5 draft prospects the Boston Red Sox should look to take at pick 14
The MLB Draft grows ever closer, as it does every year. We are now less than two months to the first day of the draft, with the event taking place from July 9th to July 11th in Seattle, Washington. With that, we also start to get some of the hype surrounding the event this early into the year, as it is always interesting to delve into prospects and which team could take who.
The Boston Red Sox already have a pretty high-quality farm system, ranking near the top 15 for most major outlets, including 11th at Prospects1500 and 10th at Baseball America. With names like Marcelo Mayer, Ceddanne Rafaela, Miguel Bleis, Mikey Romero, Nick Yorke, and more, the Sox have accrued quite the list of prospects who could develop in the coming years.
However, ensuring that the system is sufficiently supplied for the coming years is also key, as baseball relies on a good mix of prospects and signings/trades to make the roster work out.
What we will take a look at in this article is five players who, within reason, could be at pick number 14 of the first round, where the Sox pick. On top of that, the prospects shown throughout this piece will be picked based on the following:
- Potential positions of need either on the major league roster, or due to lack of such players in the farm system
- Players who could have the best value for pick number 14
- Players who fit into the type of offensive or defensive scheme the Sox are looking to build long term
So, without further ado, let us get straight into the first prospect.
Red Sox 2023 draft possibility - Hurston Waldrep - RHP - Florida
The first prospect we will be taking a look at is the right-handed starting pitcher out of Florida, Hurston Waldrep. Waldrep is currently in his third season with Florida, and at 21 years old, he has had a chance to experience college baseball in the SEC with some of the best.
The most notable strength for Waldrep is his pitch velocity. His fastball ranges from 95 to 99 miles per hour already, his slider runs up into the high-80s most of the time, and a 12-6 curveball that sits in the low 80s. He also has flashed a splitter, which he is still trying to develop, but at its best is absolutely devastating for opposing batters as it falls very quickly.
The only major concern seen with Hurston is his fastball control, which can get away from him at times and back him up in the count. While this is not a common occurance, it is enough to be noted and be a potential place for improvement with pitching staff.
According to MLB.com, he has a significantly above-average fastball regardless, with a 65 on their scouting grade scale (which tops off at 80 for those who do not know). He also was given a 55 grade for the slider, and a 60 grade for the splitter due to its mobility.
In terms of production, Waldrep can sometimes struggle with ERA/keeping runs away, but he is also an absolutely phenomenal strikeout pitcher. This season through 13 starts and 66.2 innings pitched, he has a 5.00 ERA, but he also has 104 strikeouts (14 per nine innings pitched) and has only allowed 40 walks (5.4 per nine innings pitched). Overall, a prospect who should fall to the Sox range at pick 14, but also a player with a strong baseline already, who could become even better.
Red Sox 2023 draft possibility - Noble Meyer - RHP - Jesuit High School
Noble Meyer is next up on the list, from Jesuit High School in Oregon. At only 18 years of age, Meyer has a lot of baseball ahead of him, as he has also committed to Oregon University, so he has the option of declining his draft selection and going there instead if he wishes. Regardless, if the Sox could get him to commit to their farm system, having a young pitching prospect with the traits Noble has would be a phenomenal addition.
The first thing worth noting is even as a high school player, Meyer is already 6'5" and 185 pounds, which is a great build for a pitcher entering the league. Velocity is also not a struggle, as he has shown flashes of triple-digit fast ball speed, but typically sticks in the high 90s deeper into games. You would hope to see him hone in on that velocity and develop it even further through a few years in a farm system.
On top of that, he has a slider that rides in the mid-80s that has exceptional movement and is able to be a quality strikeout pitch long-term. Finally, he also has a quality changeup that he is developing to be a consistent pitch in his arsenal.
Many fans debate whether or not to draft highschool players, as they are typically mostly based on projection, and could decline their draft selection. However, taking a shot on Noble Meyer in the first round could be a huge move for Boston to add a starting arm to their farm system.
Red Sox 2023 draft possibility - Blake Mitchell - C/RHP - Sinton High School
Blake Mitchell is one of the most interesting and versatile prospects in this year's class, as he has played three completely different positions. He is primarily a catcher with a great throwing arm and upside as a power batter. But he also pitches, interestingly enough he throws right-handed while being a lefty batter.
As a pitcher, he has a fastball that can reach 97 to 98 miles per hour, with a good curveball and changeup. Long-term he projects as a catcher, however, as that tends to be where he plays the best. Mitchell is another highschool prospect and has committed to Louisiana State University for baseball if he chooses to forego the draft.
According to MLB.com he has a 70 grade for arm strength, which is extremely promising, especially for a catcher. This shows they have a large amount of faith in his ability to throw baserunners out and really push the ball to the bases.
The main point he will need to develop is creating a smoother swing with more hitting consistency. Despite his ability to hit with immense strength and drive the ball all over the field, he also is not exceptionally consistent at doing so. If a team, including Boston, could give him some time at the lower levels to really hone in on his skills, he could turn into a plus starter at catcher for the foreseeable future.
Red Sox 2023 draft possibility - Arjun Nimmala - INF - Strawberry Crest High School
Our first infielder of this list is Arjun Nimmala out of Strawberry Crest High School in Florida. Another young projection prospect at 17 years old, but one with high upside and a strong baseline to build off of. Arjun has committed to Florida State University for baseball, another premier college in terms of baseball history.
If you are looking for an all-around quality prospect who is good at everything and not yet great at any one point, Nimmala is just that. He has good at-bats with a strong bat and is able to hit for average typically. He also has slightly above-average speed, which projects well both for baserunning as well as fielding at shortstop. He most definitely has the arm to play shortstop, and the lateral quickness to do so as well.
He may be one of the more likely prospects to take up on his college commitment, as he is still so young and has time and need to develop in certain areas. The main point of emphasis should be his ability to read pitches better and really up his plate discipline, as there are times where he reads pitches very well, but also times where he misses them.
Obviously, the Red Sox already have their shortstop of the future hopefully in Marcelo Mayer, the number three prospect in baseball according to ESPN. But getting a young option who has the strong traits Nimmala has is positive, even if you have to move him to second base.
Red Sox 2023 draft possibility - Enrique Bradfield Jr. - OF - Vanderbilt
Finally, we come back to another college prospect, that being outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. out of Vanderbilt. Bradfield is generally considered a top 10 prospect, however if he were to fall to 14, the Red Sox absolutely would need to take a look at selecting him.
He is still on the younger side at 21 years old and has a quality frame at 6'1" and 170 pounds. The two points of strength in his game that are immediately noticeable are his fielding and speed, which are graded as an 80 and a 70 respectively at MLB.com.
Bradfield was an absolute force to be reckoned with on the basepaths throughout his college career, as his exceptional speed was put on display for three seasons. In his three years at Vanderbilt, he had 125 stolen bases combined and was only picked off 13 times comparatively (about 9.4% of the time). He also had 187 runs in his career, 11 triples, and 28 doubles.
His ability to hit for average has always been great, hitting .336/.451/.865 his freshman season, .317/.415/.913 his sophomore season, and .290/.430/.875 his junior season. On top of speed and hitting, he is also great in the field due to his top end speed. He is able to find the ball quickly into its arc and does a great job at getting under it and making the play. Despite not having an exceptional arm, he is typically able to get under the ball before that becomes an issue.
Bringing in a long-term outfielder prospect for Boston would be beneficial, despite the current logjam at that position on the major league roster.
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