Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Curtis Mead is not in the starting nine on Saturday afternoon for the second game of their series against the Colorado Rockies. Mead got the nod in the series opener on Friday and even batted in the leadoff spot. Instead, facing right-handed pitcher Antonio Senzatela, the Rays will opt to have Jonathan Aranda cover first base and bat cleanup. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Mead's status as he may only be in the lineup against southpaws. In the opener, he went 0-for-4 at the plate with two strikeouts. Mead was able to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster thanks to his impressive performance during camp when he posted a stellar .524 AVG. Given his potential to have a limited role, Mead should only be rostered in deeper 15+ team formats.

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Curtis Mead is getting the starting nod at first base and is batting leadoff on Opening Day on Friday versus the visiting Colorado Rockies and left-hander Kyle Freeland at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The 24-year-old is hoping to parlay his blistering-hot spring into the start of the regular season after hitting .524 (22-for-42 with a home run in Grapefruit League play for the Rays. So far in two seasons (62 games played) in the big leagues for the Rays, though, Mead has been a disappointment after the team acquired him from the Phillies in the Cristopher Sanchez trade. In his 224 major-league plate appearances, Mead has slashed .244/.300/.312 with a .613 OPS, two homers and 12 RBI. As a right-handed hitter, Mead will at least be in the lineup against lefties, but he may need to keep hitting to secure an everyday role in Tampa.

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Curtis Mead has made the team's Opening Day roster, according to manager Kevin Cash. Mead essentially beats out Eloy Jimenez for one of the team's final roster spots out of camp thanks to an impressive Grapefruit League performance this spring. Entering play on Friday, Mead has hit .543 (19-for-35) with a homer, double, three RBI, a stolen base and six runs scored in 13 contests. The 24-year-old Australian's stock is certainly rising for those in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues despite the fact he's only hit .244/.300/.312 with a .613 OPS, two home runs and 12 RBI in 62 games since he debuted in the big leagues in 2023. The former highly-touted prospect in the Phillies system might initially only see playing time in Tampa against lefties, but if he continues to swing the bat like he has in spring training, more playing time will surely come. Stash him in AL-only formats for now.

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Curtis Mead, who showed up to spring training in excellent shape, recorded eight hits in his first nine Grapefruit League at-bats and also went 4-for-4 with a walk in Thursday's spring contest against the Philadelphia Phillies to raise his current average to a ridiculous .778. The 24-year-old former top prospect in Tampa's system is certainly putting his best foot forward as he battles with outfielder Eloy Jimenez in camp for one of the last spots on the roster heading into the 2025 regular season. The Australian native has hit only .244 (50-for-205) with two home runs, 12 RBI and 51 strikeouts in 224 plate appearances over 62 games in his first two MLB seasons. He has yet to prove he belongs in the lineup everyday, but Mead can play both second and third base and could function as a utility infielder for the Rays in 2025.

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Curtis Mead has been raking this spring, now 8-for-9 through four games, including a double and a home run with a stolen base to boot. The Australian native is fighting for a roster spot this spring, and it appears he's putting his best foot forward. The right-handed hitter has had some opportunity with the big league club over the last two years but owns just a career .244/.300/.312 slash line in 224 career plate appearances. He showed well at Triple-A last season, putting together a .288-13-41-60-11 line over 91 games (364 AB), so perhaps he's riding some of that momentum into the 2025 campaign. As it stands, he's off the redraft radar, but were he to work his way into a sizeable role during the season, the 24-year-old has some power and speed potential that could make him an intriguing fantasy option.

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Curtis Mead added weight during the offseason. Mead did this to hit the ball harder and retain his strength through the long season. Mead has appeared in 62 MLB contests over the past two seasons but has yet to enjoy any sustained success. During the 2023 season, Mead held a .253/.326/.349 line with one home run in 24 games. Last season, Mead posted a slightly lower .238/.282/.287 line with home run across 38 games. He generated a poor 36.6 percent ard-hit rate and 4.3 percent barrel rate. However, with Triple-A Durham, the 24-year-old has performed much better. Last season, Mead posted a strong .288/.259/.481 line with 19 doubles and 13 home runs. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his development during spring training as he will likely compete for a bench role on the Opening Day roster.

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, second base prospect Curtis Mead will be fighting for one of the final spots on the Opening Day roster during spring training. Mead has been given brief looks in the majors over the past two seasons but has yet to find consistent success. Last summer, across 38 games, Mead posted a .238/.282/.287 slash line with three doubles and one home run. During his rookie season in 2023, Mead posted a .253/.326/.349 line across 24 contests. He generated a weak 36.6 percent hard-hit rate and a 4.3 percent barrel rate, placing him well below the average marks. However, at Triple-A, the 24-year-old posted a strong .288/.359/.481 line with 19 doubles and 13 home runs across 91 games. Mead will compete alongside newly acquired designated hitter Eloy Jimenez for one of the final spots. If he does make the roster, he could be worth a look in deeper AL-only formats for power upside.

Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Curtis Mead, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the team's No. 3 prospect for a reason, has crushed the ball wherever he's played and had a .302/.376/.514 slash line in the minors. However, MLB.com's Adam Berry says it's difficult to envision a consistent path to playing time for Mead as the Rays' roster is currently constructed. Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe and Isaac Paredes are set around the infield, and unless the team has another trade in the works, Harold Ramirez seems to be in line for right-handed designated hitter work. "That is one hungry, motivated player. Curtis is driven to be really, really good, and he is going to do everything he can," manager Kevin Cash said. The 23-year-old is a pure hitter and should be stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues in 2024.

Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Curtis Mead had an incredible night for Triple-A Durham, going 2-for-4 with his fourth home run of the season and four RBI. It continues a strong season for the 22-year-old, as he's slashed .294/.384/.469 with four home runs, 29 runs, 35 RBI, and three stolen bases in 50 games with Durham. He wasn't at the top of his game in his short 11-game stint with the major-league squad, slashing .250/.372/.278. However, he can perform well enough to return to the majors this season without losing his rookie eligibility, making him a possible stash option in redraft leagues.

The Tampa Bay Rays are calling up infield prospect Curtis Mead on Friday, and he'll take the roster spot of left-hander Shane McClanahan (forearm), who is going on the injured list. Mead, the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, missed most of May and June with a wrist injury, but he's been great for Triple-A Durham with the stick since his return. Overall, the 22-year-old Australian right-handed hitter has batted .291/.379/.453 with an .832 OPS, three home runs, 28 RBI, three stolen bases and 25 runs scored in 46 games for Durham in 2023. Mead has a solid understanding of the strike zone and doesn't strike out much. His power is developing and he can help fill in for the Rays at both second and third base. It remains to be seen how much he'll play in his first taste of the majors, though, so temper your waiver-wire bids.

Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Curtis Mead (wrist) is beginning a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League on Thursday. The No. 24 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, hasn't played for Triple-A Durham since April 29 due to his injury, but he's getting closer to a return. The 22-year-old is one of the top hitters in the minor leagues, although he was hitting just .221 (19-for-86) with two home runs, six doubles, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored in 22 games for Durham before getting injured. The Australian makes a lot of contact and has an advanced approach at the plate. Mead should eventually have the ability to hit 20-plus homers in a full season, but because of his injury, he may not be able to make his major-league debut in 2023.

Tampa Bay Rays infielder prospect Curtis Mead went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI for Triple-A Durham on Saturday. He blasted a 422-foot shot (109.5 MPH off his bat) in Saturday's game for his second homer of the season. The 22-year-old is starting to heat up at the plate and has logged four multi-hit efforts in four of his last seven contests, including homering in back-to-back games. He is slashing .250/.325/.476 with two homers, 10 RBI, 10 runs, and a stolen base over 77 plate appearances for Triple-A Durham. Mead is the Rays' No.2 prospect and is expected to be called up sometime during the season. Fantasy managers should continue to stash Mead in most league formats if he gets a call to the show soon.

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Curtis Mead was recently optioned by to their minor league camp. In nine spring training games, the Rays' No.2 prospect went 5-for-22 with two home runs. In 2022, Mead batted his way to AAA-Durham after putting up a wOBA of .412 to start the season for AA-Montgomery. In 20 games for the Durham Bulls, the 22-year-old slashed .278/.377/.486 with three home runs. His impressive hit tool and displayed pop make him an intriguing fantasy bat. But with stars Wander Franco or Brandon Lowe set in the middle infield, Mead will only function as an injury fill-in for the Rays but is worth stashing in most league formats due to his massive upside.