The Tampa Bay Rays signed veteran utility infielder Jorge Mateo to a major-league contract this week, adding speed and experience to their infield amid injuries.
The move came shortly after the Atlanta Braves released the 31-year-old Dominican player.
To make room, the Rays optioned right-hander Michael Grove and infielder Carson Williams to Triple-A Durham and designated pitcher Trevor Martin for assignment. They also recalled right-hander Jesse Scholtens from Durham. Mateo will wear No. 9.
Mateo appeared in 65 games for the Braves this season, hitting .240 with six doubles, four home runs, 11 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. He provides a right-handed bat who can play shortstop, second base, and third, along with outfield experience.
The Rays plan to use him primarily as the right-handed half of a second-base platoon against left-handers and as occasional cover for shortstop Taylor Walls while Ben Williamson recovers from a significant hamstring injury.
Mateo’s path to Tampa Bay stretches back more than a decade to the New York Yankees organization. Signed out of the Dominican Republic as an international free agent on January 28, 2012, for a $250,000 bonus, the fleet-footed shortstop quickly rose through the ranks.
In 2015, he combined for a .278 average, 11 triples, and an eye-catching 82 stolen bases between Single-A Charleston and High-A Tampa.
By the start of 2016, Baseball America ranked him the Yankees’ top prospect, ahead of future stars like Gary Sánchez and Aaron Judge, and No. 26 overall in baseball. His elite speed (often graded an 80 on the 20-80 scale) and athleticism fueled high expectations that he could become a dynamic everyday shortstop.
Progress stalled somewhat in the minors. Mateo spent most of 2016 back at High-A Tampa and faced a brief suspension for a code-of-conduct violation.
In 2017, after a promotion to Double-A Trenton, the Yankees traded him (along with Dustin Fowler and James Kaprielian) to the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Sonny Gray at the trade deadline. He never reached the majors with New York or Oakland.
After a brief stint with the San Diego Padres in 2020, Mateo settled in with the Baltimore Orioles from 2021 to 2025. His peak came in 2022, when he led the American League with 35 stolen bases and posted 3.7 WAR. Career numbers stand at a .223 average with 34 home runs and 116 steals.
For the first-place Rays, the signing offers low-cost depth and elite baserunning — Mateo currently ranks among MLB’s fastest players by sprint speed. It also marks another chapter for a former top Yankees prospect still chasing consistency more than a decade after his highly touted arrival.
