June 6, 2014 at 1:51 PM
Red Sox select Jake Cosart with their third-round pick
Considered one of the best junior college prospects in the draft, Cosart touched 98 in the fall according to Baseball America (BA), and sat 92-95 with life on his fastball. Baseball Prospectus considers his curveball a second major league pitch, while his changeup lags behind. Because of the two-pitch mix, many scouts believe his future is that of a late-inning reliever. He is a plus athlete, listed at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds.
The 20-year-old started his college career at Duke University as an outfielder, but after redshirting a season and not throwing a pitch for the Blue Devils, he transferred to Seminole State after talking with his brother's teammate, Brett Oberholtzer, who was drafted from there in 2008. BA ranks Cosart as the 97th-best prospect in the draft, while Perfect Game USA has him ranked 102nd.
This is the second consecutive year that the Red Sox have drafted a player early in the draft from junior college. Teddy Stankiewicz was picked from Seminole State College (OK) in the second round last year. Cosart tossed 64 innings this spring, allowing 65 hits and 23 walks while striking out 67. His 5.34 ERA shows that he is still relatively raw as a pitcher.
Photo credit: Jake Cosart courtesy of Seminole State College of Florida