Back in January, the Tampa Bay Rays had claimed Jason Coats off of waivers from the Chicago White Sox. He was a relatively interesting player, having flashed solid power and speed numbers in the minors. In 2016, he had a .330/.394/.519 batting line in the International League before making his Major League debut. While he did not perform as well at the Major League level, with a .200/.298/.340 batting line in 58 plate appearances, Coats minor league track record was such that he deserved a longer look.
And so, the Rays had claimed Coats back in January. Unfortunately, his tenure with the team got off to a rough start, as Coats tore his UCL on the same day he was claimed.