The Tampa Bay Rays have selected shortstop Brayden Taylor from Texas Christian University with the No. 19 pick in the first round of the 2023 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Taylor, 21, hit .308/.430/.631 with 15 doubles, 23 HR, 70 RBI, 77 runs and 14 steals in 58 games during his junior season, earning First Team All-Big 12 and Third Team Baseball America All-American honors. His 23 home runs and 77 runs scored both tied single-season program records, while his 48 career homers broke Royce Huffman¡¯s program record of 44 HR set in 1999. Taylor was named the 2023 Big 12 Tournament¡¯s Most Outstanding Player after going 8-for-16 (.500) with four doubles and three home runs, leading the Horned Frogs to their fourth Big 12 Tournament Championship in program history and their first College World Series appearance since 2017.

As a sophomore in 2022, Taylor hit .314/.454/.576 with 14 doubles, one triple, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 55 runs and 10 steals across 59 games, earning Second Team All-Big 12 honors. He played for the 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team following the season.

As a freshman in 2021, he appeared in 58 games, hitting .324/.445/.572 with 11 doubles, four triples, 12 HR, 53 RBI, 54 runs and 15 steals, earning Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year, First Team Perfect Game Freshman All-American and First Team D1Baseball Freshman All-American honors. Following his freshman campaign, he was named a 2021 Cape Cod League All-Star as a member of the Falmouth Commodores.

Taylor was ranked as the No. 14 player in this year¡¯s draft by MLB.com_,_ No 15. by Baseball America and No. 24 by FanGraphs.

BRAYDEN TAYLOR, SS

Bats/Throws: L/R |? Height/Weight: 6-1/180? |? Born: May 22, 2002? |? Hometown: West Jordan, Utah

Rays First Selections, All-Time

1996 ???? OF ???????? Paul Wilder ????????????????????? No. 29 overall??????????????????????????????????

1997 ???? RHP ????? Jason Standridge No. 31 overall

1998 ???? 1B ???????? Josh Pressley ?????????????????? No. 132 overall

1999 ???? OF????????? Josh Hamilton ???????????????? No. 1 overall

2000????? OF ???????? Rocco Baldelli ????????????????? No. 6 overall

2001 ???? RHP ????? Dewon Brazelton ?????????? No. 3 overall

2002 ???? SS?????????? B.J. Upton ???????????????????????? No. 2 overall

2003 ???? OF????????? Delmon Young ?????????????? No. 1 overall

2004 ???? RHP ????? Jeff Niemann ?????????????????? No. 4 overall

2005 ???? RHP ????? Wade Townsend No. 8 overall

2006 ???? 3B ???????? Evan Longoria ???????????????? No. 3 overall

2007 ???? LHP ?????? David Price ?????????????????????? No. 1 overall

2008 ???? SS ????????? Tim Beckham ????????????????? No. 1 overall

2009 ???? CF ????????? LeVon Washington No. 30 overall

2010 ???? OF????????? Josh Sale ?????????????????????????? No. 17 overall

2011 ???? RHP ????? Taylor Guerrieri ????????????? No. 24 overall

2012 ???? 3B ???????? Richie Shaffer No. 25 overall

2013 ???? C ??????????? Nick Ciuffo ??????????????????????? No. 21 overall

2014 ???? 1B ???????? Casey Gillaspie ?????????????? No. 20 overall

2015 ???? OF ???????? Garrett Whitley No. 13 overall

2016 ???? 3B ???????? Joshua Lowe ??????????????????? No. 13 overall

2017 ???? LHP/1B? Brendan McKay No. 4 overall

2018????? LHP ?????? Matthew Liberatore?????? No. 16 overall

2019????? SS ????????? Greg Jones???????????????????????? No. 22 overall

2020????? RHP ????? Nick Bitsko??????????????????????? No. 24 overall

2021????? SS ????????? Carson Williams?????????????? No. 28 overall

2022????? 1B ???????? Xavier Isaac No. 29 overall

Notable Selections with the No. 19 Pick in June Draft History (since 1965)

Kevin Newman, SS, Pirates, 2015

John Mayberry, OF, Rangers, 2005

James Loney, 1B, Dodgers, 2002

Alex Rios, 3B, Blue Jays, 1999

Shannon Stewart, OF, Blue Jays, 1992

Roger Clemens, RHP, Red Sox, 1983

Franklin Stubbs, 1B, Dodgers, 1982

Mike Scioscia, C, Dodgers, 1976

Terry Whitfield, OF, Yankees, 1971

Bobby Grich, SS, Orioles, 1967