Snell, Faria, Guerrieri Optioned to Minors
There was much talk this past offseason if whether or not the reigning USA Today and Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, Blake Snell, would open the season as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays pitching rotation. Coming off a season in which he went 15–4 with a 1.41 ERA across three levels (and 6–2 with a 1.83 in nine starts with Durham), it wasn’t out of the question the 23-year-old could compete at the big league level. However, with a full staff of starters, today the Rays optioned Snell, Jake Faria and Taylor Guerrieri to Minor League camp.
Should the Rays stay healthy through Spring Training, this all but ensures Snell will open the 2016 campaign in Durham. For Faria and Guerrieri, the answer isn’t as clear. Both right-handers, they each split last season between Advanced-A Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery. Faria led all minor leaguers with 17 wins, while posting a 1.92 ERA. Guerrieri, in his first season back from Tommy John, combined to go 5–3 with a 1.85 ERA in 20 appearances (18 starts). Despite their 2015 success, there’s still a chance they could open the year in Double-A to ensure they’re ready to make the jump to Durham. Still, it would come as a shock to no one if they broke Spring Training and headed north to the Bull City.
Additionally infielder Ryan Brett was optioned to minors camp today, while nine players were reassigned from big league camp to minors camp.
