Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
The Tampa Bay Rays were as shocked as anyone to see right-handed pitcher Ryne Stanek fall to them at the 29th overall pick in the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft. However, there is no question they are excited about all of the possibilities that lie ahead of them. The good news is Stanek is excited about his opportunity as well.
“I would have liked to have gone a little earlier, but I’m not too disappointed, because I got taken in the first round,” Stanek said, according to Raysbaseball.com. “And Tampa’s a great place and a good place for right-handed pitchers and pitchers in general to go and develop. It’s really a good fit for me.”
The 6’4”, 190-pound pitcher is exactly right about that. There really is nowhere better to go than Tampa Bay for a pitcher that wants to develop into a top-notch performer and get a chance to showcase his talents in the big leagues. The Rays have always developed players well, which is why they are consistently in the running for the most competitive division in baseball on a very low budget.
Tampa Bay believes Stanek is a great addition to the organization, and they cannot wait to see what he is capable of on the mound over a lengthy period. The fact is they have kept tabs on him for a long time and dreamed about the possibility of drafting him one day.
“We liked this kid in high school,” scouting director R.J. Harrison told Raysbaseball.com. “We have a good track record with him. We watched him in high school, and we watched him for three years at Arkansas. We feel like we got a really good pitching prospect.”
Stanek features an outstanding fastball that sits in the mid-90s. The velocity is great, but he must focus more on the command of the pitch going forward. He also has a slider and curveball, the latter of which has the potential to be a devastating pitch at the professional level.
