Grady Emerson selected by Tampa Bay Rays with No. 2 pick in 2026 MLB Draft
· Yahoo Sports
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.
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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.
Another shortstop from the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex
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.
Originally committed to TCU, Emerson flipped his commitment to Texas but won't be playing for Jim Schlossnagle's Longhorns in 2027. In high school, Emerson started at Argyle before transferring to Fort Worth Christian, hitting .336 as a freshman, .380 as a sophomore, and .351 as a junior.
Emerson's senior year at Fort Worth Christian was the most impressive as he hit .532 (42-79) with 7 home runs, 9 doubles, 4 triples, and 42 RBI to go along with 39 runs scored and 21 stolen bases. He also added 27 walks against just two strikeouts, posting slash lines of .648/1.013/1.661. Emerson's efforts won him the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year award.
In total, Emerson had 17 home runs, 45 doubles, 15 triples, 84 RBI, 126 runs scored, and 64 stolen bases in four varsity seasons, making him a game-changing prospect by the time he gets the call to the big leagues.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: [email protected]. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Grady Emerson selected by Tampa Bay Rays with No. 2 pick in 2026 MLB Draft