Notes: Mead wows with glove and bat

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Rays prospect Curtis Mead received word Tuesday night that he wouldn’t just be playing in Wednesday’s Grapefruit League game against the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. For the first time, Mead was going to get the start in a big league Spring Training game.

After hearing that, sleep didn’t come easy for the 21-year-old Australian infielder.

“Very nerve-racking,” Mead said, laughing. “I’m just glad to get it out of the way and get here and have success, so it was good.”

Starting at third base and batting seventh, Mead went 2-for-3 with an RBI double, RBI single and some sharp plays in the field, including one catch on a line drive hit by Jorge Mateo in the sixth inning, during Tampa Bay’s 7-6 loss to Baltimore. Mead has gone 4-for-10 with a double and two strikeouts while coming over from Minor League camp to play in six Grapefruit League games.

“Just to be able to go out and play with no expectations has been awesome, just to see what I can do,” Mead said. “It’s been fun.”

Mead broke out in a big way in the Rays’ Minor League system last year, hitting .321/.378/.533 with 15 homers and 38 doubles in 104 games. He vaulted up the prospect rankings as a result, jumping to the No. 6 spot on MLB Pipeline’s list of Tampa Bay’s Top 30 Prospects. While he’s not judging himself based on his performance in these Spring Training cameos, Mead has been pleased with the opportunity to see how he stacks up against higher-level competition.

“Obviously no expectations going in, but then after the game, to be able to reflect on it and feel like I competed pretty well, yeah, it’s pretty cool,” he said.

There’s one other aspect of playing in Grapefruit League games that Mead has come to enjoy. Unlike his backfield outings in Minor League camp, his family back home in Australia has a much easier time tuning in to see him play when he’s with the big league club.

“My parents actually said to me last night they like when I play in the big league games because they can’t watch me play in the Minor League games,” he said. “So they were pretty excited about that.”

Game notes
• Left-hander Josh Fleming gave up one run on back-to-back doubles against the Orioles but otherwise cruised through two innings on 30 pitches, allowing only one other hit. Fleming unveiled a new sweeping breaking ball he’s calling “The Chazzy,” as he grips the ball to throw it the way former Rays reliever Chaz Roe did for his wicked slider, and used it to record both of his strikeouts.

“The Chazzy was good today,” Fleming said. “The more and more I throw it, it’s getting more comfortable.”

• Fleming expects he’ll be capable of throwing up to 50 pitches at the start of the regular season, putting him in line for a starting/bulk-inning role or a multi-inning relief job depending on the composition of the Opening Day pitching staff.

“Whatever I can do to break [camp with the team]. I think they do want to get me stretched out. I feel like the term ‘starter’ is a little looser term now,” Fleming said, smiling. “So I think that’s kind of the role. I’m going to be able to start games, going to be able to come in in relief, bulk, whatever it is.”

• Manager Kevin Cash was particularly impressed by left-hander Jalen Beeks (one inning, one walk, one strikeout) and right-hander Andrew Kittredge (one inning, one hit, one strikeout) on Wednesday. Cash said Beeks’ fastball topped out at 96 mph, continuing an encouraging spring in his return from Tommy John surgery, while Kittredge’s heater hit 98 mph.

Around the horn
• Center fielder Kevin Kiermaier is expected to return to the lineup Thursday afternoon, his first game action in a week. Due to a stiff neck at the start of camp and a recent bout of left groin tightness, Kiermaier has only played in two Spring Training games.

• Outfielder Austin Meadows is also slated to start Thursday’s game after sitting out since Sunday due to what Cash called a “very minor” oblique injury.

• Veteran right-hander Corey Kluber is scheduled to pitch in a Minor League game on Wednesday. That should put him in line for one more Spring Training start, likely of four or five innings, to get him ready for the regular season.

Up next
Right-hander Luis Patiño will make his Spring Training debut for the Rays on Thursday as they face the Braves at CoolToday Park in North Port. Patiño’s first start of the spring was delayed as he dealt with some minor shoulder soreness, but he has faced hitters in two innings of live batting practice. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.