Top 100 prospect among first round of Rays' roster cuts

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The Rays made their first round of Spring Training roster cuts after Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Orioles at Charlotte Sports Park.

Top pitching prospects Brody Hopkins (No. 3 in the Rays’ system and No. 85 overall, according to MLB Pipeline) and TJ Nichols (Rays’ No. 7) were reassigned to Minor League camp along with three players recovering from injuries: catcher Logan Driscoll, left-hander John Rooney and right-hander Austin Vernon. Infielder Jadher Areinamo, the Rays’ No. 15 prospect, was optioned to Minor League camp.

Hopkins and Nichols made a strong impression in their first big league camp, flashing high-octane stuff after impressive seasons in the Minors. Hopkins pitched two innings in a pair of scoreless starts, while Nichols gave up three hits and three walks while striking out four in 3 2/3 innings over three appearances.

With the Rays building up their starters’ workloads and stretching out a handful of candidates for big league long-relief jobs or the Triple-A rotation, innings are becoming a little more limited. Thus, it was time for Hopkins and Nichols to start getting ready for the Minor League season.

“Very promising with where we think they’re headed. This is a big season for them,” manager Kevin Cash said.

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Areinamo sustained a right hamstring strain that forced him to exit the Rays’ game against the Pirates on Feb. 22, and his status for Minor League Opening Day is uncertain. It was a disappointing spring debut for the infielder, who was coming off a terrific winter ball season and has earned rave reviews from club officials since coming over from the Brewers system in last year’s Danny Jansen trade.

Vernon, Rooney and Driscoll have not been playing in Grapefruit League games as they are working their way back from injuries.

Driscoll was sidelined last season after undergoing right UCL surgery on April 16. Rooney had left elbow surgery last September before signing a Minor League deal with the Rays in November. Vernon is dealing with an elbow issue and will be shut down from throwing for a few more weeks.

Mullins ‘moving in the right direction’

Center fielder Cedric Mullins, who was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup due to low back tightness, said he felt better Thursday after his back “just kind of stiffened up” during early defensive work.

Mullins said he could sit out a couple days, based on the athletic training staff’s initial assessment, but they weren’t worried enough to send him for additional imaging or testing.

“We’re moving in the right direction, so I don’t see it being anything crazy,” he said.

Cash said Mullins is “probably not gonna play for a little bit” as he recovers and works his way back. That is the case for infielder/outfielder Richie Palacios, too, as Palacios is also receiving treatment for low back tightness.

Camp notes

• Starter Ryan Pepiot wasn’t happy with his performance against the Orioles, as he walked four batters and needed 57 pitches to get through three innings. He held Baltimore scoreless, however, permitting just one hit while striking out three. And he should have three more outings to iron out any control issues before his first start of the season.

“Didn't get ahead of many people. Made it hard on myself,” Pepiot said. “It’s a good thing it’s Spring Training, because that was just not sharp.”

• Outfielder Theo Gillen, the Rays’ No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 76 overall prospect, made his first Grapefruit League start on Thursday. The 20-year-old, Tampa Bay’s first-round pick in the 2024 Draft, went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts while playing five innings in center field.

• Now a senior advisor in the Rays’ baseball operations department, Brandon Hyde met with the Baltimore media for the first time since being dismissed as the Orioles’ manager. Hyde also discussed his experience with the Rays, which has included a mix of on-field work and conversations with the front office. He is expected to contribute throughout the organization, doing everything from advising managers to evaluating players.

“It's been amazing. It's an unbelievable group. I'm really grateful for Kevin and Erik Neander and the rest of the coaching staff and front office and everybody involved,” Hyde said. “They have been so welcoming to me, including me in everything. I've had a good relationship with Kevin in the past. … Lot of mutual respect there, and for them to have me and do the role I'm doing, I'm just really excited about it.”