Tampa Bay Rays: Top 5 Prospects for the 2020 MLB Draft

Tampa Bay Rays 2020 MLB Draft Preview.

For this article we are going to take a look at some of the prospects who the Tampa Bay Rays could potentially scoop uo in the 2020 first-year player draft.

The MLB Draft is not an inexact science. Before we move on the top five players likely to be available with the Tampa Bay Rays’ 24th pick, here are some resources to review the biggest draft busts and the five best first-rounders in franchise history.

• Rays: Top Three Draft Busts in Franchise History
• Rays: Top Five Players Drafted in First Round

Owning the 24th pick, Tampa has some options with who they could go with. We’re going to look at the five best potential players, in no particular order, that may possibly be available when the Rays are on the clock.

5.  Tampa Bay Rays Potential Draft Pick – RHP Bobby Miller, Louisville

There is a ton of right-handed pitching prospects in this year’s draft, and Bobby Miller is one of the many who will likely hear their name called in the 1st round. The 6’5, 220-pound righty out of the University of Louisville could be a great addition to the Rays’.

With being the 27th-rated prospect in this year’s draft by mlb.com he should likely be available when the Rays’ make their pick 24th overall.

As a freshman in 2018 he was named to the Freshman All-America Team after he posted an impressive 2.97 ERA with a 6-1 record over 17 games and 66.2 innings of work including nine starts.

He took a little step back his sophomore season as his ERA rose to a 3.83 over 80 innings and 12 starts, but he still managed to put up a 7-1 record. In the COVID-19 shortened season this year he got off to a great start putting up a 2.31 ERA over his first 4 games.

Perhaps Miller’s biggest asset is his fastball which he throws with a lot of velocity and movement. Getting opposing hitters to swing and miss on his upper 90’s fastball is a big part of his repertoire.

Other pitches in his arsenal include a slider and cutter and while he has had a lot of success with that slider, he doesn’t typically throw it with a great velocity which could lead to some concerns once he gets to the pros. Another area of concern is his ability to consistently throw strikes. At just 21-years-old if he can get some of those weaknesses straightened out he could become a solid big leaguer.