Tampa Bay Rays 2022 MLB Draft Report Card

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Best Pure Hitter: SS Chandler Simpson (2s) transferred to Georgia Tech from Alabama-Birmingham and promptly led all Division I hitters with a .434 average. He’s a high-contact, slap-and-dash hitter with minimal power, but the speed to consistently sustain high BABIP numbers. In his pro debut he hit .370/.471/.482 with just an 11.3% miss rate and a .417 BABIP.

Best Power Hitter: 1B Xavier Isaac (1) has absolutely gargantuan raw power. He has a massive, 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame and hits towering home runs with 80-grade juice, though C Dominic Keegan (4) might have the most accessible in-game power currently, and posted the best 90th percentile exit velocity of the Rays’ 2022 draftees this summer.

Fastest Runner: Simpson (2s) is a top-of-the-scale runner who went 59-for-66 (89.4%) in stolen base attempts in his college career. He went a perfect 8-for-8 in just eight games in the FCL. That speed should inflate his batting average and also gives him a chance to play center if he has to move off of the infield.

Best Defensive Player: OF Ryan Cermak (2s) is an above-average runner who made plenty of web gems during the 2022 spring with Illinois State. He has a chance to be a plus defender at the position, with plus arm strength as well. OF Brock Jones (2) doesn’t have the same arm strength, but he is a good runner who could be an above-average defender in center. SS Jalen Battles (5) is probably the pick for this category, however, as an instinctual defender at shortstop with above-average defensive ability and above-average arm strength.

Best Fastball: RHP Trevor Martin (3) has a fastball that sits in the 95-96 mph range out of the bullpen and can touch 98, with good carry. LHP Chris Villaman (9) sits in the low 90s, but also has good carry on the pitch and impressive feel to spot it.

Best Secondary Pitch: The Rays rounded out their second day with a pair of college pitchers with standout changeups. Villaman (9) generated a 54% whiff rate with his low-80s changeup that could be an above-average pitch, which is a similar grade that RHP Cade Halemanu (10) has received for his cambio.

Best Pro Debut: A number of Tampa hitters performed well in their debuts. Keegan (4) had the best wRC+ mark (169) of the group, while also showing impressive power, while each of the other prominent college bats acquitted themselves nicely: Jones (2) hit .265/.407/.529 with four home…