The 2024 MLB Draft began on a high note for the Boston Red Sox when Braden Montgomery fell to them at pick No. 12.
They didn't have another pick until number 50, so they had to make it count. That's exactly what they did when they chose left-handed pitcher Payton Tolle out of TCU in the second round.
Baseball teams don't draft for their immediate needs. Rather, they take the best player available at the time of their picks, which is up to each club's interpretation. However, teams must also draft based on who they think they can get to sign. They're working with a monetary value here.
Boston drafting the outfielder Montgomery at 12 was incredible. He's an interesting case in terms of money, though. Will the Texas A&M star want a bigger slot bonus, as he was someone who slipped a bit? Or will he be fine taking less due to his injury status?
Red Sox select left-handed pitcher Payton Tolle with the 50th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft
The Red Sox likely already have a plan for how they want to use their money. And drafting a pitcher from their spot in the second round is phenomenal.
The Red Sox have an exciting group of pitching prospects, and the pool is much better than most people claimed as recently as last year around this time.
That being said, pitching prospects are incredibly difficult to predict. Boston's top arm, Luis Perales, suffered an injury last month and is now out for the foreseeable future after Tommy John surgery. Angel Bastardo suffered the same fate around the same time. Wikelman Gonzalez is having a tough year (although he's looked great recently).
With the 50th pick in the 2024 #MLBDraft, we have selected P Payton Tolle from @TCU_Baseball. pic.twitter.com/e0Ufwyam8N
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 15, 2024
Clubs never know what they're going to get from any prospect, but pitchers are extra volatile, so having as many as possible is never a bad thing.
Tolle is a massive dude. Listed at 6'6", 250 lbs, he has a great frame for a pitcher. In 15 starts this season, the 21-year-old posted a 3.21 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Tolle struck out 125 batters compared to 37 walks in 81 1/3 innings pitched.
His fastball sits in the low 90s but can hit the upper-mid-90s, and he has a wicked slider. The Boston pitching lab could maybe add some velocity, which would be great (look what they did with Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz this year).
Tolle was a two-way player who had a ton of success in 2023 with Wichita State (.311/.361/.538 slash line). However, he struggled in 2024 with TCU (.182/.303/.327). It's pretty safe to assume the Red Sox will have him focus on pitching.
Boston got a legitimate college arm who could fly through the minor leagues and help the Red Sox sooner rather than later.