Move to 'pen could set Peoples on fast track to Majors

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- It was only the Rays’ second game of Spring Training, a Saturday afternoon matchup against the Red Sox on Feb. 22 at Charlotte Sports Park. But it was a big day for Ben Peoples.

In camp as a non-roster invitee, the 23-year-old right-hander was pitching for the first time in a Major League spring game. Peoples hadn’t pitched in a game since last June 13, as he spent the rest of the season recovering from a shoulder injury. And it was the official start of his career in the bullpen.

Peoples struck out top prospect Roman Anthony then found himself with the bases loaded after a double and two walks. He calmly collected himself, struck out Vaughn Grissom then got Abraham Toro to swing through an upper-90s fastball to escape the jam.

That was the start of a strong spring for Peoples, a converted reliever set to start the season in the Minors who is showing he has the stuff to make an impact in the Majors sooner than later.

“I feel like it's gone really well,” Peoples said. “Honestly, better than I think even I expected.”

A 22nd-round pick in the 2019 Draft out of Giles County (Tenn.) High School, Peoples put up solid numbers in the Minors as a starter. He had a 3.06 ERA with 121 strikeouts in 94 innings in ‘22, struck out 26.3% of the batters he faced in ‘23 and had a 3.42 ERA while averaging a strikeout per inning through his first 12 starts with Double-A Montgomery last year.

After being injured and going unselected in the Rule 5 Draft, Peoples said the Rays brought a new idea to him. How about moving to the bullpen? They made it official when he reported to Spring Training, and the results have caught the attention of Tampa Bay’s staff.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Peoples has a lean frame and a youthful-looking face. Going back to the time he was drafted, he has heard his fair share of comments about how he looks like a teenager -- “I get the young thing a lot,” he said -- but he’s no longer bothered by the wisecracks.

And his ability is no joke.

In six appearances, Peoples has struck out half of the 24 batters he has faced. He has walked only three and permitted only three hits. But more impressive than the results is Peoples’ stuff, which immediately played up when he moved to a relief role.

Peoples has always possessed a special fastball, one that manager Kevin Cash called “very, very unique.” It’s a heater that both cuts and carries -- not totally unlike the movement that has made closer Pete Fairbanks’ fastball so lethal.

“I don't know how I do it,” Peoples said, smiling. “I’ve just always done it. It's nice.”

Peoples typically threw it in the 93-95 mph range as a starter, with the ability to reach back for more. This spring, it has been more consistently 95-97 mph. That pitch alone could make him successful out of the bullpen, but he pairs it with a slider while mostly shelving his changeup in an effort to simplify his approach in a new role.

“I think that simplification has really made a big difference,” Peoples said. “You don't have to worry about, like, 'I need to throw this many pitches now, so they know that they have to respect it later.' It's just like, 'This is all I've got. Let's throw everything so there's nothing left.'”

The Rays have found success the past few years moving big league relievers into their rotation, from Drew Rasmussen to Jeffrey Springs to Zack Littell. This spring, they took the more traditional tack of shifting Peoples and fellow prospect Cole Wilcox from the rotation to the bullpen in the Minors, hoping to accelerate their progress and give them an opportunity in the Majors.

Like Peoples, Wilcox -- who was reassigned to Minor League camp on Thursday -- saw his fastball velocity tick up this spring, regularly clocking in at 96-98 mph.

“It’s been very impressive to watch those two guys,” Cash said recently. “I do think there's a little different mentality as a starter that you're trying to navigate through a lineup multiple times. When you're in a relief role, you pitch off a lot of adrenaline. We've seen the benefits of it.”

One of the most encouraging developments of their second half last season, in fact, was the way lefty Mason Montgomery immediately thrived in a relief role after spending his entire Minor League career as a starter.

Could they do it again?

“He's a great example. A best-case scenario,” Peoples said. “Definitely getting more comfortable with it. That's the most important thing. I think it might give me a better chance to move. We'll see how everything works out.”