In a (finally?) fortuitous turn of events, the Tampa Bay Rays have been awarded the second overall pick in the 2026 draft. They entered the lottery with a 3.03% chance of being awarded the top draft choice, which went to the Chicago White Sox.
The Rays had not drafted in the top-10 of the draft since selecting two-way college star Brendan McKay fourth overall in 2017. The organization has not had a higher selection than that since 2008 (SS Tim Beckham) and 2007 (SP David Price). The Rays previously had the No. 2 overall pick in 2002, selecting SS BJ Upton, who would develop into a top flight center fielder.
In receiving the No. 2 overall selection for 2026, the Rays will receive a significant increase in the overall draft pool budget for signing players, which could elevate what the front office can do across the entire draft class.
The Rays representative at the draft was former World Series star Brett Phillips, you can read always entertaining quotes from the player about his experience here.
