Rays Prospect Could Be Excellent Addition During September Call-Ups

Which prospect should the Tampa Bay Rays call up in September?

Aug 16, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) looks on during the first inning ]against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Tampa Bay Rays continue their quest toward making the playoffs, the team has been performing very well of late. However, with September nearly here, they might look to bring up some fresh young talent for the stretch run. 

With the best record in the American League, the road to the World Series in the AL very well could run through Tampa Bay. While there is a lot of excitement about the future with a new stadium set for 2029, the Rays have the chance to accomplish some great things this year. 

Coming into the year, expectations for the team were pretty low, and now they have been able to be one of the biggest surprises in baseball. With no signs of slowing down, the Rays were aggressive at the trade deadline to make improvements, and that mindset might go into September as well. 

With one of the best farm systems in baseball, Tampa Bay will have a couple of players that they could look to call up to help down the stretch. However, one that makes a lot of sense for them is right-handed pitcher Ty Johnson. 

Johnson Can Be Impact Call-Up 

2020 LN grad lighting it up in AAA ball! Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) right-hander Ty Johnson went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five starts as he allowed three earned runs on 14 hits and nine walks over 23.0 innings. @LNHSwildcats @KyleNeddenriep @ltgoodnews @weRtheWildcats pic.twitter.com/wXZNKhyPm0

— LN Wildcats (@lnwildcats) June 13, 2026

While the starting rotation for the Rays has been really good, October can be a different ball game, and the performance of the bullpen will be key. Tampa Bay has had a strong unit this year, but more arms are never a bad thing. 

Johnson can be a guy that helps the Rays in that area, and with him already doing it in the minors, this might be the plan for Tampa Bay. So far in the minors, Johnson has been really good this year. 

In Triple-A so far this season, he has totaled a 4-1 record and 2.85 ERA. What makes Johnson dangerous is his ability to strike people out. With a K/9 rate of 12.3, the right-hander has some excellent stuff. Being able to generate swings and misses out of the bullpen is always key, and the right-hander can do that.

Giving Cash another weapon to use, like Johnson out of the bullpen, could be a wise move for the Rays, who will likely get creative in playoff series. While the rotation has been fantastic, going deep into games in October isn’t easy for even the best of pitchers. 

With a bigger workload to be expected for the bullpen, adding Johnson, who has some excellent swing-and-miss stuff, makes a lot of sense.