July 16, 2024 at 9:59 PM
2024 Draft Day 3 Recap: Rounds 16-20
With that, here are brief summaries of who the Red Sox selected with their 16th, 17, 18th, 19th, and 20th-round picks:
16. Griffin Kilander, RHP, Wayne St. (MI)
Kilander was taken out of Division II Wayne State with the 477th overall pick. The 21-year-old righty posted a 4.00 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with 81 strikeouts to 14 walks in 12 starts (81 innings) for the Warriors as a junior this past spring. He was recognized as a second-team All-GLIAC selection. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, Kilander has reached 94 mph with his fastball and is well-regarded for his strike-throwing abilities. The Michigan native spent part of his summer pitching for the Royal Oak Leprechauns of the Northwoods League.
17. Yan Cruz, OF, Presbiteriana (PR)
Cruz was taken out of Academia Presbiteriana in Carolina, Puerto Rico with the 507th overall pick. The 17-year-old was ranked 10th overall among Puerto Rican draft prospects by Perfect Game. He is currently committed to play collegiately at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Fla. Though he is projectable at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, the left-handed hitting Cruz will likely need to add more strength to his frame.
18. Cole Tolbert, RHP, Mississippi
Dipping back into the college pitching pool, Tolbert was taken out of Ole Miss with the 537th overall pick. The 21-year-old righty appeared in just six games for the Rebels as a junior this past spring, allowing four earned runs on seven hits, four walks, and five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings of relief. He entered the transfer portal in June and committed to Troy University but has spent his summer with the Kenosha Kingfish of the Northwoods League. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound hurler primarily operates with a low-90s fastball and a curveball.
19. D'Angelo Ortiz, 3B, Miami Dade College (FL)
The Red Sox made headlines with their penultimate pick at No. 567 overall by taking D'Angelo Ortiz (pictured), the son of club legend and Hall of Famer David Ortiz. Unlike his father, D'Angelo is a right-handed hitter who batted .377 with one home run and 35 RBIs in 51 games for Miami Dade this past spring. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound infielder turned 20 earlier this month and had been playing for the Brockton Rox of the Futures Collegiate League. In 11 games this summer, he went 14-for-45 (.311) with one double, seven RBIs, eight runs scored, four stolen bases, seven walks, and eight strikeouts over 53 plate appearances.
20. Ben Hansen, RHP, BYU (UT)
With their last pick (No. 597 overall), the Red Sox took another sizable righty in Hansen. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound sophomore out of Pleasanton, Calif. posted a 6.63 ERA and 1.71 WHIP with 51 strikeouts to 30 walks in 14 starts (72 innings) for the Cougars this past spring. The 22-year-old hurler has a fastball that has been up to 96 mph and also mixes in a cutter, curveball, and changeup. He is the 13th and final college pitcher to be selected by Boston.
Photo Credit: D'Angelo Ortiz by Kelly O'Connor