For the first time in nearly two decades, the Tampa Bay Rays are set to pick near the very top of the MLB draft.
The Rays landed the No. 2 overall selection for 2026 after the draft lottery held on the final day of the Winter Meetings this past offseason. Tampa Bay entered the lottery with just a 3.03% shot at the No. 1 pick. Under the old draft order, the Rays would have been slotted seventh, but the lottery pushed them all the way up to second.
That’s the club’s highest draft position since it took Tim Beckham with the first overall pick in 2008. The last time Tampa Bay was in the top five came in 2017, when it selected Brendan McKay fourth overall.
After that headline pick, the Rays’ draft board fills out with a long run of selections spread across the first 20 rounds. Their next pick comes at No. 33 in Competitive Balance Round A, a selection Tampa Bay acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in the return for Shane Baz, along with four other prospects.
The Rays then own the 49th overall pick in the second round. Their original slot in Competitive Balance Round B would have been No. 72, but that pick went to the St. Louis Cardinals in the three-team deal that brought Ben Williamson to Tampa Bay from the Seattle Mariners, along with Colton Ledbetter going the other way.
From there, the Rays are set to pick 85th in the third round, 113th in the fourth, 145th in the fifth, and 174th in the sixth. Their final selection on the draft’s first day comes at No. 113 in the fourth round.
Once the draft reaches the seventh round, the order resets, and Tampa Bay will then make picks every 30 slots beginning at No. 203. The Rays’ remaining selections line up as follows: 233 in the eighth round, 263 in the ninth, 293 in the 10th, 323 in the 11th, 353 in the 12th, 383 in the 13th, 413 in the 14th, 443 in the 15th, 473 in the 16th, 503 in the 17th, 533 in the 18th, 563 in the 19th, and 593 in the 20th.
In Other News...
Rays Could Be Eyeing Their Boldest Deadline Swing Yet
With Tampa Bay sitting atop the AL East, the Rays are once again in position to think bigger than a routine deadline tweak. Jim Bowden of The Athletic floated the idea that the club could be ready for a more aggressive swing this month, the kind of move that reflects both where the Rays are in the standings and how willing they may be to press their edge while the market is open.
The fit Bowden pointed to comes with real intrigue because it would mean betting on a pitcher who has already shown he can handle a heavy workload while working back from a major arm injury. Detroits Tarik Skubal has been effective this season, and his profile only adds to the sense that Tampa Bay could be exploring a deal with far more impact than the typical deadline rental. [Read more 🡒]
Two Injured Rays May Finally Be Pushing Toward A Return
The rehab assignments at Triple-A Durham are starting to look like something more than just box-score maintenance for two Rays trying to work their way back. Gavin Lux handled designated hitter duties and went 3-for-4, a solid sign as he continues to recover from left shoulder inflammation after already navigating other injuries earlier in the year. For a club that has had to keep patching together its roster, any encouraging swing from Lux matters.
Jake Fraley also gave Durham a lift, launching a three-run home run and spending time in right field as he inches back from a sports hernia procedure. He has been out since May 16, so every healthy step on a rehab assignment carries extra weight, especially when it comes with power and defensive work. The Rays still have to decide when both players are ready for the next move, but the early signs are at least pointing in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Cant Ignore This Catcher Problem Any Longer
The Rays are weighing whether to address catcher before the trade deadline, and it is not hard to see why. Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia have given Tampa Bay steady defense behind the plate, but the offense from that spot has lagged enough to make a lineup upgrade feel like more than a luxury for a club with postseason ambitions.
Among the names being discussed, Ryan Jeffers, Tyler Stephenson and Hunter Goodman all fit the basic need for more impact at catcher, with Goodman standing out as the kind of bat that could change the conversation quickly. Tampa Bay does not have to fix everything at once, but if it is serious about making a run, the front office may have to decide how aggressive it wants to be in a market where catching help is getting harder to find. [Read more 🡒]