Louisville outfielder Corey Ray was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night with the fifth overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft.
Brewers take OF Corey Ray with 5th pick in 2016 MLB Draft
The 6-foot, 190-pound left-hander hit .319/.396/.562 in his junior season in 2016, with 16 doubles, 15 home runs and 44 stolen bases. Ray was ranked by Baseball America in May as the sixth-best prospect entering the draft.
Ray was tabbed as a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy in 2016, awarded annually by writers to the top player in college baseball. Ray was originally drafted out of Simeon High School in Chicago in 2013 by the Seattle Mariners in the 33rd round, but he did not sign.
He envisions himself at the top of the batting order in the majors.
“Leadoff hitter… I love leadoff. I practically had to beg Coach Mac to lead me off this year,” Ray told Chuck Wasserstrom of MLB Trade Rumors in April. “Just being that table setter … I think in the leadoff spot I can be more dangerous because when I’m on base and there aren’t any out, I can pick which pitches to steal and what situation I want to steal in.”
Our own John Sickels at Minor League Ball was pleased with Ray’s improved plate discipline, among other things, from 2015 to 2016.
“He’s added two inches of height and some 20 pounds of muscle since high school, without losing any of his plus running speed or athletic flexibility. His defense still needs some polish but he runs well enough to handle center field with more reps; his arm is a tick above-average,” Sickels wrote. “If he loses speed and can’t stay in center, he has enough pop in his bat to avoid being labeled as a tweener. His swing is simple and repeatable and he’s eased any concerns about high strikeout rates this spring.”
The No. 5 overall pick carries with it an allotted slot value of $4,382,200, per MLB.com.
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