Rays pitchers, catchers report to Port Charlotte for spring training

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (FOX 13) - Kevin Cash and the Rays have reasons to look forward the new baseball year -- mostly because of how they finished last season. They're fresh off a 90-win campaign, and finished 18 games above .500. Their 19-9 record in September was tied for third best in Major League Baseball. 

"You know when you have a young club that just won 90 games, it's easy to have a lot of optimism about what's ahead," said Erik Neander, the team's Senior VP of Baseball Operations. "But, it's also hard to win 90 games. A lot of things went our way last year that helped us get there."

That young roster they capped off 2018 with, is mostly still in tact as 2019 approaches. The Rays boasted the fifth youngest lineup in baseball last season. The team's youth, Cash says, is one of its greatest strengths moving forward.

"Being around these young guys that didn't have a ton of experience, they certainly carried themselves really, really well in some pretty high pressure environments at the end of the year, playing in some exciting ballparks and just a lot of tight ball games," explained Cash. "I would expect to learn from that, continue to grow and put it to use." 

Wednesday, pitchers and catchers report for their first workout in Port Charlotte. Then on Monday, the Rays will host their first full squad practice.