Rays hope first-rounder Stanek has quick trip up

HOUSTON -- Rays executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Andrew Friedman said he hoped for a quick trip to the big league club for first-round Draft pick Ryne Stanek.

The Rays signed the right-handed pitcher Tuesday. Stanek was the Rays' second selection in the first round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft and the No. 29 overall pick.

He was scheduled to begin workouts Wednesday at the team's Spring Training complex in Port Charlotte, Fla.

"We think he's got really good stuff and the ingredients in place to get to the Major League level," Friedman said. "The core ingredients are in place for him to be really good. So now it's about molding and making him a finished product and get him here as quickly as we can."

Stanek, 21, was ranked by MLB.com as the No. 12 overall prospect in the Draft.

He was also named the top prospect from the Southeastern Conference by Baseball America and Perfect Game. As a junior at the University of Arkansas, he went 10-2 with a 1.39 ERA in 16 starts. For his college career, he went 22-8 with a 2.55 ERA in 48 appearances (45 starts).

The right-hander was selected as the preseason SEC Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America, named to the midseason watch list for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and a selected as a preseason All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Perfect Game. In 2012, he pitched for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

Friedman said the plan was to get Stanek's feet wet before a heavy workload next spring.

The Kansas native was previously selected by the Seattle Mariners in the third round (99th overall) of the 2010 Draft. He was named after Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg despite being born into a family of St. Louis Cardinals fans.

The Rays have now signed 33 of their 41 picks from the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft.