Rays' Top Prospect Predicted to Win Starting Job for Opening Day

Will the Tampa Bay Rays' top prospect win the starting job this spring?

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 one of the most active teams in baseball this winter, and they will be hoping that the moves they have made will work out in 2026. 

Coming into the offseason, the Rays were expected to be an active team with a couple of likely trade candidates. Due to Tampa Bay having a low payroll, they usually will move veterans prior to them hitting free agency. Most notably, the team did that with Brandon Lowe this winter, sending him in a three-team deal to the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Trading away an All-Star is never ideal, but the Rays did receive a strong return in the deal. Now, Tampa Bay will be a team that has some young talent that they will be hoping continues to improve and takes a big step forward. While the farm system might be lacking some high-end talent, they have a plethora of depth. 

However, while the team gets ready for the start of the season, they will be hoping that their top prospect is ready to make an impact this coming campaign. 

Contributors for MLB Pipeline recently wrote about the prospect who is most likely to win a spot on the Opening Day roster, being shortstop Carson Williams. 

Can Williams Win the Job?

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Carson Williams | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

As the top prospect for Tampa Bay, all eyes will be on Williams this spring. The talented slugger got an opportunity at the end of the 2025 campaign in the majors, but the results, unfortunately, weren’t great. However, getting experience is always a good thing for a young player, and that time in the big leagues might help his development immensely. 

With spring training right around the corner, Williams is going to get a chance to win the starting job at shortstop. However, if he is going to do so, it will likely be because of his bat. Taylor Walls is one of the best defensive shortstops in the game, and his ability to play the position at such a high level defensively has helped him stay on the field despite being a poor hitter. 

Expectations are certainly high for Williams, but the team is in a good position that they don’t have to rush him if he’s not ready. Cutting down on the swings and misses will be important for him to take the next step, and it will be interesting to watch him try to win the starting job.