Tampa Bay Rays rookie Chandler Simpson is challenging baseball\'s power-focused paradigm through elite speed and contact hitting, batting .268 with seven stolen bases through his first 22 major league games. The 24-year-old has gained attention across MLB for his unprecedented quickness, rated as a \"90\" on baseball\'s traditional 20-80 scouting scale.
Simpson stole 104 bases in the minor leagues last season, a feat no major leaguer has accomplished in nearly four decades. The speedster entered the majors with strong credentials, having led the nation with a .433 batting average at Georgia Tech in 2022.
Aaron Judge has already called Simpson \"a game-changer\" after watching him score from second base on a ball that never left the infield. His impact has been immediate despite an average exit velocity of just 84 mph and a launch angle of only 1 degree.
The Rays selected Simpson in the second round of the MLB draft following his standout college performance. They moved him from middle infield to center field to maximize his defensive impact while encouraging him to add 10-15 pounds of muscle.
Developing Against Skepticism
Blake Butera, the Rays\' senior director of player development, acknowledged internal doubts about Simpson\'s unconventional profile.
\"I\'m not going to lie. There were people in the organization that weren\'t 100% set in stone that this was going to work in the big leagues right away,\" Butera said.
Simpson has faced skepticism throughout his career due to his size and unique skill set. Despite those doubts, he excelled at every level, hitting .355 across High-A and Double-A last season before batting .301 at Triple-A prior to his promotion.
\"I want to put on a show,\" Simpson said. \"As I continue to do that, then I feel like there\'ll be an evolution in the game where it\'s, \'OK, this can be a part of winning baseball.\'\"
The Rays have allowed Simpson to thrive using his natural approach – hitting grounders and line drives while rarely striking out. His speed has already produced highlight-reel plays, including turning a routine single into a double and beating out what appeared to be routine grounders.