Curtis Mead has made the Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day roster

Spring Training stats don’t matter but being the hottest hitter of the Spring may have just won Curtis Mead a spot on the Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day roster.

The 24-year old from Austrailia worked hard over the offseason to improve his physique, adding 20 pounds of muscle, as he tried to regain his offensive skillset that made him one of the top prospects in the game. If this Spring has been any indication, the offseason workouts have succeeded as Mead is currently hitting .543/.628/.657 with a HR over 43 trips to the plate.

He has also received time all around the infield, playing games at first, second, and third.

Mead originally came to the Rays in November 2019 in the trade that sent Cristopher Sanchez to the Philadelphia Phillies. A trade that for awhile looked like the Rays had won before Sanchez emerged as one of the top southpaws in the National League. At one point, Mead was considered the 35th best prospect in baseball and the 2nd best in the Rays system, but upon reaching the Majors, his offensive output dwindled and could make up for his defensive shortcomings. Since making his big league debut in 2023, Mead has hit .244/.300/.312 with 2 HR over 224 plate appearances, registering a 78 wRC+.

Meanwhile, Eloy Jimenez will be starting the season in Triple-A Durham.

The 28-year veteran slugger has been among the best hitters in the game when fully healthy, but injuries have wrecked his promising career. The Rays signed Jimenez to a minor league deal in December, hoping he would regain his power and add some thump to the middle of the lineup. However, Curtis Mead’s reformed physique and success this Spring could not be ignored and Jimenez has lost battle.

Kevin Cash told Ryan Bass prior to the game on Friday that Eloy Jimenez will remain with the organization and go to Triple-A Durham .