Rays selected Texas Christian 3B Brayden Taylor with the 19th pick of the 2023 MLB Draft.
Taylor launched 23 round-trippers this past season for the Horned Frogs and has been cited by The Athletic’s Keith Law as compiling some of the best batted-ball data in the draft. The 21-year-old third baseman isn’t exceptionally fast, but is still active on the bases, eclipsing 10-plus steals in each of his three collegiate seasons. He’s also displayed excellent plate discipline, drawing a ton of walks. He’s considered likely to stick at third base, but has the ability to move around the infield down the road. He doesn’t exactly have a stand-out tool, but projects as a do-it-all type in the majors, who could be carried by his advanced eye at the plate. Taylor was frequently mentioned as a potential top-10 pick prior to the season, so this is good value for the Rays.