While the Rays organization was busy hosting the All-Star Game and related festivities, the front office couldn't enjoy it because we were too busy having the draft. Once again it was a poor draft for pitching so we went exclusively bats in the early rounds, and the two guys listed as relievers above were actually drafted for their bats.
Edwards:
High school 1B are inherently risky, but he's projected to a beast at the plate.
Stack:
Well if taking a HS 1B is risky, taking two of them with your first two picks is really crazy, but like Edwards Stack is projected to be a great contact and power hitter, so if they both work out we trade from excess (or make Edwards a DH).
Sharratt:
How about a HS catcher who can really hit? Sure, sign me up. Of course the question is whether he can catch, but a bat like that will play anywhere if he pans out.
Baggs:
Another of my "listed a reliever, is secretly a hitter who can really rake" picks, he looks like a top 10 overall pick as an outfielder based on those potential defensive ratings and his speed to go with those hitting ratings.
Flynn:
How about *3* high-school 1B? You take what the draft gives you, and it was giving me one HS 1B after another. Since the position has been such a black hole for us over the years (although Kelly Crumpton is getting it done after sliding over from 3B this year), we're going to throw everything we have at it.
Wright:
Another high-schooler who at least not a 1B, although Wright doesn't seem like much an OF either.
Powell:
I haven't signed him yet so I can't change his position to the OF, but yet another of my listed-as-pitcher but really a potential great hitter types.
This was a high-ceiling, low-floor draft full of high school guys, so we won't know for about 5 years how it turns out, but if even two of these guys become the hitters they're projected to be it'll be worth it. And we'll just trade for pitching.