Rays Land Top Draft Pick Grady Emerson | Tampa Bay Rays News

The Tampa Bay Rays just made baseball history by signing top draft pick Grady Emerson, the second overall selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, to a jaw-dropping $9.75 million bonus—the largest ever for a high school player and second-highest in draft history. Emerson, hailed as the best pure hitter in this year’s class, is just 18 and poised to skyrocket up the Rays’ prospect rankings once he begins his pro career. With this move, the bonus leaderboard has flipped—Emerson now tops Vahn Lackey, who signed for $9.49 million. This signing signals a new era in MLB draft compensation, showcasing just how elite the talent pool has become. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/355ebcda55544119