Memory Lane: Luke Wrenn’s impact as Red Sox scout 1990-1999
Remembering Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Famer Luke Wrenn’s time as a Red Sox scout. In 35 years he’s continuously proven why he’s one of the best.
There’s a lot that gets said about baseball players- their achievements, their struggles, their history, and their journey. Rarely do we hear about the people responsible for hunting through schools, clubs, and leagues to bring a young player to the attention of a major league team. Luke Wrenn is one of the greatest scouts, recognized through his induction into the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame in 2015. He spent 9 years scouting for the Boston Red Sox.
Wrenn played 5 seasons in MLB with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres clubs. When his playing career ended he returned to school, where he got a Bachelors and Masters in Education. He later returned to MLB in a different role, as a scout.
Luke Wrenn has spent years compiling paperwork, doing background searches, conducting eye and psychological tests, visiting players’ homes to learn more about them. Throughout his career, he’s been able to accurately predict the future of many talented young men. Wrenn is currently in his 35th year serving as a scout with the Diamondbacks.
Throughout his career, Wrenn has spent countless hours traveling to watch players in high school, college, minor-league players, and Latin American assignments. A good scout like Wrenn must be detail oriented, always prepared, and must have a zone in attention span. They end up knowing a player inside and out.
Wrenn has exceptional people skills necessary to find out more about a player through the lenses of his coaches, training staff, and teammates. Through experience and understanding the needs of their organization, scouts learn the characteristics off-the-field that provide additional promise for a young players future. Wrenn has the gift of spotting the intangible traits that the players have (or in some cases don’t have).
Luke Wrenn served as an Area Scout for the Red Sox from 1990-1999. During his time with the team, he outlasted four managers including Joe Morgan, Butch Hobson, Kevin Kennedy, and Jimy Williams. Wrenn notably scouted and pushed for the signing of Stephen Drew, David Eckstein, Nomar Garciaparra, Mike Maroth, and Tino Martinez. Eckstein and Maroth were both drafted by the Red Sox, but only spent time in their minor league before starting over with new teams.
Eckstein went on to spend 10 seasons in MLB, being a 2x All-Star, Willie Mays World Series MVP, and AL Babe Ruth Award Winner. Maroth went on to spend 6 seasons in MLB including 3 years in the top 10 leaders board for Games Started, 2 years as number 1 for his Fielding Percentage as a Pitcher, and 2nd on the list for Completed Games in 2004 on the AL side.
Drew was in the Red Sox organization for 2 seasons from 2013-2014. He spent 4 seasons in the top 10 for his Fielding Percentage as a shortstop, 3 seasons in the top 10 for Double Plays Turned as a shortstop, and was 3rd for Putouts as a shortstop in 2010.
Tino Martinez was drafted by the Red Sox in 1985 but he did not sign. 3 years later he signed with the Mariners and ultimately spent 16 years in MLB. During that time he was a 2x All-Star, 4x World Series player, and a Silver Slugger. He was spent 3 seasons in the top 10 for Sacrifice Flies, and 2 seasons in the top 10 for Games Played.
Nomar Garciaparra was drafted by the Brewers in 1991 but did not sign. Instead, he was drafted by the Red Sox in 1994. 9 of his 14 seasons were spent playing with the Red Sox. Garciaparra was a Rookie of the Year, 6x All-Star, Silver Slugger, 2x Batting Title, a Silver Slugger in 1997, NL Comeback Player of the Year in 2006, he spent 2 seasons as number 1 for his Batting Average, and 2 seasons in the top 10 for Runs Batted In.
Luke Wrenn’s scouting report of Chipper Jones (the incredible accuracy in foreshadowing his career) landed on Bleacher Reports’ Adam Wells top 10 greatest MLB players of this generation. Jones was only in high school when Wrenn conducted his scouting report. Jones spent 19-years in MLB, where he was an 8x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, won a Batting Title, was an MVP, and a Hall of Famer. Granted, Wrenn couldn’t draft Jones (as he had already been scooped up before the 6th pick came around) but he did foresee an incredible baseball career for the young player. Wrenn wrote,
“This boy has all the tools. Has power and good basic approach at the plate with bat speed… This boy is a super kid that wants to play pro ball. Excellent make-up and work habits… Fields like a player that has been in pro ball 3 or 4 years. This boy must be considered for our 6th pick. Does everything well and with ease.”
We can see by Wrenn’s report that he not only examined the player that Jones was on the field, but the man that he was off the field. He notes key points that made Jones a great high school player. More important than his abilities on the field, he mentions the work habits that Jones had. Wrenn keyed into the main factor that would differentiate the young Jones, the one factor that would make him very appealing to coaches.
Similarly, Wrenn hit his scouting report of David Eckstein out of the ballpark. Eckstein only spent a few years with the Red Sox, eventually moving on and making his name for himself within other organizations. Eckstein spent 10 years in MLB, is a 2x All-Star, Willie Mays World Series MVP, and AL Babe Ruth Award Winner. In the scouting report, he noted that:
“This guy has the work ethic and attitude you love to see. Overachiever type that I would like to have. Will hang around for a long time in Pro ball because managers are going to love him.” More from Red Sox News Dave Dombrowski reunites with former Red Sox ace on Phillies 10 grievances against the Boston Red Sox in honor of Seinfeld holiday Festivus Red Sox risk repeating rookie mistake with Eric Hosmer release Former MLB All-Star slams Red Sox for ’embarrassing’ treatment of Rafael Devers Red Sox invited group of players you’ve probably never heard of to Spring Training
Again, in his analysis we see Wrenn focusing on the importance of the characteristics of Eckstein off-the-field. He saw that Eckstein, small and mighty, was a player that would work hard. He would outperform expectations that others had of him. Wrenn was right about both players. Throughout his career, Eckstein proved everyone wrong. While Wrenn was a fan of Eckstein, he even underestimated him. Wrenn predicated that he would last 5 years and then have a career as a coach or a manager. Years later, Wrenn admitted that
“I shouldn’t have said that. Believe me, I’ve learned, you can’t underestimate that kid.”
Another great trait that Wrenn has, admitting when he was wrong.
Did Wrenn have a sixth sense about these players or was it simply a mix of knowledge and blind luck? Luke Wrenn has a knack for searching through mounds of young talent, a talent for determining the diamonds in the rough, and for foreshadowing the future of players. As Red Sox fans we were able to enjoy the rewards of his work for years.
The fact that Wrenn has last as a scout for over 30 years is remarkable in and of itself. He’s been around long enough to see the progression of the scouting process, the new tools available and the change in approach.
He has spotted talent from miles away. Wrenn has mastered his understanding of what he needs to look for in players (and what red signs are). He knows the defying characteristics that set a good player apart from a great player.
Next. Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland is an extra-base hitting machine. dark
Luke Wrenn spent the 1990s in the Red Sox organization. He had some tremendous players on his radar long before the rest of the world knew about them. It was thanks to Wrenn that a lot of players got their chances. MLB honored him on a massive stage in 2015. Today, we reflect on his abilities, talent, and key imprints he made in the Sox organization.