Kevin Cash

Manager since December 2014; first AL manager to win consecutive Manager of the Year awards (2020, 2021).

Kevin Cash (born December 6, 1977) is an American professional baseball manager currently leading the Tampa Bay Rays. Before taking the helm in December 2014, he played catcher for five MLB teams: the Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros. As a player, he stood 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighed 200 pounds, batting and throwing right-handed. Cash served as the Cleveland Indians' bullpen coach before becoming the youngest active manager in MLB upon his hiring. He made history by winning American League Manager of the Year in both 2020 and 2021, the first AL manager to win the award consecutively.

Quick Facts

Position: Catcher; Manager
Team: Tampa Bay Rays
Born: 6 December 1977
Birthplace: Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Bats: Right
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: September 6
Debut year: 2002

Lore & Background

Cash began his journey with Northside Little League in Tampa, reaching the 1989 World Series as a second baseman. After initially failing to make the Gaither High School team, he played college baseball for Florida State under Mike Martin, where he started 148 games and posted a .923 OPS. On February 26, 1998, he participated in the first-ever Tampa Bay Devil Rays exhibition game against his own team. He earned second-team All-American honors as a catcher in 1999 after leading Florida State to a second-place finish in the College World Series. That summer, he played for the Falmouth Commodores, volunteering as a catcher and earning league All-Star and team MVP honors.

Reader's Guide

Cash's managerial career started after he was hired by the Tampa Bay Rays on December 5, 2014, succeeding Joe Maddon. His first season in 2015 saw him issue 54 replay challenges with a 31.5% success rate, though he improved to a 59.2% overturn rate by 2016. In July 2017, Cash fractured his ankle while running but managed the game that day and remained with the team despite a 12-win improvement over the previous season. He entered the 2024 season as the longest-tenured manager in MLB. His tenure includes leading the Rays to AL Manager of the Year honors in 2020 and 2021, establishing him as a pivotal figure in franchise history.

Did You Know?

He was one of three catchers on the Boston Red Sox postseason roster in 2007 and hit a home run in his only playoff start.
Cash fractured his ankle on July 2, 2017, yet managed the game that day and stayed with the team for the rest of the season.