The Bucs recently inked a deal with Tommy Pham for $4.025 Million with incentives. Their 40-man roster is full so someone will need to be designated for assignment to make room for Pham.
We overviewed the Pham signing in the Bucs Square Up a Deal With Tommy Pham article. If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend it for some casual reading.
The Bucs recently designated Alika Williams to make 40-man roster room for LHP Tim Mayza. He cleared waivers today. Williams designation was expected with the addition of SS Tsung-Che Cheng to the 40-Man in order to protect him from the Rule-5 draft.
It seems the Bucs have some more fat to trim from their position players on the 40 man roster. Another position player is likely to be designated to make room for Tommy Pham. There are a couple of good candidates who I believe should not be on the 40 man come Spring Training.
Those are Ji Hwan Bae and Enmanuel Valdez. I think it likely Ji Hwan Bae would clear waivers. His only tool is his speed, and maybe he can develop his fielding centered around his speed.
I'm less confident that Enmanuel Valdez would clear waivers, and I am less confident the Bucs will bump him off the 40-Man Roster before Spring Training. Valdez started the most games in the 2B committee the Red Sox employed last season. He had a solid 2023 so there is some potential here. His glove, range, and arm will never be average or better, but he may still develop into an ok major league hitter with his average peripherals. With the signing of Adam Frazier he certainly becomes expendable.
The reason I would not want to see Enmanuel Valdez on the roster come Spring is because it probably means the Bucs didn't add Verdugo or another LHH outfielder.