Rays Sign Grady Emerson to Record-Breaking Bonus
Grady Emerson, the Rays’ No. 2 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, signed a $9.75 million bonus—the highest ever for a high school draftee and the second-largest in MLB history—as Tampa Bay bets on a bright farm-system future. Analysts tout him as one of the draft’s best pure hitters with plus defense, likely challenging for top prospect status within the Rays’ organization soon.