Texas baseball star Grady Emerson goes No. 2 overall to Tampa Bay Rays in 2026 MLB Draft

Argyle shortstop Grady Emerson was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, making the North Texas standout one of the first players chosen in this year's draft.Grady Emerson selected No. 2 overall.Emerson attended Fort Worth Christian School and entered the draft as MLB Pipeline's No. 2 overall prospect and was widely regarded as the top high school position player available.The left-handed hitter capped his senior season by batting .532 with a .648 on-base percentage and a 1.013 slugging percentage. He added seven home runs, 50 RBIs and 31 stolen bases while earning Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year honors.Emerson is the highest-drafted Texas high school player in this year's draft and also has an extensive international résumé with USA Baseball, becoming the first player to compete in multiple 15U and 18U National Teams.Former Rangers outfielder Rusty Greer helped developEmerson played for former Texas Rangers outfielder Rusty Gre