Kevan Smith To Serve As Third Catcher
4 years agoTampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team is expected to carry three catchers on their Opening Day roster. The Rays selected the contract of catcher Kevan Smith and added him to the 40-man roster on Tuesday, so the team will carry Mike Zunino, Michael Perez and Smith on the roster. Chris Herrmann asked for his release on Saturday. Smith and Perez impressed in summer camp over the last couple of weeks, and Smith was also out of minor league options. Top catching prospect Ronaldo Hernandez is the fourth catcher in the 60-player pool. Perez will likely split most of the time behind the plate with Zunino due to his experience with the pitching staff and because he gives the team another left-handed-hitting option. Smith could serve as the designated hitter against a left-handed pitcher, as he has a career .304 average against southpaws.
Source: MLB.com - Juan Toribio
Source: MLB.com - Juan Toribio