Tampa Bay Rays Top Prospect Draws Awesome Comparison to Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn

We know that top prospect Chandler Simpson can run, but did you know that his contact skills are elite also?

Tennessee 1st baseman Luc Lipcius (40) tries to get out Georgia Tech's Chandler Simpson during the NCAA Knoxville Regional baseball championship in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sunday, June 5, 2022. / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tampa Bay Rays top prospect Chandler Simpson is the best base stealer in the minor leagues, but did you know that he also has an incredible ability to make contact?

In a piece released by MLB Pipeline on Friday, Simpson drew comparisons to San Diego Padres legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, one of the best contact hitters in baseball history.

He makes coaches and executives raised in the age of analytics rave about his old-school skill-set. He has such elite bat control and a strong enough knack for making contact that he’s been dubbed “Little Tony Gwynn” by Marquis Grissom, the 17-year big leaguer who was a contemporary of the actual Tony Gwynn.

"If he hits the ball on the ground, you might as well just eat it and call him safe."

Chandler Simpson brings 80-grade wheels and a .355 AVG in 2024 to the #Rays system.

More on the OF whose bat-to-ball skills earned a Tony Gwynn comp: https://t.co/Uquw9VyDYb pic.twitter.com/RYFGequdJB

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) February 21, 2025

The 24-year-old Simpson is ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in the Rays organization, per MLB.com. In addition to his game-breaking speed and his 104 steals, he also hit .355 in 110 games last year. He posted a .410 on-base percentage. He doesn't possess much in the way of power, having hit just one home run in his professional career, but that speed and his ability to make contact should keep him around for years to come.

In 1,042 plate appearances over 233 Minor League games, Simpson has drawn 104 walks and struck out only 91 times. He puts the ball in play and lets what he calls his “God-given talent” take care of the rest.

The Rays are coming off a year in which they went 80-82, finishing fourth in the American League East and missing the playoffs. While it's unclear if Simpson can make the roster out of spring training, he is expected to debut at some point this season.

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