September 1, 2020 at 12:30 PM
2015 Draft Retrospective: The picks
We welcome you to the 2015 edition of the SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series. Over the next several weeks, we will revisit each Red Sox draft going back to the start of the SoxProspects.com era. Each retrospective will come in two parts: The first will be a pick-by-pick recap of each selection with very brief comments, including their peak rank on the SoxProspects.com Top 60, as well as some of the notable players the team passed on to make those picks. Players who signed are in bold, those who did not are in italics. Bonus numbers are included where available.
After going from worst to first in the AL East from 2012 to 2013, the Red Sox were back in the basement in 2014. A lot of the heroes from the 2013 World Series squad sputtered in the subsequent season, and by 2015, the team had a completely different identity. In the middle of the 2014 season, the Red Sox traded Jon Lester to Oakland, John Lackey to St. Louis, and Jake Peavy to San Francisco. On the position player front, they signed Rusney Castillo to a $72.5 million contract in August 2014, and after the 2014 season, they splurged for Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. These notable missteps are what ultimately led to the 2015 draft being the final one that Ben Cherington would oversee as General Manager for the Red Sox. Meanwhile, Amiel Sawdaye, who had helmed the 2010-2014 drafts, moved up into a VP position with broader responsibilities, and Mike Rikard took the helm as Director of Amateur Scouting for the club.
For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.
1 (7). Andrew Benintendi, CF, Arkansas
Bonus: $3,590,400; Slot: $3,590,400
Leading up to the draft, all the rumors pointed to the Red Sox taking LSU shortstop Alex Bregman with the seventh overall pick. The Red Sox drafted Bregman out of high school, and he was considered a mid-first round pick entering his junior season, but between his tremendous 2015 season and injuries and ineffectiveness from other top prospects like Dillon Tate and Michael Matuella, Bregman ultimately went second overall. This left the Red Sox weighing other options, including another former draftee in Vanderbilt right-hander Carson Fulmer, but they jumped on Benintendi (pictured, above), a draft-eligible sophomore from the University of Arkansas.
Bonus: $3,590,400; Slot: $3,590,400
Leading up to the draft, all the rumors pointed to the Red Sox taking LSU shortstop Alex Bregman with the seventh overall pick. The Red Sox drafted Bregman out of high school, and he was considered a mid-first round pick entering his junior season, but between his tremendous 2015 season and injuries and ineffectiveness from other top prospects like Dillon Tate and Michael Matuella, Bregman ultimately went second overall. This left the Red Sox weighing other options, including another former draftee in Vanderbilt right-hander Carson Fulmer, but they jumped on Benintendi (pictured, above), a draft-eligible sophomore from the University of Arkansas.
At the start of the 2015 college season, Benintendi was so far under the radar that some teams did not even know he was draft eligible. He was drafted out of high school in the 31st round by his hometown Cincinnati Reds, but after hitting .276/.368/.333 with one home run as a freshman and missing the summer season with a quad injury, he was a bit of an afterthought heading into his sophomore season. He responded by spending the summer in the weight room, building upper body strength, then storming the national scene by hitting .380/.489/.715 and winning the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award as college baseball's best player.
Benintendi was never challenged in the minors, making it all the way to Portland less than a year after getting drafted, and he debuted for Boston in August 2016. He entered 2017 as the top prospect in baseball and went on to finish second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2017 and then helped lead the Red Sox to a World Series title in 2018. He had a slightly disappointing 2019 season, accumulating only 1.8 bWAR after notching 4.5 bWAR in 2018, and he got off to a rough start in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season before going on the injured list. While his stock is lower right now, he is still only 26 years old and should be entering the prime of his career. The Red Sox will need him to rebound, as he has the potential to anchor the outfield with Alex Verdugo for years to come.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 1
Baseball America Top 100: #15 in 2016, #1 in 2017
MLB.com Top 100: #25 in 2016, #1 in 2017
Notable players passed on: Ian Happ (9), Walker Buehler (24), Mike Soroka (28)
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 1
Baseball America Top 100: #15 in 2016, #1 in 2017
MLB.com Top 100: #25 in 2016, #1 in 2017
Notable players passed on: Ian Happ (9), Walker Buehler (24), Mike Soroka (28)
2 (47). Pick surrendered for signing Pablo Sandoval
This one stings, with the combination of losing $1,292,100 in bonus pool money and Sandoval's cumulative -1.6 bWAR in 161 games over parts of three seasons with Boston. Scott Kingery, a very Red Sox-type prospect as a strong college performer and Cape Cod League All-Star, went one pick later at pick 48. Without surrendering the bonus cap money associated with this pick and their next surrendered pick, they also may have been able to pool enough money to ink Brady Singer, who attended the University of Florida rather than sign with the Blue Jays as the 56th pick.
Notable players passed on: Scott Kingery (48), Tony Santillan (49), Brady Singer (56)
2s (72). Pick surrendered for signing Hanley Ramirez
This pick was acquired from Oakland in the trade that sent Lester and Jonny Gomes to the Athletics in exchange for Yoenis Cespedes. The Red Sox hoped that Ramirez would be the right-handed complement to David Ortiz in the middle of the order for years to come, but like Sandoval, Ramirez struggled in his time in Boston. He had only 1.5 bWAR in 429 games despite getting paid $88,000,000. A.J. Minter was selected three picks later by the Braves, and the slot value the Red Sox lost was $852,800, which when combined with the Sandoval pick totaled $2,144,900. That is roughly equivalent to the 22nd overall pick in the draft. That might have been enough to pool for Duke product Michael Matuella, who has still only reached High A but did have some prospect value during a time the Red Sox were trading from that pool in order to bolser the MLB roster.
Notable players passed on: A.J. Minter (75), Michael Matuella (78)
3 (81). Austin Rei, C, Washington
Bonus: $742,400; Slot: $742,400
Rei was having a breakout campaign in his junior year at Washington before a torn left thumb ligament cut his season short. He was hitting .330/.445/.681, and the Red Sox felt the value was too good to pass up in the third round. His thumb was clearly still bothering him at the beginning of his career, as he struggled mightily both offensively and defensively in 2015 with Lowell and still had significant tape on his hand in spring training 2016. While his defense has improved to pre-injury standards, his bat has not shown the upside that it did in college, and in 2019 in Portland, he hit just .157/.213/.253 in 26 games after missing time with a broken foot. Rei will hope to have a breakout season in 2021, as he will be eligible for minor league free agency after that season.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 21
Notable players passed on: Brandon Lowe (87), Harrison Bader (100), Jordan Hicks (105)
4 (111). Tate Matheny, CF, Missouri St.
Bonus: $512,700; Slot: $512,700
A 2013 Freshman All-American at Missouri State, Matheny finished his college career having hit .319/.411/.477 over 169 games. The Son of former Major League catcher and manager Mike Matheny, Tate has shown the great instincts you would expect from the son of a former major leaguer. Despite this, his bat has yet to translate at the professional level, as his average bat speed has struggled against higher velocities. He spent most of the 2019 season in Portland and hit just .240/.278/.368.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 26
Notable players passed on: Paul DeJong (131)
5. Jagger Rusconi, CF, West Ranch HS (Calif.)
Bonus: $384,000; Slot: $384,000
Continuing with the theme from the first three picks, the Red Sox paid the slot amount for Rusconi, an athletic, projectable high-schooler from California. A second baseman at the start of his career, Rusconi has mostly transitioned to the outfield at this point, in part due to a significant injury history. Rusconi has had multiple IL stints in nearly every season of his career, and that has stunted his development. 2019 was the first year that he stayed healthy, but he hit just .196/.243/.273 as a 22-year-old in Salem.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 54
6. Travis Lakins, RHP, Ohio State
Bonus: $320,000; Slot: $287,500
While the three picks after Benintendi have yet to live up to their pre-draft pedigrees, the Red Sox found three major leaguers in rounds six, seven, and eight. Lakins, another draft-eligible sophomore, was a slightly undersized, athletic right-hander from Ohio State who was a dominant reliever as a freshman before transitioning to the rotation as a sophomore. His performance took a step back after moving to the rotation, which led to him falling to the Red Sox here. Lakins was stretched out as a starter in 2016 and 2017, but each year his season ended early due to a stress fracture in his elbow. The Red Sox moved him to the bullpen in 2018 and his results took a big step forward. He made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2019, pitching to a 3.86 ERA over 23 1/3 innings, but with a 40-man roster crunch, he was designated for assignment and traded to the Cubs after the season. The Cubs tried to pass him through waivers but he was claimed by the Orioles, and he has a 3.75 ERA this season in 12 innings with Baltimore. He also now officially goes by Travis Lakins Sr. after the birth of his son.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 6
7. Ben Taylor, RHP, South Alabama
Bonus: $10,000; Slot: $215,500
After going slightly above-slot to sign Lakins, the Red Sox saved money by signing Taylor (pictured, right) for just $10,000. As a senior at South Alabama, Taylor was one of the top relievers in college baseball, striking out 68 over 42 2/3 innings with an ERA of just 1.48. Taylor did make 10 starts with Greenville in the summer of 2015, but by 2016 he was a full-time reliever putting up strong numbers at each level. He looked good enough in spring training in 2017 to open the season in Boston as a surprise addition to a bullpen hit by injuries, and he spent the rest of the year on the I-95 shuttle between Boston and Pawtucket while also missing some time with injuries of his own. Taylor was designated for assignment to make room for Eduardo Nunez in 2018, and he was claimed by Cleveland. He spent 2019 in Triple-A with the Diamondbacks but struggled in the hitter-friendly PCL, and he was signed by the Cubs in 2020 but was released in May.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 16
8. Logan Allen, LHP, IMG Academy (Fla.)
Bonus: $725,000; Slot: $175,100
The Red Sox gave Allen third-round money to buy him out of his commitment to South Carolina, and the left-hander quickly proved he was worth the investment. A polished left-hander who reminded some scouts of Jon Lester, Allen was dominant in his debut in the GCL after signing in 2015, striking out 24 and walking just one in 20 innings. His stay in the system was short-lived, as Dave Dombrowski sent Allen, along with Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, and Carlos Asuaje to San Diego in exchange for Craig Kimbrel after the 2015 season. Allen went on to become a top-100 prospect, and he was included in another blockbuster trade, ending up in Cleveland in the deal that sent Trevor Bauer to Cincinnati, Taylor Trammell to San Diego, and Yasiel Puig to Cleveland. The 23-year-old has appeared in two games as a long reliever for Cleveland this season.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 13
Baseball America Top 100: #92 in 2019
MLB.com Top 100: #74 in 2019
Baseball America Top 100: #92 in 2019
MLB.com Top 100: #74 in 2019
9. Tucker Tubbs, 1B, Memphis
Bonus: $5,000; Slot: $163,500
The Red Sox went with cheap senior signs in the ninth and 10th rounds in order to free up the money to sign Allen. Tubbs was a decent player in his first three years at Memphis, but he took a big step as a senior, hitting .305/.393/.601 with 17 home runs after hitting only eight over his first three years combined. He was named a 2015 Third-Team All-American and debuted in Lowell after signing. He was back in Lowell in 2016 and had 18 extra-base hits in 42 games, but when he jumped to full-season ball with Greenville in 2017, his performance took a hit. He was released in January 2018. Tubbs won the hearts of many fans with his hilariously dominant pitching performances, making eight appearances and allowing only one run in 14 2/3 innings. He struck out 12 and walked only two, and even recorded a win after tossing three shutout innings in a 16-inning game with the Drive in 2017.
10. Mitchell Gunsolus, 3B, Gonzaga
Bonus: $10,000; Slot: $152,700
Gunsolus was a similar story to Tubbs, having an up-and-down first three years of college before a crazy-good senior season. As a senior, Gunsolus hit .353/.449/.556, but he was never able to replicate that success as a pro. After hitting .205/.347/.286 in his second stint with Greenville in 2017, he was released in January 2018. Gunsolus was known as a high-character teammate, and he was given the Community Service MVP award on the Spinners in 2015.
11. Nick Hamilton, CF, Lockport HS (N.Y.)
Bonus: $100,000
A raw outfielder from New York with plus-plus speed who was more accomplished on the track than on the diamond, Hamilton had not started playing baseball until he was 15, and by the time he was 17, he was playing professional baseball. His lack of experience was evident, as he hit just .102 with 29 strikeouts in 49 at-bats in the GCL in the summer of 2015. Unfortunately, things never clicked for Hamilton, as he didn't break through the Mendoza line until 2018 with the Spinners, but that was in a small sample size of nine at-bats. He was released in July 2018.
12. Kevin Kelleher, RHP, New Orleans
Bonus: $100,000
If this name does not ring a bell, it's because Kelleher had one of the shortest stints in the system for a draft pick. He faced eight batters in the GCL in 2015, recording only one out and walking seven. He was released in 2016, caught on with a few independent league teams in 2017 and 2018, and then signed with the Angels in 2019. He appeared in High-A and faced 23 batters and walked 10, and was released later that year.
13. Matt Kent, LHP, Texas A&M
Bonus: $75,000
Kent was mostly a reliever his first two years at Texas A&M, but as a junior, he started 14 games and went 9-1 with a 2.76 ERA. His peripheral stats weren't great, but polished left-handers who can pound the strike zone and keep hitters off-balance usually make for interesting prospects. Kent made it to Portland in 2018 where was named the Portland Sea Dogs Pitcher of the Year after going 11-8 with a 3.58 ERA, and in 2019, he was named the Portland Sea Dogs Citizen of the Year and also won a Gold Glove award.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 52
14. Bobby Poyner, LHP, Florida
Bonus: $10,000
Another player with a World Series ring, Poyner (pictured, left) proved to be a steal at $10,000. He pitched for four years at the University of Florida and also spent two summers on the Cape Cod League playing for Orleans. He may have been overshadowed on a stacked Florida pitching staff that included five future first-round picks, but Poyner was a strong performer every year. He had a rocky season in 2016 after a promotion to Salem, but in 2017 he made great progress with a strong rebound in Salem followed by a dominant performance in Portland. He carried that forward to the Arizona Fall League, and then surprised everyone by making the opening day roster for Boston in 2018. He was outrighted off the 40-man roster this offseason and is not currently in the player pool, so we will most likely see him open the 2021 season in the Worcester bullpen.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 22
15. Jerry Downs, OF, St. Thomas University (Fla.)
Bonus: $100,000
The older brother of Jeter Downs, Jerry looked like an intriguing player his first three years in the minors, showing good power potential, though his first base-only defensive profile limited his upside. After good showings in the GCL in 2015 and Lowell in 2016, Downs hit .274/.368/.444 with Greenville in 2017, consistently putting up good at-bats. He wasn't able to follow up on that success in 2018 or 2019. Although he seemed likely to team with his brother in Portland in 2020, he will likely be fighting for a roster spot in 2021.
16. Marc Brakeman, RHP, Stanford
Bonus: $225,000 ($125,000 over-slot)
The first over-slot signing from after the 10th round, Brakeman put himself on the map with a tremendous summer on the Cape Cod League in 2014, striking out 47 in 33 innings. In his junior year at Stanford, he pitched to a 2.91 ERA but made only nine starts due to a shoulder injury. His stuff never regained its form after the injury, and he battled through a season with Greenville and a season with Salem before getting released in March 2018. He caught on that season with the Angels, but after three stints on the injured list, he was released in the offseason.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 32
17. Chad De La Guerra, 2B, Grand Canyon University
Bonus: $5,000
Another steal at a low signing bonus, De La Guerra has hit at almost every level of the minors and has been a great organizational piece since entering the system. In 2019 with Pawtucket, he hit .288/.361/.540 in 61 games, with injuries costing him some time and also possibly a shot at a cup of coffee with the big league club. He can play passable defense at second, third, and shortstop, and another team may view him as a potential utility piece at the major league level if he does not get that shot in Boston.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 24
18. James Nelson, SS, Redan HS (Ga.)
Originally committed to Georgia State, Nelson instead opted to enroll at Cisco Junior College and re-entered the 2016 draft. He was drafted in the 15th round by Miami and spent four years in their system without advancing past High A. In January 2020, he was traded to the Yankees in exchange for Stephen Tarpley.
19. Logan Boyd, LHP, Sam Houston St.
Bonus: $75,000
Boyd was a solid innings-eater in his three years in the system, with his last year with Salem being his best. After getting promoted from Greenville in the middle of the season, Boyd went 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA with Salem, but his peripheral stats did not match up with the shiny ERA. He was released in February 2018 and caught on with the Marlins, but he was released again later that year.
20. Yomar Valentin, SS, Beltran Academy (P.R.)
Bonus: $130,000 ($30,000 overslot)
The son of former MLB player Jose Valentin, the Red Sox gave Yomar a slightly over-slot bonus, but he never advanced beyond short-season ball. Listed at 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds, Valentin had a .569 OPS over four minor league seasons, including one with Detroit after getting released by Boston.
21. Danny Zandona, RHP, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
Bonus: $1,000
Zandona also had a brief stay in the system, pitching with Lowell in both 2015 and 2016 before being released. His 2016 season with the Spinners was solid, going 6-2 with a 2.88 ERA while striking out 44 in 56 1/3 innings.
22. Max Watt, RHP, Lynn University
Bonus: $2,500
Listed at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds, the Red Sox had previously selected Watt in the 37th round of the 2013 draft. He appeared in 11 games over two seasons with the GCL Red Sox but was released in 2016 after walking 14 in 19 professional innings.
23. Kyri Washington, LF, Longwood
Bonus: $100,000
Washington's (pictured, right) plus-to-better raw power had fans dreaming on his potential, and he showed flashes of it at points in his career. In 2016, he hit 16 home runs in 103 games in Greenville as a 21-year-old, but he took a step back in 2017 with Salem in a season marred by a shoulder injury, then underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2018. He retired in 2019 after two more arm surgeries, but is now back in the Red Sox organization as a pro scout.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 28
24. Brad Stone, LHP, NC State
Bonus: $40,000
Stone was an All-State pitcher in high school in North Carolina and was drafted in the 35th round by the Rangers in 2012, but opted to honor his commitment to NC State. His college career did not go as planned, as he struggled to a 4.59 ERA in 117 2/3 innings over three seasons, and in his two seasons with the Red Sox, he walked 59 batters in 42 innings.
25. Andrew Noviello, C, Bridgewater-Raynham HS (Mass.)
Bonus: $100,000
A local product from Raynham, Noviello only had 73 at-bats over two seasons, hitting just .151 before being released in spring training 2017. He had been committed to the University of Maine.
26. Kevin Ginkel, RHP, Southwestern (JC) (Calif.)
The only unsigned player from this class to make the majors, Ginkel was ultimately drafted three times. The first was in 2014 by the Giants, then again in 2015 by Boston, and finally in the 22nd round in 2016 by Arizona. He made his major league debut in 2019 with the Diamondbacks, and he was very impressive, striking out 28 and allowing only four earned runs over 24 1/3 innings. He has stumbled out of the gate in 2020, but with a fastball that sits at 95 and a good slider, he has the chance to carve out a career as a middle relief option, and with the D-Backs trading their closer yesterday could even factor into their late-inning plans with a hot stretch.
27. Saige Jenco, CF, Virginia Tech
Jenco was another draft-eligible sophomore, and the Red Sox were negotiating with him in the days leading up to the signing deadline. They instead gave their remaining cap money to Brakeman, and Jenco returned to Virginia Tech. He was drafted by the Dodgers the following year and was in their system for three seasons. He is currently playing in the Yinzer Baseball Confederacy for Steel City.
28. Steve Mangrum, 3B, Western Albemarle HS (Va.)
Mangrum spent the first three years of college at Virginia Tech, then transferred to the University of Tampa, where hit .321/.413/.567 as a senior. He was not drafted again, but he was active in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2017 and 2018.
29. Will Stillman, RHP, Wofford
Stillman struck out 50 batters in 29 1/3 innings in his junior season at Wofford, but he did not sign and returned for his senior season. He was even more dominant in his senior season, and the Padres took him in the sixth round and gave him $50,000 ($242,200 under slot). His ERA grew each season as a professional and ballooned to 14.29 in 2018 before he was released.
30. Jack Conley, C, Lessville Road HS (N.C.)
Conley went on to NC State, where he was a part-time player over three seasons, hitting .307 with a .995 fielding percentage. He was drafted in the 27th round in 2018 by Philadelphia, and played 36 games across three levels in 2019 as light-hitting org depth.
31. Nick Duron, RHP, Clark CC (Wash.)
Bonus: $75,000
After a dazzling debut in the GCL in 2015, Duron, who had originally committed to Western Oregon to play football before instead heading to Clark to play baseball, looked to be a hidden gem in this draft class. He struck out 28 and gave up only five runs in 26 1/3 innings as a 19-year-old. But he missed the entire 2016 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and only appeared in 13 games with Lowell in 2017. He got off to a rough start in 2018 with Greenville before landing on the injured list, and he never made it back to the Drive after two rehab stints in the GCL. He was released in March 2019 and signed with the Mariners, where he was able to put a good season together, albeit in only 36 1/3 innings. He is still active with the Mariners and may get a shot at Double-A next season.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 34
32. Clate Schmidt, RHP, Clemson
Schmidt, not to be confused with top Yankee prospect Clarke Schmidt, never had great numbers at Clemson, but teams must have seen something in his profile as he was drafted three times. After returning to Clemson for his senior year, he was drafted in the 20th round in 2016 by the Tigers. He has put up better numbers in the minors than he did in college. He elected for free agency after the 2019 season but has not caught on with another team as of now.
33. Cal Smith, 2B, Fort Worth Christian School (Tex.)
Smith played one season at Panola College and one season at Carson-Newman, but he was a part-time player at both schools and he was not drafted again.
34. Nick Lovullo, SS, Holy Cross
Lovullo, the son of then-Boston bench coach (and, weeks after the draft, interim Boston manager) and future Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, was drafted twice by Boston, the first time being in this 2015 draft, though he did not sign. He was selected in the 20th round of the 2016 draft, so there will be more detail on him in the 2016 Draft Retrospective.
35. Tyler Spoon, OF, Arkansas
Bonus: $75,000
Benintendi's teammate at Arkansas, Spoon was an outfielder in college but transitioned to catcher as a professional. His career got off to a rough start, as he struggled with Greenville in 2016 and then was suspended 50 games entering the 2017 season after testing positive for an amphetamine. He retired in January 2018.
36. Trevor Kelley, RHP, North Carolina
Bonus: $1,000
Kelley (pictured, right), a Providence native, is the third major leaguer from this list that received a signing bonus of $10,000 or less. After a strong college career at North Carolina, Kelley mowed through the minor leagues, using his sidearm delivery to consistently attack right-handed hitters. His 2019 season with Pawtucket was dominant, and he was named a 2019 International League Season-End All-Star and also won the organization's Lou Gorman Award. To top it off, he made his major league debut in Boston, but after the season he was placed on waivers and claimed by Philadelphia. After appearing in four games for the Phillies, he was designated for assignment on August 11 and outrighted to the team's Alternate Training Site after clearing waivers.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 58
37. Adam Lau, RHP, Alabama-Birmingham
Bonus: $75,000
Lau has also been a solid find late in this draft, making it to Pawtucket last season as a reliever. The lack of a true out-pitch may hold him back, but he has a solid fastball-slider combo that has served him well in the minor leagues. A unique note on Lau: during the season, he lives in an RV with his wife so that he doesn't have to find housing at each level of the minors. He figures to start the 2021 season in either the Portland or Worcester bullpen.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 56
38. CJ Ballard, CF, Pike County HS (Ga.)
Ballard played two seasons at Georgia Southern, struggling to the tune of a .634 OPS. He transferred to Georgia Gwinnett College and his play really took off, hitting .427 in his first season and .353 in his last season. He led the team to the semifinals in the NAIA World Series both seasons, and in 2019 was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
39. Daniel Reyes, OF, Mater Academy Charter (Fla.)
Reyes, a top-200 prospect who wasn't expected to sign, started his career at Florida, where he hit .269 in 52 at-bats as a freshman. He transferred to Broward College for a season, and then transferred to Miami, where he hit .321 but missed half the season with a thumb injury. He was drafted in the 28th round by Detroit in 2018, and after a good debut in 2018, he struggled in Low A and High A in 2019.
40. DJ Artis, CF, Southeast Guilford HS (N.C.)
Three great seasons at Liberty and two summers playing for Chatham on the Cape had Artis ranked as the 136th best prospect in the 2018 draft by MLB.com. He went in the seventh round to the Cubs, signing for a slightly above-slot amount of $250,000. A plus runner who can play center field, Artis has had an up-and-down start to his career, but the tools are there if he puts it all together.
Raw totals:
Players drafted: 39
Players signed: 27
Baseball America/MLB Top 100 prospects: 2
Signed players who reached majors: 6
Photo Credit: Andrew Benintendi, Ben Taylor, Bobby Poyner, Kyri Washington, and Trevor Kelley by Kelly O'Connor