The Tampa Bay Rays have done a great job of restocking their minor league system with high-upside players this offseason.
In a bit of a surprising turn of events, they operated as a team that knew contention might be another year or two away. A franchise looking to compete doesn’t trade away an All-Star second baseman in Brandon Lowe and a starting pitcher like Shane Baz.
However, between that deal and the others that the Rays made this offseason, the organizational depth chart has been infused with a lot of talent, headlined by outfielder Jacob Melton, that can help the team win long-term.
Alas, in a bold prediction, none of the players currently with Tampa Bay have been predicted to be their No. 1 prospect in 2028. Instead, that honor has been bestowed upon current prep star, Grady Emerson.
Rays future No. 1 prospect predicted to be Grady Emerson
Argyle’s Grady Emerson catches the ball against Lubbock-Cooper in Game 2 of the Region I-5A baseball final, Friday, June 2, 2023, at Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene. | Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
Over at MLB.com, Sam Dykstra, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo put together a piece predicting which player would be the No. 1-ranked prospect for each franchise in the MLB. A little bit of liberty was taken with the Rays’ selection, while also forecasting how the 2026 MLB Draft will play out.
All at once, the MLB trio has predicted that Emerson will be selected by Tampa Bay with the No. 2 overall pick, behind Roch Cholowsky, who is considered to be a lock to be selected by the Chicago White Sox. And should that occur, the Fort Worth Christian High School shortstop will be the highest-ranked Rays prospect within two years.
“The Rays have leaned into prep bats over their collegiate counterparts in recent years, and Emerson’s ceiling, assuming he can maintain his stock in his senior spring in Texas, would instantly be the highest in their system,” they wrote.
‘26 SS Grady Emerson (@Turn2Grady) did not disappoint.
Polish/feel is clear in the box. Impressive strides in a 12-month window in terms of fluidity & creating stretch.
Up to 106-plus EV’s w/ ability to lift. Went head high for low-100s liners often & with ease.@ShooterHunt https://t.co/xR5cD4AM83 pic.twitter.com/QoPuH2F626
— Cooper Trinkle (@CTrinkle23) January 4, 2026
Being able to add a player of that caliber to their organization would be a home run for Tampa Bay. As shared on MLB Pipeline, the worst thing that scouts have said about Emerson is that he isn’t Bobby Witt Jr., the superstar shortstop for the Kansas City Royals.
To be fair, no one really is Witt, as he has put himself into a class of his own with his production. But there is a lot to like about what Emerson brings to the table. His tools are off the charts, and he looks capable of making an impact in every facet of the game.
Currently committed to play collegiately with the Texas Longhorns, it will be interesting to see how things play out this spring. If Emerson continues to play at a high enough level to be selected No. 2 overall, forgoing college will be the likely outcome.
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