The Rays went straight for upside at No. 2 overall, grabbing Fort Worth Christian shortstop Grady Emerson in the 2026 MLB Draft and adding another premium bat to a system that has made a habit of developing them.
Emerson brings a left-handed swing that already looks advanced, plus a sharp eye at the plate and the kind of athleticism that gives him a real chance to stay on the dirt. Shortstop is the likely home, and the offensive ceiling is what pushed him into the top tier of this class.
Tampa Bay’s pick fits the profile of a player with a chance to grow into more power as his body fills out. That combination - hit tool, strike-zone feel, athleticism, and long-term pop - is exactly why he was viewed as one of the highest-upside prep players available.
The Rays’ own release painted the full picture of why Emerson stood out. The 18-year-old was named the 2026 Gatorade National Player of the Year after a huge senior season at Fort Worth Christian, where he hit .532/.648/1.013 with 42 hits in 79 at-bats, nine doubles, seven home runs, 50 RBI, 27 walks, 39 runs scored and 31 steals across 28 regular-season games. He helped lead the school to a TAPPS Division II state finals appearance for the first time since 2019.
Emerson also landed on the 2026 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist list, becoming just the second high school player since the award began in 1978 to do so, alongside Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. in 2019. The Golden Spikes Award goes to the top amateur baseball player in the United States.
A Texas commit, Emerson transferred to Fort Worth Christian for his senior year and played for head coach Rusty Greer, who spent nine seasons in the majors with the Texas Rangers from 1994-2002. Emerson is the first player ever drafted out of the program. He stands 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds and spent his first three high school seasons at Argyle High School from 2023-25.
His résumé stretches well beyond the high school season. Emerson was chosen for the United States U-18 and U-15 national teams four times combined from 2022-25, earned All-World honors at third base, and helped the U-18 club win gold at the 2025 WBSC U-18 World Cup in Okinawa, Japan. He also became the first player in USA Baseball history to play for multiple U-18 and U-15 national teams.
For Tampa Bay, the selection continues a clear draft pattern. Emerson is the seventh shortstop the Rays have taken with their first pick and the fourth in the last seven years, joining Daniel Pierce in 2025, Brayden Taylor in 2023, Carson Williams in 2021, Greg Jones in 2019, Tim Beckham in 2008 and B.J.
Upton in 2002. It’s also the third straight year the Rays have used their first selection on a high school player, following Pierce and outfielder Theo Gillen in 2024, and the ninth time in the last 12 drafts from 2015-26.
The Rays got the No. 2 pick through the results of the fourth annual MLB Draft Lottery, held Dec. 9, 2025 during the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla. This is the sixth time they’ve held one of the first two picks. Tampa Bay previously had the No. 1 selection in 2008, 2007, 2003 and 1999, and took Upton second overall in 2002.
In Other News...
White Sox Just Made A Rebuild Move That Could Change Draft Night
A busy scouting scene around Minnesota on Tuesday offered another reminder that catching help is becoming one of the more watched markets before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Ryan Jeffers drew attention from the Yankees, and the Rays were also in the building, with clubs clearly keeping tabs on a catcher who has been productive this season and is eligible for free agency after the year.
The draft angle is where Chicagos latest move starts to matter for Tampa Bay, even if the full ripple effect is still unfolding. Pittsburgh sent the 34th overall pick and minor league pitcher Jaden Woods to the White Sox for Jacob Gonzalez and Brandon Eisert, giving Chicago another premium selection to go with its top draft capital and adding a new layer to how teams around the league may approach Saturday night. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Just Landed A Rare Draft Opportunity Fans Have Waited For
The draft lottery gave Tampa Bay a rare kind of lift, one that immediately changes the way the organization can think about its next wave of talent. With the top of the board now set and the usual mix of rebuilding clubs clustered near the front, the Rays suddenly find themselves in position to add a premium prospect to a farm system that always seems to be reloading.
For a franchise that has not picked this high in years, the opportunity carries real weight beyond one night of lottery luck. Tampa Bay has not had a top-10 draft choice since 2017, and the front office now gets a chance to chase the kind of high-upside player that can reshape a system, especially with the draft still far enough away to leave plenty of room for scouting, debate, and a little anticipation. [Read more 🡒]