Shortly after the Devil Rays selected him with the second pick in the draft, shortstop B. Now he's getting a chance to back up his words. On Aug. And after hitting. He's very young and talented. He could be the next star-quality player in the big leagues.
The 6'3", pound Upton is a five-tool talent with tremendous speed and good discipline at the plate. His 73 walks in the minors last year were the most by any player in the Tampa organization. In 69 games at Durham before being called up, he hit.
Despite his age, the Devil Rays don't expect Upton to be overwhelmed in the majors. He looked comfortable out there. An all-around outstanding athlete, Upton was a quarterback in high school and was recruited by Georgia and Tennessee to play football.
Upton, year-old centerfielder Rocco Baldelli and year-old leftfielder Carl Crawford give the Devil Rays, who were at week's end and on pace to break the franchise record for wins in a season 69 , a promising young nucleus.
What's more, another phenom could be on the way: year-old rightfielder Delmon Young, the No. To be sure, Upton is still a raw talent--he committed three errors in his first 10 games with Tampa Bay--but Piniella and his staff are being patient. Classic Galleries. Sports Illustrated. SI Kids.
