The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday added infielder Austin Shenton and pitcher Yoniel Curet to the big league-roster, selecting both player to be added to the team’s 40-man roster in order to prevent them from being exposed to the Rule 5 Draft that will take place at the Winter Meetings.
Shenton, taken in the fifth round of the 2019 Draft by the Mariners out of FIU, hit .304/.423/.584 with 29 home runs and 99 RBI in 134 games between Double-A Montgomery (73) and Triple-A Durham (61) in 2023. Shenton was acquired by Tampa Bay at the trade deadline in 2021 in the deal that sent reliever Diego Castillo to Seattle, and was ranked the #26 prospect in the organization by MLB.com
Curet, signed by the Rays in 2019 from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, spent 2023 between Low-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green, going 8-1 with a 2.94 earned run average, in 26 appearances, including 22 starts. The 21-year-old struck out 144 batters in 104 1/3 innings of work.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Shenton and Curet, right-handers Cooper Criswell and Calvin Faucher were designated for assignment.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
