Rays acquire C Hicks from Marlins, OF Suwinski from Dodgers

DENVER -- The Rays got their catcher and, maybe, their cleanup hitter.

Tampa Bay may have found a solution to the club’s long-running search for a long-term option behind the plate, as the Rays finalized a deal to acquire catcher Liam Hicks from the Marlins for three prospects before Monday's Trade Deadline and their 13-9 win over the Rockies at Coors Field.

In one move, the Rays believe they managed to improve behind the plate while adding a potent bat to their lineup, a left-handed hitter who could fit behind their “Big Three” of Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero.

It’s no secret that the Rays were looking for someone to extend their lineup beyond that trio, ideally someone who shares their contact-oriented approach while working tough at-bats. President of baseball operations Erik Neander said the Rays were pleased they could do that with a catcher, adding that Hicks “really fits within kind of the DNA of this club.”

TRADE DETAILS
Rays receive: C/1B Liam Hicks
Marlins receive: INF Brayden Taylor (now Miami's No. 10 prospect), RHP Jacob Kisting (No. 22), SS Adrian Santana (No. 23)

Separately, the Rays pulled off a buzzer-beating trade that sent catcher Hunter Feduccia to the Dodgers for outfielder Jack Suwinski, who has spent the entire season in Triple-A after parts of four years with the Pirates. Neander said the Rays are encouraged by the adjustments Suwinski has made to his swing this season, and they wanted to acquire additional outfield depth in case it’s needed down the stretch.

Dealing away Feduccia will clear a spot behind the plate for Hicks, who is expected to join the Rays at Coors Field on Tuesday. With Feduccia traded and Hicks not yet active, the Rays called up catcher Kenny Piper from Double-A Montgomery and started him behind the plate in his Major League debut against the Rockies on Monday night.

TRADE DETAILS
Rays receive: OF Jack Suwinski, international bonus pool space
Dodgers receive: C Hunter Feduccia, Minor League RHP Jacob Kmatz (Rays’ No. 26)

As they did in trades for starter Freddy Peralta and reliever Tyler Wells, the Rays found a way to upgrade their Major League roster by dealing from the incredible depth of their Minor League system rather than parting with their top-ranked prospects.

But the move still came at a cost, as the Rays gave up three of their Top 30 Prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, including their top two picks in the 2023 Draft: infielder Brayden Taylor (who was the Rays’ No. 16 prospect), right-hander Jacob Kisting (No. 26) and shortstop Adrian Santana (No. 27).

The Rays viewed it as a worthwhile haul for Hicks, a 27-year-old who is under club control through the 2030 season and won’t be eligible for salary arbitration until 2028. The left-handed hitter seems like a natural partner for right-handed-hitting catcher Nick Fortes, another former Marlins backstop.

“He's going to catch, and he'll catch a lot. He'll work in with [Nick Fortes] quite a bit,” manager Kevin Cash said. “[The Marlins] probably have some very similar messaging that we do on the pitching side, so hopefully that's an easy transition for him, getting up to speed and learning our pitchers real quick.”

Drafted by the Rangers out of Arkansas State in 2021, then dealt to the Tigers ahead of the 2024 Trade Deadline, Hicks has long been a target for the Rays. They hoped to select him in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, even though he’d never played above the Double-A level, but the Marlins got to him first.

“We didn’t trade up,” Neander said, grinning. “It's a player we've liked for a while.”

Hicks put together a solid rookie season for Miami in 2025, batting .247/.346/.346 with six homers in 119 games, then took his offensive game to another level this year. He added power to his contact-oriented offensive profile and became arguably the Marlins’ most reliable run producer, slashing .282/.363/.432 with 14 homers and 62 RBIs in 101 games before the trade.

Neander said Hicks’ combination of contact, patience and power at the plate makes him “the perfect piece to help kind of transition from the brand of baseball with the top three [hitters] and the rest.”

“You look at his numbers. He's put together a really impressive season as a very young player, a guy that we've kind of had our eyes on for quite some time,” Cash said. “It's great bat-to-ball skill. He's able to work really good at-bats.”

With the Marlins, Hicks split his time at catcher, first base and designated hitter. With rookie catcher Joe Mack and first baseman Kyle Stowers, Miami mostly pushed Hicks into DH duties this season to keep his bat in the lineup.

Cash said it “certainly helps” that Hicks has some defensive versatility, but they are pretty well set with Díaz as their DH and Aranda at first. Their greater need was behind the plate. Fortes has been a solid all-around contributor, batting .278 with a .705 OPS, while Feduccia produced a .234/.306/.340 slash line.

Feduccia said his emotional goodbyes to his teammates and coaches in the clubhouse at Coors Field on Monday afternoon, holding back tears as he reflected on his year with the Rays even as he looked forward to a reunion with his former Dodgers teammates.

“I’m super appreciative of the opportunity the Rays gave me. I’ve worked really hard to get to this point. Part of the business,” Feduccia said. “But I’m super fortunate to meet all these guys. It felt like a family to me. … It’s been an awesome ride.”