Rays, INF Taylor Walls reach one-year deal to avoid arbitration

Field Level Media|published: 01/22/2025, 5:33pm EST

Sep 22, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls (6) fields a ground ball in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays and light-hitting infielder Taylor Walls agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million contract on Wednesday to avoid arbitration.

The sides also agreed to a $2.45 million club option for 2026 with a $50,000 buyout.

Walls is a standout defensive player, but he has just a .188 career batting average in four big league seasons. He batted .183 with one homer, 14 RBI and 16 steals in 84 games last season.

Walls missed the beginning of last season with a hip injury and made his season debut on June 7. He committed just three errors in 83 games (68 starts) at shortstop.

Overall, Walls has 18 homers, 98 RBIs and 52 steals in 379 games with the Rays.a

--Field Level Media