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) Matt Joyce, 2009-14
Key fact: American League All-Star in 2011 totaled 10.3 bWAR with Rays
Joyce played left and right field with the Rays, but his best overall season with the club came as a right fielder -- and this is a good way to get the sweet-swinging left-handed hitter atop one of these lists.
Joyce had five solid seasons with the Rays, but none better than his 2011 campaign -- in which he played 126 games in right field -- that earned him his only career All-Star appearance. That year, Joyce launched 17 home runs and posted an .825 OPS with a 131 OPS+ that is the second highest in a single season by a regular right fielder in franchise history.
Overall, Joyce hit 76 homers and drove in 280 runs during his time with the Rays, earning a reputation as a righty-mashing outfielder who worked tough at-bats with some power at the plate.
2) Austin Meadows, 2018-21
Key fact: Hit 33 homers in 2019, the most in a single season by a right fielder in team history
Meadows’ 2019 season is perhaps the best by any Rays right fielder, so we’ll make room for him on this list even though he played more left field and spent plenty of time as Tampa Bay’s DH.
Once a top prospect with the Pirates who joined the Rays in the franchise-altering Chris Archer trade, Meadows became a household name in 2019, launching 33 home runs and earning his first All-Star bid, while also receiving some AL Most Valuable Player Award votes at the end of the season.
Meadows had another strong season in 2021, when the Rays won 100 games, as he slugged 27 homers and drove in 106 runs with a 115 OPS+. Tampa Bay then traded him to Detroit for infielder Isaac Paredes.
3) Manuel Margot, 2020-23
Key fact: 19 Defensive Runs Saved as a do-it-all outfielder
Right field isn’t exactly the deepest position in Rays history, so there’s room for a speed, defense and contact-hitting specialist like Margot here. He played a key role for four consecutive postseason teams from 2020-23, moving around the outfield and playing high-level defense while offering speed off the bench and quality at-bats against left-handed pitchers.
Overall, Margot totaled 6.2 bWAR during his time with Tampa Bay. And hey, he had one of the coolest catches in recent franchise history, flipping over the wall in right field at Petco Park in Game 2 of the 2020 AL Championship Series.
4) Steven Souza Jr., 2015-17
Key fact: Hit 30 homers in 2017
Souza’s path to the Majors was a long one, including some thoughts about playing college football, but once he decided to stick with baseball, it all paid off -- especially as a member of the Rays.
Souza was a solid player in his first two seasons, hitting 33 home runs from 2013-15 and finishing with a .715 OPS. But in his third and ultimately final season with Tampa Bay, Souza really found his footing and had a breakout season, blasting 30 home runs and finishing with an .810 OPS in ‘17.
5) Wil Myers, 2013-14
Key fact: Won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2013
Ah, what could’ve been. After the 2013 season, there was almost no doubt that the Rays had finally found a strong right fielder and one that would solidify the position for many years to come.
Myers won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2013, posting a 131 OPS+. His 2013 season is one of the best by a Rays right fielder, which is why he comes in at No. 5 on this list. But in ‘14, it was a different story. Myers’ batting average dropped from .293 to .222, and his power was significantly down, as his OPS fell from .831 to .614. That decline was enough for the Rays to trade Myers to the Padres in exchange for Jake Bauers and Souza.
Honorable mentions
Jonny Gomes was a deserving candidate, but he will qualify more as a designated hitter. ... Gabe Kapler and Dave Martinez represent the future managers group, but both fell short of making this list. ... Gabe Gross also had a case to make the list, but Myers winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award gave him the nod instead.