Tampa Bay Rays Call Up Speedy Top Prospect Chandler Simpson For MLB Debut
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The Tampa Bay Rays have called up outfield prospect Chandler Simpson to the big leagues, the team announced Friday.
The 24-year-old speedster is now in line to make his much-anticipated MLB debut.
Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander initially broke the news of Simpson's promotion to Tom Krasniqi during 95.3 WDAE's "The Drive."
Simpson was batting .304 with a .654 OPS through 17 games with Triple-A Durham this season after hitting .240 with a .536 OPS in Grapefruit League play this spring. He spent 2024 with High-A Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery, batting .305 with an .807 OPS in 110 games of action.
Most notably, Simpson stole 94 bases in 2023, then bumped that up to 104 in 2024. He had already swiped eight bags with the Bulls prior to getting called up Friday.
"I think, in theory, he adds an element to any lineup with how fast he is, his contact ability," said manager Kevin Cash, per FanDuel Sports Network's Ryan Bass. "I think he's going to get an opportunity here and a little bit of a runway."
Simpson entered 2025 as a fringe top-100 prospect in baseball. MLB Pipeline currently has the former second round pick ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Rays' farm system.
There was room for Simpson on the active big league roster because utility man Richie Palacios was placed on the 10-day injured list. Palacios spent the first few weeks of the regular season on the IL with a fractured finger, then hurt his knee upon his return on Thursday.
As for the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Alex Faedo was transferred to the 60-day injured list to free up a spot for Simpson.
The Tampa Bay Rays have placed INF/OF Richie Palacios (right knee sprain) on the 10-day IL and selected OF Chandler Simpson from Triple-A Durham.
— Rays Communications (@RaysPR) April 18, 2025
To make room on the 40-man roster, RHP Alex Faedo (right shoulder inflammation) has been transferred to the 60-day IL.
With Palacios back on the injured list alongside Josh Lowe and Jonny DeLuca, Simpson has a shot to get real playing time in the outfield right off the bat.
First pitch between the Rays and New York Yankees on Friday night is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
Related Rays stories
- PALACIOS SHINES IN RETURN: Tampa Bay outfielder Richie Palacios returned from a broken finger Thursday and promptly had three hits and a stolen base, a first in a Rays season debut. But the Rays couldn't hit with the bases loaded and lost 6-3 to the New York Yankees. CLICK HERE
- MORGAN REACHES AAA: Tre' Morgan, the No. 4 prospect in the Rays' farm system, joined the Durham Bulls on Tuesday after missing the first few weeks of the 2025 regular season with a quad injury. CLICK HERE
- SMITH CRACKS TOP 100: With Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez officially graduating to the big leagues, Rays outfielder Aidan Smith took his spot on MLB Pipeline's list of the top 100 prospects. CLICK HERE
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Sam Connon covers baseball for "On SI'' on the Sports Illustrated platform and is also a senior writer on "Fastball on SI'' and ''Minor League Baseball on SI.'' He previously covered UCLA Athletics for "On SI's'' All Bruins site, among others.
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