There might not be a better MLB team that punches above its weight than the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rays have, in the last decade, been to the playoffs five times. This includes winning the AL East twice and even the AL Pennant in 2020. Their payroll peaked at $78.7 million in 2018 before crashing back down to an MLB-low $49 million in 2019. For 2023, Spotrac lists the Rays’ projected payroll at $69.7 million.
The answer to the team’s successes despite its frugality is simple player development. The Rays have a system that just seems to work.