Of all the catchers the Rays have traded for in recent years, Liam Hicks stands out because he is a clear upgrade. True, the 27-year-old Toronto native has kicked around since he was drafted by the Rangers in the ninth round of the 2021 draft out of Arkansas State. True, he joins Tampa Bay after hitting only one homer and three extra-base hits in his final 28 games – though he batted .292 – with Miami since being activated from the injured list, which he was placed on due to lower back strain in June.
Tampa Bay is Hicks’ fourth organization in six seasons of professional baseball. The lefthanded hitter may stay put for a while. Breaking through offensively the way he has this season — .282, 14 homers and 62 RBI — combined with team control through 2030 are reasons why Rays’ fans should feel good. Maybe a sigh of relief is in order as well given how the position has chronically underperformed. A larger sigh will be in order when Hicks rediscovers his power stroke again.
In acquiring Hicks, who is making $790,000 this season, the Rays sent three prospects to Miami: 24-year-old infielder Brayden Taylor (Rays’ No. 16), 23-year-old RHP Jacob Kisting (No. 26) and 21-year-old shortstop Adrian Santana (No. 27). It marked the second straight day ahead of the trade deadline that Tampa Bay acquired a player for a trio of prospects, neither of whom was ranked higher than No. 15 in their system. The Rays acquired Freddy Peralta from the Mets on Sunday afternoon.
Hicks, who has struck out only 39 times in 354 at-bats and is joining a team that has fanned the fewest times in MLB, replaces Hunter Feduccia (dealt to the Dodgers) as the lefty in the catching platoon with Nick Fortes. He could also spell Jonathan Aranda at first base and give DH Yandy Diaz a break from time to time. Hicks became expendable because Joe Mack, who also hits from the left side and is four years younger, has emerged behind the plate for Clayton McCullough’s team.
The Rays have not had much offense, and certainly little power, beyond Diaz, Aranda and third baseman Junior Caminero. Center fielder Cedric Mullins has 13 homers, but is hitting .201 while outfielder/infielder Ryan Vilade has been productive (9 HR, .790 OPS) in a platoon role. That’s about it in terms of power threats and Mullins has clearly been on the downside the past couple of years.
Here are the other catches the Rays have used the past three seasons.
Rob Brantly
Brantly went 1-for-9 in three games with the Rays in 2024, his first MLB action in two years. The team signed him to a minor league deal and he spent the bulk of the season with Triple-A Durham. Brantly played in three games with the Marlins in 2025 and the 37-year-old has not played professionally this season.
Logan Driscoll
Acquired from the Padres along with Manuel Margot in exchange for Emilio Pagan prior to 2020 spring training, Driscoll made his MLB debut with Tampa Bay in September 2024 and went 6-for-35 (.171) in 15 games. He missed the 2025 season due to injury and is hitting .266 this season with the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate in Durham.
Hunter Feduccia
Feduccia was acquired by the Rays at last year’s trade deadline in exchange for three players, including catcher Ben Rortvedt (below). The lefthanded hitter platooned with Nick Fortes (immediately below) and hit .203 in his time with Tampa Bay. He was sent back to the Dodgers at this year’s deadline for former Pirates outfielder Jack Suwinski.
Nick Fortes
Acquired two days before Feduccia ahead of last season’s deadline, the Miami native was acquired from the Marlins in exchange for a minor league outfielder. Fortes is in the midst of the best stretch of his MLB career, hitting .377 (17-for-45) in his last 15 games. He is a career .234 hitter.
Alex Jackson
Acquired from Milwaukee at the 2023 trade deadline, Jackson batted a microscopic .122 in 58 games (139 ABs) with three homers in a Tampa Bay uniform. The sixth overall pick of the Mariners in 2014, Jackson has since played with the Orioles and Twins, for which he is hitting .308 this season (65 ABs) through August 2.
Danny Jansen
Jansen signed with the Rays for one-year and $8.5 million in December 2024 and hit .204 with 11 homers in 73 games before was dealt to the Brewers at last year’s deadline. Jansen is hitting .171 with the Rangers this season.
Rene Pinto
Pinto was the longest-tenured player in the Rays’ organization before he was waived following the 2024 season. The Venezuelan was signed at age 16 by Tampa Bay in 2013, made his MLB debut in 2022 and hit .231 with 10 homers in 82 games over parts of three seasons. Pinto has not since played in the major and was released by the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate in July.
Ben Rortvedt
The left-handed hitter was acquired the day before the 2024 season opener and took a .340 average into May. He was at .270 with a .733 OPS at the season’s halfway point before the wheels fell off. He batted .140 the duration of his tenure with the club, including the first two months of 2025 before he was designated for assignment. He went to Triple-A Durham and was part of the 2025 Feduccia deal with the Dodgers, with whom he has a World Series ring.
Matt Thaiss
Acquired by the Rays from the White Sox after Rortvedt was designated for assignment last season, Thaiss hit .212 in 25 games with Tampa Bay before he was DFA’d. He has not reappeared in the majors and is currently in the Astros’ system.
