The Tampa Bay Rays executed a pair of trades that reshaped their catching situation and added depth to their prospect pipeline. First, veteran catcher Danny Jansen was dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers. Almost simultaneously, the Rays acquired Nick Fortes from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Double-A outfielder Matthew Etzel.
Tampa Bay’s moves reflect a clear strategic pivot. With their playoff hopes fading in a tight American League East race, the Rays seem to be balancing short-term competitiveness with long-term planning. As Jansen departs, Fortes arrives as a defensively strong, under-control catcher with arbitration eligibility through 2028–bringing youthful upside at a fraction of Jansen’s salary.
Player Profiles
Fortes, 28, joins Tampa Bay after spending his entire major league career with Miami. In 2025, he slashed .240/.288/.349 over 59 games (.637 OPS), his contributions coming mostly through defense, where Statcast metrics have praised his pitch framing, blocking, and pop time. He also ranks in the top percentile for catcher blocking performance.
Miami tallying 363 games across his five MLB seasons, Fortes owns a career line of .225/.277/.344 with 25 homers and 96 RBIs. Meanwhile, Etzel, the Marlins’ return piece, is a 23-year-old outfielder ranked as the Rays’ No. 28 prospect. In his 2025 campaign at Double-A Montgomery, Etzel hit .230/.360/.347 (.707 OPS) with five homers, 34 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases over 56 games. His speed and on-base ability make him an intriguing project bat with upside in Miami’s outfield depth chart.
Jansen, meanwhile, had a forgettable tenure in Tampa Bay, hitting just .204 in 2025 with 11 home runs and a 99 wRC+. Still, he brought value in versatility and veteran presence.
Prospect Drive and Youth Movement
For Miami, trading Fortes frees up roster space behind the plate as they rely on young backstops Agustín Ramírez and Liam Hicks. Both have seen time in the majors this season, and with rising prospect Joe Mack performing well in Triple-A, Miami gains flexibility to develop their catching pipeline without Fortes’ veteran contract anchoring it.
Etzel arrives in Miami with tools that fit their developmental mold: speed, contact ability, and on-base acumen. Though his average is modest and he’s currently on the injured list, Etzel’s stats mark him as a potential contributor in the Marlins’ outfield mix. His advanced run tool (evaluated at 65-grade by MLB Pipeline) also aligns with Miami’s preference for athletic, high-ceiling position players.
Implications for the Rays: Defense, Payroll, and Control
The Rays’ decision to move on from Jansen, who is under a one-year $8.5MM contract, while bringing in Fortes at a $1.86MM salary highlights a shift toward cost-efficiency and defensive reliability. Fortes offers three years of club control after 2025 and grades favorably in pitch framing and catching metrics compared to Jansen, who performed well in some defensive models but lagged overall in advanced metrics.
Tampa Bay’s catching wRC+ ranked just 25th in the majors before the trade. Fortes gives the Rays an opportunity to plug a defensively minded catcher next to Matt Thaiss, who hits better but lacks elite defensive tools. While Tampa Bay attempts to stay competitive, the acquisition is clearly calibrated for sustainable depth as much as short-term stabilizing.
Marlins’ Angle
For Miami, trading Fortes frees up roster space behind the plate as they rely on young backstops Agustín Ramírez and Liam Hicks. Both have seen time in the majors this season, and with rising prospect Joe Mack performing well in Triple-A, Miami gains flexibility to develop their catching pipeline without Fortes’ contract anchoring it.
Etzel arrives in Miami with tools that fit their developmental mold: speed, contact ability, and on-base acumen. Though his average is modest and he’s currently on the injured list, Etzel’s stats mark him as a potential contributor in the Marlins’ outfield mix. His advanced run tool (evaluated at 65-grade by MLB Pipeline) also aligns with Miami’s preference for athletic, high-ceiling position players.
This trade marks the 13th transaction between Tampa Bay and Miami since Peter Bendix assumed the role of Marlins president in November 2023–a reflection of how tied those two front offices still are in player development and roster optimization.
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