Athletic 1B Morgan highlights Rays' Day 2 Draft picks

ST. PETERSBURG -- After taking a trio of position players on Day 1 of the MLB Draft, the Rays began Day 2 by selecting a pair of collegiate hitters then selected six straight pitchers, including one Tampa Bay-area high school product.

The Rays used the first of their eight picks on Monday to select slick-fielding Louisiana State first baseman Tre’ Morgan in the third round, then added Texas A&M shortstop Hunter Haas in the fourth round. Next came right-hander Trevor Harrison out of J.W. Mitchell High School in New Port Richey, Fla., followed by five more pitchers from the college ranks.

“I think there was some depth in pitching today. We really wanted to take the best available player early; for us, that was Tre' Morgan. We were very excited to get him,” Rays amateur scouting director Chuck Ricci said. “When Hunter was available -- we did target pitching today, obviously, but we also didn't want to pass up on a middle infielder that can play all the infield spots.”

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The Draft will conclude on Tuesday, with Day 3 (Rounds 11-20) getting underway at 2 p.m. ET.

Here is a look at each of the Rays’ Day 2 Draft picks.

Round 3, 88th overall: Tre’ Morgan, 1B, LSU
Slot value: $783,800
Notable skill: MLB Pipeline’s No. 137 Draft prospect, Morgan’s defense received a 65 grade on the 20-80 scouting scale. MLB.com’s Jim Callis described Morgan as the best defensive first baseman and one of the best overall defenders in the Draft class, specifically citing the incredible game-saving play he made on a safety squeeze in the College World Series semifinals. Ricci echoed that sentiment, calling Morgan “probably the best defensive amateur first baseman I've ever seen.”

By the numbers: The left-handed hitter has great hand-eye coordination, which allows him to make contact on all kinds of pitches, but he produces uninspiring exit velocities and hits a lot of ground balls. That shows up in his slash line, as he slashed .332/.424/.497 with only 20 home runs over 194 games in three seasons with LSU.

Quotable: “He is a really fun baseball player to watch. Elite defender, good contact, skills, plays the game with a ton of energy and very relaxed. I guess you could say he was one of the room's favorite players to talk about this week, so we're really excited.” -- Ricci

Round 4, 120th overall: Hunter Haas, SS, Texas A&M
Slot value: $552,500
Notable skill: According to MLB Pipeline, the No. 188 Draft prospect’s makeup “may be more impressive than any of his individual tools.” But his 60-grade defense rates better than anything else, as he’s a sure-handed shortstop who may wind up at second base or as a do-it-all utility infielder given his average arm strength and range. He started at third base as a freshman at Arizona State in 2021, lost the starting job and transferred to Texas A&M as a junior to be their starting shortstop.

By the numbers: Haas took big strides with his approach this spring, as reflected in his overall .323/.447/.506 slash line. He had more walks (49) than strikeouts (39) and did a better job swinging at pitches he could do damage on, which led to 10 homers and 14 doubles.

Quotable: “We got a chance to sit down and meet with him at the Combine, and we’re very impressed with just where he is in his baseball development.” -- Ricci

Round 5, 156th overall: Trevor Harrison, RHP, J.W. Mitchell High School (Fla.)
Slot value: $388,900
Notable skill: MLB Pipeline’s No. 245 Draft prospect, Harrison’s best pitch is his fastball, which sits in the low 90s but can touch 95 mph. The 17-year-old is one of the youngest players in the Draft class, so he’s expected to add even more velocity to his heater -- which comes with good life -- as he adds strength to his 6-foot-4 frame. He also throws a slider and a changeup, giving him a three-pitch starter’s profile.

Local connection: The top prospect from Mitchell High in this Draft was Aidan Miller, who went to the Phillies in the first round. Ricci said the Rays were on Harrison early and noted the benefits of being based in such a baseball-rich area like Tampa Bay.

Quotable: “We think it's a really good fit with the Rays' pitching development program and Trevor, so we're excited to add him.” -- Ricci

Round 6, 183rd overall: T.J. Nichols, RHP, Arizona
Slot value: $307,300
Notable skill: Nichols throws two intriguing pitches: a fastball that averages 95 mph and can touch 98, albeit without a lot of movement, along with a mid-80s slider that can be effective. MLB Pipeline’s No. 239 Draft prospect has the look of a reliever despite his 6-foot-5 build, projection and velocity, however, given his command issues and lower arm slot.

By the numbers: Nichols’ statistics weren’t impressive this spring, as he put together an 8.27 ERA and 1.60 WHIP with just a 1.79 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Quotable: “I really feel like our player development can open up a part of him that he really hasn't been able to tap into at Arizona. I think he's just lacked consistency, but when you see him good, his stuff is really, really good.” -- Ricci

Round 7, 213th overall: Owen Wild, RHP, Gonzaga
Slot value: $240,600
Notable skill: Wild’s greatest strengths might be his pitchability and durability, as he possesses a three-pitch mix and is generally around the strike zone. His fastball was around 89-92 mph this spring, though it can reach 93-95, and his best secondary offering is a sinking changeup.

By the numbers: Wild threw 95 innings in 15 appearances (all starts), averaging 6 1/3 innings per outing. Despite not possessing overwhelming stuff, he struck out 105 batters. But he was hurt by the long ball, allowing 17 homers that inflated his 4.93 ERA.

Quotable: “We think with a little tick up in stuff, his stuff has a chance to play up. And we're excited. Whether that ends up as a reliever or a starter, we're just going to let that one play out.” -- Ricci

Round 8, 243rd overall: Drew Dowd, LHP, Stanford
Slot value: $195,800
Notable Skill: His best pitch is his fastball, which sits around 92-93 mph and touches 95 out of the bullpen. He was a key member of Stanford’s relief corps, pitching in various roles, and missed a lot of bats every time he took the mound.

By the numbers: Dowd struck out 88 hitters in 65 2/3 innings, showing the kind of swing-and-miss stuff he has. He also walked 33 batters, indicating his control might be best suited for a bullpen role.

Quotable: “I think we've got a chance to start here. … If he ends up in the bullpen, we think his fastball is really going to miss bats, and that was what really made it an interesting pick in this part of the Draft.” -- Ricci

Round 9, 273rd overall: Dalton Fowler, LHP, Memphis
Slot value: $176,200
Notable Skill: Another lefty with a big fastball, the 6-foot-6 Fowler was described by Ricci as a “very intriguing arm” with a heater that could play even better given his size.

By the numbers: The 23-year-old ran his heater up to 97 mph and mixed in a slider to strike out 112 batters in 85 innings over 15 starts this spring.

Quotable: “Very intriguing arm. He's an older guy, but we think we can use that fastball and that size and have some very unique play with it.” -- Ricci

Round 10, 303rd overall: Adam Boucher, RHP, Duke
Slot value: $166,500
Notable Skill: Once again, it’s a college pitcher with an interesting fastball who may wind up in the bullpen. Boucher’s heater runs up to 95 mph and plays well at the top of the zone.

By the numbers: The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder struck out 59 batters but walked 25 in 40 innings over 29 appearances, including five starts.

Quotable: “We think the secondary [pitches] can be helped with our player development. Whether he ends up in a starter, bulk or pen role, we're really intrigued by the fastball.” -- Ricci