Amazing: Rays pick up pitching help and intriguing catcher on Day 2 of MLB Draft.

The Rays began the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday by picking three up-the-middle position players: outfielder Theo Gillen in the first round, second baseman Émilien Pitre, and shortstop Tyler Bell.

They took a different approach on Day 2, selecting seven pitchers and one intriguing catcher on Monday afternoon.

The Draft will end on Tuesday with Rounds 11-20. Day 3 will start at 2 p.m. ET, with coverage accessible on MLB.com. Here is a look at each of the Rays’ eight Day 2 selections.

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Pick-by-pick breakdown of Day 1 and Day 2

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Round 3, 94th overall: Nathan Flewelling, C, St. Joseph High School (Red Deer, Alberta, Canada)
Slot value is $776,500.
Notable Skill: Flewelling is a highly sought-after left-handed catcher, so his profile is already remarkable. Ranked as the No. 236 draft prospect, his bat is his strength, as he blended a short path to the ball with enough bat speed to create some elite-level exit velocities at the MLB Draft Combine in June. He’s also only 17 years old, so he has plenty of time to gain strength. He’s obviously a raw catcher with no traditional scouting experience given his background, but he has solid attributes and a strong desire to stay behind the plate.

Fun fact: While there have been big league pitchers from the Canadian province of Alberta, including Michael Soroka and Chris Reitsma, according to MLB Pipeline, no high school hitter drafted and signed from the area has ever reached the majors. Flewelling, who has committed to play at Gonzaga, could be the first to do so.

Round 4, 124th overall: Nate Knowles, RHP, William and Mary (Va.)
Slot value is $577,700.
Notable Skill: Knowles, the 219th-ranked draft prospect, will have a shot to start since he possesses a four-pitch mix that includes a 91-95 mph fastball with solid carry up the zone and a hard cutter that tops out at 90 mph with late action. He completes his arsenal with a curveball and a developing changeup. However, he is listed at 6-foot, has some effort in his delivery, and walked 4.4 hitters per nine innings this spring, so he might end up in the bullpen.

By the facts, the 20-year-old went 8-3 with a 2.48 ERA, 112 strikeouts, and 39 walks in 80 innings in 19 starts last season.

Round 5, 157th overall: Jacob Kmatz, RHP, Oregon State.
Slot value is $418,600.
Notable skill: Kmatz has ordinary stuff, according to MLB Pipeline, but it’s difficult to overlook the fact that he went three full seasons as an effective starter in the Beavers’ rotation. The 6-foot-3 21-year-old’s fastball averages 91 mph and reaches 94 mph, but he commands it effectively and complements it with a mid-70s curveball that he can throw for strikes.

By the numbers: This was Kmatz’s most successful season at Oregon State. He was 7-3 with a 3.38 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, 96 strikeouts, and 22 walks in 88 innings over 16 starts.

It can be said: “It’s the combination of things more than the pure stuff that jumps out.” — Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com

Round 6, 186th overall: Janzen Keisel, RHP, Oklahoma State.
Slot value: $326, 000.
Notable skill: The No. 248 Draft prospect features one of the most powerful fastballs in the class, a 93-95 mph heater that can reach 99 with an uncommon combination of low release height, high spin rates, and strong induced vertical break. He also throws a slider and a changeup, but he used his fastball roughly two-thirds of the time for a reason. If he can locate his fastball well enough, he could be a successful reliever relying solely on it.

Round 6, 186th overall: Janzen Keisel, RHP, Oklahoma State.
Slot value: $326, 000.
Notable Skill: The No. 248 Draft prospect has one of the class’s most explosive fastballs, a 93-95 mph heater that can reach 99 with an unusual combination of low release height, high spin rates, and strong induced vertical break. He also throws a slider and a changeup, but he relied on his fastball about two-thirds of the time for a reason. If he can locate his fastball well enough, he could be a good reliever based purely on that.

Round 7, 216th overall: Ryan Andrade, RHP, Pittsburgh.
Slot value is $255,500.
Notable skill: Andrade, the No. 249 Draft prospect, has solid stuff and a four-pitch repertoire, which is typical of a starting pitcher. In fact, he transferred from Rhode Island to Pittsburgh in the hopes of getting a start. When his command is strong, he can defeat batters with a fastball that can reach 96 mph, two breaking balls (his slider grades out higher than his curveball), and a changeup.

Scouts are perplexed by Andrade’s statistics and performance. The apparent problem is his control, as he walked 43 of the 299 batters he faced this spring, which was his best walk rate in his collegiate career. With a 1.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, he may be better suited to the bullpen unless the Rays can significantly improve his command.