Tampa Bay Rays catcher Rene Pinto, who is the only catcher currently on the team's 40-man roster, "is going to get a lot of reps," manager Kevin Cash said. Pinto's pitch-blocking was a concern last year, but he graded out well in other defensive areas. His low on-base percentage and high strikeout rates as a hitter could be further exposed in an expanded role, but some of that could be offset by his power, as he hit 15 homers in 265 plate appearances between Triple-A Durham and the majors in 2023. The Rays are going to need to spell Pinto so that he doesn't break down over a long season, but with strong defense and 20-homer power, Pinto could capitalize on a big opportunity in 2024 for both the Rays and fantasy managers.
