By Ken Rosenthal, Keith Law and Steve Berman
The Tampa Bay Rays selected outfielder Chandler Simpson, considered by some to be the fastest player in professional baseball, from Triple-A Durham on Friday.
Simpson, 24, has 214 stolen bases in the minors, including eight this season in 17 games for Triple-A Durham, where he hit .301/.325/.329. With Kameron Misner (0.9 fWAR) and Jake Mangum (0.6 fWAR) both manning center field and playing well this season, why would the Rays promote Simpson now?
The Tampa Bay Rays have placed INF/OF Richie Palacios (right knee sprain) on the 10-day IL and selected OF Chandler Simpson from Triple-A Durham.
To make room on the 40-man roster, RHP Alex Faedo (right shoulder inflammation) has been transferred to the 60-day IL.
— Rays Communications (@RaysPR) April 18, 2025
“I’m assuming it’s for defense and just the value of his legs,” said The Athletic’s Keith Law. “If he gets on base, his speed is so disruptive that maybe he can make up for the complete lack of power. Both Misner and Mangum are hitting way above their previous levels, so it’s not likely Simpson is going to dislodge either of them just yet.”
Simpson’s speed and contact skills are undeniable; he took part in the 2024 Futures Game and stole 104 bases in 110 minor-league games last season. Yet, he is a polarizing prospect.
“He also has grade 20 power, with one homer in the last two years total, and an isolated power (SLG – AVG) in his minor-league career of .049,” Law wrote when he ranked Simpson as the Rays’ No. 12 prospect. “He will play in the majors and maybe do so for a long time. He might be Billy Hamilton, who played in 11 seasons in the majors and whose production was worth 10 WAR, although even Hamilton had more power than Simpson, with 14 homers in 572 minor-league games. I get the excitement, and if I played fantasy baseball, I’d want him on my team, but in real major-league terms, I find it hard to see him as more than a 0.5 WAR/year player.
He’s a freak. He’s the fastest kid alive.
Y’all, Chandler Simpson just beat out a ground ball TO THE FIRST BASEMAN pic.twitter.com/JuPKqYlPDU
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) April 5, 2025
Despite Simpson only collecting 38 extra-base hits in 250 minor-league games, he has some believers within the organization due to his ability to turn a single into a double or perhaps even more.
“At every level, people have scratched their heads: ‘Is this going to work? Is this going to play?’ ” Rays manager Kevin Cash told The Athletic a month ago. “It plays, and then some.”
“I would buy a ticket to watch him play,” Rays outfield and baserunning coordinator Jared Sandberg said. “I just wouldn’t miss the first four pitches because he might already be in the dugout with a run on the scoreboard.”
(Photo: Shi Tang / Getty Images)