Fast-rising -- and fleet-footed! -- prospect acquired in Baz deal soaring up Rays rankings
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How do you climb 16 spots in your organization’s Top 30 Prospects list despite missing a month of the season? In Austin Overn’s case, you start crushing baseballs.
The newly-minted Rays’ No. 9 prospect cemented his ascendance with a grand slam on Friday in Double-A Montgomery’s 9-8 walk-off victory over Birmingham at DABOS Park.
The grand slam, which was Overn’s second of the season, illustrates the change in approach he implemented following the 2025 campaign.
“Basically the whole entire season, I struggled hitting fastballs. I was late, clipping it, foul-tipping heaters down the middle,” Overn said. “The only thing I worked on this offseason was hitting high velocity off the machine, just trying to get my timing down.”
The results were immediate with two multihomer games through the first month and change of play. But an injury sidelined the 23-year-old for all of June, halting progress at the plate.
“I kind of went away from it the past two weeks and haven’t been hitting as well,” Overn said of his approach. “I literally made that adjustment today.”
A four-sport star in high school, Overn’s athleticism cannot be overstated. A mainstay on the baseball team, he also dabbled in basketball, football and track and field, earning accolades in two of the three. Despite only spending one season on the gridiron, Overn earned a walk-on spot on USC’s football roster as a wide receiver, along with a scholarship to play baseball. While he didn’t appear in a football game in his one season, he made an immediate impact on the diamond, earning Freshman All-American honors. With an even more notable second season, it’s no surprise that he caught the attention of Major League scouts as a Draft-eligible sophomore. He was selected by the Orioles in the third round in 2024, 97th overall.
After spending his first two seasons in the Baltimore organization, Overn was traded last offseason to Tampa Bay with a slew of other prospects for pitcher Shane Baz. Already equipped with a 75-grade run tool and a 70-grade field tool, the areas of opportunity upon joining the Rays were clear. As Overn tells it, it’s been a perfect fit as he’s made adjustments to improve his power and ability to hit for extra bases.
“I feel like mentally, it’s nice to know that your staff has your back,” he said of his time with the organization.
Slashing .303/.382/.525, Overn is in the midst of his most complete season at the plate -- but not at the expense of his other plus-plus tools. He’s still elite in the outfield and on the basepaths; he recorded his 43rd and 44th stolen bases of the season on Friday, which places him in second in the Southern League.
So what’s next for Overn? For now, he’s content so long as he’s in the lineup.
“My main goal right now is just to stay healthy," he said. "As weird as it sounds, I was injured for a little bit and honestly don’t have any goals I want to put out there other than just finding a way to be available for the team.”