Rays draft Univ. Kentucky 2B/SS Émilien Pitre at No. 58 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft

The team’s second round draft choice plays shortstop for Kentucky.

The Tampa Bay Rays have drafted French-Canadian born SS Émilien Pitre out of the University of Kentucky with the No. 58 selection in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Ostensibly the first “reach” of the 2024 draft, Pitre was ranked 173rd overall on MLB Pipeline. He projects as a second baseman or utility player at the major league level.

MLB Pipeline - 173rd overall - 40 FV

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 30 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

Pitre starred on Canadian provincial teams and played for the national junior team, ranking as Quebec’s best position player prospect in 2021 before heading to college at Kentucky. He played sparingly as a freshman before becoming a catalyst for the Wildcats the past two seasons. One of the better second-base prospects available, he could fit into the first five rounds.

Pitre has a mature approach, working deep counts and concentrating on making all-fields contact so he can get on base. He’s pulling more pitches and producing solid exit velocities in 2024, but he still has a flat left-handed swing that generates a lot of grounders and cuts into his power production. He struggled with wood bats in the Cape Cod League and may top out at 10 homers per season in pro ball.

A solid runner, Pitre is an aggressive basestealer. He has good infield actions and covers a lot of ground at second base, where he’s a quality defender. His fringy-to-average arm strength will limit his effectiveness at shortstop and third base if he winds up in a utility role.