If you've watched any spring training highlights thus far, you may have seen some tape of Tampa Bay Rays' prospect outfielder Chandler Simpson.
And if you have, you know he's fast. Like, blazing fast.
Here, Simpson can be seen beating out what looks like a routine chopper to the third base side.
Rays prospect Chandler Simpson can FLY. pic.twitter.com/s72j4BvbVn
— The Call Up | An MLB Prospect Podcast (@The_CallUpPod) March 3, 2025
Most batters would be out on that play, but not Simpson.
The 24-year-old Rays farmhand is turning heads in spring training as he flashes his 80-grade speed on the base paths as well as in the outfield. On the 20 to 80 scouting scale, which measures various player attributes from poor (20) to elite (80), Simpson tops the charts when it comes to speed.
To that end, no one in the minor leagues had more stolen bases in 2024 than Simpson, who swiped 104 bags. You read that number right.
Rays prospect Chandler Simpson robbed Marcelo Mayer AND Kristian Campbell in a three-inning stretch. He can FLY pic.twitter.com/pNWuNVopW6
— MLB (@MLB) February 24, 2025
And he's not just a speed demon, either: Simpson hit .355 in the minors last season while drawing more walks (44) than strikeouts (43). That's earned him early comparisons to elite contact hitters such as infielder Luis Arraez of the San Diego Padres and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.
To better understand just how tantalizing Simpson's tools are, here's what 17-year MLB veteran Marquis Grissom had to say about the 24-year-old outfielder:
"That bat-to-ball skill, to me, is just like Tony Gwynn. Unbelievable. Tough out. Great eye. Knows the strike zone. Going to battle you to death,” said Grissom, who works with Simpson and others in the Atlanta area every offseason. “Going to piss the pitchers off at the plate and from the mound. Not only that — he’s got a chance to bring the speed game back to baseball.”
For all of Simpson's promise, though, he's still just a prospect. The speedster is learning how to play the outfield after coming up as a second baseman, and while he isn't a great defender yet, Simpson undoubtedly has the athleticism for the position.
The 24-year-old also lacks power at the plate, with just one professional home run to his name. And would you be surprised if we told you it was actually a little league home run?
Regardless of his lack of pop and unpolished glove, however, Simpson is a player who appears to be meeting the early hype for the Rays. He'll start 2025 in the minor leagues despite his spring invitation, but if the hits keep coming, he could find himself in the bigs sooner rather than later.
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