The Red Sox have selected Indiana University right-hander Matt Litwicki with their 10th-round pick of the 2021 MLB first-year player draft at No. 286 overall.
Litwicki, who turns 23 in early August, was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 213 prospect coming into the draft.
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, the fiery right-handed reliever just wrapped up a sophomore season for the Hoosiers in which he posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in addition to 17 strikeouts and just two walks over 10 relief appearances spanning 12 innings of work.
He also overtook the team’s closer role in the process of converting four saves on the year.
Per his Baseball America scouting report, the Indiana native overpowered hitters this spring with a pitch arsenal that featured a 96-98 mph fastball, but left scouts and evaluators hungry for more on account of a limited workload.
“Litwicki has a sharp slider in the low 80s that he pairs with his heater and seems to have the stuff—and the delivery—of a bullpen arm at the next level,” his scouting report reads, “though his track record with Indiana is extremely limited, with just 31 1/3 total innings under his belt over the last three seasons.”
In selecting Litwicki, the Red Sox have taken their third college pitcher in this draft after picking Oklahoma’s Wyatt Olds in the seventh round and Texas Tech’s Hunter Dobbins in the eighth.
The recommended slot value for the 286th overall selection in this year’s draft is $148,400, though Litwicki could return to campus in Bloomington if he opted not to sign with the Sox.
That concludes Day 2 of the 2021 MLB first-year player draft, or at least BloggingtheRedSox.com’s coverage of it.
Of the nine picks Boston made on Monday, seven come from the college ranks, while just two (Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and Daniel McElveny) come from the prep ranks.
The third and final day of the draft will begin at 12 p.m. eastern time on Tuesday for Rounds 11 through 20. The Red Sox will be on the clock for picks 316, 346, 376, 406, 436, 466, 496, 526, 556, and 586.
(Picture of Matt Litwicki: Indiana University Athletics)
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