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In Case you Haven't Noticed, Willy Adames is Going to be a Superstar, if he Isn't Already

Willy Adames

Willy Adames has emerged as a superstar and the future of the Tampa Bay Rays.

If you watched a fair amount of the Tampa Bay Rays this year, I'm sure you've been thrilled to watch the inception of a superstar. Sure, Austin Meadows and Brandon Lowe both received All-Star nods in 2019, and Tommy Pham has been playing at an elite level ever since he joined Tampa; however, this post won't highlight any of those three players, although they are all deserving of such a tribute for their outstanding 2019 campaigns. This post, however, will honor Willy Adames as having emerged as the future of the Rays, the face of the franchise, and, yes, a superstar.

He's quite possibly one of the most exciting young players in the majors right now. Not only did Willy Adames crank 20 homers, setting a franchise record for shortstops, and bat a respectable .254 in his sophomore season, he also led all Rays position players in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), producing a 4.2 win season and finishing above players like Gleyber Torres, Jose Altuve, and teammate Austin Meadows. Adames also powered the Rays to a game 5 vs the Houston Astros slashing .294/.400/.706 with two home runs in the postseason. I mean, did you see his home run off of Justin Verlander? Wow.

His spectacular season was significantly shaped by his remarkable defense. Prepare to be blown away by his 2019 defensive stats. He led all American League shortstops with 13 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS); he led the entire major leagues for all players in Total Zone Runs (TZR) with an astounding 21; and, he finished third in the AL in defensive WAR, leading all AL shortstops with 2.1 wins. I could go on, but you get the point. Basically, give him the Gold Glove now.

Shoutout to the Rays front office, if you're reading this, lock him up ASAP. The Kid, Willy Adames, is a superstar in the making. Get hyped.

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.