2022 AL Rookie of the Year odds: Rays' Josh Lowe handed starting job with Austin Meadows trade to Tigers

On Monday morning, Tampa Bay outfielder Josh Lowe was +10000 to win American League Rookie of the Year honors. As of now, he's +4000 at Caesars Sportsbook because it appears Lowe has been handed a full-time job with the Rays trading outfielder/designated hitter Austin Meadows to Detroit on Monday.

Detroit sent infielder Isaac Paredes and a competitive balance round B pick in the 2022 amateur draft to Tampa Bay for Meadows, who hit .234 with 27 homers and a career-high 106 RBIs last season. Not really clear why the Rays would just give him up so cheaply, but it's hard to question the Tampa Bay front office when it has been right so many times in trades like this. I guarantee it came down to finances, with Meadows scheduled to make $4 million this season and then getting more expensive the next two years when arbitration-eligible.

While Lowe, who bats left and throws right, didn't make the big club out of spring camp, he was called up from Triple-A Durham following the trade and should slide in as the team's primary right fielder. The 24-year-old had .291/.381/.535 slash line with 22 homers and 26 stolen bases on 26 attempts across 470 plate appearances at Triple-A last season. He did see action in two late-season games with the Rays, going 1-for-1 with a walk. Lowe clearly has a good eye as he walked on 13.2 percent of his plate appearances in Triple-A.

Lowe is already considered on upgrade on Meadows defensively and on the bases. MLB.com ranks Lowe as the No. 50 overall prospect in the sport. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2016 draft out of a Georgia high school. Reigning NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes of the Brewers was a fourth-round pick that year. None of the 2016 first-rounders have made a huge impact in the majors yet.

"He has the potential to be an All-Star player," said president of baseball operations Erik Neander of Lowe. "That's how we see him."

The Rays are looking for back-to-back AL Rookies of the Year as outfielder Randy Arozarena won it in 2021. However, the shortest odds among Tampa Bay rookies belong to pitcher Shane Baz at +1600. He was a late-season callup in 2021 and looked great in three regular-season games with a 2-0 record and .068 WHIP in 13.1 innings but had surgery last month to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. Thus, he won't be back in the majors for at least a little while.

Tampa Bay opens Friday at home vs. Baltimore. 

Who will win the Masters, and which long shots will stun the golfing world? Join SportsLine now to see the projected Masters leaderboard, all from the model that's nailed seven golf majors and is up almost $10,000 since the restart.