\n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550,"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"cooper-kinney-no-34-overall-pick-signs-with-rays\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.2":{"data":{"type":"id","generated":true,"id":"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"cooper-kinney-no-34-overall-pick-signs-with-rays\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.2.data","typename":"ExternalEmbedContent"},"type":"oembed","__typename":"ExternalEmbed"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"cooper-kinney-no-34-overall-pick-signs-with-rays\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.3":{"content":" \n\n \n\nKinney is a bat-first infielder with power to all fields and an advanced approach for a high school hitter. The left-handed hitter batted .480/.539/.990 with 10 homers and 19 doubles in 31 games during his senior season at The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., earning him the state’s Mr. Baseball Award and Tennessee’s Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year honors. Amateur scouting director Rob Metzler previously said that Kinney will work at second and third base as he enters the Rays’ system.","type":"markdown","__typename":"Markdown"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"cooper-kinney-no-34-overall-pick-signs-with-rays\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.4":{"contentDate":"2021-05-18T21:49:35.54Z","description":"Cooper Kinney combines a simple left-handed stroke with plenty of bat speed and a mature approach to repeatedly barrel balls","duration":"00:00:44","slug":"2021-draft-cooper-kinney-2b","source":null,"tags":[{"type":"id","generated":true,"id":"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"cooper-kinney-no-34-overall-pick-signs-with-rays\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.4.tags.0","typename":"Tag"}],"templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/{formatInstructions}/mlb/rht1rvwmv10fznloondw","title":"2021 Draft: Cooper Kinney, 2B","type":"video","url":"/video/2021-draft-cooper-kinney-2b","__typename":"Video"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"cooper-kinney-no-34-overall-pick-signs-with-rays\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.4.tags.0":{"slug":"mlb-draft","title":"MLB Draft","__typename":"Tag"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"cooper-kinney-no-34-overall-pick-signs-with-rays\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.5":{"content":"Kinney made the trip south to St. Petersburg with his entire immediate family and said it was special to share such a “life-changing” moment with them.\n\n“It’s been nothing but just exciting. I’m blessed to be here. I’m nothing but excited to be here,” Kinney said. “I’m really proud to be here and super excited. Really glad that the Rays took a chance on me.”\n\nThe Rays remain optimistic that they will sign their other top picks, including Williams. The deadline to sign picks from this year’s Draft is Aug. 1.\n\n**Around the horn** \n• High-leverage right-hander