stick.
Mesa Jr. certainly has the skills to stick. A player who might be better remembered for his famous name, baseball runs deep in the Mesa family. His father is Cuban baseball legend Victor Mesa, and his older brother, Victor Victor Mesa, was once the prize of the 2018 international free-agent signing period.
Victor Mesa Jr. was shrewd acquisition by Rays
It is the younger brother, though, who has stayed relevant and knocking at the Major League door for a while, as a result of torrid hitting in Triple-A. Miami couldn’t find a spot for him in their promising outfield, with the Rays believing he has a chance in theirs.
Tampa Bay is the industry leader in identifying standout traits other teams don’t see in their talent. Many of the Rays’ offensive targets this offseason have been former top prospects looking for regular playing time.
Gavin Lux, Ryan Vilade and Jake Fraley, at points in their younger days, stood out for notable hit tools or glove work skills. The Rays’ acquisition of Mesa Jr. follows this trend.
Mesa Jr. stands out for a well-rounded profile that Tampa Bay couldn’t ignore. It starts with his defensive ability that carries his game.
The Miami Marlins today acquired Minor League INF Angel Brachi from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for OF Victor Mesa Jr.
— Marlins Communications (@MarlinsComms) February 6, 2026
Brachi, 19, slashed .337/.453/.408 (62x184) with 49 runs, nine doubles, two triples, 21 RBI, 26 walks, and 17 stolen bases in 51 games with DSL Tampa Bay in…
Being able to handle all three outfield positions, and especially center field, gives Mesa Jr. an edge over the outfield competition that less versatile players can’t handle. Compared to less gifted fielders like Fraley or Chandler Simpson, Mesa Jr. will earn a long look for his clean defensive mechanics and strong instincts that allow him to cover the entire outfield.
2025 was also the first year his bat took a step forward. Throughout his long minor league career, the bat never shone through due to an unfortunate combination of bad plate discipline and weak extra-base power.
That changed last year when he cut his strikeout rate by 5.3 percent and posted encouraging splits against left-handed pitching. In a minor league career that saw his batting average hover around a mundane .250, Mesa Jr. excelled in a breakout 42-game sample in Triple-A Jacksonville, where he slashed .301/.368/.878.
The best part about his breakout was the encouraging changes he made to produce those numbers. His long swing was altered to deliver less swing and miss, increasing his O-Contact and decreasing his swinging strike percentage.
Sources: Victor Mesa Jr. was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) February 6, 2026
Victor Jr. is an athletic outfielder who will have opportunities with the Rays, a big chance for his career. He made his MLB debut during the 2025 season with the Marlins.
In short, he was fouling off more chase pitches and swinging through fewer in-zone pitches. The Rays notice little tweaks like that season-to-season in the minors, especially for a player Tampa Bay sees habitually facing their Triple-A pitching in the International League.
While there might be questions around how the Rays are piecing together their outfield going into 2025, Mesa Jr. offers them depth, where they will look to give lots of players opportunities.
While Cedric Mullins and Simpson come with bigger name recognition, Mesa Jr. does little things like handling lefties and righties, as well as fielding all three outfield spots.
This isn’t a sexy move or a burgeoning breakout waiting to happen, but Mesa Jr. is the exact type of depth piece any organization needs when injuries pile high and production dips over the course of a long season.
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Sam Hougham is an alumnus of UC Santa Barbara, who earned his degree in Communication. He is a passionate baseball writer and researcher who began his career at Diamond Digest, a platform for up-and-coming voices in baseball writing. Since then, he has launched his own website, The Daily Lineup Card, where he publishes long-form analytical pieces focused on scouting, drafting, and team analysis. A lifelong Tampa Bay Rays fan, Sam’s other sports interests include Aston Villa FC and the English Premier League, the NHL, and the NFL. You can follow him on X, @samuelhougham, or reach him via email at samhougham791@gmail.com.