This story was excerpted from Adam Berry¡¯s Rays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Last Wednesday, as a big chunk of the baseball industry gathered inside the Trinity Ballroom in Dallas¡¯ Hilton Anatole, Nate Lavender decided to follow the Rule 5 Draft from home. The rehabbing left-handed reliever didn¡¯t necessarily think he would get picked, but he wanted to see if some of his friends would land a Major League opportunity elsewhere.

Like Mike Vasil, a longtime teammate in the Mets system.

To Lavender¡¯s surprise, the Rays made him the eighth pick. A few minutes later, the Phillies selected Vasil. Not long after that, Lavender got a text from Vasil: The Phillies were trading him to the Rays, having effectively made the pick for Tampa Bay. Come Spring Training, they were still going to be teammates, after all.

¡°I was like, ¡®No way, dude. No way.¡¯ It¡¯s surreal,¡± Lavender said in a phone interview. ¡°Came up together, been really close friends. And then, now, to get this opportunity together is something that¡¯s really cool.¡±

The opportunity in front of Lavender and Vasil is quite different, even with the 24-year-olds¡¯ shared Rule 5 status. Vasil will have to earn a job on the Opening Day roster in Spring Training or be offered back to the Mets. Meanwhile, Lavender will begin the season on the 60-day injured list as he completes his recovery from an internal brace procedure on his left elbow.

But coming into camp together, with another familiar face in former Mets reliever Eric Orze (acquired for Jose Siri), will only help.

¡°I'm so fired up with this fresh start, new opportunity,¡± Lavender said. ¡°It makes it easier to make a transition when you know you've got some buddies, got some friends that are doing the same thing.¡±

Last week, Rays assistant general manager Kevin Ibach said Vasil¡¯s chance to crack the club could come as a starter or reliever, depending on what they do the rest of this offseason. Lavender raved about his teammate as an ¡°absolute stud¡± despite his 5.78 ERA in 45 Triple-A outings, while Ibach cited the right-hander¡¯s versatility as ¡°probably what¡¯s most appealing for him.¡±

While there¡¯s more urgency for Vasil, Lavender is still working his way back. He¡¯s seven months removed from surgery on his throwing elbow -- ¡°212 days out,¡± he said Friday, but who¡¯s counting -- and it typically takes 13-15 months before a pitcher can return to game action. Lavender made it clear he¡¯s eyeing the front end of that timeline, which would have him back in June.

¡°I fully anticipate being able to come back and contribute this year,¡± he said. ¡°That feeds into my competitive nature and wanting to contribute as fast as possible. But at the same time, I want to make sure I feel healthy and you¡¯re aware of your body and stuff. I don¡¯t want to spend any more time in rehab than I have to.¡±

Whether it¡¯s June or July, the Rays will have time to guide Lavender through the final stages of his recovery while getting to know and work with him. Ibach said the club likes the lefty¡¯s arsenal, fastball, deceptive delivery and ability to get out both right-handed and left-handed hitters.

Lavender was on the fast track before his injury. A 14th-round Draft pick in 2021, he flew through the Mets¡¯ system and posted a 3.27 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 44 innings over 35 Triple-A appearances in 2023. He was seemingly set to debut this year -- then came a two-inning outing in Charlotte on April 19.

Lavender never felt the ¡°pop¡± so many pitchers report before requiring reconstructive elbow surgery. It just felt off, he said, ¡°like I did not have it.¡± He threw one fastball that seemed destined to land 20 feet up the backstop, based on the way it felt coming out of his hand; it landed in the strike zone. Back at the team hotel, he struggled to pick up his backpack or open doors with his left hand.

Even after surgery, facing a monotonous rehab process, Lavender leaned into his optimistic nature. Getting hurt early in the season meant he¡¯d be able to pitch next year. It gave him time to spend with his family, including a daughter who¡¯s now 14 months old. It gave him a chance to work on himself, breaking down his body and his delivery without the pressure to perform.

Lavender reported that his elbow feels ¡°unreal¡± in his throwing sessions. He¡¯s experienced ¡°no hiccups¡± to this point and doesn¡¯t anticipate any the rest of the way. And when he gets to the finish line, he¡¯ll have a Major League opportunity waiting for him.

¡°Everything I've heard about the Rays organization is that they're so good at bringing in talent and maximizing what they're going to get out of what they bring in. I'm super excited to see what that looks like for me,¡± he said. ¡°Obviously, I want to keep getting better and better and better, and I think I'm in the right organization to do so.¡±