Tampa Bay Rays Draft Preview: Players to Know – C, Dillon Dingler

The Tampa Bay Rays are preparing for the draft on June 10. The Rays have two picks in the first round.

Despite having the top farm system in the game, the Tampa Bay Rays aren’t perfect. There is room to improve in this year’s draft. Today we take a look at one area of weakness and which players they are likely to select with their first pick of the draft.

Before that, here is some basic information on the draft.

The 2020 MLB draft will be held on June 10-11. The draft will only be five-rounds this year and begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET and will be aired on both ESPN and the MLB Network. The two-night event will begin with 37 picks. This covers both the first round and Competitive Balance Round A picks.

The second day will begin at 5 p.m. ET on June 11 and will begin with pick 38. The Tampa Bay Rays’ first pick comes at the 24th spot in the draft. They will also receive the final pick of the first day.

Total Tampa Bay Rays Picks

1. Round One – Pick 24
2. Comp. Round One – Pick 37
3. Round Two – Pick 57
4. Round Three – Pick 96
5. Round Four – Pick 126
6. Round Five – Pick 156

Tampa Bay Rays Potential Areas of Need – Catcher

The Tampa Bay Rays have one catcher inside of their top 30, according to MLB.com. Outside of Ronaldo Hernandez, there isn’t a lot in the pipeline for the Rays at the position. Tyler Soderstrom would be a reach as he is rated the 19th best prospect in the draft by MLB.com.

Soderstrom is the second-highest ranked catcher in this year’s crop. Should he fall to the Rays at the 24th pick, he’s likely to be snatched up. However, it appears to be unlikely that he makes it that far. MLB.com’s recent mock draft has Soderstrom going 15th overall to the Phillies.

Dillon Dingler is the next-highest rated catcher at 24th overall. He is the most athletic catcher in the draft. How many catchers can say they also played centerfield and in high school, he won Stark County’s Football Player of the Year award as a wide receiver and safety at Jackson.

Once he got to Ohio State his athleticism gave his coach the confidence to start Dingler in centerfield on 29 occasions.

He’s got a big arm and was off to a blazing start with the bat in 2020 before the season was abruptly ended. Dingler was hitting .340 with five homers, four doubles, and 14 RBIs over 13 games.

Dingler could help boost the Rays in an area of need at the catcher position. His athleticism could create a very high ceiling and a potential future star backstop.