Daniel

Pierce

That comes in at $1 million under the projected slot value for the 14th overall selection in the draft, which gives the Rays some extra wiggle room as they attempt to sign the remainder of their draft class. Pierce, a slick-fielding 18-year-old shortstop, has one of the highest floors in the 2025 draft class, though his ceiling may ultimately be capped by his limited power projection.

Pierce is one of the more intriguing shortstop prospects in a class that is full of quality ones, as there’s a chance that there’s four plus tools when he’s done developing. He’s a right-handed hitter who sprays line drives to all parts of the park, and once on base, his plus speed should make him a significant stolen-base threat at the highest level as long as he gets on base enough to be one. Pierce is also a solid defender at shortstop with more than enough arm strength to play up the middle, so you can see why so many believe he has one of the higher floors in this class. Because his swing is built for contact and he doesn’t have a projectable frame, there’s questions about the ceiling since there isn’t a ton of power projection.