Rays Predicted to Sign Former All-Star Catcher This Offseason

Will the Tampa Bay Rays add a former All-Star catcher this winter?

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

With the offseason well underway for the Tampa Bay Rays now, they have been busy making some minor moves to get their roster set up for the 2026 campaign. However, there is a looming position of need for the team. 

Coming into the winter, the hope initially was that new ownership might look to make a splash and increase payroll a bit for the Rays. While that is expected to come, it seems unlikely that this is going to be the offseason in which it does. 

Fortunately, the Rays operate very well on a small budget, and that is nothing new for the team. However, they do have a desire to make some upgrades to the roster, and that is going to take some creativity. So far, they have been able to shed some salary to free up some space, but it will still be tricky for the franchise to be able to accomplish what they are set out to do. 

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently released his projection for what the lineup for the Tampa Bay Rays will look like on Opening Day and he had them sign catcher Jonah Heim to fill the void at catcher. 

Upgrading at Catcher Is Needed

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Coming into the winter, there are a couple of needs for Tampa Bay, and arguably one of the most important is behind the plate. Last offseason, the team signed veteran catcher Danny Jansen to a one-year deal, and he performed well for the team. However, he was traded over the summer to the Milwaukee Brewers, and production at the position went south fast. 

Currently, the two most likely options for the Rays are Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia. Neither of these players really hit the ground running with the opportunity in 2025, and finding an external option feels needed. Recently, the Texas Rangers decided to non-tender the contract of catcher Jonah Heim, making him a free agent.

The former All-Star is a couple of years removed from the best year of his career, and the last two have been lackluster. However, with the potential being there to be an All-Star caliber catcher, it could be worth the Rays taking a chance on him after a couple of down campaigns. 

Upgrading at the catcher position is one of the hardest things to do, and options are usually limited. Heim isn’t a perfect fit with his struggles the last two seasons, but he could be a potential answer for the team at a position of need.