MLB mock draft roundup: Red Sox linked to Tennessee slugger originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Red Sox have built one of the league’s best farm systems in recent years, and later this month they’ll have the chance to add more impactful players to the pipeline.
Boston will have the 12th overall pick when the 2024 MLB Draft begins on July 14. It will be Craig Breslow’s first draft since replacing Chaim Bloom as chief baseball officer.
Bloom has had an affinity for high school middle infielders during his tenure, using first-round picks on them in three of the last four years. He selected second baseman Nick Yorke in 2020, shortstop Marcelo Mayer in 2021 and shortstop Mikey Romero in 2022 before bucking the trend with catcher Kyle Teel in 2023.
Which route will Breslow take? Here’s a roundup of predictions from MLB draft experts:
Kiley McDaniel, ESPN: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
McDaniel: “There has been a lot of criticism of Moore coming off the board with this pick during his late regular season rise to the college postseason. Boston appears to be in a similar position to Detroit, hoping to grab one of the top 10 prospects who happens to fall out of the top 10 picks, with a preference for hitters with some power. Moore and Kurtz both fit that focus on hitters with power.”
Jim Callis, MLB.com: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Callis: “Barring a surprise drop — perhaps Griffin or Rainer? — the Red Sox will likely dip into the second tier of college bats that starts with Tibbs and Moore, though Yesavage is also tempting. That’s the ceiling for other members of that group, including Florida State third baseman Cam Smith, Wake Forest third baseman/outfielder Seaver King, Oklahoma State outfielder Carson Benge, Louisiana State third baseman Tommy White, North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt and Kentucky outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt.”
Mike Axisa, CBS Sports: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep (Mississippi)
Ash: “The Red Sox have been linked to college bats more than any other draft in recent weeks, but the college hitters left on the board in our mock simply don’t offer the same upside as Griffin. Pound for pound, he’s arguably the most exciting and best-drafted player in the draft class. Boston jumped on Kyle Teel when he unexpectedly fell to their pick last draft, and the bet is they’d jump on Griffin (or Rainer) if he’s available this year.”
Edward Sutelan, Sports News: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep (Mississippi)
Sutelan: “The Red Sox have been a bit all over the place with recent draft picks, though they’ve leaned more toward high school the past four drafts, with three of the last four picks coming from the high school ranks. Here, they’ll likely just be happy to see Konnor Griffin still on the board.
“Griffin’s tools are explosive with a ton of raw power, plenty of speed and a rocket arm. He also adds solid defense that should allow him to slide into the shortstop or center position. There are some raw aspects to his hit tool that make him a little riskier than the players above him, but the upside will be a dream come true for anyone who selects him.”
Carlos Collazo, Baseball America: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Merging: “It’s the same group of names for the Red Sox as in the previous mock. That includes Honeycutt, Christian Moore (if he were available), Trey Yesavage (if the team wants to go with a pitcher), or others like James Tibbs III, Cam Smith and Carson Benge. It seems like Honeycutt’s floor could be lower than any of the other hitters mentioned here, but I think this is a real landing spot. Would Boston pass on Kurtz if he were available here given the presence of Triston Casas? I’m not sure.”
Joel Reuter, Bleacher Report: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
Reuters: “Yesavage established himself as the clear No. 3 among college pitchers this spring by going 11-1 with a 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 93.1 innings, building on a strong sophomore season to comfortably land a first-round pick. The Red Sox haven’t always had the best luck developing pitching prospects, so that makes a polished, high-floor arm like Yesavage an attractive target. The 20-year-old is essentially a plug-and-play future rotation piece, even if his ceiling is more mid-rotation than future ace.
Aram Leighton, Just Baseball: James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State
Leighton: “Tibbs has seen his draft stock soar as he torched the ACC en route to winning the conference’s Player of the Year award. The outfielder suppressed minor hit-tool questions by hitting .303 at Cape Town and cutting his strikeout rate to just 11% in his junior season while belting 28 home runs. The Red Sox and their pitching-focused front office could consider top prep southpaw Cam Caminiti, but they appear to be more focused on college prospects.”
The 2024 MLB Draft begins on Sunday, July 14 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
