Future Is Bright For Jake Hager

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.—The knee injury that ailed Jake Hager during his 2014 season and the surgery that caused him to painfully miss the entire 2015 season are history.

And now Hager is once again looking forward to a bright future.

One of promising prospects from the Rays 2011 draft haul when they had 10 of the first 60 picks, Hager is determined to get back on that track, having made it to Triple-A Durham last season.

And he would like to think he is better for having gone through the travails.

“I think it made me stronger,’’ Hager said. “Like I said when I got the surgery, it was a minor setback for a major comeback. That’s what I told myself, and to stay positive through it. Now I’m here and I’m going to do whatever I can to help the team out.’’

Hager said he felt he proved that last season, when he returned with no restrictions from the surgery to repair the patella tendon in his right knee, and a second procedure to clean up his left knee.

“I don’t even think about,’’ he said. “I’m fully healthy, no issues at all. I went into this offseason and got after it. My legs are back under me 100 percent and I feel great.’’

Strictly a shortstop growing up, Hager was got the Rays treatment last year and was shifted around the infield, getting time at second and third. And with the emergence of top prospect Willy Adames as well as Daniel Robertson, the middle and left side of the infield is going to be pretty crowded at Triple-A Durham.

“Last year they moved me around a little bit and I handled it pretty well,’’ he said. “I’ll do whatever I need to do to help the team, of course. I would like to try and stick with shortstop as long as I can. I came up as a shortstop and I’d like to continue to be a shortstop. But if I have to move I have to move.’’

Hager is one of five players still with the Rays from that class of 10, four who are in major-league, joining lefty Blake Snell, who will start the season in the majors, and righthanders Taylor Guerrieri and Jeff Ames, who will not. Lefty Grayson Garvin will be in minor-league camp, continuing to battle injuries. No longer with the organization are Mikie Mahtook, Brandon Martin, Tyler Goeddel, Kes Carter and James Harris.

COOL RAYS

• Veteran righthander Tommy Hutton signed a minor league deal with a big league invite a couple days into camp and has a shot to win a spot in the bullpen.

• Working out with the other 80-some early reporting minor leaguers for less than a week, OF Joe McCarthy, who spent last season at high Class A Charlotte, got an unexpected start in big league exhibition Feb. 26 vs. Boston and made the most of it with a double and a home run.

— Marc Topkin covers the Rays for the Tampa Bay Tribune