June 8, 2010 at 1:27 PM
Red Sox select Garin Cecchini in the fourth round
With the team's fourth-round pick, the 143rd overall in the draft, the Red Sox have selected Garin Cecchini, a shortstop out of Barbe HS in Louisiana. This is the second straight round the Red Sox have taken a shortstop out of high school with their pick. This is yet another selection where there are question marks as to whether or not the player will actually sign.Cecchini is listed at 6'3" and 215 pounds, a big body for a shortstop at the major league level, so he could move to a corner infield position. Cecchini had ACL surgery in the spring and missed a substantial portion of the 2010 season. Scouts had projected him as a late-first round pick had he not been injured. During his junior season, Cecchini hit .402 with 52 runs, 10 doubles, 6 home runs, 43 RBI and 53 steals.
He has plus bat speed and projects to hit for both contact and power, so his bat should play at third base if he needs to move there. His speed is average at best, probably below-average accounting for the injury. Defensively, he has solid hands and a plus arm. A strong commitment to LSU makes it uncertain that he will sign, and he will probably require a large signing bonus.