The Rays may have just added another name that Blue Jays fans are going to hear a lot.
With the second overall pick in Saturday’s MLB draft, Tampa Bay took Grady Emerson, the 18-year-old shortstop from Fort Worth Christian High School. Roch Cholowsky went first to the Chicago White Sox, but Emerson was still the kind of player plenty of people believed could have gone No. 1.
Emerson brings the profile Tampa Bay loves: a left-handed bat with polish, athleticism and enough upside to make scouts dream. He grades 55+ across the board on the 20-80 scale, with a 65 hit tool, 55 power and 60 fielding.
He’s been described as a rangy shortstop and has drawn comparisons to Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. That link makes some sense, too, since Emerson was coached by former major leaguer Rusty Greer, who also mentored Witt when he was growing up.
The Rays themselves made sure to highlight the bat, posting: "Just an impeccable pure hitter with an elite track record." pic.twitter.com/gw8RqYmUaV
What makes Emerson such a natural fit in Tampa Bay is the way he already plays the game. He works quality at-bats, makes smart swing decisions and can drive the ball to every part of the field.
Scouts think the power could grow into 25 home runs at the major league level, thanks to his exit velocity and bat speed. He also has a reputation for showing off in batting practice and finished second in the High School Home Run Derby.
For Blue Jays fans, the irritation is obvious. The Rays have spent years being a nuisance, and Toronto has had a hard time shaking them.
Even during last season, when the Blue Jays were American League champions, they still went just 6-7 against Tampa Bay. This year, the Rays are sitting atop the AL East at 55-37 going into Jul. 11, despite being pegged by many as only the third- or fourth-best team in the division.
There’s also a practical reason this pick makes sense for Tampa Bay. Taylor Walls, now 30, holds down shortstop for the Rays, but his offensive production has been light since his debut in 2021.
Drafted in the third round in 2017, Walls reached the majors at 24 and has posted a .198/.290/.296 line across 554 career games. By the time Emerson is ready, the Rays may well be looking elsewhere at the position.
And there’s another layer here that could make this even more interesting down the road. The Blue Jays’ system features Arjun Nimmala and JoJo Parker, their top two prospects, and both are shortstops too.
Both are on track to become impactful big leaguers. If Emerson, Nimmala and Parker all hit, the AL East could have a trio of young shortstops battling each other for years.
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