Expectations were understandably high when Willy Adames was first called up to the big leagues. He was the main target for the Rays in 2014’s trade of David Price to the Detroit Tigers. At that time, Adames was an 18 year old in Low-A hitting .269/.346/.428 for a 122 wRC+.
As Adames progressed through the Rays’ system, he consistently faced older competition. He rose quickly up prospect lists, and building hype and excitement for the future of the Rays.
Adames made his MLB debut on May 22, 2018 against the toughest opponent: Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox.