Tampa Bay Rays 2024 MLB Draft Report Card

Best Pure Hitter: Outfielder Theo Gillen (1) was one of the most productive prep hitters in the class with a long track record of in-game performance. He makes a lot of contact with a level swing and bat speed that should lead to above-average pure hitting ability. Second baseman Emilien Pitre (2) is also a standout hitter with a career .307 average in his three-year Kentucky career. Pitre makes a lot of contact and also has a sound understanding of the strike zone, which led to more walks than strikeouts in his college career and 12 walks to 11 strikeouts in his pro debut with Low-A Charleston.

Best Power Hitter: Gillen’s (1) combination of above-average hitting ability and above-average power potential are what made him one of the earliest high school hitters selected. He was learning to tap into his raw power more frequently in games this spring and has the sort of frame to continue adding more strength in the future. Catcher Nathan Flewelling (3) has more present raw power and could grow into 70-grade juice at physical maturity, as he already produced tremendous exit velocities at the draft combine for a 17-year-old. 

Fastest Runner: Gillen (1) is a plus runner whose speed should allow him to transition smoothly to center field in pro ball after spending more time as a shortstop in high school. Outfielder Derek Datil (15) has also turned in plus run times and is a lean athlete with a clean, fluid running stride.

Best Defensive Player: Puerto Rican position players are often lauded for their defensive chops, and that seems to be the case with Datil (15), who should have the speed and defensive actions to be a strong glove in the outfield. Pitre (2) earned a reputation as a slick-fielding second baseman in college and made the SEC’s all-defensive team in 2023 and 2024.

Best Fastball: Righthander Janzen Keisel (6) has unique release characteristics from a low slot that allows a mid-90s riding fastball to play up. He’s touched 99 mph with the pitch and should be able to get plenty of empty swings at the top of the zone if he can reign in his control.

Best Secondary Pitch: Righthander Jacob Kmatz (5) throws a mid-70s curveball with tons of depth in the 2,600 rpm range that should be an above-average breaking ball. He generated a 31% whiff rate with it last spring with Oregon State. Righthander Nate Knowles (4) throws a hard cutter and a curveball, with the mid/upper 70s curve being his most consistent swing-and-miss offering with William & Mary last spring. Like Kmatz’s curve, it could be an above-average offering with tons of depth.

Best Pro Debut: Pitre (2) played 21 games with Low-A Charleston and slashed .299/.402/.403 with a triple, six doubles and more walks than strikeouts. Outfielder Connor Hujsak (13) had some swing-and-miss questions, but he also played 21 games with Low-A Charleston and hit .277/.326/.518 with four home runs, six doubles and a 110.2 mph max exit velocity. 

Best Athlete: Gillen’s (1) blend of speed, power and physicality makes him a solid fit for this category, and his athleticism was also part of the reason scouts feel so confident he’ll be a solid defender at an up-the-middle position, whether that’s shortstop, second base or center field. 

Most Intriguing Background: The Rays drafted more Canadian-born players (3) in this draft than any other team with Pitre (2), Flewelling (3) and shortstop Jack Lines (12). Flewelling, in particular, is an interesting draft story because he was such an under-the-radar prospect through much of the draft cycle before flashing huge tools this spring at a premium position. Righthander Jayden Voelker (8) led D-III junior college pitchers with 126 strikeouts in 2024 and became the first Northern Essex (Mass.) JC draftee since Spencer Brown in 2019 (39th round, Angels).

Closest To The Majors: Knowles (4) is already more familiar with a pro pitching schedule than most collegians given his William & Mary usage, while Kmatz (5) could move quickly because of his advanced strike-throwing ability. He owns a 6.8% career walk rate in his three seasons as a starter with Oregon State. 

Best Day Three Pick (Or NDFA): Hujsak’s (13) game power and batted ball data was an encouraging sign for a 13th rounder who signed for $150,000 and had an up and down college career with VCU and Mississippi State. He also played all three outfield positions in his brief pro debut.