Tampa Bay Rays Draft – Players to Know: Bryce Jarvis, RHP

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

Here are a couple of links to prospects we’ve identified as players you need to know:

• C, Dillon Dingler
• 3B, Jordan Walker

Tampa Bay Rays Potential Prospect – RHP Bryce Jarvis

This pick is not one of need, the Rays are loaded with pitching prospects, not to mention the youngsters at the big-league level. This comes down to talent. There’s a chance they don’t feel like the 24th pick is the right value to address needs. In which case, you can expect them to take the best value.

Bryce Jarvis appears to be a likely candidate to go in this area. CBS Sports has him going one pick later to the Braves at 25 and Sporting News has him going to the Rays at 24.

Jarvis, the son of a former major leaguer, already made waves after his sophomore year last season. He was selected in the 37th round by the Yankees. Instead, he returned to Duke with 20 pounds of extra muscle and new stuff. His fastball increased from the late-80s to early-90s, to a mid to late-90s heater. His curveball went from an average offspeed pitch to a knee-buckler.

He now wields a biting slider that reaches the mid-80s on the radar gun and a nasty fading changeup. All four pitches are rated above average. He showed enough in the shortened 2020 season to turn himself into a first-round prospect.

In 27.0 innings this season with Duke, he posted a 0.67 ERA with 40 Ks and just two walks. That’s not even to mention his perfect game on Feb 23 this season. 

This could be a player the Rays like. his progress from last year to this year was substantial. At age 22, he could find himself flying through the minor league ranks with the Rays, similar to Joe Ryan and Shane McClanahan.