The Red Sox seemed to have a "type" when they were selecting
players in the 2025 MLB Draft. Out of the 20 players selected by Boston back in June, 10
players were college pitchers from the
Southeastern Conference.
Myles Patton was selected by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Texas A&M. While he did only spend one year in College Station, he wears his SEC pride on his sleeve.
"There are a lot of SEC pitchers in the class, which we have
plenty of stories about playing each other or about guys we have faced before,"
Patton told SoxProspects.com. "Those were easy things to bond over. It is
really a good group of guys. There aren’t really any egos, and they are all
very fun to be around."
Drafting players from the SEC wasn’t
just a Red Sox strategy, as 107 players were drafted from the conference, including 13 in the first round. The circuit had 46 more total picks than the next
closest league, the ACC. Every SEC school had at least one player selected and
all 30 MLB teams drafted at least one SEC player.
"There are no breaks in the SEC," Patton added. "No matter
who you play against every week, it will be a grind every time out. I think
that mentality with everyone is elite competition gets you into the right
mindset for pro ball. There will be failures and successes in the conference
play, so I am going to keep that same mindset in pro ball that every team and
player is the best team you will play the whole season. I think that lesson is
valuable for us from the SEC and the play showed you that."
Patton threw 77 innings over 15 games started for Texas
A&M this past season after transferring in from Long Beach State. Over his three-year
college career between the two schools, the California native made a name for
himself with his ability to throw strikes. For a southpaw who only topped out
at 93 mph in college, he will need to continue that trend into the start of his
professional career.
"The most important thing for me to be successful is to be
an elite strike thrower and competing in the zone," Patton said. "I have no
fear of contact or what could happen once the ball leaves my hand. I just want
to keep hitters off balance with a mix of a lot of different shapes. I throw
multiple breaking balls, a sinker, cutter, and a four-seam fastball. I also
have a changeup that I like to throw to keep guys off balance."
"Throw nasty stuff in the zone" is a new organizational
phrase you hear the pitchers all throughout the system throw around these days.
While it might sound easier said than done, the Red Sox have done tremendous
jobs with quite a few arms since Craig Breslow took over.
The recent track record is not only good for supplying
quality arms to the big league club, but it is helping lure potential arms to
the organization.
"The cornerstone of the Red Sox pitching philosophy of just
throwing good stuff in the zone is the best way to do it. Simplifying things is
always the best way to go in my opinion. There are a few things they judge us
on and if we do those things well, you will have a lot of success. The
simplicity of the philosophy combined with them having a good track record of
improving velocity and usages is all you can ask for from a pitching
development standpoint."
The 22-year-old has yet to debut in pro ball since being
drafted last July. Like much of his draft class, Patton went straight to Fort
Myers where he would spend the next three months getting acquainted with the
lifestyle and everything that comes with being a professional baseball player.
"Myles has been phenomenal so far during his time with us,"
Red Sox Senior Director of Player Development Brian Abraham told SoxProspects.
"He has shown consistency on and off the field, as well as when on the mound
and in the weight room. He needs to continue focusing on getting stronger and
adding velocity this offseason while also continuing to better understand his
arsenal and how his pitches can best complement each other. Solidifying pitch
shapes and throwing strikes are always areas of focus. He is attentive, a fast
learner, and has done well in being able to handle and retain new information
within the professional environment very well."
Photo Credit: Myles Patton by 12thman.com
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