No, not Russell, but Jamie Westbrook has been signed to a minor league deal with the Rays.
The former Red Sox second baseman (for 21 games in 2024) agreed to take his chances with the Rays to make his way back to the majors.
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Last season, at the age of 29, he made his major league debut—a rare achievement for a minor league veteran who has spent time in the Diamondbacks, Brewers, Tigers, Yankees, Red Sox, and now the Rays organizations.
A local Arizona native, he was selected by the Diamondbacks in the fifth round of the 2013 draft out of high school. From 2017 until his call-up last season, Westbrook consistently hit above average at every minor league level across multiple organizations, with the exception of a slight dip to a 97 wRC+ during his time with Detroit’s Triple-A team in 2022.
In 2024, he put up strong numbers with the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate, slashing .277/.369/.450 while playing second base. Underlying metrics indicate that his success was largely driven by his ability to make contact, ranking in the top 20% in both whiff and strikeout rates at the Triple-A level.
However, that contact ability didn’t translate to major league success. Westbrook struck out nearly 30% of the time in the big leagues and posted a .313 xwOBA, indicating that his struggles weren’t due to bad luck. Defensively, he was average at second base, while his 34th-percentile sprint speed and -0.8 baserunning runs placed him below average on the basepaths.
Altogether, he finished with a -0.2 WAR, essentially making him the definition of a replacement-level player. But if there’s one thing the Rays are known for, it’s finding unexpected contributors—so maybe, just maybe, this 5’7” almost-30-year-old second baseman has a shot at surprising people.
That said, the Rays’ infield is crowded, with promising Australian prospect Curtis Mead still uncertain for the Opening Day roster. Westbrook faces stiff competition, including USF product Coco Montes, making it unlikely he’ll break camp with the big league squad. Still, he’ll have the opportunity to continue refining his game at Triple-A. And in baseball, anything can happen—so here’s hoping he can find a way to make an impact for the Rays in 2025.
