Rays Land Prep Star Shortstop in Recent MLB Mini Mock Draft

In a recent mini MLB mock draft, the Tampa Bay Rays come away with a star high school shortstop.

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have been one of the most pleasant surprises in the MLB during the early going of the 2026 season.

Entering play on April 19, they were in first place in the American League East with a 12-8 record, a half-game ahead of the New York Yankees, whom they swept in the first series they faced off this year.

The Rays have the best record in the AL currently, getting off to an unexpectedly hot start. A lot is going right for the club despite some of their expected key contributors either struggling early or being on the injured list.

There are a lot of exciting young pieces helping the team win, and Tampa Bay is going to have the opportunity to add another when the 2026 MLB Draft rolls around in July. Lady Luck was on the Rays’ side, as they landed the No. 2 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Rays land Grady Emerson with No. 2 pick in mini-mock draft

Jul 14, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Argyle High School player Grady Emerson during the 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

In a recent mini mock draft shared by Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, Tampa Bay takes full advantage of this golden opportunity, landing prep star Grady Emerson with the No. 2 pick, after the Chicago White Sox take UCLA Bruins star shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first overall selection.

“This is a pretty common connection, especially in light of the Rays pick history and the industry's read of the first pick,” McDaniel wrote.

Cholowsky is being mocked to the White Sox by virtually everyone in the industry, but if something changes and he slips past Chicago, he won’t get past Tampa Bay, which would run the card up to the podium.

Along with the Fort Worth Christian High School product, McDaniel has mentioned Vahn Lackey, a catcher with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and Jackson Flora, a right-handed pitcher of the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, as possible options.

Grady Emerson may not be on the board very long 👀@CarlosACollazo has heard Emerson sounds like a strong fit for both the Rays and Twins in the top three.

New mock: https://t.co/xpi0CqE9Eu pic.twitter.com/q0exUB4YCe

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) April 13, 2026

“Given the variability in evaluating high school players and how the Rays covet MLB-ready prospects, I buy the Flora/Lackey buzz, both as earnest interest and possible negotiating leverage with Emerson,” McDaniel added.

The Rays would be thrilled to come away with any of those players, given the high upside all of them possess. Emerson has been the top-ranked prep position player in this class since rankings began, and nothing has changed during that time.

He possesses the makeup and tools of being a future star, and Tampa Bay fans are already thinking about a potential long-term left side of the infield featuring Junor Caminero at third base and Emerson at shortstop.