Rays round out 2025 MLB draft with a run on pitchers

After drafting five position players on the first day of the MLB draft, the Rays director of amateur scouting Chuck Ricci said there were plenty of alluring fielders available early, and that the organization felt practicing patience with drafting pitchers could pay off.

“We do think there is some real good depth with pitching (Monday),” Ricci said on a phone call after the draft’s first three rounds concluded Sunday night.

Perhaps if Ricci had been on a video call, this comment would have been accompanied with a wink. On Monday, the Rays evened out their draft class and then some, picking pitchers with 15 of their 17 selections.

“I think we got a wide range of arms,” Ricci said. “We got some … power arms. We got some strike throwers, some guys that had a lot of success in college, and some other guys that we think we can tap into some potential.”

Since the league moved the draft from June to July in recent years, Ricci said the Rays have benefitted from more opportunities to watch prospects throw in workout settings.

The Rays had a chance to work with Luke Jackson, a right-handed pitcher who played just two seasons at Texas A&M, at the team’s workout in Waco, Texas, Ricci said. They took him in the 11th round (327th).

“Our pitching guys really liked the way he moved,” Ricci said. “They kind of messed with his cutter a little bit … the aptitude he showed … really gave us confidence in taking him today.”

If Jackson signs with the Rays, he’ll leave College Station with only 26 career appearances.

Dominic Fritton, a left-handed hurler with a fastball that touches 95 mph, was the Rays’ first pick of the day in the fourth round at 117th overall.

The North Carolina native spent three seasons at N.C. State, posting a 5.26 career ERA in 51 career appearances, 43 of which were starts.

Fritton tallied a career-high 107 strikeouts as a junior, making him the first N.C. State pitcher to record 100 strikeouts in a season since the Yankees’ Carlos Rodon in 2014.

The 22-year-old was named an All-ACC third-team selection and made starts in the ACC and NCAA tournaments for the Wolfpack in his final collegiate season.

“We had interest in him last year,” Ricci said. “He’s a … very athletic arm.”

Aidan Haugh, a 6-foot-6 righty pitcher and another North Carolina native, was picked in the sixth round (177th). Haugh played two seasons at Fayetteville Technical Community College before transferring to North Carolina.

After one season as a Tar Heel, Haugh was drafted 488th overall by the Minnesota Twins in the 2024 draft but opted to play his final year of college.

As a senior, Haugh raised his stock by improving his ERA from 4.83 to 3.72 while pitching 21 more innings.

Mason Nichols, whose perfect ACT score earned him a full academic scholarship to Ole Miss, was taken in the ninth round (267th) after a four-year career that included a national championship in 2022.

“These guys that have found a way to adapt and be successful at these big colleges for multiple years, I think you have to … really pay attention to that,” Ricci said.

Trendan Parish, a four-year pitcher at Texas Tech, was taken by the Rays 30 picks after Nichols. And they picked up Jacob Hartlaub (14th round, 417th) from Ball State and Blake Morgan (19th, 567th) from Old Dominion after four years of collegiate play.

After drafting Dean Moss straight out of IMG Academy on Day 1, the Rays picked a graduate of the Bradenton school in the eighth round (237th): Aidan Cremarosa, who played three years at Fresno State and was the 2025 Mountain West Pitcher of the Year.

Riley Stanford, who just finished his sophomore year at Georgia Tech, has been on the Rays’ radar since his high school years. They claimed him in the 16th round (477th).

“We’ve seen him up to 99 (mph fastball) … with a plus slider, so we think he has a chance to be a major-league bullpen arm,” Ricci said.

Before picking 11 straight right-handed pitchers, the Rays drafted James Quinn-Irons, a speedy outfielder with a promising power tool from George Mason University, in the fifth round (147th).

Another player who stayed close to home for college, the Virginia product posted eye-popping numbers during his three seasons as a Patriot.

Quinn-Irons hit .371 in 560 career at-bats with a .632 slugging percentage and a .459 on-base percentage. Last season, he hit 16 home runs and added 24 doubles in 61 plate appearances during his A-10 Player of the Year campaign.

The right-handed batter was draft eligible last year, but his high swing-and-miss rate was enough of a concern for him to go undrafted, according to MLB.com’s scouting report.

“He really impressed us with cutting down the strikeout rate this year,” Ricci said. “I think he put a lot more balls in play. He hits balls hard. He’s big. He runs. So to add that kind of athlete in the fifth round, we were very excited.”

For their only other position player on Day 2, the Rays stayed local. Lakeland’s Brody Donay played one season at Virginia Tech before transferring to Florida. The 6-foot-5 Donay primarily played catcher and designated hitter for the Gators, but Ricci said he could see him in a corner outfield spot, which he never played at Florida.

“He’s, for his size, extremely athletic. He’s got a plus arm, he’s got plus power,” Ricci said. “He’s gonna have to make more contact. But we think it’s an upside play, and in (the area) where we got him, we were extremely happy.”

Rays’ Day 2 picks

Player, position, school, round (pick)

Dominic Fritton, LHP, N.C. State, fourth (117th)

James Quinn-Irons, OF, George Mason, fifth (147th)

Aidan Haugh, RHP, North Carolina, sixth (177th)

Jacob Kuhn, RHP, Midland College, seventh (207th)

Aidan Cremarosa, RHP, Fresno State, eighth (237th)

Mason Nichols, RHP, Ole Miss, ninth (267th)

Trendan Parish, RHP, Texas Tech, 10th (297th)

Luke Jackson, RHP, Texas A&M, 11th (327th)

Brady Jones, RHP, Georgia Tech, 12th (357th)

Ethan Storm, RHP, Rock Valley College, 13th (387th)

Jacob Hartlaub, RHP, Ball State, 14th (417th)

Alex Wallace, RHP, McLennan CC, 15th (447th)

Riley Stanford, RHP, Georgia Tech , 16th (477th)

Brody Donay, C, Florida, 17th (507th)

Brayden Jones, RHP, Ole Miss, 18th (537th)

Blake Morgan, LHP, Old Dominion, 19th (567th)

Ike Young, RHP, Monticello (Illinois) High, 20th (597th)

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Rays round out 2025 MLB draft with a run on pitchers

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