The Tampa Bay Rays have signed right-hander Ryne Stanek, the team announced Tuesday.
Stanek was selected in the first round, No. 29 overall, in the MLB draft June 6. He will begin workouts Wednesday at the Rays' spring training complex in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Stanek, who played at Arkansas, went 10-2 with a 1.39 ERA in 16 starts as a junior. For his college career, he was 22-8 with a 2.55 ERA in 48 appearances (45 starts).
At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, he has a fastball that ranges from 92-98 mph. Scouts have said his mechanics need polishing, and some envision him as a closer or setup man.
"I would have liked to go earlier, but I can’t say I’m too disappointed,” Stanek said on draft night. “I still got taken in the first round, and Tampa is a great place, and it’s a good place for right-handed pitchers and pitchers in general to go and develop. So I think it’s a good fit for me.”
Previously, the Seattle Mariners took Stanek in the third round, No. 99 overall, in the 2010 draft. The Rays have signed 33 of their 41 picks.
