Kenny Piper’s path to the Rays has been unusual from the start, and his job in Tampa Bay may be even stranger: he’s becoming the guy Kevin Cash turns to when the biggest outs are on the line.
Piper arrived from Double-A Montgomery under unusual circumstances around the Trade Deadline and made his debut at Coors Field on Aug. 3.
Less than three weeks later, he was back with the club on Aug. 19, replacing injured outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. That return was a little unexpected, especially for a team that rarely carries three catchers, even with the extra September roster spot for a position player.
The Rays already have two catchers they trust in Liam Hicks and Nick Fortes.
But Piper’s value has shown up quickly. Cash said the club could keep leaning on him in September because of the way he handles the job.
“I think that we could see that scenario playing out over the month of September,” manager Kevin Cash said recently. “Just because we have so much confidence with him as far as game-calling, his prep, the interaction with [pitching coach] Kyle [Snyder] and [Major League field coordinator/catching instructor] Tomas [Francisco] on going over the pitchers, and then he's going to give us a good chance to throw guys out.”
After opening his big league career with two starts, Piper has come off the bench in his last eight games. More often than not, that has meant slipping into the game for the most pressure-packed innings, functioning almost like a “catching closer,” as Bryan Baker put it.
“Interesting specialist role he's got,” closer Bryan Baker said, smiling. “It's definitely not easy. He's done a really good job, and he's shown a level of maturity that you don't always see from guys who haven't been around very long.”
That arrangement gives Cash more flexibility with Hicks and Fortes, and it also says plenty about how much the Rays believe in Piper behind the plate. Hicks, after all, hadn’t been a regular catcher with the Marlins, so part of the idea was simply to manage the workload. But Piper catching key innings is its own statement about his defensive reputation.
“It’s been fun to learn how to perform in that role. It's something that I've never done before, but I was anticipating this being an option when I got called up,” Piper said.
“I'm happy to fill whatever role the team needs. I think that I have the skills to do it, and to do it well.
So, I'm excited to just keep learning and keep helping the team in that way.”
Piper’s rise is a classic development story, even if it hasn’t come with much prospect hype. He was an 18th-round pick in the 2021 Draft out of Columbia College of Missouri, an NAIA school, and didn’t climb the ladder in a straight line. He reached Triple-A Durham in 2024, then spent the past three seasons bouncing between Durham and Double-A.
Wherever he’s played, the standout tool has been the same: his defense. Piper has a strong arm, and it has already shown up in the Majors. Only one runner has tried to steal against him, and on Aug. 21 in Baltimore, he erased Colton Cowser with an 85 mph throw to second base.
“It's one of the better arms in all of baseball. His arm combination of quickness and accuracy makes it fun to watch,” said Jeff Smith, the Rays’ coordinator of catching and manager development. “You go in to work with him, you go in to see him play -- and you want the other team to try to steal, because you enjoy watching it.”
Smith said Piper brings more than just the arm. His athleticism stands out, and Piper said that traces back to his college days, when he was mostly a shortstop and third baseman until about halfway through his career. That background still shows up now; he’s started three of his late-game appearances as a pinch-runner.
“The umpire the other day in Detroit told me, ‘You don't see a lot of pinch-running catchers,’” Piper said, laughing. “I'm thankful for that background, and I do think it helps me a lot as a catcher.”
The other trait Smith highlighted is Piper’s calmness. That has always been part of his makeup, along with being a well-liked teammate, but Smith said the offseason made him even steadier after Piper spent time playing for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League.
“No matter what the situation is, you're going to see someone back there that's going about doing his job and helping [his pitchers], but also being very calm in these situations,” Smith said.
That combination is why the Rays are comfortable using him in spots that matter. Baker sees it too.
“He's really good back there,” Baker said. “He's back there at those times for a reason. He's showing it right now, which is pretty fun to watch.”
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