St. Petersburg, FL (My Sportsbook) - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays released outfielder/DH Greg Vaughn on Saturday prior to the team's exhibition game with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Vaughn, Tampa Bay's highest paid player, is slated to be paid $9.25 million for the final year of his four-year contract that runs out after the 2003 season. Unless another team claims him before the 72-hour waiver period is over, Tampa Bay will be responsible for the full amount.

"I know I can play," Vaughn said. "I'll probably clear waivers because it won't cost anybody anything; I'll be a minimum-salary guy. I've already been in touch with my agent and we expect there to be several opportunities."

According to general manager Chuck Lamar, the direction of the club is youth.

The 37-year-old Vaughn batted .217 in 14 games this spring. Last season he hit just .163 with eight homers and 29 runs batted in. However, Vaughn injured his right shoulder on June 22 in Denver and did not play the rest of the season.

"It's bitter because I didn't play the way I wanted to play," Vaughn said. "But it's good because now I have an opportunity to catch on somewhere else. This is new for me, so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel. But we had sort of a negative beginning [before Spring Training] so it's not a surprise. It's a relief, sort of."

Vaughn, who signed with the Devil Rays before the 2000 season, hit 45 home runs with the Cincinnati Reds the year before and 50 home runs with the San Diego Padres in 1998.