Tampa Bay Rays' Speedy Prospect Continues to Show Off Elite Wheels in Big Leagues

Chandler Simpson, ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Rays organization, continues to show the kind of dynamic athleticism that allowed him to steal 104 bases in the minors last year.

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Chandler Simpson (14) celebrates after scoring in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 24. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the San Diego Padres 1-0 on Friday night in San Diego.

The Rays moved to 12-14 with the win while the Padres dropped to 17-9. The only run came in the third inning when Yandy Diaz hit a sacrifice fly.

Shane Baz continued to impress on the mound, going 7.0 scoreless innings and striking out six. He's 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA.

Chandler Simpson, recently promoted from Triple-A Durham, went 1-for-4 with a single in the win. He continues to show off his blazing speed, the same speed that allowed him to steal 104 bases last season in the minors.

Per MLB Pipeline:

Chandler Simpson rips off a 31.2 ft/sec sprint speed on this bunt hit for @RaysBaseball

In just six MLB games, the reigning @MiLB stolen-base champ has 3 of the club's 4 fastest home-to-first times in 2025:

Chandler Simpson rips off a 31.2 ft/sec sprint speed on this bunt hit for @RaysBaseball 😯

In just six MLB games, the reigning @MiLB stolen-base champ has 3 of the club's 4 fastest home-to-first times in 2025: pic.twitter.com/rQjTqiBrbD

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 26, 2025

The 24-year-old, who played his college ball at Georgia Tech, is hitting .304 (7-for-23) with two stolen bases. He's ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the organization, per MLB.com:

The following comes from a portion of his MLB.com prospect profile:

There will always be concerns about Simpson’s lack of power, especially as he faces tougher pitching in the upper levels. But he’s put on some muscle in pro ball to improve his bat speed, strength and endurance, and he led all full-season Minor Leaguers with a .355 average in ’24. That’s partly a result of his speed, of course, as even a high-enough chopper -- much less a well-placed bunt -- can easily turn into an infield hit. But it’s also a product of his feel for the strike zone and ability to make contact, as he had more walks (44) than strikeouts (43) in High-A and Double-A last year. Plus, his top-of-the-scale speed effectively allows him to turn his walks and singles into doubles or triples.

The Rays and Padres will play again on Saturday night with first pitch coming at 8:40 p.m. ET.

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