ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – Brendan McKay of the Tampa Bay Rays delivers a pitch during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in Game Three of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 7, 2019 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
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The Tampa Bay Rays secured the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft through the draft lottery at the Winter Meetings in Orlando. They selected high school shortstop Grady Emerson, the 2026 Gatorade National Player of the Year, who hit .532 with seven home runs and 50 RBI in his senior season at Fort Worth Christian. Emerson, alongside Royals shortstop Bobby Witt, Jr., became the only high school players to earn Golden Spikes Award semifinalist honors since 1978. As of July 15, his contract remained unsigned. Meanwhile, the White Sox signed No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky for a reported $10.35 million.
This marked the Rays’ 12th top-10 draft selection since 1999. Below is a review of how their prior top-10 picks performed and their signing bonuses:
2017 | No. 4 | Brendan McKay | P/1B | Bonus: $7 Million
Brendan McKay, a two-way standout at Louisville, signed for a then-record $7 million bonus. His MLB debut in June 2019 was historic, striking out the first 16 Texas Rangers he faced in six innings. A torn labrum in 2020 derailed his career, limiting him to minor league play with the Rays’ Double-A affiliate in Montgomery by 2024.
2008 | No. 1 | Tim Beckham | SS | Bonus: $6.15 Million
Tim Beckham, a Georgia high school phenom, hit .247 with 26 home runs in 238 games for the Rays before being traded to Baltimore in 2017. After a strong start with the Orioles (.394 average in his first month), he struggled with a .222 average in subsequent games across the Orioles, Mariners, and Twins.
2007 | No. 1 | David Price | LHP | Bonus: $6.5 Million
David Price, a Vanderbilt product, signed for $8.25 million and became a cornerstone of the Rays’ rotation. He recorded the final out of the 2008 ALCS and won the AL Cy Young Award in 2012 (20-5, 2.56 ERA). Traded to Detroit in 2014, Price later pitched for the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Dodgers, finishing with a 157-82 record and 3.32 ERA.
2006 | No. 3 | Evan Longoria | 3B | Bonus: $3 Million
Evan Longoria, the 2008 AL Rookie of the Year, anchored the Rays for a decade. A three-time Gold Glove winner, he leads the franchise in games (1,435), home runs (261), RBI (892), and runs (780). Traded to the Giants in 2017, he concluded his career with the Diamondbacks in 2023, hitting .264 with 342 home runs. The Rays retired his No. 3 in July 2023.
2005 | No. 8 | Wade Townsend | RHP | Bonus: $1.5 Million
Wade Townsend, a Rice University alum, previously turned down a $1.85 million offer from the Orioles in 2004. Repeated injuries, including two Tommy John surgeries, kept him from advancing beyond Double-A with the Rays.
2004 | No. 4 | Jeff Niemann | RHP | Bonus: $3.2 Million
Jeff Niemann, standing 6-foot-9, went 36-21 in his first three full seasons (2009-11) before injuries ended his career in 2012. A fractured leg and shoulder issues sidelined him permanently after just four months.
2003 | No. 1 | Delmon Young | OF | Bonus: $3.7 Million
Delmon Young debuted at 20 in 2006, finishing second in AL ROY voting in 2007 (.288 average, 93 RBI). Traded to the Twins for Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett, he struggled with injuries in later years, finishing with a .283 average and 109 home runs across 10 MLB seasons.
2002 | No. 1 | B.J. Upton | OF | Bonus: $4.6 Million
B.J. Upton reached the majors in 2004, hitting .300 with 24 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 2007. He stole 40+ bases for three straight seasons and ranks second in Rays history in stolen bases (232). His career spanned the Braves, Padres, and Blue Jays, ending in 2016 with a .243 average and exactly 300 steals.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays rookie center fielder Rocco Baldelli slides into third base in the bottom of the seventh inning August 24, 2003 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Cleveland Indians beat the Devil Rays 7 – 5 at Tropicana Field. Baldelli, a candidate for rookie of the year, had three hits to boost his average above .300. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
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2000 | No. 6 | Rocco Baldelli | OF | Bonus: $2.25 Million
Rocco Baldelli, selected out of high school in Rhode Island, hit .284 with 152 RBI in his first two seasons. Elbow surgery in 2005 and recurring injuries limited his production afterward. He later served as a Rays coach (2012-18) and managed the Twins from 2019-2025, compiling a 527-505 record. He now works in the Dodgers’ front office.
1999 | No. 1 | Josh Hamilton | OF | Bonus: $3.96 Million
Josh Hamilton, a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year, never played for the Rays due to injuries, substance abuse, and suspensions. After a three-year hiatus, he debuted with the Reds in 2007, winning the AL MVP and batting title with the Rangers in 2010. He concluded his career with the Rangers in 2015, hitting .290 with 200 home runs and an .865 OPS.
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