Former NY Mets prospects aplenty at this American League team's spring training

Following the New York Mets usually means the American League team you know the most about becomes the New York Yankees. Sharing many of the same media outlets and zip codes as their fans, it’s only natural to be as inundated with content about Aaron Judge as it is Francisco Lindor.

How much interest do the Mets really have to follow the Yankees this spring? Yeah, a few of our exes are there. But this isn’t Facebook and we’ve moved on from them so stalking isn’t necessary. There’s actually another American League team worth keeping an eye on for some morbid curiosity.

Division rivals of the Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays aren’t a club that registers much on our radar very often. Yeah, they’re unique. If some Mets fans had their way, the team would be run more efficiently like the Rays. They have a reputation for working smarter, not harder. The reason Mets fans might want to pay close attention to them this spring is because their camp is littered with familiar names we never got to see blossom in Queens.

If there’s an American League team to check in on this spring, the Rays are the one for Mets fans

The Mets and Rays have been common trade partners in recent years. In some cases, the purpose of the deal is for the Mets to acquire a more highly-paid pitcher in exchange for a prospect. Many of those younger pitchers are now projected to play a role on the Rays roster this coming year.

There’s Mike Vasil who was picked up from the Philadelphia Phillies after being selected in the Rule 5 Draft. Once a pitching prospect considered to be an option for the Mets rotation in the future, some troubles in Triple-A slowed him down. He’s now with the Rays as they look to take a flier on him for at least a little while longer. Because he was taken in the Rule 5 Draft, even by another team, he’ll need to stay on their 26-man roster or be offered back to the Mets.

The same rules apply for injured pitcher Nate Lavender. Although projected to be on the IL due to Tommy John surgery recovering, there’s a chance the Rays simply stash him for a full year. They plucked him directly from the Mets in the Rule 5 Draft this past December.

Mets connections go further. In the outfield and already on the 40-man roster is Jake Mangum. Traded by the Mets to the Miami Marlins, he made his way to the Rays in December of 2023. He was a fourth round pick by Brodie Van Wagenen in 2019 who at 29-years-old entering this year has yet to play a big league inning. This could change very soon.

More intriguing than Mangum are the relief pitchers on their depth chart ready to make an impact. Eric Orze was traded to Tampa Bay this offseason for Jose Siri. Does he suddenly explode with success there? Paul Gervase from the Tyler Zuber trade is a non-roster invitee as well. Some very good years on the farm pitching in relief make him someone to keep one eye on. Toss your other pupil toward Keyshawn Askew, the lefty reliever the Mets traded away for Brooks Raley. He pitched to a 1.40 ERA in Double-A last season. His one shortcoming is a lack of control, walking 5.5 batters per 9 and issuing 12 wild pitches in 64.1 innings.

For one team, that’s a lot of ex-Mets youth invited to camp. We know the Rays are capable of using a magic elixir on just about anyone. Which of these players ultimately ends being the one we’d want back most?