Episode 959

On this episode of FanGraphs Audio, David Laurila welcomes Blake Butera, the manager of the Charleston RiverDogs, Low-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Butera, who is just 29 years old, shares his journey from playing at Boston College to being drafted by the Rays to becoming a key part of their player development system. We get stories about players such as Brendan McKay, Tommy Pham, Curtis Mead, Colby White, Cole Wilcox, Taj Bradley (a guest on episode 937), and more. Butera also offers some insights into what makes the Rays system so special and how the team is capable of consistently producing major-league talent.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 30 minute play time.)

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