The Rays have added minor league pitchers, LHP Jake McGee, RHP Wade Davis and RHP Dale Thayer to their 40-man roster.

Davis, 23, went 13-8 this year with a 3.47 ERA over 28 starts at Montgomery (AA) and Durham (AAA).  He was named Montgomery’s Pitcher of the Year despite a mid-July promotion to Durham.  His 13 wins tied for the most among Rays minor leaguers.  He was named to the Southern League midseason All-Star Team, his fourth career All-Star selection.  This month, Baseball America identified him as the No. 3 prospect and “Best Curveball” in the Rays organization.  Davis was selected by the Rays out of Lake Wales (Fla.) High School in the third round of the 2004 June Draft.

McGee, 22, went 6-4 with a 3.94 ERA over 15 starts for Montgomery before suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament that ended his season in June and required “Tommy John” surgery.  Recently named the No. 9 prospect in the organization by Baseball America, McGee ranked No. 3 on the same list last winter prior to the injury.  He has been named to six All-Star teams in the minors, including the Southern League midseason All-Star Team this year.  He was selected in the fifth round of the 2004 June Draft out of Edward C. Reed High School in Nevada.

Thayer, 27, spent the season with Durham where he went 3-1 with 9 saves and a 2.77 ERA (68.1-IP, 73-H,
21-ER, 2-HR, 24-BB, 76-SO).  In 2007 he went 9-0 with 21 saves for Durham.  Over six minor league seasons, he has compiled a 26-15 record, 2.33 ERA and 132 saves and has been named to four All-Star teams.  Thayer was acquired as the player to be named in the September 15, 2006 trade that sent outfielder Russell Branyan to the San Diego Padres.  San Diego signed him in 2002 as a non-drafted free agent out of Chico State in California.

The moves puts the Rays 40-man roster at 39.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com