The Rays made it official on Tuesday, finalizing their two-year deal with left-hander Steven Matz. To make room on the 40-man roster, Tampa Bay designated outfielder Tristan Peters for assignment - a move that speaks to both the depth of the Rays’ system and the tough roster math that comes with adding veteran arms.
Peters, who turns 26 in February, got a brief taste of the majors in 2025. After being added to the 40-man roster in August, he appeared in just four games, logging 12 plate appearances.
The results weren’t kind - no hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts. But let’s be clear: that’s an incredibly small sample size, and not one that defines a player’s ceiling.
In the minors, Peters has been a steady contributor, even if he doesn’t flash elite tools. His approach at the plate is solid - an 11.7% walk rate paired with an 18.1% strikeout rate shows he sees the ball well and doesn’t chase much.
He’s not a slugger by any stretch, never hitting more than 15 homers in a season, but he can give you modest pop and around 15 stolen bases a year. Defensively, he’s versatile, capable of handling all three outfield spots - a trait that teams love when constructing a bench or depth chart.
That well-rounded, if unspectacular, profile was enough to earn him a call-up. But in a Rays organization that thrives on maximizing every roster spot, Peters simply didn’t carve out a long-term role. By designating him for assignment, Tampa Bay starts the clock on a short window - up to seven days - to either trade him, place him on waivers, or outright him to the minors if he goes unclaimed.
There’s a decent chance another team takes a look. Peters still has minor league options and only a handful of service days, which gives any acquiring club a flexible, low-cost outfield piece. He may not project as an everyday starter, but for a team looking to bolster its depth with a controllable player who won’t eat up payroll, Peters could be a smart pickup.
If he clears waivers, the Rays would retain him as non-roster depth - and knowing how Tampa Bay operates, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in the mix at some point. For now, though, Peters finds himself in that familiar DFA limbo - a reminder of how thin the margins can be for fringe big leaguers trying to stick.