October 1, 2020 at 12:30 PM
2018 Draft Retrospective: The picks
We welcome you to the 2018 edition of the SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series, in which we 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.
At the time of the 2018 Draft, the Red Sox farm system was decimated after numerous win-now trades in the previous year. Once again, the Red Sox had no extra picks and were selecting near the end of the first round, but after the farm system seemingly bottomed out in the month or so prior, with seemingly all of the prospects remaining after the many trades either injured or underperforming, this draft marked the beginning of what seems to be a turn-around. Three of the top ten prospects in the system right now, including its top prospect, came from this draft. While all three were selected in the top seven rounds, two received marginal bonuses. While the second full season for all of these players was disrupted, several were included in the Club Player Pool and made their mark at the Alternate Training Site.
For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.
1 (26). Triston Casas, 1B/3B, American Heritage HS (Fla.)
For the first time since 2015, the Red Sox used their first-round pick on a hitter, selecting the prep third baseman. Casas signed for slot, logical given he was projected by Baseball America as the 25th-best prospect and the draft, while Perfect Game USA had him 31st. Since debuting as the number four prospect in the system, Casas rose slowly during his first year before reaching the top spot in the system in June 2019. His debut season was limited to only four at-bats due to a torn UCL in his right thumb suffered diving for a ball on defense. After a slow first month to start the 2019 season, during which he tried incorporating new swing mechanics, he took off after returning to his old swing before two strikes, limiting a new, crouched stance to two-strike counts. In April, he hit .208/.284/.364 with a 35 percent strikeout rate, but for the rest of the season he hit .267/.364/.506 with only a 26 percent strikeout rate as a 19-year-old in the South Atlantic and Carolina Leagues. Casas’ 20 home runs made him the first Red Sox teenager to reach that mark since Xander Bogaerts and catapulted him into numerous outlets' top 100 lists that offseason. He was added late to the Alternate Training Site, but he has looked like one of the best hitters there, consistently putting together quality at-bats and showing off his prodigious power despite facing far more advanced pitching that he would have in a typical season. He the most offensive upside of any player in the system and is one of the most exciting offensive talents the Red Sox have had in several years.
Baseball America Top 100: #66
MLB.com Top 100: #73
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 1
Notable Players Passed On: Daniel Lynch (34), Xavier Edwards (38), Kris Bubic (40)
2 (64). Nick Decker, OF, Seneca HS (N.J.)
Bonus: $1,250,000, Slot: $1,010,500
In the second round, the Red Sox tabbed Decker, a northeast high school outfielder, marking the second consecutive year they used their second-round pick on an over-slot high school outfielder. Decker signed for just under $250,000 over slot and like Casas, was known for his power. He was seen as a rawer prospect however, especially coming from a cold-weather state with inferior competition. As a result, his development has been slower as he spent all of 2019 in Lowell. In Lowell, Decker showed off his power, slugging .471 with six home runs, but he only hit .247 and really struggled to hit left-handed pitching. His raw tools are still intriguing, but there are serious concerns about his contact ability. The combination of those concerns and the system getting much deeper have pushed his rank in the system down a bit, but he still remains a top-25 prospect with major league potential at the plate.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 10
Notable Players Passed On: Josiah Gray (72), Cole Roederer (77)
3 (100). Durbin Feltman, RHP, TCU
Bonus: $559,600, Slot: $559,600
Feltman was seen as the draft prospect most likely to reach the major leagues soonest. Even though he was a pure reliever, he was highly regarded enough that he was inside the Top 100s of Baseball America and Perfect Game USA after a dominant junior year at TCU. After signing for slot, Feltman blew through three levels during his first year, ending all the way up in Salem amid calls from some in the media to get him up to the major leagues to help for the stretch run. Overall, Feltman threw 23 1/3 innings in 2018, striking out 36 and only walking five, while showing off a tantalizing fastball/slider combination. 2019 didn’t go as planned, however, as he struggled in Portland. His velocity ticked down, his command left him, and his feel for his slider waned, so much so that he began to throw his curveball more for a stretch before returning to his slider. Overall, he threw 51 1/3 innings and did strike out 54, but he walked 31 and allowed eight home runs which led to a 5.26 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. 2020 would have been a crucial year in Feltman’s development, but he was not included in the Club Player Pool so he will not return to the mound until the upcoming fall instructional league at the earliest. It will be interesting to see whether his stuff returns to its 2018 levels next season or remains like what it was last year.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 9
4. Kole Cottam, C, Kentucky
Bonus: $375,000, Slot: $417,800
Cottam was the first below-slot signee of the class. He was ranked outside the top 320 by both Baseball America and Perfect Game, coming off two years as the starting catcher at Kentucky. In his draft year, he was dominant, hitting .352/.438/.667 with 19 home runs and he was named a semi-finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy which is awarded to the top player in collegiate baseball. Since signing, the offense-over-defense backstop has not hit as expected. In 2018, he hit .242/.279/.400 with three home runs in 120 at-bats in Lowell, but his season was cut short just one game after a call-up to Greenville due to a torn meniscus in his knee that also caused him to miss the fall instructional league. He followed that up with a better line in Greenville, hitting, .255/.377/.411. His strong on-base percentage stemmed from a 13.9 percent walk rate, though that did come with a 24.7 percent strikeout rate. His lack of power, however, was surprising, especially on a relatively conservative assignment for a three-year college player from a big conference. He did show more power after moving up to Salem, with six extra-base hits in 11 games after hitting nine in 76 games in Greenville. With minor league baseball halted in 2020, Cottam has played for the Lexington Leyendas in the Battle of the Bourbon Trail. Cottam still has potential as an offense-first catcher, but he needs to really hit and make strides defensively to reach his potential.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 34
5. Thaddeus Ward, RHP, Central Florida
Bonus: $275,000, Value $311,800
Another slightly below-slot junior, Ward was coming off a solid year at Central Florida, where he got a handful of starts, but had mostly pitched in relief over his three years. Red Sox amateur scouts including signing scout Stephen Hargett and pitching crosschecker Chris Mears both identified Ward as a candidate to move into the rotation in pro ball, hence the Red Sox willingness to take him in the fifth even though only Perfect Game USA had him in their top 500. Ward was solid in his debut with Lowell, throwing 31 innings with 27 strikeouts and a 3.77 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. He was an interesting prospect with an athletic frame and loose delivery to go along with a four-pitch mix. He took off in 2019, however, after adding a cutter that gave him a second pitch that projects as at least above-average along with his slider. He dominated at both Greenville and Salem, throwing 126 1/3 innings and striking out 157 with a 2.14 ERA and 1.16 WHIP across those two levels. The only wart in Ward’s game has been his issues with walks, he walked 32 hitters in just 54 innings in High A. Ward was not added to the player pool in 2020, so he will enter 2021 similar to where he ended 2019. He possesses starter potential but still needs to refine his command and control and secondary pitches in order to reach his ceiling.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 8
6. Devlin Granberg, OF, Dallas Baptist
Bonus: $40,000, Slot: $241,600
Granberg was the first senior sign in this class, but he was not just a money saver, with both Baseball America and Perfect Game ranking him in their top 500, BA putting him all the way up at 245. After transferring to Dallas Baptist after a year at junior college, Granberg excelled in his last two years and was one of the best hitters in the country in 2018. He continued to hit upon his arrival in pro ball and was one of the best hitters on the 2018 Lowell team, finishing the year hitting .300/.383/.435 with four home runs in 253 at-bats. Granberg showed off a solid approach there and some feel for hit, but no specific tool stood out. In 2019, he went to Greenville and performed well again, hitting .286/.386/.434 with eight home runs. The average and on-base numbers were what you would hope a 23-year-old could do, but the lack of power was slightly concerning. Granberg moved up to Salem at the end of the year but struggled, hitting .222/.273/.289, albeit in only 90 at-bats. Granberg is not the most exciting player and likely projects as an organizational player long term. He lacks a carrying tool, but his approach, hitting ability, and defensive versatility should serve him well and help him carve out a very nice minor league career.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 31
7. Jarren Duran, 2B, Long Beach State
Bonus: $189,800, Slot: $189,800
Within baseball circles, there is something known as the "Long Beach State swing," the goal of which is to put the ball in play and keep players moving from station to station. That goal, of course, does not quite align with the modern professional game at all. Duran was a perfect example of that, as he fell to the seventh round and signed for slot even though he was a true plus-plus runner with a great frame. Upon signing with the Red Sox, Duran abandoned much of what he was taught in college and switched to a more natural swing. The results were immediate—after hitting just .302/.380/.392 in his junior year, he hit .348/.393/.548 against better pitching with Lowell. Duran quickly established himself as someone who needed to be moved up the rankings, and he continued to hit after a promotion to Greenville, hitting .367/.396/.477 there. Duran’s raw tools were very intriguing, as he could hit and run but showed little power. The organization also moved him very quickly to the outfield, where he could take better advantage of his speed, and his defense was inconsistent as a result of learning the new position. Duran started 2019 with an aggressive assignment to Salem and hit even better, putting up a .387/.456/.543 line and hitting over .400 for most of the season's first two months before earning a promotion to Portland in early June. Duran finally struggled in Double-A, as he was overwhelmed by the pitching and really struggled to drive the ball in the air or turn on fastballs inside or up in the zone. Overall, he hit .250/.309/.325 in 230 at-bats, following with a fine but not noteworthy appearance in the Arizona Fall League. During the offseason and extended break due to COVID-19, Duran got noticeably bigger in his upper body, filling out his 6-foot-2 frame. He also altered his swing mechanics by lowering his hands to try and fix those holes in his swing. Even though he has yet to debut the new mechanics in true game action, the results from the Alternate Training Site games were very encouraging, as Duran showed off power to all fields and the ability to drive the ball hard and in the air, even to the pull side. Once looking more like a fourth outfielder or fringe starter, these changes have significantly raised his ceiling. If he carries the improvements he made at the plate into next year and shows what he did at the ATS against live pitching, he has the potential to develop into a true everyday center fielder with the potential for at least average hit and power projections and maybe more to go along with 70 speed.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 3
8. Elih Marrero, C, St. Thomas University
Bonus: $157,700, Slot: $157,700
The son of 10-year MLB veteran catcher Eli, Marrero spent two seasons at Mississippi State, but did not play very much his sophomore year and transferred to St. Thomas in the midst of reported off-field issues. He is very small for a catcher and has shown limited hitting ability in his two years with a combined line of .248/.321/.351 in 252 plate appearances. Marrero was suspended 50 games entering the 2020 season due to a positive test for amphetamines, so he will miss the start of the 2021 season.
9. Brian Brown, LHP, North Carolina State
Bonus: $2,500, Slot: $144,600
The second senior sign of the draft, Brown was a strong performer for the Wolfpack, being named the ACC Pitcher of the Year in 2018. He was solid for Lowell in 2018, putting up a 1.96 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 32 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings. His stuff was well below-average, however, and even with those results, he failed to make a full-season team in 2019 and eventually was released in June of that season.
10. Grant Williams, 2B, Kennesaw State
Bonus: $2,500, Slot: $137,100
The third of three senior signs on Day Two, Williams has quietly put together a solid career thus far, hitting .272/.341/.346 across three levels in 2018 and 2019. He does not have much of a ceiling, but has a professional approach and is solid defensively at shortstop. He lacks a carrying tool, but could carve out a nice career as a minor league depth option.
11. Nick Northcut, 3B, William Mason HS (Ohio)
Bonus: $565,000 ($440,000 against bonus cap)
Northcut was the organization's major over-slot signee outside of the top 10 rounds, receiving the majority of the money the Red Sox saved from the three senior signs. Northcut was a consensus top-100 talent, with Baseball America ranking him 69 and Perfect Game USA ranking him 73. He was committed to Vanderbilt, but signed for fourth-round money in what seemed like a coup for the Red Sox given his pre-draft ranking. Unfortunately, Northcut’s pro career has gotten off to a slow start, as he has struggled in both of his seasons, hitting .232/.319/.317 in the GCL in 2018 then struggling again both offensively and defensively in Lowell last year. He has yet to show the power that was his calling card, and his approach needs a lot of work in order for him to reach his ceiling of a bat-first, platoon bat.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 13
12. Chase Shugart, RHP, Texas
Bonus: $125,000
Shugart has had an up-and-down career since signing after a solid career for the University of Texas. Due to Texas’ run in the College World Series, he did not debut until late in the 2018 season, but his stuff ticked up from where it was for the Longhorns and he looked like a potential steal. In short bursts, he was up to the mid-90s with a slider that would flash above-average-to-plus and a useable curveball and changeup. Shugart’s 2019 season was delayed after he was suspended 50 games for a second failed test for a drug of abuse. When he returned, he was sent to Greenville, a conservative assignment for a 22-year-old. He had a solid year, with a 2.81 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 89 2/3 innings, but he only struck out 73 hitters and he really struggled to close the season, raising questions about whether the 5-foot-10, 198-pound right-hander can handle a starter's workload. Shugart likely projects in a bullpen role long-term, but he has a fastball/slider combo that could play in some capacity at the major league level.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 21
13. Dylan Hardy, OF, South Alabama
Bonus: $125,000
Hardy was the teammate of Pirates 2018 first-round pick Travis Swaggerty at South Alabama, where he excelled, hitting .331 as a junior with 19 steals. He has failed to hit as well in professional ball, however, hitting .199/.283/.283 in 408 plate appearances over his two years thus far. He is solid defensively, and the organization has shown a willingness to move him between levels, perhaps to an extreme—he appeared at every level from Lowell to Pawtucket in 2019, the first player during the SoxProspects era to do so.
14. Nick Lucky, 2B, Cocalico (Pa.)
The Red Sox made a run at signing Lucky, but ultimately he changed his mind and decided to attend college at Coastal Carolina. He played some his freshman year, starting 12 games and appearing in 34, hitting .234/.346/.344 with one home run in 64 at-bats. He grabbed a starting position for his sophomore year and was off to a strong start, hitting .271/.431/.333 in 48 at-bats before COVID-19 caused the college season to be suspended. As of now, he is not on any draft lists for the 2021 draft.
15. AJ Politi, RHP, Seton Hall
Bonus: $25,000
A senior sign for just $25,000, Politi showed intriguing stuff in Lowell, striking out 43 hitters in 29 relief innings. His 2019 got off to a poor start, as he allowed 26 runs, 23 earned, in his first 28 innings over 18 appearances. However, in mid-June, he righted the ship in a big way, allowing just 11 runs, 8 earned, in 50 2/3 innings, striking out 63 hitters and walking just 17, establishing himself as one of the most intriguing arms in this draft class. Politi’s stuff is intriguing as his fastball gets up to 96 mph and sits in 92-95. He has a deceptive delivery and his fastball has life up in the zone. He also will flash an above-average slider and useable changeup. Politi still likely projects as a reliever long term due to his delivery and size, but given the success he had as a starter, the organization may give him the chance to pitch in that role until he shows that he cannot handle it.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 37
16. Chris Machamer, RHP, Kentucky
Bonus: $213,000 ($88,000 against bonus cap)
The Red Sox went back to Kentucky for their second over-slot signee after the 10th round, tabbing the Wildcats' closer to pair with his former catcher, Cottam. Machamer had a four-pitch mix, so the Red Sox tried to make him a starter, but he really struggled to miss bats and was hit hard. In May 2020, while the minor league season was delayed, the Red Sox somewhat surprisingly released Machamer. He joined Cottam again playing for the Lexington Leyendas for their summer league in the Battle of the Bourbon trail this summer, but has yet to latch back on with a professional team.
17. Lane Milligan, C, Oklahoma City
Bonus: $10,000
Milligan showed some potential at the plate and intriguing positional versatility playing both catcher and center field during his debut in the GCL and with Lowell. He hit .288/.352/.429 in 183 plate appearances, but unfortunately dislocated his shoulder during spring training in 2019 and missed the entire year. With the 2020 season also lost, Milligan will look to return in 2021 and make his full-season debut. He is well behind the development curve, as he will turn 26 before the season starts, so the odds of him becoming anything more than minor league depth are low.
18. Eddie Jimenez, RHP, Southeastern
Bonus: $5,000
Jimenez was on the old side for a draftee, but did have success in college, including being the winning pitcher in the 2018 NAIA championship game. His stuff was fringy despite reports that he had pitched in the high-90s in college, and he repeated the GCL in 2019 before a cup of coffee in Lowell to end the year. He was released in May 2020.
19. Jonathan Ortega, 2B, Texas State
Bonus: $85,000
Ortega provided some defensive versatility but really struggled at the plate over his career. He jumped around in 2019, spending time in Greenville, Salem, and Portland. He was released after the 2019 season ended.
20. Kason Howell, OF, Liberty Christian HS (Tex.)
The Red Sox were never credibly linked with signing Howell, who went off to Auburn. He has established himself as a key player for the Tigers. Starting 63 games as a freshman, hitting .262/.340/.307 with 14 steals in 225 at-bats. He was off to an even better start to his sophomore year, hitting .359/.419/.538 in 39 at-bats before the season was canceled. He is not currently on any draft lists for the 2021 draft, but a strong junior season could change that.
21. Brandon Howlett, 3B, George Jenkins HS (Fla.)
Bonus: $185,000 ($60,000 against bonus cap)
Of the players signed by the club after the 10th round, Howlett is the most intriguing prospect. Howlett was committed to Florida State, but his draft stock was down due to a poor junior summer on the showcase circuit and senior season during which he was constantly pitched around. It seemed like he was headed to college, but the Red Sox were able to sign him for only $60,000 over slot. After signing, the Red Sox realized that he needed contact lenses, and after correcting his vision, he dominated the GCL, hitting .307/.405/.526. He continued to impress at the 2018 Fall Instructional League and received an aggressive assignment to Greenville in 2019. He had an up-and-down year there, struggling to make contact, although he still showed a keen eye and some power potential. Long term, he still is an intriguing prospect with some offensive upside, but 2021 will be a key year for him to reestablish his prospect value.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 11
22. Yusniel Padron-Artiles, RHP, Miami Dade Community College South
Bonus: $75,000
Originally from Cuba, Padron-Artiles was a junior college standout who has shown strong strike-throwing ability. After a strong debut with the GCL after signing, Padron-Artiles started in extended spring training before a promotion in May 2019 to Greenville. He struggled, however, in his five starts there and was sent to Lowell when their season started in June. He excelled with the Spinners, striking out 84 in 64 innings with a 2.67 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, and turned in a memorable playoff performance in which he came out of the bullpen in a piggyback role and struck out 12 straight hitters to start his outing. He ultimately threw six shutout innings with 14 strikeouts and allowed only one hit in the Lowell victory. Padron-Artiles has fringy stuff, but he knows how to locate his fastball, which will top out at 94 mph. Long-term, he projects as an organizational arm.
SoxProspects.com peak rank: 58
23. Ryan Fernandez, RHP, Hillsborough Community College
Bonus: $125,000
Though Fernandez had no known college commitment after junior college, the Red Sox saw enough of him to give him a $125k bonus. His development has been slow thus far, as he started in the GCL in 2018 before moving to Lowell in 2019. He has a three-pitch mix and sits 92-94 mph with his fastball. He projects as a minor league depth arm.
24. Logan Browning, LHP, Florida Southern
Bonus: $5,000
Browning comes from a baseball family, as his father Tom played in the majors for 12 years with the Reds and Royals. Browning was a very good two-way player in college, playing for one year at Florida before transferring to Florida Southern, but focused on pitching as a pro. Serving as Greenville’s closer in 2019, he struck out 75 in 57 1/3 innings with a 2.04 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, which earned him a late-season promotion to Salem. Browning has always been old for the level, as he just turned 25, and his stuff is not overpowering, but he locates well and knows how to pitch, which gives him a chance to get up to the high minors.
25. Caleb Ramsey, OF, Heritage HS (Ga.)
Bonus: $125,000
Ramsey is a solid athlete with some speed who was committed to Butler, but the Red Sox were able to convince him to jump to pro ball with a $125,000 bonus. He has struggled in his two years in the system, however, hitting .163/.296/.185 in 163 plate appearances in the GCL.
26. Korby Batesole, SS, Fresno State
Signing Bonus: $2,500
The son of Fresno State’s head coach, Batesole knew how to play the game and provided solid defensive versatility. He struggled at the plate, however, and was released in May 2020.
27. Gregorio Reyes, LHP, No School
Signing Bonus: $20,000
The Red Sox took a flier on the Puerto Rican Reyes, who had the kind of size you look for in a pitcher and was left-handed to boot. He had a solid 2019 in the GCL, throwing 41 1/3 innings with a 3.05 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with a 36-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, but he retired in January 2020.
28. Kris Jackson, RHP, Corban
Signing Bonus $2,500
Jackson throws from a funky arm slot and has turned into a serviceable bullpen arm after serving as a starter in college. He has made it all the way up to Salem, but lacks the raw stuff to project as more than a minor league depth arm.
29. Mason Ronan, LHP, Penn Cambria HS (Pa.)
Ronan was highly regarded coming out of high school, but was seen as having a solid commitment to Pittsburgh. The Red Sox were unable to sign him, so he went to college, where he has had an up-and-down career so far. As a freshman, he made 15 appearances and threw 17 innings. He did strike out 23, but he walked 19 and allowed 22 hits which led to a 9.00 ERA. In 2020, Ronan was off to a better start as he had 13 strikeouts in 7 innings, but he still struggled with his control with six walks. He will be draft-eligible in 2021, and it will be interesting to see if he takes a step forward next spring and puts himself on the draft radar.
30. Ryan Bliss, SS, Troup County HS (Ga.)
The Red Sox never were linked to signing Bliss, who was known to have a strong commitment to Auburn, where he joined Howell. Bliss was an immediate starter at shortstop, making the SEC All-Freshman team after he hit .281/.367/.369 with 3 home runs and 11 steals in 249 at-bats. He was off to an even better start in 2020, hitting .377/.412/.597 with two home runs and five steals in 77 at-bats. While it is unclear if he is a shortstop or second baseman in professional ball, scouts are high on him for the 2021 draft, and Baseball America ranked him 50th in their top 2021 college draft prospects.
31. Connor Berry, RHP, Oklahoma
Signing Bonus: $75,000
Berry was one of Oklahoma’s best relievers and served as their closer in 2018 before the Red Sox drafted and signed him. He got off to a strong start to his pro career, throwing seven innings in the GCL and not allowing a run with nine strikeouts. He missed all of 2019 with a right shoulder impingement syndrome and was released in May 2020.
32. Bramdon Perez, OF, Miami Beach HS (Fla.)
Signing Bonus: $80,000
The 6-foot-3 Perez was on the lanky side when he signed, but has filled out some since then. His development has been slow, as he is on the raw side and needs to add strength. He did hit .277/.358/.345 in 2019 in the GCL and it will be interesting to see if he makes the jump to full season in 2021.
33. Adrian Torres, CF, Americas HS (Tex.)
The Red Sox did not sign Torres, who went to New Mexico Junior College, where he excelled, hitting .361/.453/.639 with 12 home runs and 12 steals in 234 plate appearances. He reportedly transferred to Washington State last season, but doesn’t seem to have made it to campus, as he was not listed on their roster.
34. Jared Poland, 2B, Cathedral HS (Ind.)
Poland was a consensus top-250 prospect coming out of high school, and the Red Sox were never considered likely to sign him away from his commitment to Louisville. Poland has played both ways for the Cardinals, but scouts are mixed on where they prefer him long-term. He played on the Cape in 2019 and excelled on the mound, but came back in 2020 and struggled in 5.2 innings out of the gate before the season was canceled. He is currently ranked 77th on Baseball America's Top 2021 college draft prospect list and seems like a player whose stock could shift considerably depending on how he looks both on the mound and at the plate in 2021.
35. Jeremiah Boyd, C, Hickory Ridge HS (N.C.)
The Red Sox were unable to sign Boyd away from his commitment to Presbyterian. As a freshman, he started 27 games, primarily at designated hitter, and hit .223/.322/.369 with three home runs in 103 at-bats. He moved to catcher in 2020 but struggled out of the gate, hitting .108/.227/.135 in 37 at-bats.
36. Jake Dukart, 3B, Lake Oswego HS (Ore.)
The Red Sox were unable to sign the Oregon native out of a commitment to Oregon State. He started 20 games as a freshman, hitting .210/.320/.247 in 81 at-bats. He was much better in 2020, establishing himself as the Beavers' everyday second baseman and hitting .323/.580/.419 with 17 walks to 8 strikeouts while hitting at the top of the order. Depending on how he does in 2021, he could be a name to watch at some point for the Red Sox in the draft.
37. Davis Wendzel, SS, Baylor
Wendzel was a draft-eligible sophomore never seen as likely to sign. He went back to Baylor and dominated, hitting .367/.484/.601 with 8 home runs and 11 steals. He was named the 2019 Big 12 Co-Player of the Year and was drafted 41st overall by the Rangers. After signing, he hit .316/.458/.526 with one home run and two steals in 19 at-bats across the Arizona League and Northwest League and was considered a top 20 Rangers prospect in the 2019-2020 offseason.
38. Art Joven, LHP, College of the Sequoias
The Red Sox were unable to sign Joven, so he went to Missouri for his remaining years of college eligibility. In his first year for the Tigers, he made nine starts and 19 appearances overall. He threw 43 2/3 innings and had a 4.33 ERA with 51 strikeouts. He was not drafted after the 2019 season and returned to Missouri for his senior year, throwing 11 2/3 innings prior to the season being canceled. He went undrafted again in 2020 and is currently in the NCAA transfer portal as he looks to head back to school for his additional year of eligibility.
39. Shane Selman, OF, McNeese State
Rather than sign with the Red Sox, Selman returned for his senior season at McNeese and hit .264/.338/.400 with four home runs and six steals. He was selected by the Athletics in the 21st round of the 2019 draft and hit .194/.297/.257 in 114 at-bats across the Arizona League and New York-Penn League in his professional debut.
40. Zach Watson, CF, LSU
Watson was regarded as a consensus top-100 prospect, so there was never really a chance that he would sign here. He returned to LSU and hit .308/.378/.468 with 7 home runs and 11 steals, earning selection to the 2019 SEC All-Defensive Team and NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team. He was drafted in the third round, 79th overall by the Orioles in 2019 and signed for $780,400. He hit .224/.295/.431 in his professional debut with 5 home runs and 5 steals in 116 at-bats across the New York-Penn League and South Atlantic League.
Raw totals:
Players drafted: 40
Players signed: 27
Baseball America/MLB Top 100 prospects: 1
Signed players who reached majors: 0
Photo credit: Triston Casas, Thaddeus Ward, AJ Politi, and Brandon Howlett by Kelly O'Connor.
Ian Cundall is Director of Scouting for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @iancundall.