Off-Day News: Belated MLB Draft Coverage (6/20/19)

Even though the second day of the MLB Draft was 16 days ago, it wasn't properly given its due. With an off-day today and nothing going on, may as well cover the draft picks the Boston Red Sox chose between rounds 3 through 10.

The Sox third round pick was right handed pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn, a Kansas Jayhawk who completed his Junior year going 5-2 with a 3.97 ERA. He can throw 95 consistently but issued 44 walks in 88 innings. If he can learn control that fastball could be very effective.

                                                    Can throw 95 but has no idea where its going

The Sox took a big crapshot with their fourth round pick, US Naval Academy pitcher Noah Song. Song may not play for the Sox for a while as he must serve at least 2 years in the United States Navy much like David Robinson the basketball Hall of Famer. From a baseball standpoint Noah was 11-1 with a 1.44 ERA striking out 161 batters in 94 innings his senior year. If he wasn't locked into military service he'd be drafted first overall with those kinds of numbers. Sox GM Dave Dombrowski may be rewarded down the road or Song may stick with the Navy. Real life is more important than a game so here's a salute to the Annapolis graduate no matter what he does after this.

                                             Don't expect to see him anytime soon

The Sox 5th round pick didn't have any military strings attached as they went back to Kansas University to take catcher Jaxx Groshans. The battery mate of Zeferjahn hit .340 with 12 home runs for the Jayhawks this season. Christian Vazquez won't be in Boston forever so starting to search for a replacement isn't such a bad idea. If nothing else maybe he'll hit some bombs for Lowell this year.

                                          Groshans will be reunited with Zeferjahn

In the sixth round the Sox selected San Diego University left handed pitcher Chris Murphy. Chris was perfectly medicore his senior year going 4-3 with a 3.50 ERA as a starter. The Sox aren't known for their lefty pitchers outside of Jon Lester so hopefully Murphy can contribute one way or another to the organization. 

                                                    About time the Sox took a lefty

In the seventh round the Sox took a familiar face, Junior College pitcher Brock Bell who is the son of former MLB infielder Jay Bell. The right hander battled Tommy John surgery in college but is expected to be healthy now. If Jay could make the show, hopefully Brock can too.

                                                         His old man would be proud

In the eighth round the Sox took Florida Gators junior centerfielder Wil Dalton. This pick was a bit of a head scratcher as Dalton regressed from 2018 to 2019, batting just .250 with 7 homers for the Gators. This may be a stretch by the Sox but what the hell, its the eighth round.

                                 Being mediocre in college doesn't translate to ML success

The Sox used their 9th round pick to take right handed junior pitcher Cody Scroggins of Arkansas University. This was another crapshot because Scroggins was a total bum his last two years for the Razorbacks. He posted a 4.60 ERA his junior year and 4.19 ERA his senior year. Maybe Dombrowski can hope the minor league pitching coordinators can fix him. Otherwise this could be a wasted pick.

                                            Can Scroggins go from college bum to MLB star?

Rounding out the day in the tenth round, the Sox took Vanderbilt University outfielder Stephen Scott who hit .335 for the Commodores his senior year. He also hit 11 home runs so this could be a sneaky pick for the Sox if he develops....the key word being "if".

                                                             See you in Lowell, Scott

Sox GM Dave Dombrowski isn't known for his drafting so this could be the last you see of any of these guys. Noah Song has talent but he's committed to the Navy and some of these guys were bums in college. Still, maybe Dave will get lucky with one of these guys. If not, oh well, he won a World Series last year, he's entitled to whiff on a few draft picks.

On This Day in Basebawful History:


1970 - Yankees beat Nagy, Sox

1979 -Red Sox maul Tigers, hit 6 homers

1997 - Tigers beat the daylights out of the Sox

2000 -Yankees blank Pedro, Sox

2013 - Tigers rally to defeat Sox

2017 - Sale, Sox Defeat Royals

2018 - Twins Defeat Price, Sox






Final Thoughts:

Tomorrow night the Toronto Blue Jays come to town with Trent Thornton on the mound against Chris Sale (3-7, 3.49 ERA) of the Red Sox at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.