Rays 2022 Draft signings tracker

July 30th, 2022

Below is a list of every player drafted by the Rays.

Each club had until 5 p.m. ET on Aug. 1 to come to terms with its Draft selections. If a player has exhausted his collegiate eligibility, he can sign at any time up until one week prior to the next year’s Draft.

Draft-and-follow picks -- high school and junior college players selected after the 10th round who attend a two-year college after the Draft -- can sign with their selecting teams for up to $250,000 up until a week prior to the following year’s Draft.

Total bonus pool: $7,799,200
MLB rank: 20

1 (29): Xavier Isaac, 1B, East Forsyth HS (NC) -- $2,548,900 (Pick value: $2,548,900)
Isaac, the powerful first baseman who turned out to be somewhat of a surprising first-round pick, signed for the full slot value of the 29th pick three days before the deadline. The left-handed hitter reported to Tropicana Field with his family on July 29 and planned to report to Port Charlotte, Fla., on July 30 to get right to work.

2 (65): Brock Jones, OF, Stanford -- $1,077,600 (Pick value: $1,077,600)
The Rays and Jones are in agreement for full pick value, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis. Considered one of the better power-speed combinations in this year’s college class, Jones is an athletic outfielder and former safety on Stanford’s football team.

CB-B (70): Chandler Simpson, SS, Georgia Tech -- $750,000 (Pick value: $953,300)
The Rays and Simpson agreed to terms for an under-slot $750,000, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis. The reigning NCAA D1 batting champ, Simpson was one of the fastest players in the Draft to go along with his elite contact-hitting skills.

CB-B (71): Ryan Cermak, SS, Illinois State -- $750,000 (Pick value: $929,500)
The Rays and Cermak are in agreement for an under-slot $750,000, MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis reports. An outfielder in college, Tampa Bay announced Cermak as a shortstop. He sports some of the best all-around college tools in this year’s Draft, including well-above-average raw power and speed, and a plus arm

3 (104): Trevor Martin, RHP, Oklahoma State -- $586,200 (Pick value: $588,700)
Martin, a right-hander who struck out 16 Missouri State batters over 6 2/3 innings in his final outing of the season, signed for just below the full slot value of his selection. Martin made most of his appearances as a reliever, but the Rays view the right-hander as a candidate to start.

4 (134): Dominic Keegan, C, Vanderbilt -- $397,500 bonus (Pick value: $439,600)
The Rays and Keegan are in agreement for an underslot $397,500 bonus, per MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis. The former Vanderbilt catcher was the Commodores’ best hitter the past two seasons and is considered an improving defender behind the plate.

5 (164): Jalen Battles, SS, Arkansas -- $247,500 (Pick value: $328,400)
The Rays and Battles are in agreement for an under-slot $247,500 bonus, according to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis. The former Razorbacks shortstop was considered one of the top defenders in this year’s college Draft class.

6 (194): Gary Gill Hill, RHP, John F. Kennedy Catholic HS (NY) -- $597,500 (Pick value: $255,500)
The Rays went $342,000 over slot value, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis, to lock down the projectable high school right-hander who won’t turn 18 until September. Gill Hill’s story is reminiscent of that of current top Rays prospect Taj Bradley, although his arsenal -- a low 90s fastball, with feel for a slider and changeup -- isn’t quite identical.

7 (224): Blake Robertson, 1B, Oklahoma -- $198,900 (Pick value: $201,400)
The Rays and Robertson are in agreement for an under-slot $198,900, according to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis.

8 (254): Sean Harney, RHP, Kentucky -- $47,500 (Pick value: $169,700)
The Rays and Harney are in agreement for an under-slot $47,500, according to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis.

9 (284): Chris Villaman, LHP, NC State -- $325,000 (Pick value: $157,000)
The Rays’ ninth-round pick agreed to a significantly over-slot signing bonus, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis, to begin his professional career. The lefty relies heavily on a 90-95 mph fastball that plays up due to his arm angle and command, while his low-80s changeup is his best offspeed offering.

10 (314): Cade Halemanu, RHP, Hawaii -- $122,500 (Pick value: $149,600)
The Rays signed their final Day 2 pick for an under-slot bonus of $122,500, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis. Halemanu, who posted a 3.86 ERA in 42 appearances over four seasons at Hawaii, offers a 90-94 mph fastball that touches 97, along with an upper-70s changeup that tumbles below the strike zone.

11 (344): Drew Sommers, LHP, Central Arizona College
Has agreed to terms for $150,000

12 (374): Alex Cook, RHP, Colby CC
Has agreed to terms for $125,000

13 (404) Nate Dahle, RHP, BYU
Has agreed to terms for $87,500

14 (434): Roel Garcia III, RHP, Rice
Has agreed to terms

15 (464): Jake Christianson, RHP, Feather River College
Has agreed to terms for $50,000

16 (494): Kamren James, SS, Mississippi State
Has agreed to terms for $125,000

17 (524): Levi Huesman, LHP, Hanover HS (VA)
Has not agreed to terms

18 (554): Duncan Davitt, RHP, Iowa
Has agreed to terms for $25,000

19 (584): Quinn Mathews, LHP, Stanford
Has not agreed to terms

20 (614): Matt Wyatt, RHP, Virginia
Has agreed to terms for $260,100

How bonus pools and pick values work

Each choice in the first 10 rounds comes with an assigned value, with the total for a club's selections equaling what it can spend in those rounds without incurring a penalty. If a player taken in the top 10 rounds doesn't sign, his pick's value gets subtracted from his team's pool. Clubs near the top of the Draft often spend less than the assigned value for those choices and use the savings to offer more money to later selections.

Teams that exceed their bonus pool face a penalty. Clubs that outspend their allotment by 0-5 percent pay a 75 percent tax on the overage. At higher thresholds, clubs lose future picks: a first-rounder and a 75 percent tax for surpassing their pool by more than 5 and up to 10 percent; a first- and a second-rounder and a 100 percent tax for more than 10 and up to 15 percent; and two first-rounders and a 100 percent tax for more than 15 percent.

Bonus pools by club:
Orioles: $16,933,000
D-backs: $15,120,200
Mets: $13,963,000
Pirates: $13,741,300
Rockies: $13,667,800
Nationals: $11,013,900
Reds: $10,799,700
Marlins: $10,491,700
Braves: $10,229,600
Cubs: $10,098,100
Padres: $10,094,200
Twins: $10,041,500
Guardians: $9,986,200
Rangers: $9,646,000
Royals: $9,471,200
Blue Jays: $8,372,100
Athletics: $8,320,200
Red Sox: $8,082,600
Tigers: $8,029,300
Rays: $7,799,200
Mariners: $7,258,200
Brewers: $7,074,700
Angels: $7,028,100
Cardinals: $6,845,900
Astros: $6,840,600
Yankees: $6,428,600
Phillies: $6,310,400
White Sox: $6,292,500
Giants: $5,796,400
Dodgers: $4,223,800