When it involves the MLB Draft, it certain looks as if the Red Sox have a kind.
Since Chaim Bloom took over the entrance workplace in late 2019 the Red Sox have drafted a highschool shortstop with their first decide in three consecutive drafts. Nick Yorke was Bloom’s first decide at No. 17 general in 2020, Marcelo Mayer adopted at No. 4 in 2021, and final summer time Mikey Romero continued the development at No. 24.
All three now rank among the many membership’s prime prospects, and Mayer particularly is thought to be a prime 10 prospect in all of baseball.
Will the Red Sox make it 4 in a row at this weekend’s 2023 MLB Draft? Though it won’t be a excessive schooler, historical past suggests the membership will goal an infielder at No. 14 general, or on the very least a place participant.
That’s a development that even predates Bloom’s arrival.
According to a helpful table compiled by the indispensable @RedSoxStats on Twitter, the Red Sox have paid $1 million or extra in bonus cash to 11 draft picks since 2018, the yr after Boston took right-hander Tanner Houck within the first spherical. All 11 of these have been place gamers, and 9 have been out of highschool.
You need to go all the way in which right down to 14 on that record earlier than you attain the primary pitcher (Shane Drohan, fifth-round in 2020, $600,000), and out of the 34 gamers who’ve even gotten $200,000 in bonus cash, solely three have been highschool pitchers.
Needless to say, the Red Sox have made it fairly clear what they worth as a corporation over the previous 5 or 6 years. Considering that this yr’s draft class is taken into account one of many deepest in current reminiscence and is filled with premium infield expertise, the Red Sox ought to have their decide of the litter in the event that they as soon as once more select to go to that properly.
So who precisely may they draft? Here are a number of potentialities:
Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland
If there’s a consensus decide who the Red Sox may take, Maryland’s Matt Shaw is it. The faculty shortstop has been projected for the Red Sox by various shops and appears to test each field the membership values in high-level prospects.
For starters, Shaw can actually hit. This previous yr the 5-foot-11 shortstop batted .341 with 24 residence runs, 69 RBI, extra walks (43) than strikeouts (42), 18 stolen bases, 80 runs scored and a 1.142 OPS in 62 video games largely in opposition to Big Ten competitors. He additionally hit 22 residence runs as a sophomore and final summer time put up monster numbers for Bourne within the Cape Cod Baseball League.
“Shaw has a closed stance and large leg kick but his bat speed and strength allow him to drive the ball to all fields with authority,” writes Baseball America, who ranked Shaw No. 13 on its prime 500 prospect rankings. “He wore out the right-center gap with home run power as a junior, with a 90th percentile exit velocity around 107 mph.”
Defensively Shaw doesn’t have an incredible arm and will doubtlessly transfer to second base as soon as he reaches the minor leagues, however his bat may give him All-Star upside.
Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU
Another faculty infielder Boston may goal is TCU’s Brayden Taylor, Baseball America’s No. 14-ranked prospect and who was projected to the Red Sox by The Athletic’s Keith Law in his most up-to-date mock draft.
“Taylor has a very pretty left-handed swing with good loft in the finish to drive the ball in the air, with some of the best batted-ball data in the college class, from launch angle to hard-hit rates and more,” Law wrote.
A profession .315 hitter in three seasons of school ball, Taylor’s energy took a serious step ahead this previous spring as he jacked a career-high 23 residence runs for the Horned Frogs. He additionally stole 14 bases, posted an OPS of 1.061, walked (54) almost as many instances as he struck out (60) and loved a monster Big 12 Tournament, going 8 for 16 with 4 doubles and three residence runs.
Like Shaw, Taylor’s worth is primarily tied to his bat, however he’s additionally thought of a stable to common defender at third with a good arm.
Thomas White, LHP, Phillips Academy (Mass.)
This could be essentially the most thrilling decide the Red Sox may doubtlessly make, nevertheless it additionally is likely to be among the many impossible. The Red Sox haven’t drafted a highschool pitcher within the first spherical since Jay Groome in 2016, and as laid out above, they haven’t invested in highschool pitchers to any vital diploma over the previous few years since then.
That being mentioned, White might be a particular case. The Rowley native burst onto the nationwide scene earlier than his freshman yr and has constantly ranked among the many prime pitchers in his class. The 6-foot-5 lefty, a Vanderbilt commit, can hit 97 mph on the radar gun, has robust off-speed choices and is by all accounts among the many prime baseball prospects to ever come out of Massachusetts.
“If you want to imagine a lefty turning into Cole Hamels or whoever it is, Thomas White has given you all of the raw pieces you need to project that,” ESPN draft guru Kiley McDaniel mentioned on a convention name earlier this week.
The indisputable fact that White is a hometown child could be the icing on the cake, and he’s even broadly projected to go within the No. 10-15 vary, proper in Boston’s wheelhouse. The downside is even one of the best highschool pitching prospects are removed from a certain factor, so would the Red Sox make such a dangerous guess even when the upside is a possible ace?
Probably not, however for what it’s price, Red Sox vice chairman of scouting, improvement and integration Gus Quattlebaum mentioned final month they wouldn’t draw back from taking an elite highschool pitcher in the event that they felt he was the suitable one.
Maybe White might be that man?
Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS (Fla.)
If the Red Sox do make it 4 straight highschool shortstops within the first spherical, they’ll have various engaging prospects to select from. The most unusual is likely to be Arjun Nimmala, a power-hitting shortstop from the Tampa Bay space who at 17 is among the many youngest gamers within the draft.
The son of Indian immigrants, Nimmala performed cricket rising up together with baseball and various different sports activities, and since dedicating himself to baseball he’s emerged as a can’t miss prospect who boasts enormous uncooked energy regardless of a slender 6-foot-1, 170-pound body, together with wonderful defensive skills and spectacular baseball instincts.
“He could become a face-of-the-sport star that defines a franchise that opens up India to Major League Baseball,” McDaniel mentioned. “He could be so many things, and he could also not make the big leagues. Like, he could be almost anything, which is really exciting to watch.”
Nimmala has been in comparison with former Yankees and Rangers star Alfonso Soriano, a free-swinging seven-time All-Star, and can also be dedicated to Florida State. He ranks No. 17 on Baseball America’s huge board.
Colin Houck, SS, Parkview HS (Ga.)
A two-sport standout who additionally ranks as a three-star quarterback on the gridiron, Houck is one other extremely regarded highschool shortstop who can influence the sport on the plate, within the area and on the bottom paths.
“He’s a polished hitter who only proved his hitting chops over the showcase circuit and hit .487/.589/.981 this spring with eight home runs,” writes Baseball America, which has Houck ranked No. 21 on its board. “While most of Houck’s in-game power has been gap oriented and mostly of the doubles and triples variety, he does show the ability to turn on pitches and homer to the pull side, with average or better power potential in the future as he fills out his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame.”
Athletically Houck has all of the instruments you’d need, boasting nice reflexes, stable arm energy and the power to maneuver laterally, a mixture that permits him to make all method of performs. Houck is dedicated to Mississippi State.
Aidan Miller, 3B, Mitchell HS (Fla.)
Projected to the Red Sox by MLB Pipeline, Aidan Miller is one other highschool infielder from the Tampa Bay space who has distinguished himself from an early age. Though Miller missed a whole lot of time this previous spring with a damaged hamate bone in his hand, he’s among the many most completed gamers in his class, having represented Team USA on the 12U, 15U and 18U ranges.
“He is one of the best pure hitters in the high school class and has thunderous bat speed, a sound approach, advanced understanding of the strike zone and plus raw power projections—making him a fairly complete offensive player,” Baseball America writes.
ESPN’s McDaniel just lately in contrast Miller to Yankees third baseman and former MVP Josh Donaldson, saying he’s regarded like a future first-round decide since he first acquired to highschool. The query with Miller is whether or not or not he’ll stick at third base or if he’ll finally transfer to a nook outfield place. He’s additionally among the many older gamers in his class at 19 and could be sophomore-draft eligible if he decides to honor his dedication to Arkansas.
Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt
What if the Red Sox determined to take an outfielder? If Boston wished to go that route, Vanderbilt’s Enrique Bradfield Jr. boasts an attractive skillset highlighted by his top-of-the-scale velocity.
A 21-year-old who beforehand attended the identical highschool as Triston Casas (American Heritage HS), Bradfield was a profession .311 hitter who stole 130 bases in three seasons at Vanderbilt. He additionally has a wonderful eye on the plate, strolling extra instances than he struck out in all three of his faculty seasons, and on prime of that he’s additionally thought to be a wonderful defensive heart fielder with Gold Glove upside.
Baseball America in contrast him to former Florida Marlins nice Juan Pierre, and ESPN’s McDaniel described him as a man who may doubtlessly fly by means of the minor leagues.
“I think he would be a good defensive replacement and pinch runner and bunter, like today in the big leagues,” McDaniel mentioned.
The principal knock on Bradfield is his lack of energy, however his mixture of velocity and plate self-discipline may make him a nightmare for opposing golf equipment out of the leadoff spot, particularly within the new pitch clock period.
Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee
Though the Red Sox have largely shied away from highschool pitchers, they’ve been far more comfy investing in faculty arms, and Dollander might be among the best suits within the first spherical.
After flying beneath the radar in highschool and beginning his faculty profession at Georgia Southern, Dollander broke out as among the best pitchers in faculty baseball as a sophomore after transferring to Tennessee. He posted a 2.39 ERA with 108 strikeouts and solely 13 walks in 79 innings in 2022, however he couldn’t attain those self same heights once more this previous spring, along with his ERA leaping to 4.75 in 89 innings.
The downside for Dollander was largely his command, although his wonderful slider additionally appeared to lose a few of its chew. Still, he continues to boast wonderful stuff together with a fastball that averages 95-96 mph, so if the Red Sox wished to guess they will work out what went flawed this spring, they may wind up with some of the gifted arms within the draft.
Source: www.bostonherald.com