The Rays have designated outfielder Joey Butler for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for catcher Hank Conger, whom they acquired from the Astros for cash considerations Wednesday night.

Non-tendered players have rarely gone on to stardom, but many have provided value to the clubs that subsequently picked them up. So who among this year’s crop of non-tenders has the best chance to excel in 2016? Let’s take a look.

Left-hander Cliff Lee, who missed all of 2015 with an elbow injury, received medical clearance and has been throwing, according to reports.

Pitcher James Shields spent Tuesday in San Diego modeling some of the team’s new uniforms for 2016.But will Shields actually be wearing a Padres uniform in the upcoming season?

As expected, the Royals did not tender a contract to Greg Holland, who had Tommy John surgery in early October and will miss the 2016 season.

The fact that the Red Sox are ready to sign David Price to a record-setting contract for a pitcher (seven years, $217 million pending a physical) demonstrates more than a desire to get out of last place in the American League East and an admission that going into 2015 without an ace wasn’t good for business.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) will embark on an historic goodwill tour in Cuba from Dec. 15-18. Hall of Famers Joe Torre, MLB’s Chief Baseball Officer, and Dave Winfield, the MLBPA’s Special Advisor to the Executive Director, will be joined by a group of current Major League players, who will be announced at a later date.

Major League clubs faced difficult decisions leading up to Wednesday’s deadline to tender contracts for the 2016 season to arbitration-eligible players, a process that saw a number of players let go by their organization.

Veteran catcher Dioner Navarro is reportedly returning to Chicago, this time to the South Side as a complement to the recently signed Alex Avila.

Though he may get overshadowed by a few more high-profile names, Alex Gordon is without a doubt one of the top position players available on this offseason’s free-agent market.

The Braves are not expected to tender contracts to lefty Mike Minor or infielder Pedro Ciriaco before Wednesday’s 11:59 p.m. ET deadline to do so. Atlanta is, however, expected to tender contracts to each of its other arbitration-eligible players — Shelby Miller, Chris Withrow and Arodys Vizcaino.

Every team should want Jason Heyward. Only one team will get him, and there’s ample evidence that says that the best fit is with the Angels, a win-now team who badly needs a youthful injection of talent in the outfield.

The Padres non-tendered three players Wednesday, including third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who was the team’s 2015 Opening Day starter.

Before Wednesday’s deadline, the Pirates did not tender a contract to Pedro Alvarez, parting ways with the player they selected second overall in the 2008 Draft. The club also non-tendered outfielder Jaff Decker.

The Astros non-tendered slugger Chris Carter prior to Wednesday’s deadline to offer him salary arbitration, making him a free agent.

Six months prior to the 2016 Draft, the class is beginning to take shape. MLBPipeline.com’s Top 50 Draft Prospects list reflects what that class looks like at present, led by four pitchers — New Jersey prep lefty Jason Groome, Florida southpaw A.J. Puk and right-handers Alec Hansen of Oklahoma and Riley Pint of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Kansas.

With the Top 50 Draft Prospects list revealed, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo take a very early look at the potential top 10 picks of the 2016 Draft.