The Rays have already started putting their 2026 draft class to work, and one of their most interesting additions is now under contract.
Tampa Bay has signed right-handed pitcher Ben Blair, the club’s second-round pick at No. 49 overall out of Liberty University, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. No signing bonus figure has been revealed yet.
Blair was one of 21 players the Rays added in the 2026 MLB Draft as they continued to deepen what is already one of the strongest farm systems in baseball. His selection stood out because Tampa Bay has leaned heavily toward positional players in recent drafts, making Blair the earliest pitcher the organization has taken since the 2020 MLB Draft, when Nick Bitsko went at No. 24 overall.
The right-hander brings a profile built on command and a deep mix. At Liberty, he posted a 4% walk rate, issuing just 17 free passes in 94.1 innings. He also worked with a five-pitch arsenal at times, mixing a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball and sinker with a slider in the 83-84 mph range, a cutter in the mid-80s and a changeup that is still developing.
His fastball has reached 97 mph, and the slider is used as a wipeout pitch to set up the rest of his stuff. Blair’s low arm slot adds another layer of deception, making his pitches tougher for hitters to track.
There’s also a track record of consistency behind the stuff. Blair took the ball every Friday and delivered a 3.53 ERA with 113 strikeouts, giving the Rays a pitcher who has shown both reliability and results.
He was a standout at Liberty Christian Academy as well, helping his high school team win a state title as a junior before continuing to climb once he got to college and into draft conversations.
Tampa Bay’s offseason has also included a wave of trades that brought in several highly regarded prospects, including outfielders Jacob Melton and Slater De Brun, catcher Caden Bodine and right-handed pitchers Anderson Brito and Michael Ferrett. Among the players mentioned in this group, only No. 2 overall pick Grady Emerson has broken into the top 10.
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