Boston Red Sox drafts: How have the last 10 first-round picks done?

Boston Red Sox 2022 first-round pick: Mikey Romero (shortstop)

The Boston Red Sox used the 24th overall pick in the 2022 draft on shortstop Mikey Romero.

Draft Grade: B+

Like Yorke two years before him, Romero was seen as someone that maybe the Red Sox reached on a bit.

And like Yorke a year before him, Romero immediately made Boston's draft room look like geniuses.

The left-handed hitting shortstop only got nine games in Single-A before the end of the 2022 season, but he made them count. Romero slashed .349/.364/.581 with four doubles and three triples. He drove in 11 runs, scored six more, and stole one base.

Here's the issue, though. That's all we've gotten to see of Romero. The 19-year-old missed the start of the 2023 season with a back injury, and it's taken longer for him to heal up than expected.

All the hype around Romero is real, though. In fact, that's the question I've been getting the most on Twitter lately. It seems like I can't mention anything about Salem without getting "any update on Romero" questions. Here's a little secret, I have no idea. All I know is that his back bothered him more than they anticipated. And the only reason I know that is because of the excellent work of the SoxProspects team.

With such a small sample size, it was hard to give Romero a grade. However, that was the whole point of this article. So let's give it a shot.

As of right now, Romero is seen as someone with a phenomenal hit tool and some power potential. Speed isn't a major part of his game, but it's certainly not an issue, either. He's a solid defender at shortstop, but he might not be sticking there.

Mikey Romero has only had nine games to make an impression on Boston Red Sox fans. And it seems they're already enamored with him. That should tell you all you need to know about the prospect. First impressions mean a lot. That's all we have with Romero. He grades out nicely and has shown us a lot in a small amount of time.

Buckle up. It should be a fun ride.

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