Chandler Simpson is ready to try to break the sound barrier at the MLB level.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported on Friday that the Tampa Bay Rays are calling up outfielder Chandler Simpson. The move comes as the 8-11 Rays just placed fellow outfielder Richie Palacios on the injured list due to a knee issue in a corresponding move.
Simpson, a 24-year-old left-handed hitter who can play at shortstop as well as in the outfield, has already gained a reputation as the fastest man in baseball. He stole a whopping 104 bases in 110 minor-league games last season, and had swiped another eight in just 17 games for Triple-A Durham this season.
A second-round pick by the Rays in the 2022 MLB Draft, Simpson already has a ridiculous 214 stolen bases to his name at the minor-league level. He is also plenty nifty with his bat, posting a .324 batting average with a .760 OPS over his four total seasons in the minors.
Meanwhile, the highlights that Simpson has produced (beyond just the stolen bags) are staggering. Earlier this month, he turned a routine grounder to the left side into a base hit and then followed that up by beating out an even crazier ball hit to the first baseman.
Simpson has an attitude that fans will love too as he recently went viral for some fantastic comments that he made about his goals as a player. Now Simpson will be getting a chance to achieve those goals as an official MLB player for the Rays.
