Generally, you should be able to tell how well a draft class is doing after five years. Prospects should have established themselves and either are already in the big leagues or are on the cusps of reaching the show. While others will have seen their professional careers stall out and look for opportunities elsewhere.
So with the 2026 MLB draft quickly approaching, let’s take a look back five years at the Rays draft class of 2021.
Entering the 2021 draft, the Rays held the 28th overall pick due to finishing the abbreviated 2020 season with one of the best records in baseball en route to the second pennant in franchise history; Tampa Bay would actually have two picks in the first round (28 & 34) thanks to receiving a supplemental selection. When the draft was finished, the Rays had selected 21 players and managed to sign all of them.
With their first overall selection at pick #28, the Rays took high school shortstop Carson Williams.
Williams can really, really defend, boasting one of the best arms in the class, and he can definitely stay at shortstop. There is offensive upside with some bat speed and loft in his swing, and he should grow into some more power. The Rays are among the best at developing young hitters, so Williams may have found the perfect home- Jonathan Mayo, MLB Pipeline
Williams would etasblish himself as the top selection of the draft class for the Rays and over the years has been among the games top prospects, peaking at #7 overall entering the 2024 season. However, an inability to make consistent contact against advanced pitching has prevented Williams from remaining at the big league level. Over 44 career games, Williams has hit .155/.204/.302 with a 39. 6 K% and has accrued -0.8 fWAR. Despite his early career woes, Williams has a big league future thanks to his elite defensive capabilities and offensive potential.
Besides Williams, only three other of the Rays 2021 draft picks have the reached the big leagues: Kyle Manzardo (3rd round), Mason Montgomery (6th round), and Bob Seymour (13th round).
One thing all three of these players have in common is that they are no longer with the Rays.
Manzardo was traded in 2023, Bob Seymour was designated for assignment and released following the 2025 season, and Mason Montgomery was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates this past offseason. Montgomery would receive the most time on the Rays active roster, and at times looked like he could be their next great high leverage reliever.
Manzardo would have to be the top overall performer thus far for the Rays draft class of 2021, mostly by default. The 25-year old first baseman established himself as a solid prospect but with Jonathan Aranda needing playing time at first base and Xavier Isaac crushing it in the lower levels, Manzardo was expendable and traded to the Guardians for Aaron Civale as the Rays pushed for the postseason. Manzardo made his big league debut in 2024 and launched 27 HR in 2025. However, his total offensive production has been lackluster for a first baseman. Overall during his big league career, Manzardo is hitting .219/.311/.371, registering a 105 wRC+ and accruing 1.2 fWAR. Manzardo is currently Cleveland’s starting first baseman.
For a time, Mason Auer looked like he might be the steal of the draft for the Rays as he presented to be true five-tool player in the lower levels of the minor leagues; however, Auer struggled mightily against Double-A pitching and eventually switched positions and took a chance at becoming a pitcher. Unfortunately, Auer never made it past Single-A and was released last month.
With such a late first pick in the first round, the Rays didn’t have much opportunity to snag blue chip players other than Carson Williams. Only one player taken behind Williams in the first round of the 2021 draft has established himself as an everyday player in the big leagues and that would be Joe Mack, selected 31st overall by the Miami Marlins; Ty Madden and Tyler Black were taken at 32nd and 33rd overall.
