We will be talking about what Richie Shaffer can give the Tampa Bay Rays around noon, but I had another thought for right now. Much is unclear about what Shaffer will become, but there is one thing that we can say without question: Shaffer made it to the major leagues right about on schedule. No other Rays first round pick since David Price in 2007 can make that claim.
Shaffer’s path to his major league debut certainly wasn’t what anyone expected, at least from his second season on. For his first year, he went to Hudson Valley and was their best position player by a large margin.