No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their career while playing for that club. These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only.
1) Evan Longoria, 2008-17
Key fact: Had his No. 3 retired in 2026
Longoria is the best player in franchise history, and there’s really no debate. But in case there is, let’s take a look at all the statistics in which Longoria sits among the top 10 in franchise history: WAR (first, 51.7); at-bats (first, 5,450); hits (second, 1,471); home runs (first, 261); runs (first, 780); slugging percentage (third, .483); triples (eighth, 19); RBIs (first, 892); games (first, 1,435); doubles (first, 338); walks (first, 569); sacrifice flies (first, 76); extra-base hits (first, 618); and total bases (first, 2,630).
It would be hard to point out another player who holds that many franchise records. And if that’s not enough to make Longoria’s case, he is responsible for the team’s most memorable moment -- a walk-off homer in Game 162 to send the Rays to the postseason in 2011 -- and became the first homegrown player to have his number retired by the team.
2) Junior Caminero, 2022-present
Key fact: Recorded the highest AL MVP finish in team history in 2026
Caminero did not join the Rays with much fanfare. He was acquired from Cleveland in a minor trade leading up to the annual November deadline to protect eligible prospects from the Rule 5 Draft, when the Rays sent right-hander Tobias Myers to the Guardians for a little-known infielder with only 43 games of Rookie-level Dominican Summer League experience to his name.
But the Rays believed Caminero had the chance to be special at the plate. His bat speed was elite. His power potential was enormous. His feel for hitting was advanced. And his work ethic was unique. He quickly proved them right, and then some, making an earlier-than-expected jump to the Majors at the end of the 2023 season and becoming the top-ranked prospect in baseball in ’24.
Caminero didn’t disappoint in his first full season in the Majors, either. He ripped 45 homers, one shy of Carlos Pena’s single-season franchise record, and drove in 110 runs while making tremendous strides at the hot corner. He was even better in 2026, posting an .884 OPS while launching 42 homers and driving in 101 runs as he started all 162 games at third base. That led to him finishing second in the AL MVP voting, the closest any Tampa Bay player has ever come to receiving the honor. Whether he can join Longoria atop this list seems to be only a matter of how long he remains with the team.
3) Joey Wendle, 2018-21
Key fact: Totaled more than 3.8 bWAR in two of his three full seasons with the Rays
Wendle was a favorite of manager Kevin Cash, both on the field and in the dugout as a target of good-natured trash talk. Nicknamed “Mendle” after a typo, Wendle made himself easy to like with his friendly personality and old-school, grinder style of play.
Wendle played everywhere and did it well, becoming a sort of spiritual successor to Ben Zobrist in the field. He received regular playing time at second and third base and shortstop and occasionally bounced out to the outfield corners.
Wendle hit .274 during his time with the Rays and posted a .330 on-base percentage. He ran the bases well and played fundamentally sound baseball, earning him AL Rookie of the Year votes in 2018 and an All-Star nod in ’21 -- the second Rays third baseman to make the Midsummer Classic.
When Cash told the Rays that Wendle made the All-Star team, he couldn’t resist cracking a joke: “Mike Trout was selected for the All-Star Game, but he can't come. So they wanted the next-best player in the league. Joey Wendle.”
4) Isaac Paredes, 2022-24
Key fact: Launched 67 pull-side home runs in parts of three seasons
The Rays are often recognized for their work with unheralded pitchers, the arms they pluck out of obscurity and turn into major contributors. Paredes is one of their finest examples of what they can do on the other side of the ball, transforming from a utility-type infielder into a remarkably unique slugger at third base.
After acquiring Paredes for Austin Meadows, the Rays encouraged Paredes to tap into his pull-side power, taking aim at the left-field foul pole and letting it rip.
Combining that skill with his impressive plate discipline and two-strike approach, Paredes slashed .236/.340/.457 with 67 homers and 198 RBIs in 355 games with Tampa Bay. He peaked with a 31-homer, 98-RBI campaign in 2023, when he totaled 4.2 bWAR for a 99-win team. Tampa Bay traded Paredes to the Cubs after a strong start in ’24.
5) Wade Boggs, 1998-99
Key fact: His No. 12 jersey is one of four to have been retired by the club
Boggs did most of his damage as a member of the Red Sox and Yankees, but the Hall of Famer played his final two seasons in St. Petersburg, getting his 3,000th hit as a member of the Rays. Boggs played just 213 games with Tampa Bay, but he gave the team and franchise a well-known presence during its early years. His .289 batting average with the Rays also showed that the man could still hit, even in his 40s.
Honorable mentions
Ty Wigginton finished with an .828 OPS in 2006. ... Matt Duffy hit .294 while playing 132 games in 2018. ... Jeff Keppinger played 50 games at third in ‘12, hitting a career-high .325 that season. ... Daniel Robertson had a very disappointing ‘19 season, but his ‘18 campaign -- when he finished with a 3.1 bWAR -- is one of the best by a Rays third baseman.