COTUIT, Mass. — Fresh off a NCAA batting title, Georgia Tech’s Chandler Simpson arrived to the Cape Cod Baseball League in June 2022 as one of the top prospects eligible for the upcoming MLB Draft. Simpson joined a Cotuit team loaded with talent—one of the most stacked collegiate rosters assembled this century. Over that summer, the Kettleers’ lineup featured several players who are now among the best young names in professional baseball: Cardinals Opening Day center fielder Victor Scott II, Orioles speedster Enrique Bradfield Jr., Rockies top hitting prospects Kyle Karros and Ryan Ritter, and Reds 2024 All-Star Futures Game MVP Cam Collier, to name a few.
“We were crazy,” Simpson jokes. “We were a really good team.”
During the 44-game regular season, the Kettleers went 23-16-5, tied with the Bourne Braves for the most wins in the Cape League. 2022 Cotuit broadcaster and current NESN Editorial Writer Tim Crowley said, “That first half of the season was one of the most dominant stretches of baseball I’ve ever seen.” From top to bottom in the lineup, pitchers couldn’t afford any mistakes; Cotuit was that rich with talent. Crowley remembered telling another broadcaster, “There’s not much stopping this team.”
Though the season didn’t end how they hoped, falling 2-1 to the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in the playoffs, Cotuit showcased the strength of its player development program. After slashing .455/.510/.523/1.033 in 12 games, Simpson left to prepare for the draft. With the 70th pick, he was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays, beginning his pro journey.
“It’s the best competition. I feel like that was my introduction to pro-ball,” Simpson shared of his time in the Cape League.
From a competitive standpoint, Simpson has never shied away. After two years at UAB, he transferred to Georgia Tech and led the NCAA with a .434 batting average. Then he came to the Cape League and posted an OPS over 1.000 in his first two weeks. In his first full pro season, he stole 94 bases across Single and High-A—tied for most in MiLB.
In 2024, Simpson was heralded the “most fascinating prospect in baseball.” Why? Because with one of the few 80-grade tools in the sport, his speed, he stole 104 bases, a feat not seen in MiLB since 2012.
“I want to get to the point where everyone in the stadium knows that I’m going and there’s literally nothing you can do.”
Simpson finished the 2024 season with 30 more steals than the next closest player: fellow 2022 Kettleer Enrique Bradfield Jr. That’s no accident as Cotuit has long been known for its baserunning development. “Giving Cotuit a player like Chandler Simpson is the definition of a match made in heaven,” Crowley said. “A program like that working with someone who already has 80-grade speed is a cheat code.”
Crowley recalled how teams would approach Cotuit games thinking, “We cannot let Simpson get on base because he’ll take over the game.” He even remembered the Y-D Red Sox employing a bizarre shift just to keep Simpson from reaching or advancing.
Cotuit’s management has long been vocal about perfecting the intricacies of base stealing—concepts like “extra movements, utilizing momentum, and weaponizing any little tell from a pitcher.”
Simpson acknowledged that people often attribute his success solely to his speed but may overlook how much he’s learned about the art of stealing. “One thing I had to grow on was the relentless part of stealing—if you ever think about going back, you’re not getting the extra 90 feet.” He continued:
“There are certain things you have to pick up where speed alone won’t get you there. You’ve got to know the pitcher’s time to the plate, the catcher’s pop time, game situations, the pitcher’s arsenal, and his cadence.” Processing all of that in a split second is what makes Simpson such a dynamic baserunner.
When he’s on base, Simpson focuses on “taking in all those details, narrowing them down to one thing, staying loose, and taking the extra 90 feet whenever it’s there.”
Now with Triple-A Durham, Simpson is on the verge of a big-league call-up. He still talks with former Cotuit teammate Victor Scott II daily, and his Georgia Tech teammate Kristian Campbell just broke camp with the Boston Red Sox. “Everyone I have a good relationship with being in the big leagues—it makes me go that much harder,” Simpson said. “It motivates me even more. I feel like I’m so close. Seeing my dream right there makes me push even more for sure.”
Crowley recently spoke with Scott II who shared what was on his mind about his old Cotuit teammate: “Chandler’s coming soon,” Scott said. “He’s coming.”
Looking back on the 2022 summer, Crowley confirmed, “You’re talking about one of the most talented amateur rosters in recent memory.” Simpson is just one of many who’ve emerged as elite prospects.
“Chandler finds a way to meet the moment, and he’s intertwined in the middle of all these prospects,” Crowley asserted.
Now, for the fastest man in baseball, the Major Leagues are within reach. Chandler Simpson, the most polarizing prospect in the game, is knocking on the door in Tampa Bay.
Photo courtesy of Alysa Rubin
