May 31, 2009 at 9:59 PM
Red Sox Draft Preview: Part 1 of 8
The 2009 MLB Amateur Draft is set to get underway on the evening of June 9, and we will be previewing the draft in seven daily parts until then, followed by live, up-to-the-minute coverage on Draft Day. In the first segment, we preview the Draft’s new prime time format, in addition to providing some general draft information.
Prior to the 2007 season, the draft took place behind closed doors via conference call. The best draft fans could hope for was to follow along online using MLB.com’s draft tracker. In 2007, Major League Baseball, in the hopes of following the ratings success of the NBA and NFL drafts, decided to televise the Draft on ESPN2 and MLB.tv. Still, day one of the 2007 Draft got underway at 2:00 pm ET, a far cry from prime viewing hours. Day 2 - rounds 6-50 - was not televised. The 2008 Draft followed the same format. While these drafts were not ratings blockbusters, televising the draft in those first years was mostly intended as a catalyst towards future interest.
This year, the draft is going prime time. The first round will be broadcast live from MLB’s Studio 42 on the MLB Network beginning at 6:00 pm ET on Tuesday, June 9. Day One will consist of rounds 1-3, including the supplemental compensation rounds after the first and third rounds. While the first round will be broadcast live on the MLB Network, the remainder of Day One will be broadcast via live video stream on MLB.com, with added coverage on MLB Tonight. Additionally, the draft has now been spread over three days. The latter two days can be followed on MLB.com - Day Two will start at noon on June 10, starting with the fourth round and going approximately through the 30th round, and Day Three will take place on June 11, concluding with the 50th round.
First Round Order
1. Washington
2. Seattle
3. San Diego
4. Pittsburgh
5. Baltimore
6. San Francisco
7. Atlanta
8. Cincinnati
9. Detroit
10. Washington
11. Colorado
12. Kansas City
13. Oakland
14. Texas
15. Cleveland
16. Arizona
17. Arizona
18. Florida
19. St. Louis
20. Toronto
21. Houston
22. Minnesota
23. Chicago White Sox
24. LA Angels
25. LA Angels
26. Milwaukee
27. Seattle
28. Boston
29. NY Yankees
30. Tampa Bay
31. Chicago Cubs
32. Colorado
Red Sox Day One Picks
28 - First Round
77 - Second Round
107 - Third Round
Red Sox Day Two & Three Picks
138 - Fourth Round
168 - Fifth Round
27th pick in rounds 6-50 (30 picks per round)
Informational links
Preview Schedule
June 2: Red Sox recent draft history, potential logjams, and areas of weakness
June 3: Players linked to the Red Sox
June 4: Draft Preview Podcast
June 5: High School players that could slip due to signability
June 6: First Round Mock Draft