Tampa Bay Rays: Draft Review

General Manager: Andrew Friedman
Farm Director: Mitch Lukevics
Scouting Director: R.J. Harrison

2006-2009 Draft Results:
First three rounds included
x- over-draft signees ($200,000 or more)

2009 1st Round: LeVon Washington, 2B/OF, Florida HS (Did not sign)
2. Kenny Diekroeger, SS, California HS (Did not sign)
3. Todd Glaesmann, OF, Texas HS
4x – Luke Bailey, C, Georgia HS
5x – Jeff Malm, 1B, Las Vegas HS
9x – Kevin James, LHP, Wisconsin HS

There were a few teams that had ugly drafts and the Rays organization was certainly one of them – when you consider that it did not sign the first two picks: Washington and Diekroeger, who was rumored to be a tough sign to begin with. However, the club did grab some interesting players with above-slot deals in Bailey and Malm. Bailey was a possible first-round pick before undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm. He’s considered a solid offensive and defensive catcher. He should surface in rookie ball at some point during the second half of the year.

Malm appeared in just six games after signing and he should be back in short-season ball in 2010, although a strong spring could vault him to low-A ball. Glaesmann, an athletic outfielder, appeared in just five games. Prep lefty James pitched just one inning after signing. He’ll likely be a long-term project, as he needs to work on his secondary offerings.

2008 1st Round: Tim Beckham, SS, Georgia HS
2. Kyle Lobstein, LHP, Arizona HS
3. Jake Jefferies, C, UC Davis

Beckham has not been as explosive as the organization (and fans) likely had hoped, given his first overall slot. However, he’s still plugging along and remains on the club’s Top 10 list… so you’ll read more about him in the very near future. Lobstein did not pitch after signing in ’08, but he was excellent in his debut in ’09 and he joins Beckham on the Top 10 list.

Jefferies had a solid, albeit unspectacular, ’09 season by hitting .261/.326/.359 in 440 at-bats. The catcher rarely strikes out (8.0%) but he also does not walk much (7.8%). With a catcher-like BABIP of .270, he’s not going to score many runs. His ISO of .098 also shows his lack of power. Jefferies’ value is pretty much tied into his work behind the dish, which included a 26% success rate in throwing out runners in ’09. He looks like a future backup.

2007 1st Round: David Price, LHP, Vanderbilt
2. Will Kline, RHP, Mississippi
3. Nick Barnese, RHP, California HS
x- D.J. Jones, OF, Alabama HS

Price had a bit of an up-and-down season, but he’s already a full-time Major League pitcher who has a chance to be a No. 1 guy down the road, so the organization is no doubt pleased with this pick. Kline has been a disappointment as injuries have decimated his career; he hasn’t pitched a pro game since ’07. Barnese, on the other hand, has risen to become one of the club’s ten best prospects. The club spent more than $300,000 on the projectable Jones, but he has yet to hit above .227 in his career and he regressed significantly in ’09 as his OPS dropped from .613 to .549.

Matt Moore, another Top 10 prospect, was a steal of an eighth-round pick.

2006 1st Round: Evan Longoria, 3B, Long Beach
2. Josh Butler, RHP, San Diego
3. Nick Fuller, RHP, Georgia HS (Did not sign)
5x – Shawn O’Malley, SS, Washington HS

I think it’s safe to say Longoria was a nice pick. Butler’s value in the organization dropped quickly but he was traded to Milwaukee and he’s again having success. O’Malley is speedster (40 steals in 54 attempts in ’09) who hit a career high .268 in high-A this past season. With an .044 ISO to boot, you can pretty much read between the lines.

The club found its top prospect in the 10th round when it nabbed little-known Desmond Jennings out of an Alabama community college. Heath Rollins was nabbed in the 11th round and he should at least make the Majors as a back-of-the-rotation starter or middle reliever.

Up Next: The Tampa Bay Rays Top 10 Prospects