Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 20 | Run: 80 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45 

Simpson topped Conference USA in stolen bases (24) and strikeout rate (8 percent) while at Alabama-Birmingham last spring. As an encore during the summer, he set a Northwoods League record with 55 swipes in 51 games while also finishing second in the batting race at .377. After transferring back home to Georgia Tech, he has displayed perhaps the best speed in the Draft and outstanding contact skills while leading NCAA Division I in batting at .433. 

Simpson comes with an extreme offensive profile, with multiple evaluators joking that he has 90 speed and 10 power on the 20-80 scouting scale. He can get from the left side of the plate to first base in less than 3.8 seconds after taking a full swing, and his quickness allows him to beat out routine grounders and run wild on the bases. He has tremendous feel for the barrel and rarely swings and misses, and he's also doing a better job of drawing walks this spring. 

Although he understands his game is to get on base and create havoc once he does, Simpson lacks strength and produces low exit velocities and a lot of soft opposite-field contact. While he has more than enough quickness and the instincts to play shortstop, his slingy arm action detracts from his throws and will dictate a position change. He played second base at UAB but likely is destined for center field, where his speed could make him a plus defender.

Scouting grades: Hit: 70 | Power: 20 | Run: 80 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Simpson might be the most intriguing player in the Minors, or at least the most unique, because of a throwback skill set that defies some modern standards for prospect evaluation. The joke before the 2022 Draft was that, on the traditional scouting scale, the former Georgia Tech infielder had 90 speed and 10 power. He hasn’t done anything to disabuse anyone of that notion, stealing 94 bases in 2023 (tied for most in the Minors) and an MiLB-leading 104 in ’24 without hitting a single home run over the fence. Will the slap-hitting speedster’s style work in the Majors? The Rays are counting on it.

There will always be concerns about Simpson’s lack of power, especially as he faces tougher pitching in the upper levels. But he’s put on some muscle in pro ball to improve his bat speed, strength and endurance, and he led all full-season Minor Leaguers with a .355 average in ’24. That’s partly a result of his speed, of course, as even a high-enough chopper -- much less a well-placed bunt -- can easily turn into an infield hit. But it’s also a product of his feel for the strike zone and ability to make contact, as he had more walks (44) than strikeouts (43) in High-A and Double-A last year. Plus, his top-of-the-scale speed effectively allows him to turn his walks and singles into doubles or triples.

As perhaps the fastest man in baseball, Simpson will be held to a high standard defensively -- one he may not yet meet entering only his third full season as an outfielder. Primarily a second baseman in college, Simpson is still learning the nuances of center field. That may occasionally be evident in the form of bad jumps of misread balls, offering a reminder that not every 80-grade runner is an 80-grade outfielder. But he has improved over time and shown a desire to keep getting better, a sign of his plus makeup, and his speed can cover a lot of mistakes in the outfield. At worst, he’ll reach the Majors and be must-see TV anytime he’s on base. If he puts it all together, he could be a high-average hitter with unmatched basestealing ability and an impactful defender at a premium position.

Scouting grades: Hit: 65 | Power: 20 | Run: 80 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Simpson isn’t the best prospect in the Rays’ system, but he might be the most fascinating. Evaluators joked before the 2022 Draft that on the traditional 20-80 scouting scale, Simpson possessed 90 speed and 10 power. The second-round pick’s full-season debut supported that stance, as he stole 94 bases (tied for most in the Minor Leagues) and hit no home runs. Even internally, there was some skepticism about how his profile might play in the professional ranks, but the Rays are all-in on the former Georgia Tech speedster now.

For one, Simpson’s speed is truly game-changing on the basepaths and should allow him to not only reach the big leagues, but stick around. But he also makes a ton of contact, which helped him hit .294 and record more walks (54) than strikeouts (44) for Single-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green last year. There are obvious questions about whether he’ll hit enough and generate enough impact against higher-level pitching to hold down a regular role, and he slugged just .345 last year. But he put on muscle in the offseason and reported to preseason camps with improved bat speed, hitting the ball about four mph harder than he did in 2023. Following that, he's been elite at putting the ball in play at High-A and Double-A in 2024, generating low K rates and high averages, but the power concerns remain.

Primarily a second baseman in college, Simpson moved to the outfield with the Rays and has taken well to center. He’s still learning the position, but his speed will give him excellent range as his instincts improve -- and he’s shown a desire to get better there. He spent some time late last season with Triple-A Durham shadowing Billy Hamilton, one of the few players who could explain how Simpson can make the most out of his wheels. That speed gives Simpson a relatively high floor, perhaps a Hamilton-type career built around baserunning and defense, but he also might have a higher ceiling than initially anticipated.

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 20 | Run: 80 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Simpson is an outlier in every sense of the word, a player with a skill set rarely seen in today’s game. On the traditional 20-80 scouting scale, evaluators joke, he has 90 speed and 10 power. He’s that fast and that unlikely to hit balls over the fence. But he also makes a ton of contact, with excellent bat-to-ball ability, so he’s not exactly a speed-and-defense specialist. The Rays bet on his unique profile in the 2022 Draft, selecting him 70th overall out of Georgia Tech and signing him for a below-slot bonus of $750,000.

Simpson will be a project for Tampa Bay’s player development staff, but he has the tools to work with and a good idea how to accentuate his best traits. He led Conference USA with 24 steals and an 8 percent strikeout rate while at Alabama-Birmingham, set a Northwoods League record with 55 stolen bases and hit .377 in that league. He had arguably the best speed in his Draft class as a true top-of-the-scale runner, and led NCAA Division I by batting .433 at Georgia Tech. He can get to first base in less than 3.8 seconds even after taking a full swing, which allows him to slap grounders to the opposite field and turn them into singles, at which point he can wreak havoc on the basepaths. Simpson lacks strength, leading to soft contact and low exit velocities, but he rarely swings and misses.

Jones had the instincts and quickness to handle a middle-infield role, but his slingy arm action played a part in him moving to the outfield. He’s still raw out there with his reads, but obviously has the speed to track down just about anything. Maybe there’s a Billy Hamilton-type career ahead of Simpson, perhaps more if his bat-to-ball skills make him a contributor offensively.

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 20 | Run: 80 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45 

Simpson topped Conference USA in stolen bases (24) and strikeout rate (8 percent) while at Alabama-Birmingham last spring. As an encore during the summer, he set a Northwoods League record with 55 swipes in 51 games while also finishing second in the batting race at .377. After transferring back home to Georgia Tech, he has displayed perhaps the best speed in the Draft and outstanding contact skills while leading NCAA Division I in batting at .433. The Rays selected the Yellow Jackets star 70th overall and signed him for below slot at $750,000.

Simpson comes with an extreme offensive profile, with multiple evaluators joking that he has 90 speed and 10 power on the 20-80 scouting scale. He can get from the left side of the plate to first base in less than 3.8 seconds after taking a full swing, and his quickness allows him to beat out routine grounders and run wild on the bases. He has tremendous feel for the barrel and rarely swings and misses, and he also did a better job of drawing walks this spring. 

Although he understands his game is to get on base and create havoc once he does, Simpson lacks strength, producing low exit velocities and a lot of soft opposite-field contact. While he has more than enough quickness and the instincts to play shortstop, his slingy arm action detracts from his throws and will dictate a position change. He played second base at UAB but likely is destined for center field, where his speed could make him a plus defender.

Awards

MiLB Awards All-MiLB Prospect Second Team

Year	Team
2024

SOU Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2024

Baseball America Double-A All-Star

Year	Team
2024

Futures Game Selection

Year	Team
2024

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

CAR Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/06/2025	activated SS Chandler Simpson.
	01/30/2025	Tampa Bay Rays invited non-roster SS Chandler Simpson to spring training.
	07/14/2024	American League Futures activated SS Chandler Simpson.
	05/21/2024	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to Montgomery Biscuits from Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	04/02/2024	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	04/02/2024	Bowling Green Hot Rods activated SS Chandler Simpson.
	03/26/2024	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to Tampa Bay Rays.
	03/07/2024	Tampa Bay Rays Prospects activated SS Chandler Simpson.
	09/29/2023	Durham Bulls activated SS Chandler Simpson.
	09/19/2023	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to Durham Bulls from Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	08/08/2023	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to Bowling Green Hot Rods from Charleston RiverDogs.
	04/04/2023	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to Charleston RiverDogs from FCL Rays.
	03/27/2023	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to Tampa Bay Rays.
	03/27/2023	SS Chandler Simpson roster status changed by Tampa Bay Rays.
	08/09/2022	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to FCL Rays.
	08/08/2022	Tampa Bay Rays signed SS Chandler Simpson.
	06/11/2022	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to College Workout.
	06/11/2022	College Workout activated SS Chandler Simpson.
	05/24/2022	SS Chandler Simpson assigned to Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
	05/24/2022	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets activated SS Chandler Simpson.