Rays Rumored to Reunite with Francisco Mejia

Francisco Mejia, formerly with the Angels, is in discussions with the Rays for a potential return to Tampa, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Mejia was part of the Rays’ catching rotation for three seasons, alongside players like Mike Zunino, Christian Bethancourt, and Rene Pinto. However, he was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay last August and subsequently removed from their 40-man roster.

Despite this, Mejia chose to stay with the organization rather than pursue free agency. However, he eventually became a free agent after the season and signed a minor league contract with the Angels.

While Tampa Bay appears to favor a catching duo of Pinto and Alex Jackson for the upcoming 2024 season, they are still seeking additional depth at the position. Re-signing Mejia, a familiar face, could be a sensible move in bolstering their catching options, even though it may not represent a significant upgrade given Mejia's previous stint and the team's historical catching challenges.

Mejia, now 28, has posted a career batting line of .239/.284/.394 over 1098 plate appearances in the majors. Despite being a top prospect in the Cleveland and San Diego farm systems, he has only occasionally demonstrated the potential that once garnered attention.