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The Tampa Bay Rays select Ryan Spikes with the #100 overall pick. Their third round pick is a shortstop out of Parkview (Lilburn, Georgia) High School.
This is the third high school infielder the Rays have selected in their first four picks, and they have yet to draft a pitcher.
Spikes has a commitment to the University of Tennessee, and posted a picture of himself in Vols uniform one hour before the Rays selected him, but at this stage of the draft few are unlikely to sign if a team has the confidence to select them.
A 5’9” right handed hitter that has been able to post good exit velocities with wood bats with the ability to stay at shortstop long term, Spikes has plus speed and a plus arm, his two best tools on the field.
Spikes ranks #81 on Kiley McDaniel’s top 200 at ESPN.com, #153 on Baseball America’s Top 500, and #196 on MLB.com’s top 200 but became a late riser after a strong showing at the MLB Draft Combine.
Part of a powerhouse Parkview program that has won three national championships in the last decade, Spikes consistently makes hard contact with wood bats and did so again with three hits in a Wednesday game. He also displayed solid speed and plus arm strength while continuing to improve at shortstop as he gets more experience at the position.
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