Over the years, the name Grady Emerson has become a staple in youth and high school baseball.
That journey from tee ball through high school, and now into Major League Baseball has seen Emerson find a home in very short order.
All of that work led to Saturday afternoon, when Emerson was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Emerson's selection made him the first high school product off the board, as many mock drafts had predicted in the lead-up to Saturday's festivities.
Just who are Rays fans getting as the potential next face of their franchise? Here's a look at Emerson's path from Texas to Tampa.
Emerson is the second shortstop from the Dallas area selected inside the top three this decade, joining Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals. Emerson draws a lot of comparisons to Witt despite being a left-handed bat as their athletic profiles, polished hitting ability and makeup all are very close in similarity. Emerson played for Rusty Greer during his senior year, who also mentored Witt growing up.
That journey from tee ball through high school, and now into Major League Baseball has seen Emerson find a home in very short order.
All of that work led to Saturday afternoon, when Emerson was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Emerson's selection made him the first high school product off the board, as many mock drafts had predicted in the lead-up to Saturday's festivities.
Just who are Rays fans getting as the potential next face of their franchise? Here's a look at Emerson's path from Texas to Tampa.
Emerson is the second shortstop from the Dallas area selected inside the top three this decade, joining Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals. Emerson draws a lot of comparisons to Witt despite being a left-handed bat as their athletic profiles, polished hitting ability and makeup all are very close in similarity. Emerson played for Rusty Greer during his senior year, who also mentored Witt growing up.
4 months ago
