MLB Draft Day 3 Red Sox recap: Rounds 11-40

In 2018 the Red Sox signed 20 of their late round draft picks, an improvement on 2017 where they signed just 12. The Red Sox took an aggressive approach in the last 30 rounds of 2018, targeting and signing several notable high school prospects such as Brandon Howlett and Nick Northcut. Other notable prospects selected on the third day of the 2018 draft were Chase Shugart, Andrew Politi, and Chris Machamer.

Past players of note taken on Day 3 include Jalen Beeks, Kyle Hart, and Bobby Poyner.

Here is a pick-by-pick look at each of Wednesday's Red Sox selections:

11th Round: Sebastian Keane, RHP, North Andover HS (MA)
With their first selection of Day 3 the Red Sox selected just their second high schooler of the draft, and a local one at that. Keane was once a highly rated soccer player but has since converted to the mound full time, where he impressed as one of the top prep arms in all of the Northeast. The tall righty was ranked 140th by both Baseball America and MLB.com, 190th by Perfect Game, and snuck into Keith Law's top 100 at 98. Keane doesn't have any explosive stuff at the moment, but given his large frame, pitch mix, and easy delivery, it is easy to see what scouts see in the Massachusetts native. Keane's arsenal currently contains a fastball that sits 90-92 but has touched as high as 95, a breaking ball that has been identified by scouts as either a curveball or a slider, and a raw changeup that he seems to have good feel for. Given his commitment to Northeastern and the Red Sox small bonus pool it is not a given that Keane will sign, but his proximity to Boston may give the team an edge in negotiations.


12th Round: Brendan Cellucci, LHP, Tulane University (LA)
The Red Sox continue to load up on college arms in the 12th round by selecting Brendan Cellucci out of Tulane. Despite only being a sophomore Cellucci has claimed Tulane's closer role as his own, striking out 45 batters in 41 innings pitched with a 5.57 ERA thus far in 2019. Celluci utilizes an easy 95 mph fastball and a curveball that he has struggled to command in the past, but has seemingly turned a corner on in 2019. Cellucci has worked extensively with Tulane's pitching coach Daniel Latham to refine his mechanics and that work showed itself as the 2019 season unfolded. Cellucci attended William Penn Charter HS and pitched a single inning for the Wareham Gateman in 2018.

13th Round: Blake Loubier, RHP, Oviedo HS (FL)
The Red Sox took their second high school arm on the day with their 13th selection. Loubier is tall for a high schooler, standing at a remarkable 6-5 and currently clocks out in the mid-80's with his fastball according to Perfect Game. Of course that is liable to change given his age and frame, but it looks like the Red Sox liked what they saw in his workout with them earlier in the draft process. Loubier is set to attend Wake Forest in the fall, but given that he is reportedly a Red Sox fan and has worked out for Boston recently he may be swayed from that decision.

14th Round: Jordan Beck, 1B, Hazel Green HS (AL)
Another high school draftee who has worked out for the Red Sox recently, Beck is a raw prospect with major power set to attend Tennessee in the fall. Beck is currently ranked 400th overall and 15th in Alabama by Perfect Game and dominated over the summer for the East Coast Sox where he hit .464 with eight home runs. Listed at 6-3 210lb. Beck has huge power potential, but many holes in his game that scouts think can be addressed by spending the next three years in the SEC.

15th Round: Aaron Roberts, RHP/1B, Desert Oasis HS (NV)
Roberts is a record setting two-way player out of Nevada, though many scouts see him as a pitcher long term given his mid-90's fastball and solid low-70's breaking ball. However there is some concern about Roberts' max effort delivery that impacts his control and may limit his longevity on the mound. Evaluators believe that Roberts has a chance to be a quality contributor on both sides of the ball should he fulfill his commitment to Cal. Roberts was ranked 369th by Basbeall America and 421st by Perfect Game.

16th Round: Oraj Anu, 1B/OF, Wallace Community College (AL)
The Red Sox continued to target upside on Day 3 of the draft by selecting Wallace Community College's Oraj Anu with the 497th overall pick. Anu, a former Red Sox pick (2017, round 28), is currently committed to Kentucky and was ranked 277th by Perfect Game due in large part to his plus power on both sides of the plate. Although he is likely destined to end up at first base or DH as a pro, the Florida native did play both of the corner outfield spots in college. Anu slashed a scorching .391/.434/.766 with 19 home runs this past season for George Wallace and his elite power and developing hit tool should more than make up for his lack of defensive versatility.

17th Round: Alex Erro, 2B, Northwestern University (IL)
Erro is listed at only 5-10 180, but has consistently put up good numbers for Northwestern and was first team All Big Ten his junior season. The switch hitting infielder has a knack for making contact and put up career numbers in almost every offensive category in 2019, slashing .322/.372/.455 with four home runs and eight stolen bases. Erro spent the summer of 2018 in the Northwoods League, where he was second in the league in batting average and was set to spend the summer of 2019 on the Cape with Hyannis.

18th Round: Jacob Herbert, C, George Jenkins HS (FL)
Herbert is a big and physical player, listed at 6-2 220 by Perfect Game, whose carrying tool is his above average raw power. His senior year Herbert hit a tremendous .590 with six home runs, and like previous picks Herbert had worked out for the Red Sox in the lead up to the draft. Herbert is committed to play college ball at State College of Florida, the alma mater of previous Red Sox pick Brock Bell.

19th Round: Joe Davis, 1B, University of Houston (TX)
Ever since stepping into a Houston baseball uniform Davis has done nothing but hit, and that did not change his senior year where he slashed a robust .295/.426/.605 with 18 long balls. Davis projects as a first base only type with limited defensive versatility, but the main draw is the bat where Davis brings an above average eye and plus power. Davis was ranked as 406th best draft prospect by Perfect Game and leaves Houston as the all-time home run leader.

20th Round: Reed Harrington, RHP, Spokane Falls Community College (WA)
Harrington is a low profile arm out of Idaho who has  spent the last two years as Spokane Falls Community College's closer, and recently committed to Boise State. A lanky right-hander listed at 6-5 200, his veolcity has ticked up in recent years, now sitting at 91-94 mph. According to Baseball Northwest Harrington sported a breaking ball and slider that both sat in the low 70's in high school. Harrington surrendered just five earned runs in 59.2 career innings for Spokane Falls, including zero earned runs in all of 2019.

21st Round: Dylan Spacke, RHP, Long Beach State (CA)
A former team bate of Jarren Durn, Spacke has been excellent pitching out of the bullpen for Long Beach State this season. Spacke had a 2.57 ERA in his junior season, striking out 24 and walking 10 in 28 innings pitched. Despite spending all of his college career pitching out of the pen Spacke was a starter for the Macon Bacon of the Coastal Plain League, and is the first former Bacon to ever be drafted.

22nd Round: Dominic D'Alessandro, 1B, George Washington University (DC)
A second year senior out of New Jersey, D'Alessandro has done nothing but hit since transferring to GW from Rowan College. D'Alessandro was named to his second straight All-Conference team on the back of a monstrous 2019 performance at the plate in which he hit .423/.506/.668 with 13 home runs. The strong right-handed hitter played catcher and third base in high school, but his stocky frame will likely limit him to first base as a pro.

23rd Round: Leon Paulino, OF, Florida Virtual School (FL)
Paulino is an athletic, switch-hitting outfielder  with power who prefers to hit from the left but is accomplished on both sides of the plate. Paulino has a rocket arm which combined with his athleticism make him a potentially average or better defender from the outfield. Paulino is a very toolsy player who needs to work on getting the most out of his above average power. The 6-3 200lb. outfielder is committed to play college ball at Florida International University.

24th Round: Dean Miller, OF, University of California-Riverside (CA)
Miller just made Baseball America's top draft prospect list at number 495, thanks to a strong senior season at UC Riverside. The strong outfielder led the Highlanders with a .365 batting average, and his 14 home runs were only topped by San Francisco draftee Connor Cannon who had 18. Miller was listed as a center fielder, but his build and athleticism will limit him to the corners as a pro.

25th Round: Karson Simas, SS, Clovis West HS (CA)
A shortstop from Fresno, Simas has spent the first half of the 2019 season coming back from an injury. Simas improved greatly in his senior year, batting .389 with a pair of home runs. The 6-0 175lb. Simas does not have plus speed, but has the instincts to make up for it on the base paths. Simas is so far uncommitted.

26th Round: Brandon Walter, LHP, University of Delaware (DE)
Walter is a three year starter who missed his junior year due to receiving Tommy John surgery mid-way through the 2017 season. As a senior Walter saw similarly good results with a 3.86 ERA in 14 starts, but saw his strikeout rate tick up to 11.05. The southpaw does not have overwhelming velocity, but sports a four pitch mix that he has excellent command of and includes a fastball that sits around 90 mph, a curveball, a changeup, and a slider.

27th Round: Devon Roehdahl, RHP, University of Houston (TX)
The second Cougar to be slected by the Red Sox on Day 3, Roehdahl has only spent one year with Houston since transferring from San Jacinto State following his sophomore year. Ranked 467th by Perfect Game Roehdahl has worked primarily out of the bullpen for Houston where he has been solid, pitching to a 3.94 ERA in 61 2/3 innings and striking out 60. The strong lefty sports a fastball that reaches into the mid-90's with life, an average slider, and will occasionally mix in a splitter.

28th Round: Daniel Bakst, SS/RHP, Stanford University (CA)
Bakst is a two way player out of Stanford, listed as a shortstop but DH'd for much of his college career. Bakst had an excellent freshman year where he put up a .311/.369/.439 line, but as a sophomore hit only .208 at the plate after he picked up pitching. On the mound Bakst sported a 3.52 ERA in 15 1/3 innings out of the pen, striking out 12. Out of high school Bakst reportedly touched 91 with his fastball, and was the New York player of the year in 2016 when he was also drafted by the Orioles. Bakst did not play at all in 2019 due to personal reasons, but Boston Globe writer Julian McWilliams believes he would have been a top-three round pick should he have chosen to play.

29th Round: Luke Bandy, OF, Dallas Baptist University (TX)
A highly thought of prospect coming out of high school, Bandy's offensive profile finally took a step forward in 2019. Bandy was ranked 574th by Perfect Game, but was noted as a potential riser due to his defensive value and recent offensive breakout. The Arkansas native hit .344/.432/.519 his junior year with 11 doubles and six home runs while also stealing 25 bases.

30th Round: Nathan Martorella, 1B, Salinas HS (CA)
A physically imposing Cal commit, Martorella has drawn comps to Kyle Schwarber in the past due to build, ability to hit, and power. Similar to other high school bats taken today, he took batting practice at Fenway prior to the draft. A multi-sport athlete, Martorella put up a scorching .409 batting average with a .527 on-base percentage to go along with seven home runs his senior year.

31st Round: Feleipe Franks, RHP, University of Florida (FL)
Franks is the newest in a long line of football stars drafted by MLB teams. Franks had originally planned to play both football and baseball when he committed to LSU in 2014, but evidently changed his mind once he decided on Florida. Franks touched as high as 90 mph as a prep arm, and was ranked as high as the 228th best right-hander in the country by Perfect Game. Strangely enough Franks is not the first Florida QB to be taken by the Red Sox who drafted Jeff Driskel in the 2013 draft.

32nd Round: Bradley Blalock, RHP, Grayson HS (GA)
Blalock was a two-way player in high school, but is much preferred as a pitcher by scouts. Blalock has reached as high as 92 mph with his fastball and also features an 11-5 curveball and a 79 mph changeup. Has an easy and repeatable delivery. Given his strong arm Blalock grades well at the corners on defense, and has a feel to hit for contact though power may come given his large frame. Blalock is committed to Kennesaw State.

33rd Round: Thayer Thomas, CF, North Carolina State University (NC)
Yet another football player taken by the Red Sox on Day 3. A redshirt freshman, Thomas played his first season for NC State and hit .222 in just 18 at bats. Primarily a football player in high school, Thomas was never ranked by Perfect Game and walked on to both teams. On the gridiron Thomas was a regular contributor for the Wolfpack in 2018 and will need convincing to take up baseball full time.

34th Round: Ryan Bernardino, 1B, Bentley University (MA)
Ryan Bernardino has great pedigree as the grandson of Dick Bernardino and Dwight Evans. Bernardino is a first baseman with a contact first approach and not a lot of power. The Sudbury native has put up a career .309/.387/.414 line with six home runs at the Division-II program.

35th Round: Chris Mauloni, RHP, Jacksonville University (FL)
A sophomore relief pitcher Mauloni shone his freshman year, posting a 2.97 ERA in 33 1/3 innings pitched and leading the nation with 20 saves. Those numbers were good enough to earn him All-American honors, but things did not go as planned in his sophomore season as he posted a 7.07 ERA. Mauloni's primary pitch is his low 90's fastball, and it is clear the Red Sox still see the skills that made Mauloni an All-American in 2018.

36th Round: Caleb Hill, LHP, University of Montana (MT)
The third football player taken on the third day of the draft by the Red Sox. Hill was once a quarterback, but transitioned to tight end as it provided better opportunities for him at Montana. As Montana does not have a baseball team Hill hasn't played since graduating in 2017, but he received several partial Division-I offers out of high school. Hill chose to play football over baseball due to being offered a full scholarship from Montana. Always wanting to be a two-sport athlete, the 6-4 241lb. Hill would be an intriguing arm should he choose to sign.

37th Round: Connor Prielipp, LHP, Tomah High School (WI)
A cold weather arm, Prielipp has seen his stock rise dramatically in 2019 and was ranked 232nd by Perfect Game. Prielipp throws a fastball that sits in the low 90's, but the weapon that most intrigues scouts is his high spin-rate slider that reaches into the 80's with bite. The lefty is small and currently undersized but makes up for that with good arm speed and a feel for pitching. Prielipp is currently committed to pitching for Alabama in 2019.

38th Round: Cameron Meeks, RHP, Sam Houston HS (LA)
Meeks is a highly rated prep arm who is currently committed to McNeese State University in Louisiana. Meek's fastball is his main weapon and has reached into the 93-94 range but mostly sits between 88-92 with sink. The tall righty also flashes an average breaking ball and a curveball that he can throw for strikes. Meeks stands six feet and four inches tall with room to grow and although some scouts are worried about his arm action, he will likely spend the next three years refining it as his body continues to grow.

39th Round: Sammy Faltine III, SS, Travis HS (TX)
Faltine is an excellent athlete who has the athleticism and instincts to play just about anywhere on the diamond. Faltine was a two-way player in high school with a fastball that reaches 92 mph and the feel for spin that modern evaluators prize. Faltine will not blow hitters a way with his velocity but has excellent command of his arsenal that also includes an average curveball, a changeup, and a slider with above average potential. Faltine is a contact hitter and he lacks raw power at the moment, but could grow into it given his excellent frame. A high baseball IQ, Faltine relies more on reads and jumps in the field than on his speed. Faltine was considred a potential early round pick headed into the draft, and is verbally committed to Texas.

40th Round: Garrett Irvin, LHP, Riverside Community College (CA)
One of the top JuCo talents in California, Irvin is an undersized lefty with a feel to pitch. Irvin sports an 87-89 mph fastball and a good curveball that he can consistently throw for strikes. Irvin was dominant in 2019, starting 15 games and pitching to a crisp 2.25 ERA. With a strong commitment to Arizona it is unlikely Irvin plans to sign an MLB deal this year, but would have an intriguing pitchability profile should he choose to do so.

Scouting info was compiled from industry publications including Baseball America, Perfect Game USA, and MLB.com.

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