Red Sox select Western Kentucky righty CJ Weins with sixth-round pick in 2023 MLB Draft

The Red Sox have selected Western Kentucky right-hander CJ Weins with their sixth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft at No. 178 overall.

Weins, who turns 23 next month, spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Wabash Valley Community College before transferring and spending two more seasons at the University of South Carolina.

After entering the transfer portal last May, Weins ultimately ended up at Western Kentucky as a graduate student. In 27 appearances for the Hilltoppers this past season, the 22-year-old righty posted a 4.25 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 42 strikeouts to eight walks over 31 innings of relief in which he held opposing hitters to a .170 batting average against.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Weins throws from a low slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s fastball as well as a curveball and a slider, per SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall. The Chicago-area native also has experience closing out eight games, as he racked up eight saves for Western Kentucky this spring.

Weins is the third pitcher Boston has taken in the draft alongside fourth-rounder Matt Duffy (Canisius) and fifth-rounder Connelly Early (Virginia). Given that he has no eligibility remaining, the Red Sox will likely be able to sign Weins to a below-slot bonus and and some money for other picks.

On that note, the 178th overall pick in this year’s draft comes with a slot value of $320,200.

(PIcture of CJ Weins: Western Kentucky University Athletics)

Red Sox select Virginia lefty Connelly Early with fifth-round pick in 2023 MLB Draft

The Red Sox have selected Virginia left-hander Connelly Early with their fifth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft at No. 151 overall.

Early, 21, posted a 3.09 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with exactly 100 strikeouts to 23 walks in 19 appearances (18 starts) spanning 87 1/3 innings of work for Virginia as a junior this past season and was a third-team All-ACC selection as a result.

A native of Midlothian, Va., Early spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Army. As a sophomore, the lefty earned 2022 Patriot League Pitcher of the Year honors before transferring to Virginia last August.

In his lone season with the Cavaliers, Early was battery mates with catcher Kyle Teel, who the Red Sox drafted with the 14th overall pick on Sunday. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound southpaw throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s fastball, a sweeping slider, a curveball, and a changeup that is viewed as his best secondary offering.

Early, who does not turn 22 until next April, is the second pitcher Boston has taken alongside fourth-rounder Matt Duffy (Canisius). The 151st overall pick in this year’s draft comes with a slot value of $408,500.

(Picture of Connelly Early: Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Red Sox draft Wright State shortstop Justin Riemer with compensation pick for Nathan Eovaldi

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)

Red Sox draft Georgia Tech shortstop Kristian Campbell with compensation pick for Xander Bogaerts

The Red Sox have selected Georgia Tech shortstop Kristian Campbell with the 132nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Boston received that pick as compensation for extending a qualifying offer to and then losing longtime shortstop Xander Bogaerts to the Padres in free agency over the winter.

Campbell, 21, was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 255 prospect in this year’s draft class. After redshirting as a freshman in 2022, the right-handed hitter batted .376/.484/.549 with 16 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 24 RBIs, 50 runs scored, four stolen bases, 17 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 45 games (217 plate appearances) for the Yellow Jackets this past season.

A native of Georgia himself, Campbell’s “calling card is his elite contact rate,” per his Baseball America scouting report. He “crowds the plate and hits against a slightly closed off front side. He has plus hand speed that allows him to turn on pitches that sometimes look like they might hit him, and sprays the ball all over the yard.”

Elsewhere, the 6-foot-3, 203-pounder “is a plus runner and while it is yet to be seen where he fits best defensively, whether that be on the dirt or in the outfield, his profile is a bit similar to Georgia Tech’s 2022 slash-and-dash specialist Chandler Simpson. Campbell isn’t quite the runner Simpson is, and his power ceiling is certainly higher given his wiry frame, but he has some of the same defensive questions as Simpson did. Regardless, Campbell’s speed will help him succeed in an outfield spot if that is where an organization decides to use him.”

Campbell, who does not turn 22 until next June, becomes the fourth position player taken by Boston within the club’s first five picks. The 132nd overall selection in this year’s draft comes with a recommended slot value of $492,700.

(Picture of Kristian Campbell: Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox select Canisius right-hander Matt Duffy with fourth-round pick in 2023 MLB Draft

The Red Sox have taken their first pitcher in the 2023 MLB Draft, selecting Canisius University (Buffalo, N.Y.) right-hander Matt Duffy with their fourth-round pick at No. 115 overall.

Duffy, 21, was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 474 prospect in this year’s draft class. The Ontario, Canada native is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he posted a 4.13 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 119 strikeouts to 28 walks in 14 starts (80 2/3 innings) for Canisius, earning MAAC Pitcher of the Year honors as a result. The junior also made three starts for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League earlier this summer and struck out 16 of the 53 batters he faced over 14 1/3 innings of work.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Duffy “consistently filled the strike zone” throughout his college career, per his Baseball America scouting report. His pitch mix consists of a below-average fastball that sits between 88-92 mph and tops out at 94 mph, a 78-81 mph changeup, and a slider that sits in the mid-to-upper 70s.

Duffy took to Instagram on Friday to announce that he would be transferring to South Carolina for his senior season next spring. It remains to be seen if that will impact his chances of turning professional and signing with the Red Sox, though the recommended slot value for the 115th overall pick in this year’s draft is $580,200.

Given that Baseball America projected Duffy as a later-round pick, Boston may be able to sign the righty to an under-slot deal prior to the July 25 deadline and save some money for other picks.

(Picture of Matt Duffy: Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox select high school shortstop Antonio Anderson with third pick in 2023 MLB Draft

The Red Sox have selected North Atlanta High School shortstop Antonio Anderson with their third-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft at No. 83 overall.

Anderson, 18, was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 68 prospect in this year’s draft class. The Peach State native is currently committed to play college baseball at Georgia Teach.

A switch-hitter, Anderson batted .438/.522/.723 with 10 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 51 RBIs, 32 runs scored, four stolen bases, 23 walks, and 15 strikeouts in 34 games for North Atlanta this spring, per his MaxPreps page.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Anderson “is a polished hitter who understands the strike zone and recognizes pitches well,” according to his Baseball America scouting report. He “has a smooth stroke from both sides with good rhythm and balance. He shows more in-game power from the left side, but scouts think he has more raw power as a righthanded hitter. He’s got a chance for above-average on-base skills with above-average power potential as he fills out a frame that should get taller and stronger.”

Defensively, Anderson may have to eventually move off shortstop on account of being a “fringy runner who projects to be below-average in the future.” Because of the lack of quick-twitch actions, Anderson “might profile better at third base. He has solid arm strength and has been into the low 90s as a pitcher, with reliable hands and actions as well that could suit the hot corner.”

Anderson, who does not turn 19 until next May, becomes the second straight high school infielder drafted by the Red Sox. Boston closed out Day 1 of the draft on Sunday night by taking Christian Brothers College High School (St. Louis, Mo.) shortstop Nazzan Zanetello with its second-round (50th overall) pick.

Assuming he signs by the July 25 deadline, Anderson will likely join Zanetello in beginning his professional career at the rookie-level Florida Complex League in Fort Myers. The slot value for the 83rd overall selection in this year’s draft is $846,800.

The Red Sox have nine more picks to make on Monday. They will be making their fourth-round selection at No. 115 overall momentarily.

(Picture of Antioni Anderson: Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Luis Perales to High-A Greenville

With Wikelman Gonzalez making the jump to Double-A Portland, the Red Sox are promoting fellow pitching prospect Luis Perales from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Perales, 20, posted a 3.21 ERA and 3.12 FIP with 71 strikeouts to 28 walks in 13 starts spanning 53 1/3 innings of work for Salem this season. The right-hander ended the first half on a strong note, firing five scoreless frames for the second outing in a row as part of an 11-0 win over the Lynchburg Hillcats on Saturday.

Among 47 Carolina League pitchers who came into play Sunday with at least 50 innings under their belt to this point in the season, Perales ranked 10th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.98), 11th in strikeout rate (31.4 percent), ninth in batting average against (.193), first in swinging-strike rate (17.1 percent), 15th in ERA, seventh in FIP, and 15th in xFIP (3.57), per FanGraphs.

Like Gonzalez, Perales also hails from Venezuela. The Guacara native originally signed with the Red Sox for $75,000 as an international free agent in July 2019. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 10 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks third among pitchers in the organization behind only left-handers Shane Drohan and Brandon Walter and directly ahead of Gonzalez.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds, Perales throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. According to his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the righty utilizes a three-pitch mix that is headlined by a 94-97 mph fastball that tops out at 99 mph and complemented by a power slider that sits in the mid-80s as well as a developing changeup that hovers in the upper-80s.

Coming out of the All-Star break later this week, Perales figures to join a starting rotation in Greenville that includes fellow righties Angel Bastardo, Juan Daniel Encarnacion, and Bradley Blalock as well as left-hander Dalton Rogers.

As is the case with Gonzalez, Perales — who does not turn 21 next April — can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter if the Red Sox do not add him to their 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November.

(Picture of Luis Perales: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote prospects Blaze Jordan, Wikelman Gonzalez to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting power-hitting infield prospect Blaze Jordan and pitching prospect Wikelman Gonzalez from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Jordan, 20, batted a stout .324/.385/.533 with 22 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 55 RBIs, 48 runs scored, two stolen bases, 28 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 73 games (322 plate appearances) for Greenville this season. The right-handed hitting slugger clubbed a three-run homer in the Drive’s 7-3 win over the Rome Braves at Fluor Field on Sunday afternoon.

Among qualified South Atlantic League hitters, Jordan ranks first in batting average, 12th in on-base percentage, third in slugging percentage, fourth in OPS (.918), eighth in isolated power (.209), third in strikeout rate (14.6 percent), first in extra-base hits (35), and first in total bases (153), per MiLB.com’s leaderboards.

Defensively, Jordan saw playing time at both first and third base for Greenville this season. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder logged 300 innings at first and 301 2/3 innings at the hot corner, committing five errors (all at third) in 319 total defensive chances.

Originally selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the pandemic-shortened 2020 amateur draft out of DeSoto Central High School (Southaven, Miss.), Jordan is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 16 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

In making the jump from Greenville to Portland, Jordan will join a crowded crowded corner infield mix that already includes Niko Kavadas, Alex Binelas, Chase Meidroth, and Matthew Lugo. How Jordan adjusts to more advanced pitching at the Double-A level will be something worth monitoring during the second half of the season.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 12 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks fourth among pitchers in the organization. The native Venezuelan originally signed with the Red Sox for $250,000 as an international free agent coming out of Maracay in July 2018.

In 15 starts for Greenville this season, Gonzalez posted a 5.14 ERA and 3.56 FIP with a league-leading 105 strikeouts to 42 walks over 63 innings of work. Prior to getting lit up for seven runs in his last start against Rome this past Wednesday, the 21-year-old right-hander had forged a 2.55 ERA in 10 starts (49 1/3 innings) between May 2 and June 30.

Much like Jordan, Gonzalez will be tested as he goes up against stiffer competition moving forward. The 6-foot, 167-pound hurler possesses an intriguing pitch mix that consists of an upper-90s fastball, an upper-80s changeup, an upper-70s curveball, and an upper-80s slider. He has had issues with his command of the strike zone in the past, though he appears to be improving on that.

Unlike Jordan, Gonzalez can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter. Assuming he is still with the organization, the Red Sox would need to add him to their 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November in order to prevent that from happening.

(Picture of Blaze Jordan: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox select high school shortstop Nazzan Zanetello with second pick in 2023 MLB Draft

The Red Sox have selected Christian Brothers College High School (St. Louis, Mo.) shortstop Nazzan Zanetello with their second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft at No. 50 overall.

Zanetello, 18, was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 110 prospect in this year’s draft class. The Missouri native is currently committed to play college baseball at Arkansas.

A right-handed hitter, Zanetello batted .413/.537/.809 with six doubles, two triples, five home runs, 16 RBIs, 25 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 15 walks, and 12 strikeouts in 22 games (82 plate appearances) as a senior for Christian Brothers this spring, per his MaxPreps page.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Zanetello has room to add muscle to his frame. According to his Baseball America scouting report, Zanetello “has an impressive tool set to play in the middle of the field” and has “plenty of upside” on account of possessing “some of the best pure athleticism” in this year’s class.

To go along with five-tool potential, Zanetello “has shown better zone control than pure contact ability. He rarely chases out of the zone but also has shown swing-and-miss tendencies on pitches in the zone. He sets up with an even stance and gets his swing started with a small leg kick, and his bat path can get lengthy at times. He does drive the ball with authority when he connects, and his physical projection indicates exciting power upside to come.”

Elsewhere, Zanetello is “a plus runner who looks strong in center field, where he reads the ball off the bat with good range and a strong arm, and has also done a nice job at shortstop, where he’s shown an ability to make difficult, body control plays with arm strength that works on the infield as well.”

When speaking with reporters (including The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier) on Sunday night, Red Sox amateur scouting director Devin Pearson indicated that the club plans on having Zanetello play both shortstop and the outfield as he begins his professional career.

“He’s one of the best athletes in the draft, in my opinion,” Pearson said of Zanetello on a Zoom call. “He’s explosive, he’s got speed, he’s got the ability to play a really good shortstop. Athletic enough to play a really good center field. He’s just a box of tools and a great kid we’re really excited to add to the organization.”

Assuming Zanetello — who is in Seattle for the draft with his family — signs with Boston by the July 25 deadline, he will presumably head to Fort Myers and break in with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox. The slot value for the 50th overall pick in this year’s draft is $1,698,000.

Zanetello, who does not turn 19 until next May, represents the second and final selection the Red Sox will be making on Day 1 of the draft. Boston took the reigning ACC Player of the Year in Virginia catcher Kyle Teel with its first-round (14th overall) pick.

Day 2 of the draft will consist of rounds 3-10 and will get underway at 2 p.m. eastern time on Monday afternoon. The Red Sox will be making 10 selections (Nos. 83, 115, 132, 133, 151, 178, 208, 238, 268, and 298). They received the 132nd and 133rd picks in the draft as compensation for losing Xander Bogaerts (Padres) and Nathan Eovaldi (Rangers) in free agency.

(Picture of Nazzan Zanetello: Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox select Virginia catcher Kyle Teel with top pick in 2023 MLB Draft

The Red Sox have selected Virginia catcher Kyle Teel with their top pick in the 2023 MLB Draft at No. 14 overall.

Teel, 21, was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 10 prospect in this year’s class, which ranked first among draft-eligible catchers. The left-handed hitting junior is coming off a 2023 season in which he batted .407/.475/.655 with 25 doubles, 13 home runs, 69 RBIs, 67 runs scored, five stolen bases, 32 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 65 games (297 plate appearances) with the Cavaliers.

On the other side of the ball, Teel made 65 starts at catcher this spring and caught all but 23 innings for Virginia. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound backstop threw out 15 of 24 would-be base stealers. Between what he did at and behind the plate, Teel was named the 2023 ACC Player of the Year as well as a consensus first team All-American.

“Kyle is a guy that we had very high on our board for obvious reasons,” Red Sox director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson said of Teel in a statement released by the club. “He had an unbelievable 2023 season offensively and is arguably one of the best college athletes in the draft. We think he’s going to be really valuable for us. We’re excited to add an athletic catcher to the system, and we were thrilled to get him with the 14th pick.”

A native of New Jersey, Teel was regarded as a top-100 talent coming out of high school in 2020, but he took himself out of draft consideration and honored his commitment to Virginia after the COVID-19 pandemic prematurely ended his prep career. Upon arriving in Charlottesville, Teel made an immediate impact as a true freshman while splitting time between catcher and the outfield. He moved into a full-time catching role in 2022 and wasted little time in emerging as the top catching prospect in this year’s draft class.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, Teel ” has plenty of bat speed and takes extremely aggressive, violent hacks with plenty of moving parts in his setup. He has a large leg kick with a significant hand hitch in his load, but has also developed a solid track record of both contact and on-base skills. Teel has homered to all fields in college, but he has more fringe-average power projections in pro ball.

“Teel’s standout athleticism should give him every opportunity to stick behind the plate, and he has easy plus arm strength that should be an asset at the position as well. He’s thrown out 33.3% of basestealers for his career and turns in pop times around 1.90 seconds at his best, though his footwork and accuracy could be improved. He folds up well behind the plate and is a quick lateral mover on dirt balls, and he’s improved significantly as a receiver since his freshman year. He’s a good runner for a catcher and is the consensus top college catcher in the class.”

Teel, who does not turn 22 until next February, becomes the first catcher the Red Sox have taken in the first round of a draft since Blake Swihart was taken 26th overall in 2011. This is the earliest Boston has drafted a backstop since 1984, when it took John Marzano out of Temple at No. 14. Interestingly enough, longtime Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek was also taken 14th overall by the Mariners back in 1994.

By taking Teel when they did, the Red Sox put an end to a three-year run in which they exclusively drafted California-born high school infielders (Mikey Romero, Marcelo Mayer, and Nick Yorke) in the first round. Teel is also the first college player Boston has selected in the first round of a draft since 2017, when Missouri right-hander Tanner Houck was taken with the 24th overall pick.

Assuming he signs by the July 25 deadline, Teel will likely become the top catching prospect in Boston’s farm system, surpassing the likes of 18-year-old Johanfran Garcia, 19-year-old Brooks Brannon, and 23-year-old Nathan Hickey, among others. The slot value for the 14th overall pick in this year’s draft is $4,663,100.

The Red Sox have one more pick to make before Day 1 of the MLB Draft comes to a close on Sunday night. They will be making their second-round selection at No. 50 overall momentarily.

(Picture of Kyle Teel: Eakin Howard/Getty Images)