Tampa Bay Rays have rotated through eight catchers within the past two years and an astounding 14 during this decade.
Tampa Bay Rays Catchers Since 2012: A Decade of Change
The Tampa Bay Rays have seen a revolving door of catchers over the past decade, with several players gracing the field behind home plate for the team. Here's a look at some of the notable catchers who have donned the Rays' uniform since 2012.
Mike Zunino, acquired by the Rays following the 2018 season, made a significant impact during his time with the team. He played six seasons with the Seattle Mariners before joining Tampa Bay and hit .183 with 51 homers in 263 games with the Rays, the most by a catcher in the team's 28 seasons.
Logan Driscoll was acquired by the Rays from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Emilio Pagan before the 2020 season. He made his Tampa Bay debut in September 2021 and spent the final month of the season with the parent club.
Rene Pinto was signed by the Rays in 2013 and made his MLB debut with the team in 2022. He hit .231 with 10 homers in 82 games over parts of three seasons before being waived following the 2024 season.
Alex Jackson was acquired by the Rays from the Milwaukee Brewers at the 2023 trade deadline.
Christian Bethancourt was acquired by the Rays from another team in July 2022. He played 148 games with the Rays through the 2023 season, hitting .235 with 18 home runs.
Danny Jansen, who played 73 games for the Rays in 2023, hitting .204 with 11 home runs, was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on August 7, 2023.
Ben Rortvedt was acquired by the Rays in a three-team deal in 2024, but his tenure with the club was short-lived. He hit .340 in his first month with the team, but batted .140 for the duration of his time with the Rays.
Hunter Feduccia was acquired by the Rays from the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 3, 2023.
Matt Thaiss was acquired by the Rays from the Chicago White Sox on May 28, 2023, but was designated for assignment by the team on Friday.
Kevan Smith, who went 9-for-35 (.257) in parts of two seasons with the Rays, was acquired by Atlanta for cash considerations in May 2021.
Nick Fortes was acquired by the Rays from the Miami Marlins on August 1, 2023.
Jose Molina, Ryan Hanigan, Curt Casali, Wilson Ramos, Francisco Mejía, Luke Maile, Rene Rivera, Joey Wendle, Danny Jansen (briefly before traded in 2025), and Jose Caballero (caught in minor leagues and briefly in MLB as of 2025) are among the other catchers who have played for the Rays since 2012[1].
Recent Rays roster moves mention Zack Littell, Danny Jansen, and Jose Caballero in 2025, with Jansen and Caballero being catchers associated with Tampa Bay recently[1].
[1] Reference: Detailed team transaction logs or databases such as Baseball-Reference.
"Sports enthusiasts following the MLB trade deadline in 2023 might have noticed several trades involving Tampa Bay Rays' catchers, with Alex Jackson and Nick Fortes joining the team, while Danny Jansen was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Baseball fans may also recall the Rays' acquisition of catchers like Mike Zunino and Christian Bethancourt in previous years."
