SARASOTA, Fla. -- Early Sunday morning found Rays outfielder Matt Joyce packing his things for the bus trip from Port Charlotte, Fla., to Sarasota.

Outside, the Charlotte Sports Complex felt the wrath of a rain storm, complete with thunder and lightning, prompting a reporter to ask Joyce if he'd packed his rubber boots for the trip to play the Reds.

The 24-year-old outfielder chuckled at the question.

"I've got my rain coat, my swimming gear, my goggles," Joyce said. "I'm ready to go. Everybody's like, 'Yes, yes, let it rain.' I'm like, 'I need to play.'"

Joyce, who the Rays acquired in a December trade that sent Edwin Jackson to the Tigers, got off to a delayed start this spring due to tendinitis in the calf/ankle area of his right leg. Despite the late start, Joyce managed to open some eyes a week ago in his first Grapefruit League at-bat. Left-hander Kei Igawa stood on the mound for the Yankees to face the left-handed-hitting Joyce, with the bases full. Joyce swung and unloaded what appeared to be a sure home run to right field. Only the wind was blowing in and the ball stayed in the park, finding Xavier Nady's glove for the third out.

"That was cool," Joyce said. "That was a great feeling. It was a terrible feeling when he caught it. I had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows right there in one [at-bat]."

Even though Joyce has missed a lot of Spring Training, he still has managed to get himself back into contention for an outfield spot, which has surprised many -- including manager Joe Maddon.

"I am kind of surprised by it based on what we had been told early on with the injury and how he was responding to it," Maddon said. "I thought he was going to be pretty much out of contention and go back to Triple-A, get off to a good start and see what happens. He's turned it around rather quickly. And, quite frankly, it's just taken me personally one or two at-bats in a game to understand that this guy is special."

Count hitting coach Steve Henderson among those impressed with Joyce's skills, particularly his power.

"I see the power already," Henderson said. "We just need to see more of him. But I saw him a couple of times when he was in Detroit. And it's there, there's no doubt about it. ... The ball comes off his bat real loud."

Joyce cringed when asked how close he feels to being at top form.

"That's a tough one," Joyce said. "I think I'm at full swing when I feel really good at the plate. You take a little longer maybe find your little groove. Get comfortable up there. I feel like I'm ready to play every day. I just have to get a little more comfortable in the box."

Like many young left-handed hitters, Joyce's at-bats against left-handers were limited in 2008, his rookie season with the Tigers. He was used primarily as a platoon outfielder, hitting .252 with 12 home runs and 33 RBIs in 242 at-bats. Of those at-bats, just 22 came against left-handers, whom he hit .227 against -- with no home runs and one RBI.

"[Saying a left-hander can't hit lefties] usually does get tagged and it's a tough thing to really swallow, but you have to disprove it," Joyce said. "You have to go out there and show that you can hit a lefty. You might not always hit the lefty for the same average, or you might struggle here and there. But that doesn't mean you can't hit them."

Getting more at-bats against left-handers was just one of the reasons why Joyce headed to Mexico to play during the winter.

"I really went over there just to try and work on a lot of things, the offspeed pitches and getting the [at-bats] -- since I only platooned in Detroit," Joyce said. "And seeing lefties was one of them. I didn't get to see a lot of lefties in Detroit."

While Joyce remains in consideration for an outfield spot, the Tampa native said he isn't allowing himself to think about it.

"I'm prepared to go either way," Joyce said. "I had my agent talk to them yesterday, [and he said] 'Just be ready to go to Triple-A or to [the Rays]. That's the toughest part of Spring Training. You don't really know where you're going until the last minute. ... Hopefully [I'll] get the chance to break with them. But you just never know. It's tough."

Whatever happens, Joyce will be in the Rays' thoughts.

"I'm very excited about him," Maddon said. "I really see a high end to this guy's game. I don't know exactly when that's going to start with us here. But I believe over the next couple of years, he's going to be very impactful for our lineup."