Chandler Simpson, Carson Williams Shine In Spring Breakout Win
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson and shortstop prospect Carson Williams both put their offensive skills on display in Thursday's 7-5 Spring Breakout win over the Red Sox prospects. Simpson flashed his 80-grade speed on an infield hit to shortstop that he easily beat the throw to first, then swiped his first bag of the series. Then Carson Williams provided some insurance for his squad in the eighth inning when he blasted a two-out solo home run, giving his team some breathing room as they headed into the ninth inning. Neither is expected to make the team out of Spring Training, but both could be fantasy contributors in the second half of the season.
Chandler Simpson Showing Speed In Grapefruit League
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop prospect Chandler Simpson has already begun to showcase his speed in the Grapefruit League. Through four games, the young infielder has swiped two bags and tallied four hits. Through 110 games in the minor leagues last season, Simpson swiped an incredible 104 bases. He opened the season at High-A, where he logged 32 games. He held a strong .364/.431/.372 line with 47 hits and 31 stolen bases. He was only caught stealing five times. The Georgia Tech product was then promoted to Double-A Montgomery, where he posted a .351/.401/.407 line across 78 contests. Simpson swiped 73 bags but was caught stealing 12 times. He also showed an elite eye at the plate with a 23:27 BB:K ratio. If Simpson continues this strong play in camp, he could make a strong case to open the season at the Triple-A level.
Chandler Simpson Crowned Tampa Bay's Top Hitting Prospect For 2024
MLB Pipeline named outfielder Chandler Simpson Tampa Bay's top-hitting prospect of the 2024 campaign. Simpson opened the season by getting his second look at High-A ball. However, he needed only 32 games to prove he was ready to move up to Double-A after posting a stellar .364/.431/.372 slash line. In his first 78 games with Double-A Montgomery, Simpson continued to showcase his elite hitting skills, as he posted a .351/.401/.407 slash line. In addition to his elite contact skills, Simpson also stole a remarkable 104 basses across 110 games last summer. However, he has yet to showcase any true power and has hit just one home run throughout his entire minor-league career. Given his strong production in his first look at the Double-A level, the No. 4-ranked prospect in Tampa Bay could spend most of the 2025 season at Triple-A.
Chandler Simpson Extends Hitting Streak To Seven Games, Swipes Two Bags
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson went 1-for-3 with two walks and two stolen bases on Thursday evening to extend his current hitting streak to seven games. During this stretch, the 23-year-old has swiped eight bags while hitting for an excellent .370 AVG. The Georgia Tech product has established itself as one of, if not the best, base stealers in the minor leagues as he sits with an eye-catching 94 stolen bases this season, split between High and Double-A. Since joining Double-A Montgomery at the start of June, Simpson has carried a stellar .356/.405/.420 line with 100 total hits across a 68-game stint. Simpson currently sits as the No.5 prospect in the Tampa Bay system on MLB.com and could contend to make his major league debut sometime next summer.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop prospect Chandler Simpson went 2-for-3 with a walk and stole his MiLB league-leading 86th stolen base after a two-steal game on Wednesday for Double-A Montgomery. While the 23-year-old is rightfully known for speed, he's been able to hit well across two levels of the minors this season, batting .358 on the back of a minuscule 8.6% K%. The left-handed hitter has been able to draw a nearly-equivalent amount of walks at 8.4% as well, leading to a superb .411 OBP on the season. He appears to be knocking on the door of Triple-A, and per MLB.com, Simpson should make his MLB debut next season. With his speed, he's likely already emblazoned his name on the memories of dynasty managers after stealing 94 bases in 2023, but dynasty managers and redraft managers alike should be on the lookout for next year's ascension.
Chandler Simpson Swipes Two More Bags On Wednesday
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop prospect Chandler Simpson continued to showcase his elite speed as he swiped two more bags on Wednesday evening. This extended his incredible stretch of stealing at least one base to seven games. During this stretch, Simpson has stolen at least two bases on four separate occasions. Since moving up to Double-A in late May, the Georgia Tech product has stolen 48 bags in 52 games and held a .347/.392/.407 line. Earlier this season at High-A, Simpson stole 31 bases in 32 games. The number 11th-ranked prospect in the Rays system is on pace to average just under one stolen base per game. He should have an opportunity to see time in Triple-A next season, given his current production and incredible base running skills.
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson put together a strong performance for Double-A Montgomery on Wednesday. Simpson went 3-for-5 with a walk and swiped three bases to help lead his team to victory. The Rays No.11 prospect per MLB Pipeline began the season in High-A Bowling Green before being promoted to Montgomery in late May. Between both levels, the speedy outfielder has hit a combined .353 with one homer, 28 RBI and 70 stolen bases in 326 at-bats. Simpson clearly isn't a power hitter, but his contact and speed make him a very attractive option moving forward as he could be in line to make his big-league debut as soon as next season.
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson has been swinging a hot bat across his past six games at Double-A Montgomery. In this stint, the Georgia Tech product has held a stellar .385/.407/.385 line with six stolen bases. Through his first 40 games at the Double-A level, the 23-year-old has looked quite comfortable with an excellent .349/.387/.43 slash line, 18 RBI, and 33 stolen bases. Simpson opened the season by getting his second look at High-A ball and posted a dominant .364 AVG across 32 games. Simpson has shown elite contact and speed that has already translated quite well at the top levels of the minor leagues. Dynasty managers should continue to monitor his progression as he could earn a small taste of Triple-A later this summer.
Chandler Simpson Logs Three Hits, Three Steals On Tuesday
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases for Double-A Montgomery on Tuesday. The 23-year-old is red-hot in June, hitting .397 with a homer, 12 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. The No. 10 prospect for the Rays has a unique profile with 80-grade speed and 20-grade power. That was evident last year when he stole 94 bases across two levels and did not record a home run. His speed is off the charts, and he could be a game-changer in the steals category at the big-league level when he does reach Tampa Bay. The former Georgia Tech star could push for a Triple-A promotion by the end of this season if he keeps hitting and swiping bags at this rate, and by next year, he could find himself patrolling the outfield for the Rays.
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson was recently promoted to Double-A and has already looked quite comfortable through his first six games. In his first week, he is riding a .429/.467/.464 with 12 total hits, one double, three RBI, eight stolen bases, two walks, and zero strikeouts. He has tallied at least one hit in every game and swiped more than two bags in a game twice so far. Simpson began the season with High-A and posted a .364/.431/.372 line with 31 stolen bases across 32 games. Simpson has yet to hit a home run in the minor leagues but has shown incredible speed and stellar contact skills. The 23-year-old is projected to reach the major leagues next season and could be worth stashing in dynasty leagues if he carries this level of play into Triple-A.
Carson Williams
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