Biography
Chandler Lenard Simpson (born November 18, 2000) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025.
Amateur career
Simpson attended St. Pius X High School in Georgia. He received one offer to play college baseball at the NCAA Division I level, from the University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB). He entered his true freshman season as the starting shortstop for the UAB Blazers, and played 14 games before it was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. Simpson batted .288 and stole 24 bases as a redshirt freshman. After the season he transferred to Georgia Tech to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. In his only season playing for the Yellow Jackets, Simpson led Division I with a .434 batting average. After the 2022 season he played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Professional career
The Tampa Bay Rays selected Simpson in the Competitive Balance section of the second round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft. He was assigned to the Florida Complex League Rays after signing with the team and batted .370 with eight stolen bases in eight games played.
On April 18, 2025, the Rays promoted Simpson to the major leagues.
International career
Simpson was named to the United States national baseball team for the 2024 WBSC Premier12. He batted .459 with 17 hits in 37 at-bats. Simpson was named to the All-World Team as an outfielder, and led the tournament in stolen bases.