Rays No. 1 draft pick David Price will report to the Rays' low-level Class-A affiliate in Columbus, Ga. next week.

Price, who signed a six-year, $8.5 guaranteed major league contract that could make him $11.25 million, will not likely pitch for the Catfish this season, but he will throw bullpen sessions and get accustomed to professional baseball there. The Rays originally said they were going to assign Price to short-season Class-A Hudson Valley.

Price met with Rays personnel to discuss how he would spend his next two months Friday after throwing a pregame bullpen session. The Rays decided to send Price to Columbus because the Catfish's season ends Sept. 3, four days earlier than Hudson Valley. Price is registered to take 12 credits this fall at Vanderbilt -- he is 36 credits short of his sociology degree -- this fall and classes start there Aug. 29. So that will allow Price to miss less classtime and spend more time in instructional league, which runs from Sept. 17 to Oct. 12.