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.
Here is the ranking of the top five shortstops in Rays history.
1) Julio Lugo, 2003-06
Key fact: Leads all Rays shortstops with 550 career hits
Lugo played 12 solid seasons in the Majors, having his most success in his four seasons with the Rays. He provided some stability at the position for parts of those four seasons, before being traded to the Dodgers in 2006. In his time with the Rays, Lugo also made his mark in the record book.
The shortstop hit .287 with the Rays, which is tied for sixth in franchise history. Lugo is also 11th in hits (550), seventh in on-base percentage (.350) and 10th in triples (15). Lugo also finished with a 13.5 bWAR with the Rays, the highest of any shortstop.
2) Jason Bartlett, 2008-10
Key fact: All-Star in 2009
Though Lugo gets the nod as the best shortstop in franchise history, Bartlett had the best single season by any shortstop in Rays history. Bartlett made the All-Star team in 2009, and it was well-deserved.
Bartlett hit 14 home runs in ‘09, slashing .320/.389/.490 in 137 games. He also recorded 160 hits that season, which is behind only Lugo’s 182 in 2005 for the franchise single-season mark. Bartlett was also the starting shortstop on the Rays team that made the World Series in ‘08. He became a fan favorite during his three seasons with the Rays, and rightfully so.
3) Taylor Walls, 2021-present
Key fact: Gold Glove Award winner in 2026 and finalist in 2025
You won’t find much to love in Walls’ offensive statistics. He runs pretty well and steals bases, and he can work a tough at-bat. But he just hasn’t hit enough to move into the top spot.
So, why is he this high on the list? Because he’s been that good defensively, the best in the game according to the Rays, and he finally won a Gold Glove Award to prove it after another masterful season on the dirt in ‘26. According to Defensive Runs Saved, only three players in franchise history have been more valuable in the field, and they’re three of the greatest position players to ever wear a Rays uniform: Kevin Kiermaier, Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford.
4) Willy Adames, 2018-21
Key fact: 20 home runs in 2019 and 43 overall with Rays
Adames was always evaluated within the context of being the prized acquisition in the David Price trade, and he met the expectations that came with his high prospect ranking while establishing himself as a key part of the Rays’ 2018-19 turnaround and the team’s clubhouse culture.
Adames’ 2019 season was one of the best by a Rays shortstop, and that was after he hit .200 in March and April. Despite that slow start, Adames hit 20 home runs, a single-season record by a Rays shortstop, and had an .807 OPS in the second half of the season.
5) Yunel Escobar, 2013-14
Key fact: Played 153 games in 2013
Escobar didn’t set any records, but he played 153 games at shortstop for a team that reached the postseason in 2013, and there’s a lot of value in that. The Rays haven’t had a lot of stability at the position since becoming a franchise, but Escobar provided that by playing a solid shortstop for two seasons. Escobar hit .257 with 16 home runs during his time with Tampa Bay.