Rays Prospect Put Up Insane Venezuelan Professional Baseball League Numbers
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The Tampa Bay Rays came into the offseason in search of some offensive upgrades for a lineup that produced underwhelming numbers in 2025.
There were a few standouts for the Rays at the plate last year. Third baseman Junior Caminero, first baseman Jonathan Aranda, designated hitter Yandy Diaz and second baseman Brandon Lowe were the only ones who performed at an above-average rate with the bat.
Heading into 2026, there are even more question marks about the lineup. A huge void has been created at second base, where Lowe no longer resides after landing with the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-team deal.
That spot will be filled by Gavin Lux, who was acquired in a three-team trade from the Cincinnati Reds that saw outfielder Josh Lowe traded to the Los Angeles Angels. There will be several new faces in the lineup for Tampa Bay in 2026, but there is some skepticism about their outlook.
Jadher Areinamo produces eye-popping numbers in winter league
What looks very inspiring is their long-term outlook. The Rays acquired a lot of excellent prospects in trades this offseason to go along with some highly-regarded youngsters who were already in the farm system.
One of the players who has certainly added some intrigue for the future is second baseman Jadher Areinamo. Acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Danny Jansen trade last season, he forced his way onto the 40-man roster earlier this offseason with his production and upside.
Tampa Bay looks to have made the right decision, with Areinamo tearing up the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League this winter. He earned Rookie of the Year honors, putting up video game statistics.
The talented second baseman put together a .364/.420/.692 slash line in 36 games and 162 plate appearances with 13 home runs, 43 RBI and five stolen bases. He drew 14 walks to boot, showcasing incredible patience and ability at the plate.
Rays 2B prospect Jadher Areinamo won rookie of the year in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. He had some absurd numbers in just 36 games:
— Jake (@TBRaysCentral) January 18, 2026
.364/.420/.692
13 HR
43 RBI
14 BB
5 SB
Areinamo was acquired in the Danny Jansen trade last year. pic.twitter.com/itJn4w1ZRR
That is on the back of a very strong 2025 campaign in which Areinamo produced a .285/.344/.445 slash line in 131 games and 574 plate appearances between High-A Wisconsin with the Brewers and Double-A Montgomery with the Rays.
Promoted immediately upon being acquired by Tampa Bay shows just how much belief the team has in his skill set. He more than held his own in 37 games with Montgomery, where he is likely to begin the 2026 campaign.
If Areinamo can produce anywhere near the level he has during the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, it won’t be long before he is playing with Triple-A Durham.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.