Curtis Mead Will Have To Earn Spot On Opening Day Roster
According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, second base prospect Curtis Mead will be fighting for one of the final spots on the Opening Day roster during spring training. Mead has been given brief looks in the majors over the past two seasons but has yet to find consistent success. Last summer, across 38 games, Mead posted a .238/.282/.287 slash line with three doubles and one home run. During his rookie season in 2023, Mead posted a .253/.326/.349 line across 24 contests. He generated a weak 36.6 percent hard-hit rate and a 4.3 percent barrel rate, placing him well below the average marks. However, at Triple-A, the 24-year-old posted a strong .288/.359/.481 line with 19 doubles and 13 home runs across 91 games. Mead will compete alongside newly acquired designated hitter Eloy Jimenez for one of the final spots. If he does make the roster, he could be worth a look in deeper AL-only formats for power upside.
Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Curtis Mead, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the team's No. 3 prospect for a reason, has crushed the ball wherever he's played and had a .302/.376/.514 slash line in the minors. However, MLB.com's Adam Berry says it's difficult to envision a consistent path to playing time for Mead as the Rays' roster is currently constructed. Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe and Isaac Paredes are set around the infield, and unless the team has another trade in the works, Harold Ramirez seems to be in line for right-handed designated hitter work. "That is one hungry, motivated player. Curtis is driven to be really, really good, and he is going to do everything he can," manager Kevin Cash said. The 23-year-old is a pure hitter and should be stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues in 2024.
Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Curtis Mead had an incredible night for Triple-A Durham, going 2-for-4 with his fourth home run of the season and four RBI. It continues a strong season for the 22-year-old, as he's slashed .294/.384/.469 with four home runs, 29 runs, 35 RBI, and three stolen bases in 50 games with Durham. He wasn't at the top of his game in his short 11-game stint with the major-league squad, slashing .250/.372/.278. However, he can perform well enough to return to the majors this season without losing his rookie eligibility, making him a possible stash option in redraft leagues.
The Tampa Bay Rays are calling up infield prospect Curtis Mead on Friday, and he'll take the roster spot of left-hander Shane McClanahan (forearm), who is going on the injured list. Mead, the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, missed most of May and June with a wrist injury, but he's been great for Triple-A Durham with the stick since his return. Overall, the 22-year-old Australian right-handed hitter has batted .291/.379/.453 with an .832 OPS, three home runs, 28 RBI, three stolen bases and 25 runs scored in 46 games for Durham in 2023. Mead has a solid understanding of the strike zone and doesn't strike out much. His power is developing and he can help fill in for the Rays at both second and third base. It remains to be seen how much he'll play in his first taste of the majors, though, so temper your waiver-wire bids.
Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Curtis Mead (wrist) is beginning a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League on Thursday. The No. 24 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, hasn't played for Triple-A Durham since April 29 due to his injury, but he's getting closer to a return. The 22-year-old is one of the top hitters in the minor leagues, although he was hitting just .221 (19-for-86) with two home runs, six doubles, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored in 22 games for Durham before getting injured. The Australian makes a lot of contact and has an advanced approach at the plate. Mead should eventually have the ability to hit 20-plus homers in a full season, but because of his injury, he may not be able to make his major-league debut in 2023.
Curtis Mead Starting To Heat Up For Triple-A Durham
Tampa Bay Rays infielder prospect Curtis Mead went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI for Triple-A Durham on Saturday. He blasted a 422-foot shot (109.5 MPH off his bat) in Saturday's game for his second homer of the season. The 22-year-old is starting to heat up at the plate and has logged four multi-hit efforts in four of his last seven contests, including homering in back-to-back games. He is slashing .250/.325/.476 with two homers, 10 RBI, 10 runs, and a stolen base over 77 plate appearances for Triple-A Durham. Mead is the Rays' No.2 prospect and is expected to be called up sometime during the season. Fantasy managers should continue to stash Mead in most league formats if he gets a call to the show soon.
Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Curtis Mead was recently optioned by to their minor league camp. In nine spring training games, the Rays' No.2 prospect went 5-for-22 with two home runs. In 2022, Mead batted his way to AAA-Durham after putting up a wOBA of .412 to start the season for AA-Montgomery. In 20 games for the Durham Bulls, the 22-year-old slashed .278/.377/.486 with three home runs. His impressive hit tool and displayed pop make him an intriguing fantasy bat. But with stars Wander Franco or Brandon Lowe set in the middle infield, Mead will only function as an injury fill-in for the Rays but is worth stashing in most league formats due to his massive upside.
Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Curtis Mead (elbow, forearm) has been shut down for the rest of the season. Mead elected to receive an injection to help with his healing process, but it didn't make sense for him to return for the final 10 games in 2022. The 21-year-old is the club's top hitting prospect and is their No. 2 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He missed a month in the middle of the season and finished with a strong .298/.390/.532 slash line with a .922 OPS, 13 home runs, 50 RBI, 43 runs scored and seven stolen bases in 331 plate appearances over 76 combined games for Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham this year. With better health in 2023, there's a good chance that Mead will make his big-league debut for the Rays.
Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Curtis Mead was promoted from Double-A to Triple-A on Tuesday. He went on to make his first appearance at Triple-A this year on Tuesday and he went 1-for-4 with a single. The 21-year-old Australian is ranked as the team's No. 4 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. He slashed .305/.394/.548 with 10 home runs, 36 RBI and 35 runs over 56 games at Double-A this year prior to his promotion. He briefly played at Triple-A last year, suiting up in four games last September and hitting a home run and two doubles. There's a chance he could make his MLB debut this year if he stays hot at Triple-A and the team needs him somewhere in the infield. However, it may be more likely that we see him get his first chance in the majors next year.