The Rays added one of the highest-upside power bats in the high school class by selecting Collin Bland, a corner OF/1B from Houston High School (Tenn.), with the 113th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. A Vanderbilt commit, Bland stands out physically at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, possessing some of the best raw power in the entire draft class – evaluators project his power to eventually develop into a true plus-plus tool.
While Bland’s offensive profile comes with some risk due to swing-and-miss tendencies, the Rays are betting on their player development staff to help unlock his immense power in game action. Tampa Bay has found success refining hitters’ approaches throughout the system, and if Bland can improve his contact rate without sacrificing his elite strength, he has the potential to become one of the more impactful power hitters from this draft class.
