Grady Emerson, North Texas high school baseball phenom, selected No. 2 overall in the MLB Draft
The Tampa Bay Rays selected North Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson with the second pick in Saturday's MLB Draft.
Just 18 years old, the 6-3, 185-pound Emerson bats left, throws right and is widely considered the best all-around player in the draft. A University of Texas commit, Emerson transferred to Fort Worth Christian for his senior year, when he played under head coach Rusty Greer, a nine-year MLB veteran who spent nine seasons with the Texas Rangers.
Emerson earned the 2026 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year after posting a .532 batting average with seven home runs, 50 RBIs and 31 steals. The Argyle native has also competed with USA Baseball on the 15U and 18U national teams.
Emerson spoke with CBS Sports Texas' Johnny Resendiz earlier this spring, saying he models his game after Bobby Witt, Jr., another shortstop from North Texas who developed his game under Greer. Witt was also selected No. 2 overall, and was just named to his third MLB All Star Game in five seasons with the Kansas City Royals.
"I went to watch him when I was 10 years old when he was playing his last year of high school baseball at Colleyville," Emerson said of Witt. "Getting the opportunity to sit down with him and Rusty at lunch was like a very big eye-opener for me."
Greer told CBS Sports Texas that Emerson's potential goes beyond hitting, running and throwing.
"Once you become drafted and that becomes your job, you have to learn how to navigate those waters. You have to have that work ethic, which Grady does, to work and do what's necessary to go into spring training to make that next club or make the big league roster," Greer said.
