The Red Sox have selected Wright state shortstop Justin Riemer with the 133rd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Boston received that pick as compensation for extending a qualifying offer to and then losing longtime starter Nathan Eovaldi to the Rangers in free agency over the winter.
Riemer was taken back-to-back with Georgia Tech shortstop Kristian Campbell in between the fourth and fifth rounds of the draft. The switch-hitting 21-year-old tore his ACL in early March and saw his stock drop.
Prior to suffering the season-ending knee injury, though, Riemer had gotten his redshirt sophomore campaign off to a strong start, batting .323/.563/.645 with one double, three home runs, seven RBIs, 12 runs scored three stolen bases, 15 walks, and just two strikeouts in his first 12 games (48 plate appearances) for the Raiders.
In 2022, Riemer was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team and Horizon League All-Tournament Team after slashing .329/.454/.459 with two homers and 27 RBIs across 44 games (185 plate appearances) in his debut season with Wright State.
Defensively, Riemer has experience at both middle infield positions. Last season, for instance, the 6-foot, 170-pounder out of Arlington, Va. made 30 appearances at second base and 16 appearances at shortstop.
“I love playing both spots and the responsibility that comes with playing both spots,” Riemer told the Baseball Prospect Journal’s Dan Zielinski III back in March. “I’m really comfortable at both for different reasons, but I love the middle infield.”
As noted by Zielinski III, Riemer is well-regarded for his elite bat-to-ball skills as well as a sound approach at the plate in which he rarely expands the strike zone. He also has the ability to consistently square up baseballs from the right side — his natural side — of the plate.
“My biggest strengths right now are my bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline,” Riemer said. “They are things I take very seriously and something I knew I did a good job on last year, given my strikeout percentage. I can play it to my advantage, and I worked on it this offseason to do even better.”
Riemer, who does not turn 22 until next February, is the fifth position player taken by Boston within the club’s first six picks. The 133rd overall selection in this year’s draft comes with a slot value of $487,800.
(Picture of Justin Riemer: Wright State University Athletics)
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