July 12, 2013 at 3:40 PM
Red Sox sign fourth-rounder Myles Smith, 36th-rounder Pat Goetze
If the Red Sox failed to sign any hidden gems or late bloomers from the 2013 MLB Draft, they will not have come from the first 10 rounds.
By signing right-handed pitcher Myles Smith, the team's fourth-round pick out of Lee University, in last month's draft, the Red Sox have inked all 10 of their picks from the top 10 rounds. According to Alex Speier of WEEI.com, who confirmed the deal Friday, Smith signed for $400,000 — just under the $454,800 recommended bonus.
Speier writes that it is the same figure that the organization thought Smith agreed to sign for in June, but after "a more protracted-than-expected negotiating period" it took a little longer to get the deal done.
Smith, 21, was sharp in his junior season at Lee, an NAIA school in Cleveland, Tenn., posting an 11-4 record and 2.67 ERA to go with his 1.17 WHIP and .202 opponents batting average. A fastball, which sits mid-90s, and slider are 6-foot-1 Smith's main weapons.
Sox amateur scouting directer Amiel Sawdaye told Speier: "He’s 21 years old, but he doesn’t have the arm of a 21-year-old pitcher. He almost has the arm of a 17-year-old pitcher. He’s kind of just learning the craft, but with the athleticism and the way the arm works, we’re excited to have him in the fourth round."
Additionally, 36th-round selection Pat Goetze, a 6-foot-6 right-handed pitcher from Zebulon, N.C., decided to forgo a college career at nearby Louisburg College in favor of signing with the Sox, according to a Wednesday tweet from the Wake County Homeschooled Warriors. Goetze, who was homeschooled, played for the Warriors instead of a traditional high school.
Photo credit: Myles Smith courtesy of Lee University Athletics.
Tim Healey is a staff writer for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @timbhealey.