Baseball - Tampa Bay Rays news

• JT Morgan’s mid-season Top 42 Rays Prospects

  10-07-2020 19:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Where does Nick Bitsko fit? This season or lack thereof definitely qualifies as unique and as such there won’t be much movement among my preseason rankings.DRaysBay Top Rays Prospects 1-15
  DRaysBay Top Rays Prospects 16-30
  DRaysBay Top Rays Prospects 31-50The major additions come from the signing their 2020 draft class.
  Nick Bitsko, RHP
  Nick Bitsko received a lot of helium heading into draft including a writeup at ESPN by Kiley McDaniels. Bitsko wasn’t a late riser in the traditional
  
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• Oh crap, are the 2020 Rays getting too hyped?

  10-07-2020 15:41 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images They’ve always been your favorite baseball writer’s favorite side piece, but now they’re actually being touted as favorites! Every year it seems like there is one team that the collective baseball intelligentsia latches on to as The Team for that season. For 2020...
  Have I mentioned how smart Buster Olney is?
  Buster Olney Picks #Rays for World Series (via @carterfamilyins) https://t.co/mWL1EdVH2d— RaysColoredGlasses (@RaysColoGlasses)
  
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• View from the Catwalks: All aboard the hype train!

  10-07-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Rays are becoming the chic pick in 2020.
  Here’s why the Rays are made for 2020 - David Adler, MLB.com: The Rays are built perfectly for the weird 2020 season, and the baseball world has taken notice.New changeup, ‘nasty’ slider, Fairbanks set to go - Juan Toribio, MLB.com: Name a better duo than the Rays and extremely nasty relievers. I’ll wait.
  Another year, another low-cost closer to the rescue for the Rays - John R
  
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• Rays release 2021 regular season schedule

  09-07-2020 19:14 via draysbay.com
  
  The Rays begin 2021 in Miami, end in NYC.The Rays have released the 2021 regular season schedule, a surprise in the midst of a pandemic that has dramatically altered the 2020 schedule, and which the CDC estimates only 10% of the population has been exposed to thus far.Side Note: A reporter for the New York Times made the analogy yesterday that if the pandemic were a baseball game, we are in the second inning...Nevertheless, here we are:
  For the first time in recent memory the Rays will not begin
  
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• Rowdies, soccer team owned by the Rays, to debut on Fox Sports Sun

  08-07-2020 21:22 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Tampa Bay Rowdies will debut on the network that carries Rays games on Saturday, July 11. The Tampa Bay Rowdies have announced their return to play match on Saturday, July 11 against Atlanta United 2 will air live on FOX Sports Sun.The match is part of the opening weekend of games that will kick off the United Soccer League’s resumption of the 2020 season. This is the first time that FOX Sports Sun will broadcast a Rowdies match.
  
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• View from the Catwalk: Get ready for opening day, July 24 vs Toronto (fingers crossed)

  08-07-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Blake Snell!Throwing a ball! | Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images Rays News
  Summer camp is underway, and let’s face it — this is not like anything any of us have ever experienced. There is baseball happening — or at least baseball practice happening.We get glimpses of familiar faces (even if masked) in familiar baseball positions.But does this feel normal? Does this feel like just another start of a baseball season but a few months delayed?
  No, it does not.
  Here are some repor
  
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• How important is baseball in 2020?

  07-07-2020 17:01 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images Lying on the fence for a trivial game in uncertain times Several years ago, in 2008, there was a tremendous play that occurred during a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox.Jason Bay skied a ball to deep center field; Mitch Maier, the Royals center fielder at the time, went back and leapt, attempting to take a home run away from the former Ray. The ball bounded off of his glove and then, instead of continuing it’s momentum toward
  
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• Rays release 60-game Schedule for 2020

  07-07-2020 16:14 via draysbay.com
  
  Some quick observations. MLB rolled out the full MLB schedule last night, revealing the Rays schedule to be a formidable challenge this season.
  The Rays will face each AL East opponent for 10 games, although not equally split home and away, with the other 20 games divided amongst the NL East.
  No more marathonThis is going to be a sprint https://t.co/BELW52IiWN pic.twitter.com/AcOkHTb9nu— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 6, 2020Here are some thoughts:The Rays will travel more miles than
  
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• In a shortened season, could Tyler Glasnow have an ERA of 0.00?

  07-07-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images The 60-game season provides lots of opportunity for statistical anomalies for the Rays As we look ahead to what is likely to be the strangest season in memory—if not ever—we can anticipate many reasons to remember 2020 baseball. Chief among them may be the chance for some heavily-asterisked bits of history.In 1994, when the Major League Baseball season was cut short by a strike (which managed to do something all previous world wars were unable to do: c
  
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• The Most Beloved Rays: Round 2 voting is open!

  06-07-2020 17:49 via draysbay.com
  
  Who will make it to the sweet 16? Round 2 of voting is here!We are voting our way through the greatest and “most beloved” Rays players of all time in anticipation of the 2020 season, and you can vote for who you think should be moving on to the Sweet 16 below!If you missed our discussion of the results from Round 1, you can find that podcast on Apple, Spotify, or embedded at the bottom of the page!On to the vote!
  Which of these Devil Rays should advance to the next round?— DRay
  
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• View from the Catwalks: Just filthy

  06-07-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports Alvarado is sharp, and David Price opts out. Masahiro Tanaka is out of the hospital after being struck in the head over the weekend by a line drive off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton.
  Giancarlo Stanton just lined a ball off Masahiro Tanaka on the mound, appeared to go right off his head.
  Scary scene as the training staff runs out on the field. pic.twitter.com/uw0po8AIVK— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) July 4, 2020David Price will not play in the 2020 season.
  Los A
  
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• Rays Your Voice: News from Summer Camp with Darby Robinson

  06-07-2020 13:45 via draysbay.com
  
  Darby Robinson joins the show to talk all the news from the Rays’ first week of Summer CampSpotify
  Apple
  Baseball news! Players reporting... again! This should be a joyful time, right?I am very excited, but it’s no secret that things are going to be a little weird this year. Only a certain amount of players on the field at one time, dugout restrictions, no spitting, no finger licking—what’s baseball if you no one is out there licking their own fingers?On this episode of R
  
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• View from the Catwalk: It’s official, no minor leagues in 2020

  01-07-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  No one will hit the bull this year Rays stuff
  It’s hard to believe that we are moving toward something of a baseball season. Are you feeling a little rusty on which players are on which rosters? Which teams are considered competitive? I know I am. So I was glad that the Athletic shared this roundtable, put together by the beat writers for the American League East teams ($).
  More on Nick Bistko, Rays top draft pick, from his hometown newspaper.Rays minor leaguers sharing their skills with
  
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• Rays Your Voice: Summer Camp Preview with JT Morgan

  30-06-2020 13:27 via draysbay.com
  
  The boys are back in town.
  Spotify
  Apple
  Let me just say, it is lovely to have Rays news to discuss. With the 60-man player pool now officially announced by the team, there is concrete news to discuss regarding the 2020 season.On today’s episode of Rays Your Voice, JT Morgan joins the show to take a look at this roster, and try to guess who will be breaking camp with the team, and who might have an impact at some point throughout the shortened season. JT already made his projection on the
  
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• The Greatest Rays Folk Hero: Round 1 Vote

  29-06-2020 22:24 via draysbay.com
  
  Do Zim Proud. Finally, we come to the Don Zimmer Region of the bracket, honoring the folks heroes of the (Devil) Rays franchise!Which one of these folks has the biggest personality/most memorable moment/most huggable face of anyone in Rays history?
  The seeding was previously determined on this episode of The Hit Show: Spotify | Apple
  Who is more beloved by Rays fans?— DRaysBay (@draysbay) June 29, 2020Who is more beloved by Rays fans?— DRaysBay (@draysbay) June 29, 2020Who is more be
  
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• The Greatest Modern Rays Player: Round 1 Vote

  29-06-2020 22:19 via draysbay.com
  
  Neander your way into these polls. Baseball is somehow inching its way back for a July start date, so let’s round off the 2nd half of the Rays Most Beloved Players Bracket!
  The third region is named for Erik Neander, the man who inherited and perfected the modern era of Rays baseball:
  The seeding was previously determined on this episode of The Hit Show: Spotify | Apple
  On to the votes!
  Let's jump right in to the Erik Neander Region (2014-2020)!Who is more beloved by Rays fans?— DRay
  
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• Rays name full 60-man roster for 2020 season

  29-06-2020 19:09 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images The roster had to be finalized last weekend. The Tampa Bay Rays have named a full 60 player roster ahead of the shortened 2020 season, and have split the camps between two locations: indoors at Tropicana Field, and the Spring Training complex in Port Charlotte.Ultimately the Rays will only be allowed to start the season with 30 players (with a requirement to trim the roster by two players twice as the season progresses), but for now 37 are heading to the maj
  
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• View from the Catwalks: One step closer to baseball

  29-06-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images Wander Franco is on the list, Brent Honeywell is not The 60 man is set:
  #Rats release 60-man player pool roster pic.twitter.com/IZej8LHoDv— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) June 28, 2020Here's a quick take on #Rays 60-man pool, which is mostly the group that was in big-league with a few additions, such as that Wander Franco guy https://t.co/8z5LSETZVr— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 28, 2020Juan Toribio with more on the 60 man.
  Left off the 60 man
  
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• Rays Your Voice: Hear from Nick Bitsko and Tyler Glasnow

  29-06-2020 13:50 via draysbay.com
  
  Listen to Nick Bitsko and Tyler Glasnow’s recent media interactions. Spotify
  Apple
  With baseball returning, Rays Your Voice can start to get back to what it was truly meant to be: a recap/preview podcast. You’ll be getting a double dose of RYV this week, with another episode coming tomorrow where I’ll be joined by JT Morgan to break down the Rays’ 60-man roster heading into “Summer Camp.”
  On this episode, however, you get to hear from two young right hand
  
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• SB Nation Reacts: Are you happy with a 60-game season?

  26-06-2020 20:24 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Mary Holt/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Rays fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.
  Despite owners and players finally agreeing to a deal that will start the 2020 MLB season, fans are clearly unhappy.The 2020 season will only last 60 games before the start of playoffs. However, less than half of fans who responded to SB Nation’s MLB Reacts
  
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• Rays projected 60-man roster for 2020

  26-06-2020 18:23 via draysbay.com
  
  Wander Franco signs autographs, Clearwater, July 25 2019 The roster is due on Sunday. Now that some form of a Major League Baseball season is going to be attempted the first step will be for teams to submit a 60-player roster by this Sunday afternoon. Players on this list will include the active MLB roster and players that are allowed to workout in Port Charlotte acting as their de facto AAA roster to call players up as needed.
  This is the pool of players who will be allowed to practice at your
  
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• Greatest Rays Bracket: Round 1 Results, Part 1

  26-06-2020 16:39 via draysbay.com
  
  Back at it! The Rays are back and so are we, continuing the Greatest / Most Beloved Rays of all time. With you, the public, solidifying the top 64 names with us, we are rolling out the voting this week. You can find the first two corners of the bracket embeded here:The Greatest Devil Rays Player: Round 1The Greatest Glory Days Player: Round 1
  We are about to roll out the second half of round 1 on twitter, but before we do, here’s a podcast recapping the initial Round 1 results!In the next
  
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• View from the Catwalks: Wander joins the taxi squad

  26-06-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images Also: re-live the Relay!
  Rays News
  Got some nighttime news before the weekend deadline for the rays taxi squad members that the top prospect in all of baseball will be a call away from the majors in 2020:
  Source: Rays infielder Wander Franco, the top prospect in the game according to @MLBPipeline ..: and everyone else, is expected to join @RaysBaseball taxi squad when the roster is announced. pic.twitter.com/zb6QwoM4jp— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB)
  
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• Rays Your Voice: Baseball is Back with Danny Russell

  25-06-2020 15:01 via draysbay.com
  
  How baseball got to this point and what to expect moving forward.
  Spotify
  Apple
  When we launched this show, I sarcastically stated that it was the perfect time to launch a baseball recap show. Now, it looks like there will actually be baseball to talk about, and I could not be more happy to see the Rays take the field again.With that being said, there are a lot of questions about Major League Baseball’s return amidst a global pandemic, and I hope those questions are answered. It was heartb
  
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• MLB should heed warning signs from the KBO on injury risk

  24-06-2020 16:30 via draysbay.com
  
  Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Batting depth is proving to be crucial in the KBO.An MLB baseball season is finally back, and the biggest oddity of this season will be the limited number of games. I’ve seen some people are saying that teams with poor depth will have little problems due to short season, while teams with strong depth are losing an advantage. But my thoughts are little different.Let’s take a look at the situation in the KBO, which started its season before MLB. Until June
  
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• View from the Catwalk: MLB sets new rules for 2020 season

  24-06-2020 16:06 via draysbay.com
  
  Ozzie Timmons | Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports Plus your Rays links Rays Links
  Sua on the horn
  While being distant from the #Rays roster, mental performance coach @Justinsua has been having different conversations than usual. pic.twitter.com/T9pJQOG1PC— RaysRadio (@RaysRadio) June 24, 2020Topkin writes that the Rays are built for a marathon, not the sprint 2020 will become
  #Rays are well positioned for success in any form of a 2020 season, but here’s five things about the 60-game A
  
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• Tampa Bay Rays sign 2020 first round draft pick Nick Bitsko

  24-06-2020 16:03 via draysbay.com
  
  The Rays have inked their top pick in the MLB draft to a cool $3 mil.The Tampa Bay Rays have signed right-handed pitcher Nick Bitsko, the No. 24 overall selection from the 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
  Bitsko, 18, went a combined 4-2 with a 1.27 ERA (33-IP, 6-ER) and 68 strikeouts over his freshman and sophomore high school seasons, and entered the 2020 season as Pennsylvania’s reigning Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year and a Perfect Game preseason All-American. He
  
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• Tampa Bay Rays announce “We’re back.”

  24-06-2020 15:12 via draysbay.com
  
  BASEBALL IS COMING BACK!
  It’s hard to believe it nearly didn’t happen. If you’ve been under a rock, here’s the quick recap:
  After four consecutive offers by MLB to pay the players 50 games worth of salary in the regular season (no matter how many games occurred), the players demanded to be told “When & Where” to show up for a season to be mandated by the Commissioner. No more bargaining, let’s just play.In response, MLB made a fifth offer of 60 games
  
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• The Greatest Glory Days Player: Round 1

  23-06-2020 18:10 via draysbay.com
  
  2008 and more! With baseball finally on the horizon, it’s time to VOTE for our Most Beloved, Greatest of all Time, Rays bracket, beginning with the Devil Rays!
  The seeding was previously determined on this episode of The Hit Show: Spotify | Apple
  Round 1 is officially open on Twitter today and tomorrow:
  Let's keep this train rolling into the Joe Maddon Region (2008-2013)!— DRaysBay (@draysbay) June 22, 2020Who is more beloved by Rays fans?— DRaysBay (@draysbay) June 22, 2020Who
  
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• The Greatest Devil Rays Player: Round 1 Vote

  23-06-2020 15:25 via draysbay.com
  
  Cast your vote!With baseball finally on the horizon, it’s time to VOTE for our Most Beloved, Greatest of all Time, Rays bracket, beginning with the Devil Rays!The seeding was previously determined on this episode of The Hit Show: Spotify | Apple
  Round 1 is officially open on Twitter today and tomorrow:With Manfred unilaterally expected to mandate a 60-game season on July 29th, now is as good a time as any to start voting on our Rays Most Beloved Player Bracket!Vote for your favorite Rays p
  
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• SB Nation Reacts: How would you grade the Rays draft?

  22-06-2020 19:53 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images The reviews on the 2020 MLB Draft are in!Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Rays fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.
  The immediate future of MLB couldn’t be more in question. However, attention around the league, at least momentarily, turned to the game’s next wave at the MLB Draft.Rays fans, specifically, are excited for what
  
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• View from the Catwalks: Can I has baseball?

  22-06-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports The latest in negotiations:
  MLB tweaks proposal, delaying MLBPA vote again.
  From Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers:
  MLB commissioner Rob Manfred sent a letter to MLBPA executive director Tony Clark today offering to cancel expanded playoffs and universal DH for 2021 if a full season isn’t played in 2020, sources tell ESPN. Players are concerned about giving up leverage of playoffs for naught.— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 21, 2020The proposed 2021 olive b
  
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• Rays commemorate Juneteenth

  20-06-2020 02:48 via draysbay.com
  
  The Tampa Bay Rays, like much of the sports world, commemorated Juneteenth today by releasing the following statement:
  Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day dates back to June 19, 1865, when Union Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with the news that the Civil War ended, and that the enslaved were now free. This announcement was more than two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863.
  Juneteenth is the oldest nationall
  
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• View from the Catwalks: Gap of 10 to get a season

  19-06-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images A potential 60-70 game baseball season inches closer to becoming a reality.After Major League Baseball’s proposal for 60 game season full pro-rata (among other things) came out, there was a alot of renewed hope that an Opening Day in 2020 was becoming closer to reality. The MLBPA sent a counter proposal for a longer season with fewer off days, with the details coming out today:
  MLBPA Proposes 70-Game 2020 Season - Ben Pickman, Sports Illustrated
  Per sour
  
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• View from the Catwalk: Manfred to players: you want to play baseball? Let me think about it......

  17-06-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images Emotional Roller Coasters
  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I feel as though I have been through a baseball-induced emotional roller coaster the past few days, as we went from Rob Manfred’s statement, on draft day, that he was 100% certain we’d have baseball in 2020, to his assertion a few days later that a baseball season was unlikely.What changed in the meantime?Well, the MLBPA announced it was done negotiating, and that they looked to
  
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• The Rays place in the Black Lives Matter movement

  16-06-2020 19:52 via draysbay.com
  
  Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports An interview with Shakeia Taylor on baseball’s role, historically and now As the national conversation on racism and police brutality continues in the United States, and as baseball grapples with whether it will return in 2020, it is important to consider the ongoing role the sport and the Rays have to play in furthering societal progress.
  To that end, we invited Shakeia Taylor, a writer who focuses on connecting baseball’s history to the present, to pro
  
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• Rays Your Voice: 2020 MLB Draft Recap with Danny Russell

  15-06-2020 16:20 via draysbay.com
  
  After giving all the shine to Nick Bitsko in the last episode, it’s time to Rays our voices about the rest of the 2020 draft class.
  Spotify
  Apple
  Last episode, Danny and I spent the whole episode talking about Rays’ first round pick, Nick Bitsko. We could probably do another episode on the guy, but the rest of this year’s draft class is well deserving of an episode themselves. The Rays added defense and lots of pitching with their last five selections, and Danny and I break eac
  
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• View from the Catwalks: Your move, Manfred

  15-06-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Union rejects latest offer, says no counter will be forthcoming, asks Manfred when players should reports. From Jeff Passan, the players’ union will not be making a counter offer, and asks Manfred to set 2020 schedule.
  MLB’s response to the union’s non-counter offer.
  Rosenthal on what’s next.
  Marc Topkin says to expect the season to be about 54 games.
  From the New York Post, MLB gets a new billion dollar deal with Turner Sports to broadcast t
  
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• MLB draft 2020: Tampa Bay Rays draft tracker and signing board

  14-06-2020 17:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images How many of the team’s draft picks will join the organization? Welcome to our 2020 Rays draft tracker.
  I copied all positions and classes from the team’s post-draft release.
  In the status column, I tried to include any concrete information or even rumors regarding a player.
  If you see any information regarding a signing decision or bonus money for any player, please share it in the comments. I’ll also keep track of nondrafted
  
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• Rays Your Voice: Who is Nick Bitsko? with Danny Russell

  13-06-2020 15:31 via draysbay.com
  
  The Rays selected Nick Bitsko with the 24th pick in the MLB Draft, and Brett and DannySpotify
  With the 24th pick of the MLB Draft, the Rays selected RHP Nick Bitsko. There’s been plenty of great coverage of Bitsko on the site already, and for even more Danny Russell and I decided to hop on for a special weekend edition of Rays Your Voice to talk about him.Danny and I discuss Bitsko’s elite fastball and already very advanced breaking stuff, and wonder how in the world did the Rays get
  
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• View from the Catwalks: Darby’s wildly unhelpful Rays draft recap

  12-06-2020 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images You’ve read the best, now read the rest! I am a huge fan of sports drafts. Yes, on one hand they are an unfair labor practice that takes away most choice and options from the players. On the other hand, they are a time of great hope and every team adds pieces that maybe someday will become the fans new favorite player. But to be fully honest I am way out of my element with the MLB draft.
  Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy it (this ye
  
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• 2020 MLB Draft: Rays select RHP Jeffrey Hakanson with the No. 155 pick

  12-06-2020 05:12 via draysbay.com
  
  @UCFSports This fifth round choice is the Rays final pick of the abbreviated 2020 draft. With the 155th pick of the 2020 MLB Draft the Tampa Bay Rays selected Jeffrey Hakanson, a right-handed pitcher out of UCF.
  The college relief pitcher stands 6’0”, 185 lbs. In seven appearances in an abbreviated 2020 season, Hakanson delivered 20 strikeouts in 8 1⁄3 while compiling six saves. This season he was fastball/slider out of the ‘pen, but has a change and two-seam in developm
  
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• 2020 MLB Draft: Rays select SS Tanner Murray with the No. 125 pick

  12-06-2020 04:05 via draysbay.com
  
  Rays select another college shortstop with their fourth round pick With the 125th pick of the 2020 MLB Draft the Tampa Bay Rays selected Tanner Murray, a shortstop out of UC Davis.Murray, standing at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds has the chance to stick at shortstop and scouts believe that he should come into some additional power with a turn to pro-ball.Across 16 games in the shortened 2020 season, Murray slashed .310/.372/.535 with one homerun. In 2019, he .364 across 64 games. Despite performing we
  
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• 2020 MLB draft: Tampa Bay Rays select RHP Hunter Barnhart with the No. 96 pick

  12-06-2020 02:08 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images The Rays went back to the high school ranks for another pitcher. With the No. 96 pick in the draft, the Rays selected right-handed pitcher Hunter Barnhart from St. Joseph’s High School in California.
  According to ESPN analyst David Schoenfield, the 10 high school pitchers selected through the first two rounds were the second fewest in draft history. The Rays chose two among their first four picks.
  Barnhart is ranked No. 62 at Baseball Ame
  
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• 2020 MLB draft: Tampa Bay Rays select LHP Ian Seymour with the No. 57 pick

  12-06-2020 00:35 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Big K’s in small sample sizes.With the 57th overall pick the Tampa Bay Rays selected LHP Ian Seymour out of Virginia Tech.Ian Seymour ranked 93rd by Baseball America, 75th at FanGraphs, 94th at ESPN, and 115th at MLB.com. So consensus has him near the backend of the top 100, making this selection about a round earlier than anticipated.Seymour has an average fastball that tops out around 94. He flashes a plus changeup and has a developi
  
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• 2020 MLB Draft Day 2: Open Thread

  11-06-2020 23:10 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images After making a pair of selections yesterday, the Rays will look to bolster an already strong farm system.The Rays made two picks yesterday as the shortened 2020 MLB Draft got underway. If you happened to miss the draft last night, we have you covered with breakdowns of both players taken.Nick Bitsko, RHP, 24th overall pick
  Alika Williams, SS, 37th overall pickThe Rays took a risk on Bitsko, but with the strongest farm system in baseball nobody
  
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• 2020 MLB Draft Video Roundup: Rays first round draft pick Nick Bitsko throws eye-popping stuff

  11-06-2020 23:04 via draysbay.com
  
  The Identity TB Watch the Rays new prospect in action!When the baseball season was cancelled, the vast majority of teams were caught offguard when HS junior Nick Bitsko decided to graduate early with an eye to jumpstart his career.Tabbed by Baseball America as 2021’s top prospect, Bitsko was a mystery to many, but not to the Rays who had followed the top prospect out of Pennsylvania closely, particularly last season.Previously:
  Rays select RHP Nick Bitsko with the No. 24 pick
  Baseball wor
  
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• 2020 MLB Draft: Baseball world praises Rays selection of RHP Nick Bitsko

  11-06-2020 22:33 via draysbay.com
  
  The Rays did their homework, and it paid off with their first round selection.With their top pick in the wonky 2020 draft, the Rays jumped on a guy most teams didn’t do their homework on: RHP Nick Bitsko, the anticipated top draft choice for 2021 who opted to graduate early to accelerate his career.
  Now the 17-year old who only pitched his Freshman and Sophomore seasons of High School appears to be on his way to Tampa Bay. The strategy of selecting the name other teams were not ready to dr
  
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• 2020 MLB draft: Rays select SS Alika Williams with the No. 37 pick

  11-06-2020 04:36 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images The Sun Devils shortstop has a major league projection due to quality defense.With the 37th pick in the 2020 MLB draft, the Rays selected shortstop Alika Williams out of Arizona State University.The glove-first shortstop is a lock to stick at the position with a major league projection on his defense alone. While the offense lags behind, it offers enough in the form of contact and plate discipline to see this as a safe pick for the Rays when splashier names we
  
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• 2020 MLB draft: Tampa Bay Rays select RHP Nick Bitsko with the No. 24 pick

  11-06-2020 03:42 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images The Rays opted for upside on the mound with their first pick Wednesday. With the No. 24 pick in the draft, the Rays selected right-handed pitcher Nick Bitsko from Central Bucks East High School in Pennsylvania.
  While other teams in the draft zigged, favoring college players with longer track records on the field, the Rays zagged, taking a high school pitcher who hadn’t taken the mound this season before sports were canceled due to the pan
  
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