Mead was optioned Monday to minor-league camp by the Rays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
There was some thought that Mead could make the Rays' Opening Day roster, but instead the top prospect in the system is poised to begin the season at Triple-A Durham. The 22-year-old Australian posted a .918 OPS in his 22 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League this spring and should be one of the first bats called up by Tampa Bay whenever the club is looking for additional offense.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Candidate for long-term extension
Rotowire
Mead and the Rays have explored a long-term contract extension this spring, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Mead, a 22-year-old native of Australia, has delivered a sparkling .306/.376/.517 career batting line through 970 minor-league plate appearances. He posted a .922 OPS with 13 home runs and 27 doubles in 76 games last summer between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham. Even if the extension talks ultimately fail, the young infielder should rise to the major-league level with Tampa Bay in 2023. Most of his defensive experience has come at third base, though he's also played some shortstop, second base and first base.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Homers twice in exhibition
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Mead went 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.
The two homers accounted for Mead's first hits of spring training through 10 at-bats. He's also struck out four times in that span, as he looks to impress the Rays enough to earn a chance to make his big-league debut at some point in 2023. Despite the slow start to the exhibition season, Mead had an impressive 2022 campaign by posting a 146 wRC+ across 246 plate appearances with Double-A Montgomery before being promoted to Triple-A Durham to close the campaign.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Protected from Rule 5 draft
Rotowire
Mead (elbow) was added to the Rays' 40-man roster Tuesday.
Mead is one of Tampa Bay's most highly-regarded prospects, so it's no surprise he's been added to the 40-man roster in order to shield him from the Rule 5 draft. He split 2022 between the Double-A and Triple-A levels and had a .922 OPS with 13 home runs, 50 RBI and seven stolen bases in 76 games before he was shut down with an elbow injury.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Shut down for season
Rotowire
Mead has been shut down for the remainder of the season due to a forearm/elbow injury, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Mead missed nearly a month between July and August due to a right elbow strain. While he apparently isn't dealing with any further damage, he received an injection to help his recovery process and won't rush back to the field prior to the end of the minor-league season. The 21-year-old appeared in 76 games between the Double-A and Triple-A clubs this year and slashed .298/.390/.532 with 13 home runs, 50 RBI, 43 runs and seven stolen bases.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Back in action at Triple-A
Rotowire
Mead (elbow) was reinstated from the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Durham and went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk Saturday.
One of the best pure hitters in the minors, Mead missed four weeks with a right elbow strain. It's encouraging that he was able to make it back before the end of the season, seemingly putting any thoughts of a potential surgery behind him. Mead is hitting .296/.390/.537 with a 17.6 percent strikeout rate and an 11.0 percent walk rate as a 21-year-old at Double-A and Triple-A.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Placed on injured list
Rotowire
Mead was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Durham on Wednesday due to a right elbow strain, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Mead hasn't appeared in a game since July 23, and he's apparently dealing with an elbow issue that's expected to keep him sidelined until at least mid-August. The 21-year-old has appeared in 72 games between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this year and has slashed .293/.387/.534 with 13 home runs, 50 RBI, 42 runs and seven stolen bases.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Missing in action
Rotowire
Mead left a game for Triple-A Durham on July 23 with an undisclosed injury, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
He has not been placed on the injured list, so perhaps it is a day-to-day issue. Mead, one of the best hitters in all the minors, is slashing .293/.387/.534 with 13 home runs, a 17.9 K% and a 10.9 BB% in 72 games as a 21-year-old at Double-A and Triple-A.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Scorching in June
Rotowire
Mead is hitting .333/.410/.639 with six home runs, four steals and an 8:18 BB:K through 19 games in June for Double-A Montgomery.
The 21-year-old Australian has hit for average all year long, but he's turned on the power this month as well. One of the better pure hitters in the minors, Mead is due -- perhaps overdue -- for a promotion to Triple-A Durham, where he actually played four games (going 6-for-14 with a homer and two doubles) last season.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: On COVID IL
Rotowire
Mead is on the COVID-19 injured list at Double-A Montgomery, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.
Fortunately it shouldn't be a long absence for Mead, who last played May 15. He is hitting .291/.392/.518 with four home runs and a 13.8 K% in 130 plate appearances.
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Rays' Curtis Mead: Hitting with authority in Double-A
Rotowire
Mead is batting .308/.402/.549 with four homers, 10 doubles and a 10:15 BB:K through 25 games for Double-A Montgomery.
Mead entered the season with a reputation as a high-contact, doubles-over-homers hitter (15 long balls and 38 doubles across three levels last year), and that's exactly what he's been so far in 2022. The power production may never be elite, but he's just 21 and has time to grow into more; meanwhile, with his gap-to-gap approach and low strikeout rate, it looks like he'll have a great shot at hitting for average in the majors.
