The MLB Draft is just hours away, and mocks are coming at us non-stop. One of the voices you have to pay attention to in the space is prospect expert Keith Law of The Athletic.
The Red Sox have the 20th pick in the first round of the draft. That leaves them with a lot of options. There are already quite a few realistic choices for the Red Sox, and you have to factor in the potential for some players to free-fall in the draft (Boston has had some luck with players falling into its lap in the past).
One consistent over the last few years, however, has been Boston’s connection with college pitchers. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Law has the Red Sox taking another college pitcher: Ole Miss right-hander Taylor Rabe at 20 (subscription required).
The Red Sox are certainly no strangers to college pitchers early in drafts. In 2024, they used their second-round pick on Payton Tolle and their third-round pick on Brandon Neely, both college arms. In 2025, the Red Sox had four picks in the first three rounds. Three of those picks went to right-handed college pitchers (Kyson Witherspoon, Marcus Phillips, and Anthony Eyanson).
Ole Miss righty pitcher Taylor Rabe mocked to Red Sox by Keith Law at pick No. 20
So why go for another pitcher? There’s a simple rule in baseball: teams don’t draft for need. A team should draft based on best player available, ability to sign, and how they fit into your system.
Players who are drafted aren’t expected to help the major league team on day one. All those pitchers mentioned above didn’t even throw a pitch in the minors the year they were drafted, they waited until the start of the next season (Neely didn’t pitch until 2026 due to injury).
Prospects are then built up; they will struggle, flourish, have different timetables, and be seen as a valuable piece of the future or a valuable trade chip. Craig Breslow and Co. have shown they can build up some incredibly talented pitchers in the minor leagues, so grabbing a pitcher in the first round could be the safest bet to hit a home run, ironically.
Rabe is another massive pitcher, standing at 6’5”, 200 lbs. He throws a high-90s fastball that can already hit 100 MPH with plenty of movement. His cutter isn’t far off, while his slider can generate whiffs and his changeup is a work in progress.
Rabe had a slow start to his college career due to Tommy John surgery his freshman season. He only threw 16 1/3 innings in 2025, but managed 76 innings this season. In those 76 innings, Rabe struck out 105 batters and only walked 15. He boasted a 3.55 ERA and 1.03 WHIP while pitching in the deadly SEC.
The injury could scare some fans, but that might be part of what intrigues the Red Sox. Rabe has electric stuff and hasn’t thrown much over the last few seasons. He’d also likely be able to be signed for well under slot value, freeing up money for them to sign high-priced names in their next few times up to the podium.
There are going to be options for the Red Sox when they go to make their selection at number 20. Rabe makes sense if they are looking to spend some money elsewhere, and are banking on the upside with his devastating fastball/cutter combination. Unsurprisingly, Law’s prediction can make a lot of sense.
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