Below is a list of every player drafted by the Rays.
Each club had until 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 25, 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 Central | Day 1 analysis | Day 2 | Day 3 | Best hauls
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.
Players drafted from Round 11 on do not count against the bonus pools unless their signing bonus exceeds $150,000; any amount over that total will count against the pool.
Total bonus pool: $10,872,100
MLB rank: 13
1 (19): Brayden Taylor, SS, TCU
Pick value: $3,880,100
Signing bonus: $3,877,600
The Rays officially announced the signing of their first-round pick on July 19. Taylor received the full slot value of his selection, MLB.com's Jim Callis reported, after setting single-season (23) and career (48) home run records at TCU this spring. Described by director of amateur scouting Chuck Ricci as “very much a Rays player, very well-balanced,” the left-handed-hitting infielder played mostly third base at TCU but should get a chance to play shortstop in the Rays' system.
CB-A (31): Adrian Santana, SS, Doral Academy (FL)
Pick value: $2,670,600
Signing bonus: $2,002,950
The Rays locked up the speedy, switch-hitting shortstop for $667,650 under slot value, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, the first reported signing of their Draft class. Santana was Tampa Bay’s second Day 1 pick, behind first-rounder Brayden Taylor, and was clearly excited to join the organization after saying he dreamed about the Rays drafting him.
2 (55): Colton Ledbetter, OF, Mississippi State
Pick value: $1,509,800
Signing bonus: $1,297,500
Ledbetter, 21, received an underslot bonus after slashing .320/.452/.574 with 12 homers, 16 steals and 47 walks compared to 36 strikeouts over 53 games as a junior at Mississippi State. The lefty-hitting outfielder felt he developed in the Southeastern Conference as a “pure hitter,” with more of a plan and a two-strike approach at the plate. He’s known for making consistent hard contact and controlling the zone, and while his arm might eventually land him in left field, he’s athletic enough to handle center or right.
3 (88): Tre' Morgan, 1B, LSU
Pick value $783,800
Signing bonus; $781,300
The Rays like Morgan's potential at the plate, as he combines great hand-eye coordination with a good feel for the strike zone. Those traits carry his offensive profile rather than his power, although Tampa Bay hopes to help him improve in that department. But Morgan's real gift is his glove, as Ricci called him "probably the best defensive amateur first baseman I've ever seen." He was the best defensive first baseman in this year's Draft class and one of the best overall defenders at any position, and his energy made him one of the Rays' favorite picks to discuss.
4 (120): Hunter Haas, SS, Texas A&M
Pick value: $552,500
Signing bonus; $534,000
The Rays came away impressed with Haas’ attitude and makeup after an in-person meeting at the MLB Draft Combine, and those traits should help him make the most of his tools as a strong, sure-handed defensive shortstop and a selective hitter with some power. Haas’ approach improved this spring after he transferred from Arizona State to Texas A&M to be the Aggies’ starting shortstop, leading to a slightly underslot bonus for the fourth-round pick.
5 (156): Trevor Harrison, RHP, J.W. Mitchell HS (FL)
Pick value $388,900
Signing bonus: $847,500
A local product from J.W. Mitchell High School, Harrison received third-round money despite going in the fifth round. For good reason, too. The projectable right-hander's best pitch is his fastball, which already sits in the low 90s but can touch 95. As one of the youngest players in his Draft class, he's expected to only get better as he develops the rest of his arsenal, which includes a slider and a changeup, and adds strength to his 6-foot-4 frame.
6 (183): T.J. Nichols, RHP, Arizona
Pick value: $307,300
Signing bonus: $304,800
7 (213): Owen Wild, RHP, Gonzaga
Pick value: $240,600
Signing bonus: $238,100
8 (243): Drew Dowd, LHP, Stanford
Pick value: $195,800
Signing bonus: $397,500
9 (273): Dalton Fowler, LHP, University of Memphis
Pick value: $176,200
Signing bonus: $22,500
10 (303): Adam Boucher, RHP, Duke
Pick value: $166,500
Signing bonus: $148,500
11 (333): Garrett Edwards, RHP, LSU
Signing bonus: $499,850
12 (363): Chandler Murphy, RHP, Missouri
Signing bonus: $150,000
13 (393): Bryan Broecker, C, Michigan State
Signing bonus: $150,000
14 (423): T.J. Fondtain, LHP, San Diego State
Signing bonus: $150,000
15 (453): Will Stevens, RHP, Tarleton State (TX)
Signing bonus: $150,000
16 (483): Wooyeoul Shin, 1B, Miami Dade College
Signing bonus: $150,000
17 (513): Hayden Snelsire, RHP, Randolph-Macon College (VA)
Signing bonus: $100,000
18 (543): Jeremy Pilon, LHP, Ecole Secondaire Du Chene-Bleu Academy HS (QC CA)
Signing bonus: $172,500
19 (573): Owen Stevenson, RHP, Arizona State
Signing bonus: $197,500
20 (603): Max Stanley, RHP, Douglas County HS (CO)
Did not agree to terms
Every team's signings:
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
Pirates: $16,185,700
Tigers: $15,747,200
Nationals: $14,502,400
Twins: $14,345,600
Athletics: $14,255,600
Reds: $13,785,200
Mariners: $13,170,900
Marlins: $12,829,600
Royals: $12,313,500
Rockies: $11,909,800
D-backs: $11,084,300
Brewers: $10,950,600
Rays: $10,872,100
Orioles: $10,534,800
Red Sox: $10,295,100
Rangers: $9,925,300
Giants: $9,916,900
White Sox: $9,072,800
Cubs: $8,962,000
Guardians: $8,736,700
Mets: $8,440,400
Braves: $8,341,700
Angels: $8,328,900
Dodgers: $7,274,600
Astros: $6,747,900
Blue Jays: $6,529,700
Cardinals: $6,375,100
Padres: $5,416,000
Yankees: $5,299,400
Phillies: $5,185,500
