Rays pick up pitching help, intriguing catcher on Day 2 of MLB Draft

The Rays began the 2024 MLB Draft by selecting three up-the-middle position players on Sunday, taking outfielder Theo Gillen in the first round followed by second baseman ?milien Pitre and shortstop Tyler Bell.

• 'Beyond his years': Rays draft prep INF/OF Gillen at No. 18

They went in a different direction on Day 2, picking seven college pitchers and one intriguing catcher on Monday afternoon.

¡°It¡¯s like many Drafts recently. I think the position players go early, and there¡¯s an abundance of pitching later on,¡± Rays amateur scouting director Chuck Ricci said. ¡°Pitchers in today¡¯s world change more than ever, so we were really trying to key on a few good attributes for our people to build on.¡±

The Draft will conclude on Tuesday with Rounds 11-20. Day 3 will begin at 2 p.m. ET, with coverage available on MLB.com. Here is a look at each of the Rays¡¯ eight Day 2 picks.

Round 3, 94th overall: Nathan Flewelling, C, St. Joseph HS (Red Deer, Alberta, Canada)
Slot value: $776,500
Notable skill: His profile is notable enough, because Flewelling is a highly coveted left-handed-hitting catcher. Ranked as the No. 236 Draft prospect, his bat is his strength, as he combined a short path to the ball with enough bat speed to produce some elite-level exit velocities at the MLB Draft Combine in June. He¡¯s also only 17 years old, so there¡¯s plenty of time for him to add power. He¡¯s obviously raw as a catcher, with less traditional scouting exposure considering his background, but he has good traits and a strong desire to stick behind the plate.
Fun fact: There have been big league pitchers from the Canadian province of Alberta, including Michael Soroka and Chris Reitsma, but according to MLB Pipeline, a high school hitter drafted and signed from the area has never reached the Majors. Flewelling, committed to play at Gonzaga, could become the first to do so.
Quotable: ¡°We¡¯re really excited. I don¡¯t know if I would say he¡¯s an under-the-radar guy -- I know there was a lot of interest in the area we took him -- but [he¡¯s] a left-handed-hitting catcher with a very good offensive package, with a chance to stay behind the plate.¡± -- Ricci

Round 4, 124th overall: Nate Knowles, RHP, William & Mary (Va.)
Slot value: $577,700
Notable skill: Knowles, the 219th-ranked Draft prospect, will have a chance to start because he features a four-pitch mix headlined by a 91-95 mph fastball that has good carry up in the zone as well as a hard cutter that tops out at 90 mph with late action. He rounds out his arsenal with a curveball and a developing changeup. But he¡¯s listed at 6-foot and has some effort in his delivery, and he walked 4.4 batters per nine innings this spring, so he could wind up in the bullpen.
By the numbers: The 20-year-old went 8-3 with a 2.48 ERA, a whopping 112 strikeouts and 39 walks in 80 innings over 19 starts last season.
Quotable: ¡°Very engaging, intelligent kid. As we move forward with pitching, I think these guys that are curious and smart with all the ways to get these guys better through the data, it really seems to work.¡± -- Ricci

Round 5, 157th overall: Jacob Kmatz, RHP, Oregon State
Slot value: $418,600
Notable skill: Kmatz has average stuff at best, according to MLB Pipeline, but it¡¯s hard to ignore the fact that he spent three full seasons as an effective starter in the Beavers¡¯ rotation. The 6-foot-3 21-year-old¡¯s fastball sits around 91 mph and tops out at 94, but he commands it well and complements it with a mid-70s curveball that he can also throw for strikes.
By the numbers: This season was Kmatz¡¯s best at Oregon State. He went 7-3 with a 3.38 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, 96 strikeouts and 22 walks in 88 innings over 16 starts.
Quotable: ¡°It¡¯s the combination of things more than the pure stuff that jumps out.¡± -- Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com

Round 6, 186th overall: Janzen Keisel, RHP, Oklahoma State
Slot value: $326,000
Notable skill: The No. 248 Draft prospect has one of the most dominant fastballs in the Draft class, a 93-95 mph heater that can touch 99 with an unusual blend of low release height, high spin rates and significant induced vertical break. He also throws a slider and a changeup, but he threw his fastball nearly two-thirds of the time for a reason. If he locates his fastball well enough, he could succeed as a reliever with that pitch alone.
Background info: The 21-year-old was Utah¡¯s top high school prospect in 2021, spent his freshman season at Brigham Young, then struck out 11 over 5 1/3 innings as part of a combined no-hitter in his Oklahoma State debut. But his command remained an issue, as he walked six per nine in college, and he entered the transfer portal after pitching sparingly down the stretch this spring.
Quotable: ¡°He¡¯s got one of the more effective fastballs in college baseball. ¡­ He¡¯s got a really good pitch. It¡¯s [about] getting more consistency and building out the rest of the repertoire.¡± --Jim Callis, MLB.com

Round 7, 216th overall: Ryan Andrade, RHP, Pittsburgh
Slot value: $255,500
Notable skill: Andrade, the No. 249 Draft prospect, has good stuff and a four-pitch mix, which is typically the profile of a starting pitcher. In fact, he transferred from Rhode Island to Pittsburgh for a chance to start. When his command is on, he can beat hitters with a fastball that runs up to 96 mph, two breaking balls (his slider grades out better than his curveball) and a changeup.
By the numbers: Andrade¡¯s stuff and statistics don¡¯t align, baffling scouts. The obvious concern is his control, as he walked 43 of the 299 batters he faced this spring -- and that was the best walk rate of his collegiate career. With a 1.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, he might be better suited for the bullpen unless the Rays can dramatically refine his command.
Quotable: ¡°Very loose, live, athletic arm. Can really spin the ball. He needs to add strength and consistency.¡± -- Ricci

Round 8, 246th overall: Jayden Voelker, RHP, Northern Essex CC
Slot value: $209,800
Notable skill: The 238th-ranked Draft prospect has an athletic starter¡¯s build (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) and put up preposterously great numbers this spring, leading all Division III pitchers in strikeouts (126, or 18.6 per nine innings) while ranking second with a 1.48 ERA. He has two plus pitches, a 95-96 mph fastball and power curveball, and Ricci said the ¡°self-taught¡± pitcher was a favorite of the Rays¡¯ Draft room on Monday.
Fun fact: Northern Essex Community College has produced only one big leaguer: Steve Bedrosian, the 1987 National League Cy Young Award winner and 1991 World Series champion. Perhaps this year¡¯s NJCAA National Pitcher of the Year will be the second.
Quotable: ¡°It was kind of a gut-feel guy for a lot of people in the room. We use the term sometimes that these guys are like clay. I think this is the one. He really hasn¡¯t had a ton of coaching. I think he probably hasn¡¯t been afforded a lot of the things that some of these other guys in the Draft at these big schools have.¡± -- Ricci

Round 9, 276th overall: Garrett Gainey, LHP, South Carolina
Slot value: $190,400
Notable skill: Like many pitchers here, Gainey attracted the Rays with his fastball. He throws it 92-94 mph, touching 96, giving the 24-year-old some upside as a lefty reliever. He showed inconsistent stuff, with solid control but not necessarily pinpoint command.
Background info: Gainey was a fifth-year senior, which means he should sign for a below-slot bonus and allow the Rays to reallocate some of their bonus pool money elsewhere. He spent three years at Winthrop, one at Liberty and this spring pitching mostly out of the Gamecocks bullpen.
Quotable: ¡°Really good fastball, strike-thrower, beats a lot of bats with his fastball. ¡­ I think he has a chance to pitch in multiple roles for us.¡± -- Ricci

Round 10, 306th overall: Trey Pooser, RHP, Kentucky
Slot value: $180,300
Notable skill: Once again, it¡¯s the fastball. Pooser throws his heater up to 94 mph with good carry. A teammate of second-round pick Pitre at Kentucky after four seasons at College of Charleston, Pooser put together a 3.50 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 35 walks in 90 innings over 19 appearances this spring.
Fun fact: According to his Kentucky Wildcats bio, Pooser is left-handed but plays sports right-handed.
Quotable: ¡°He beat some really good hitters¡¯ bats with that fastball, and I think a lot of his stuff is projectable. It¡¯s kind of a common theme: We really like some of these guys¡¯ fastballs, and we think it¡¯s a good building block for their foundation when we get them in the system.¡± -- Ricci