Chandler Simpson has quickly made an impact in his brief time with the Tampa Bay Rays, and he’s only scratching the surface. Simpson, who was called up on April 18, has shown why he deserves to be in the big leagues and that he can have success at the highest level.
Through 30 at-bats, Simpson is hitting .400 with three RBI and five runs scored. He has also recorded a hit in every game he’s appeared in so far. The Atlanta, Georgia native is known by many around the game as the fastest player in all of baseball. His speed is a big part of his game, and it makes him a tough out at the plate. And when he gets on base, you have to keep a close eye on him because before you know it, he’ll be standing on third base.
Throughout his minor league career, he stole over 200 bases and will look to continue to swipe bags in the majors. As a player growing up, you dream of the moment when you get to put on that big league uniform with your name on the back and run onto that field in front of thousands of fans.
The call-up to the big leagues
The phrase “Hard work pays off” can certainly be said for Simpson and his career. He was drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Rays after a phenomenal season at Georgia Tech, where he led the nation with a .434 batting average. From 2022 to 2024, Simpson spent time in the minor leagues making a name for himself and becoming an impact player.
In 2024, Simpson stole a combined 104 bases between his time in Advanced A and Double-A, and that quickly caught the attention of folks around the league. And he hit over .300 during that time as well. It was only a matter of time before Simpson would have that conversation with his minor league manager, saying he got the call-up to the big leagues.
Less than two weeks ago, Simpson found out that he was going to suit up for the team that drafted him.
“Extremely grateful,” Simpson told mlb.com. “The whole way, I was just thinking about everything that it took to get here, and just trying to stay in the moment.”
Simpson is making an immediate impact
The 24-year-old made his first big league appearance on April 19 against the New York Yankees. During that game, he recorded his first MLB hit, which was a double, and recorded his first RBI and scored his first run.
His first multi-hit game came a few days later against the Los Angeles Angels as he went 2-for-4 and secured his first stolen base of his career. Simpson has made it hard to keep him out of the lineup with his offensive and defensive performances and he provides that spark that the Rays feed off of.
If Simpson can continue to perform at this level, he could become an everyday player for the Rays and make significant contributions in his first year.
