Rays' Star Slugger Named One of Top 100 Players in Baseball

Which slugger from the Tampa Bay Rays was named a Top 100 player?

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

The Tampa Bay Rays have been a very busy team this winter, and they have been trying to balance being competitive in 2026 while also keeping an eye on the future.

With new ownership coming in and taking over the Rays, there is hope that the team will start to spend and increase payroll. While their primary focus is getting a new stadium, they will be trying to change things going forward. 

So far this winter, the team has primarily done what they have done in recent years, and that is moving expiring talent with an eye on the future. However, they have made some trades that make a lot of sense for the franchise, and they have one of the best farm systems in baseball. 

Even though they had moved some of their veteran talent this winter, they do still have one key slugger under contract, and he is coming off a great year. While it is certainly still possible that they move him this offseason, he is one of the better players in baseball right now. 

Brian Murphy of MLB recently wrote about the Top 100 players in baseball, and Rays’ slugger Yandy Diaz made the list, coming in ranked 71st. 

Diaz Coming Off a Great Campaign

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The 2025 season was one of the best for Diaz over the course of his successful career. He was able to slash .300/.366/.482 with 25 home runs and 83 RBI. Diaz has proven to be one of the best contact hitters in baseball for several years now. With a lifetime batting average of .290, he is a relatively rare breed in baseball these days. 

At 34 years old, he is still performing at a very high level, but he is also a prime candidate that Tampa Bay might look to move still. While he has started to be more of a designated hitter now, he can still play first base as well. However, the emergence of Jonathan Aranda last year has made him a bit more expendable. 

If the Rays are going to be a contender, holding on to Diaz and his production is going to be needed. However, with the American League East being one of the best divisions in baseball, Tampa Bay being able to compete feels like a bit of a long shot right now. 

With most of the impact players off the board in free agency, the Rays could look to the trade market to improve, but a massive splash to get a lot better seems unlikely. Even though his future with the team might be a bit uncertain, Diaz is undoubtedly one of the best players in baseball.