They’ve got nothing to lose.
And finally, there is Zach Watson, a center fielder from LSU. He’s a 70-grade runner, which will help him stay in center and make the most of his solid hit tool. He posts impressive exit velocities, as well, so a tweak to his swing could generate some power that isn’t presently showing. The problem with Watson is that he’s a draft-eligible sophomore, not a junior, so he has tons of leverage. That means he’s going to cost a king’s ransom to sign. He’s all but off the table unless the money the Red Sox have set aside for Northcut becomes available. Even then, it might not be enough.
As it currently stands, the team is likely to sign all of their picks from the first ten rounds, as well as Nicholas Northcut. They have a decent chance to land Shugart and Hardy too. If they sign anything beyond that, and the filler types that populate most of day three, count it as a bonus. If they come away with Triston Casas, Nicholas Northcut, Nick Decker, Kole Cottam, and the rest of their first ten picks, this will have been a very good draft. If they add Mchamer, Howlett or Poland, it might be one of the top drafted classes of the year. Never mind if they pull off a miracle and tack Zach Watson onto that group.
Next: Who are the top-five 1st round picks in Red Sox history?
It may be unlikely that they do the latter. But we’re fans, so why not dream? Who do you think they will sign from day three? Are there any day three selections worth talking about that aren’t included here? Let us know in the comments!