Its an off-day and since we're under two weeks away from the MLB Draft, its time to look back at last year's Boston Red Sox draft and how Craig Breslow's first crew is doing today. Chaim Bloom drafted a few major leaguers between 2020 and 2023 but made the mistake of drafting nothing but infielders in the early rounds. Hopefully Craig Breslow doesn't make that mistake going forward.
1st Round - OF Braden Montgomery
The Red Sox had the 12th overall pick in the draft and they used it on stud outfielder Braden Montgomery out of Texas A & M University. He was supposed to go in the top 5 but a gruesome ankle injury in the College World Series dropped him right in Boston's lap. He wouldn't play a game in the organization as he was traded along with Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth to Chicago in the Garrett Crochet trade. Now Montgomery is with the Winston-Salem Dash where he's hitting .248 but with 7 home runs and 30 rbis. He's definitely got a power stroke, time will tell how far he goes.
Currently - High A
2nd Round - LHP Payton Tolle
Unlike his predecessor Chaim Bloom, current Sox GM Craig Breslow drafted a pitcher in the top 50. Left hander Payton Tolle was 7-4 with a 3.21 ERA in 14 starts for TCU before being drafted 50th overall by the Red Sox in the 2024 draft. He started this season in Greenville going 1-3 with a 3.62 ERA and got promoted to Portland. So far in AA he's allowed 2 runs in 9 innings with a save under his belt. Him and Connelly Early from the 2023 draft might be the future in a year or two.
Currently - AA
3rd Round - RHP Brandon Neely
The Sox looked to add more pitching when they chose Florida Gators right handed pitcher Brandon Neely with their first round pick. Unfortunately he was damaged goods as he was 3-4 with a 5.09 ERA battling shoulder injuries that prevented him from playing for the Florida Complex. This year he's been on the Injured List since spring training and still hasn't pitched yet. Far too soon to judge him but he's definitely missing out on development.
Currently - Injured List
4th Round - OF Zach Ehrhard
Name sound familiar? Back in 2021 the Red Sox took Zach Ehrhard in the 13th round as a shortstop but he chose to play college ball instead. The Sox thought so much of him they drafted him again in the fourth round of last year's draft. He had just 12 hits in 77 at-bats to end the season for the Greenville Drive but hit .342 with 22 rbis to start this year for the Drive. Promoted to Portland and reunited with his older brother Drew, Zach is hitting just .235 but does have 6 home runs for the Sea Dogs. Better late than never for Zach and at least he's made AA already.
Currently - AA
5th Round - LHP Brandon Clarke
In the fifth round, the Sox took St College of Florida left handed pitcher Brandon Clarke. What made the Sox chose him after posting a 4.36 ERA for a small college is anyone's guess but he's proved doubters wrong so far. He started this year allowing just 1 run in 9 2/3 innings for the Salem Red Sox before getting promoted to Greenville where he's posted a 2.37 ERA out of the bullpen. Small school pitchers are a big crapshot but so far this has worked out. Time will tell if he can make it to Portland and beyond.
Currently - High A
6th Round - RHP Blake Aita
In the sixth round, the Sox chose right handed pitcher Blake Aita out of Kennesaw State where he went 7-4 with a 3.90 ERA in 16 starts. He was 2-3 with a 4.24 ERA for Salem to start this year before getting promoted to Greenville where he's 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA. So far so good for Blake, hopefully he can keep up the momentum this year in Greenville.
Currently - High A
7th Round - OF Will Turner
The Sox first big oops was when they took Southern Alabama outfielder Will Turner in the seventh round. He hit just .218 with 9 home runs in college and his bat hasn't translated to the pro's at all. He had just 6 hits in 74 at bats to end the season in Greenville. This year he was hitting .132 with one home run in Greenville so he was demoted to the Florida Complex Sox...where he's hitting .130 in 9 games. That's a huge red flag that he's hitting this badly this early. He better turn it around in a hurry because there's this year's draft and Dominican guys knocking at the door to take his spot.
Currently - High A
8th Round - RHP/SS Conrad Cason
The Sox made a crapshot with their 8th round pick, Greater Atlanta Christian High School hybrid Conrad Cason. Cason was a pitcher and a shortstop in high school and has played in three games this year for the Florida Complex. One as a pitcher and two as a hitter. He's going to have to make a choice to stick with one skill, but hopefully he excels at one of them. He's only 18 years old so he has plenty of time to develop.
Currently - Rookie League
9th Round - C Hudson White
The Sox took a position of need in the 9th round last year when they took Arkansas University catcher Hudson White. He had just 9 hits in 54 at-bats to finish the season in Greenville. This year he's hitting just .179 with 4 home runs. The trade of Kyle Teel opened a giant hole in the organization for quality catchers and the thinking is White could develop into one. Hitting .179 isn't going to cut it.
Currently - High A
10th Round - LHP Devin Futrell
The Sox started a string of seven straight pitchers taken in the draft when they took left hander Devin Futrell out of Vanderbilt University. He was 4-1 with a hideous 5.40 ERA for Vanderbilt in 2024 but so far he's 0-2 with a 2.53 ERA in 21 innings so far this year. Keep that ERA down and he'll be going places, but he's going to need to locate since he's a junkballer.
Currently - Low A
11th Round - RHP Steven Brooks
The 11th round produced right handed pitcher Steven Brooks for the Sox out of Cal Poly University. Why they took him after consistently posing an ERA in the 5's for 3 years in college is anyone's guess. He's 2-5 with a 5.72 ERA for the Salem Red Sox this year. He was drafted in the 11th round so he's not exactly a blue chip prospect, but what about his stats made Craig Breslow think he had good stuff? He still has time to turn it around, but it looks like they got what they paid for so far.
Currently - Low A
12th Round - RHP Brady Tygart
The Sox used their 12th round selection to go with Arkansas University right handed pitcher Brady Tygart. He was 4-3 with a 3.94 ERA for the Razorbacks in 2024 and the injury bug bit him big time. He was removed after his first start in April, placed on the Injured List, and hasn't pitched since. Going to have to see him next year to see if he develops.
Currently - Low A
13th Round - LHP Shea Sprague
Lucky 13 for the Sox turned out to be left handed pitcher Shea Sprague out of North Carolina University. He was 3-1 with a 4.00 ERA for the Tar Heels in 2024 and so far this year he was 2-2 with a 4.01 ERA before getting promoted to Greenville. There he's currently 1-2 with a 2.60 ERA for the Drive. Not a bad start and hopefully he can keep the momentum going moving forward.
Currently - High A
14th Round - RHP Alex Bouchard
In the fourteenth round, the Sox went right right handed pitcher Alex Bouchard out of Lehigh University. He pitched in 2 games for Lehigh last year before having Tommy John surgery. The Sox wanted his 98 mph fastball so much they were willing to wait for him. He JUST came off the injured list and is rehabbing with the Complex. He'll be in Salem when that's over, let's see if his arm holds up.
Currently - Rookie League
15th Round - RHP Joey Gartrell
In the 15th round, the Sox used their pick to take right handed pitcher Joey Gartrell out of Portland University. Just like Bouchard, he's coming off Tommy John surgery suffered last year. He recently returned and is 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA in Salem. He supposedly hits 94 on the gun so let's see if he bounces back this summer.
Currently - Low A
16th Round - RHP Griffin Kilander
The string of seven straight pitchers drafted ended in the 17th round when the Sox took right handed pitcher Griffin Kilander out of Wayne State University. He was 6-3 with a 4,00 ERA when he was drafted and allowed 1 run in 7 innings to finish the 2024 season in Salem. This year he's 2-5 with a 5.40 ERA in Salem. He needs to step it up big time or else he's going to get passed by the incoming draft class and Dominican players.
Currently - Low A
17th Round - OF Yan Cruz
The Sox took another crapshot when they drafted 17 year old Yan Cruz in the 17th round in last year's draft. He was the 17U Perfect Game MVP and that caught the eye of Sox brass. Unfortunately success hasn't translated to the Florida Complex as he's hitting just .172 with 59 strikeouts in 99 at-bats. Still, he doesn't turn 19 until October so you can't judge him too harshly. Still, you'd like to see a better showing than that.
Currently - Rookie League
18th Round - RHP Cole Tolbert
In the 18th round, the Sox took Ole Miss right handed pitcher Cole Tolbert. Tolbert allowed 11 runs in 18 innings battling injuries in two years in college before making his debut with Salem last year. He was 0-1 with a 5.56 ERA and ended up needing Tommy John surgery in March. He won't pitch this year and half of next year, but not much is expected out of 18th round picks anyway.
Currently - Full Season Injured List
19th Round - 3B D'Angelo Ortiz
Nepotism and the Boston Red Sox are hardly strangers. Whether its Marc Sullivan or Nick Lovullo, every now and then the Sox will draft someone as a favor. The mother of all was this year in the 19th round when the Sox took Miami Dade Community College third baseman D'Angelo Ortiz. Care to guess who his father is? Little Papi doesn't have his father's power stroke as he only had 1 home run in 51 games for Miami Dade and he's hitting .269 with no home runs for the Florida Complex. Still, .269 is better than Yan Cruz and it would be totally unfair to expect D'Angelo to be David. Still, you still have to produce, let's see what he can do.
Currently - Rookie League
20th Round - RHP Ben Hansen
The final player drafted in the 20th round was BYU right handed pitcher Ben Hansen. Hansen was straight garbage at BYU going 5-7 with a 6.63 ERA and so far he's 1-2 with a 6.25 ERA for Salem this year. Can't expect to find blue chip prospects in the 20th round, but at the same time they knew he was bad in college, why did they think they could fix him? He's still got a year or two to develop, but still.
Currently - Low A
URFA - RHP Calvin Bickerstaff
After the draft, the Sox signed a pair of undrafted rookie free agents. One of them was Kent State right handed pitcher Calvin Bickerstaff. He was mediocre for Kent State going 4-4 with a 5.08 ERA before looking good with Salem to end 2024, allowing just 2 runs in 6 innings. This year he's allowed 9 earned runs in 22 innings between the Complex and Salem. For a guy not even drafted, that's better than what other guys who were drafted are doing. Time will tell how far he goes.
Currently - Low A
URFA - RP Jay Allmer
The other undrafted rookie free agent was Seton Hall right handed pitcher Jay Allmer. He was 1-5 but with a 2.73 ERA for Seton Hall and this year he's 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA and a save for Salem. Once again, for a guy who wasn't even drafted, that's better than nothing. Hopefully Breslow found a hidden gem here.
Currently - Low A
Surprisingly all 20 players signed and out of the 22...2 are on the Injured List, 2 are in AA, 6 are in High A, 8 are in Low A and 4 are in the Rookie League. Braden Montgomery was supposedly a steal in the draft but they traded him to get Garrett Crochet. As it is, Payton Tolle looks like the next man up out of this group, Zach Ehrhard is also in AA already but the rest will have time to develop. Getting an Andrew Benintendi that goes from drafted to MLB in one year is tough to do, so judge slowly. Still, Breslow knew the organization has a dearth of pitching so he grabbed as many as he could. Hopefully one or more of them will stick.
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