To many fans' surprise, the Boston Red Sox extended a qualifying offer to Nick Pivetta after the 2024 season. The pitcher did not accept, and the Red Sox were awarded the No. 75 pick in the 202 MLB Draft.
With it, Boston selected infielder Henry Godbout out of the University of Virginia. Godbout is the first position player selected by the Red Sox in this year's draft — they chose righty pitchers Kyson Witherspoon in the first round and Marcus Phillips with their compensation round draft pick from the Quinn Priester trade.
Godbout landed at No. 72 in MLB Pipeline's draft prospect rankings, with an overall score of 50 out of 80. His hit tool is his best, with a score of 55, as he makes consistent, hard contact while limiting chase. He batted .309/.397/.497 with an .895 OPS, 10 doubles, a triple, eight homers and 37 RBI in 50 games in 2025. He walked 26 times and struck out just 19 times.
Red Sox select Henry Godbout with compensation round draft pick after Nick Pivetta rejected qualifying offer
With the 75th pick in the 2025 draft, the @RedSox select @UVABaseball shortstop Henry Godbout, No. 72 on the Top 250 Draft Prospects list.
— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) July 14, 2025
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It seemed like Craig Breslow's extension of the qualifying offer to Pivetta was a smart early move to begin Boston's offseason. Pivetta's market was reportedly larger than expected early in the winter and his high strikeout rate caught the attention of front offices around the league. The righty eventually signed with the Padres, and is having a career season through the first half.
Pivetta has posted a 3.07 ERA, 1.032 WHIP, 144 strikeouts and 27 walks over 102.2 innings. He owns the best winning percentage in MLB (.818), and he's given San Diego all kinds of confidence after it signed him to a four-year, $55,000,000 contract in February.
The Red Sox drafted Kristian Campbell and Roman Anthony in the compensation round of their respective drafts, so giving Pivetta the qualifying offer appeared an easy gamble. He's never posted less than a 4.00 ERA in any other year, and the Red Sox have made excellent use of prior picks. It will be years before Red Sox Nation knows for sure, but Boston may have found a long-term second baseman — which it hasn't had since Dustin Pedroia's retirement — in Godbout.