2023 MLB Draft

[sk7326]

Looks like a very strong one for college hitters. In particular, the impacts of the 2020 draft on high schoolers shows as a lot of guys who might have signed in a normal year went to college and are juniors now.

Sox pick 14. At the Athletic, Keith Law put out his first mock draft (separate from ranking prospects - it's the intel on what front offices are likely to do)

https://theathletic.com/4539593/2023...crews-pirates/

14. Boston Red Sox – Tommy Troy, SS, Stanford
I think this is pretty open, with any of the guys I have just ahead of Boston’s pick also possibilities, as well as Shaw. I could see the Red Sox being on Kevin McGonigle given their predilection for high school hitters with potential plus hit tools with their first picks in 2021 (Nick Yorke) and 2022 (Mikey Romero).

Names in 10-14 if you want to burrow

Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Ole Miss
Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS (Dover, FL)
Colin Houch, SS, Parkview HS (Lilburn, GA)
Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland

We know the Red Sox under Bloom have focused on bringing in middle guys who can hit, and count on development to coach up the power and lift.

[Randy Red Sox]

just what the Sox need--another SS

[moonslav59]

I've always felt like a team should just take the best player and not think about positions, and most of the best everyday players play SS.

I hope, when it is their pick they have a pitcher as the best available.

I hope even more, they get it right.

[A Red Sox fan named Hugh]

just what the Sox need--another SS

They should absolutely 100% take a short stop if that's the best player available.

Best. Player. Available. Every time.

[A Red Sox fan named Hugh]

I've always felt like a team should just take the best player and not think about positions, and most of the best everyday players play SS.

I hope, when it is their pick they have a pitcher as the best available.

I hope even more, they get it right.

Exactly, the vast majority of position players drafted are up the middle guys. Guys move off of position all the time, a guy you drafted at SS could be your right fielder one day (Mookie Betts), in another lifetime he may have been your 2nd baseman. Also, this is baseball and not the other sports, these guys are 4-6 years away from being broken-in contributing MLB players so drafting for need is senseless. And after all that, you can always trade strengths for weaknesses. Sox seem to do better than just about anyone out there at drafting position players.

[moonslav59]

Exactly, the vast majority of position players drafted are up the middle guys. Guys move off of position all the time, a guy you drafted at SS could be your right fielder one day (Mookie Betts), in another lifetime he may have been your 2nd baseman. Also, this is baseball and not the other sports, these guys are 4-6 years away from being broken-in contributing MLB players so drafting for need is senseless. And after all that, you can always trade strengths for weaknesses. Sox seem to do better than just about anyone out there at drafting position players.

Keep doing what you do best and work on improving areas you don't.

[sk7326]

I've always felt like a team should just take the best player and not think about positions, and most of the best everyday players play SS.

I hope, when it is their pick they have a pitcher as the best available.

I hope even more, they get it right.

I don't think the team thinks about the position so much as where the best athletes are. The time to the majors of prospects is such that you can't draft for need - unless you are dumb.

The thing is the Red Sox do seem to be trying to build a competency here - that they can teach guys with good hit tools to get into their power and lift. We will see how that goes.

Like, Cleveland has developed a reputation for being able to draft these command and control college pitchers and coach up velocity.

[Larry Cook]

Future star series has us taking chase Davis of arizona at 14.

[sk7326]

The Athletic Keith Law Mock Draft 2.0 (the mock drafts are reporting and intel, not a "should" pick) https://theathletic.com/4620994/2023...round-changes/

14. Boston - Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland

Shaw is one of the best hitters in the college class, with hard contact and power, but needs to play somewhere other than shortstop. He’s one of many college bats I’ve heard linked to Boston, along with Troy and Taylor, all of whom are good batted-ball data guys as well as hitters scouts believe will continue to hit in pro ball.

Taylor is Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU
Troy is Tommy Troy, SS/3B, Stanford

Apparently it is a very deep crop of college bats this year - the fruits of the pandemic mini draft.

[notin]

just what the Sox need--another SS

Plenty of players move to other positions at some point in their MiLB careers. In general, shortstops have an easier transition than most…

[5GoldGloves:OF,75]

Plenty of players move to other positions at some point in their MiLB careers. In general, shortstops have an easier transition than most…

... unless they're trying to convert to a tallstop.

[A Red Sox fan named Hugh]

Plenty of players move to other positions at some point in their MiLB careers. In general, shortstops have an easier transition than most…

The scouting report even says will likely move off of SS at the pro level. It helps to read up on these guys other than just reading their names and position.

[sk7326]

ESPN's mock 2.0 - Kiley McDaniel

14. Boston Red Sox
Matt Shaw, 2B, Maryland

I think the Red Sox are looking for a college bat here to follow with some overslot prep position players at later picks -- their basic blueprint in the past few drafts. Wth Shaw, Tommy Troy, Wilson and Schanuel all still on the board, they get their pick of this demographic.

[mvp 78]

Shaw is probably a 2B, but has good speed and played HS ball in Worcester. Nice to get a local kid.

[notin]

... unless they're trying to convert to a tallstop.

Maybe, but converting to shortgo isn’t too rough…