Tag: 2022 draft

Red Sox infield prospect Chase Meidroth gets pro career off to strong start with Low-A Salem

Chase Meidroth, who the Red Sox selected in the fourth round of this summer’s draft out of the University of San Diego, ended his first professional season on a strong note with Low-A Salem.

After being scouted by J.J. Altobelli and signing with Boston for $272,500, Meidroth appeared in just three Florida Complex League games before earning a promotion to Salem on August 9. In 19 games with the Red Sox, the right-handed hitting infielder batted .309/.424/.559 to go along with five doubles, four home runs, 12 RBIs, 15 runs scored, four stolen bases, 12 walks, and nine strikeouts over 85 plate appearances.

It’s a small sample size, but among the 229 hitters who made at least 80 trips to the plate this season, Meidroth ranked third in strikeout rate (10.6%), 16th in batting average, 13th in on-base percentage, seventh in slugging percentage, seventh in OPS (.982), seventh in isolated power (.250), 11th in line-drive rate (30.5%), and eighth in wRC+ (167), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Meidroth saw all his playing time on the field this year come at second base. With Salem, the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder logged 114 1/3 innings at the keystone and did not commit an error.

Meidroth, who turned 21 in July, was regarded by Baseball America as the 258th-ranked prospect in the 2022 draft class after spending three years at San Diego, where he was selected to the All-West Coast Conference First Team as a sophomore.

The Torrance, Calif. native also spent part of his summer on Cape Cod, where he got a chance to swing a wood bat while slashing .286/.434/.381 with one home run and seven RBIs in 22 games (84 plate appearances) with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

Per his Baseball America scouting report from before the draft, Meidroth “is a small hitter who uses a line drive swing with average bat speed to make lots of contact and spray the ball into the gaps. His home run power is almost exclusively to his pull side. … He is a below-average runner who is best at second base.”

While he is not yet on Baseball America’s Top 30 list, Meidroth is currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 52 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is projected by the site to make the jump to High-A Greenville for the start of the 2023 season.

(Picture of Chase Meidroth: Robert Simmons/RTS Photography)

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Red Sox officially sign top draft picks Mikey Romero and Cutter Coffey

The Red Sox have officially signed 2022 first-round and second-round draft picks Mikey Romero and Cutter Coffey, the team announced earlier Monday afternoon.

According to The Athletic’s Chad Jennings, Romero — who was taken with the 24th overall selection — has received a $2.3 million bonus while Coffey — who was taken with the 41st overall selection — has received a $1.8475 million bonus. Boston was rewarded with the 41st pick in this year’s draft after failing to sign Jud Fabian last summer.

Romero, 18, was regarded by Baseball America as the 54th-ranked prospect in this year’s draft class. The left-handed hitting shortstop batted .372/.419/.659 with four home runs, 26 RBIs, 24 runs scored, and one stolen base in 30 games (105 plate appearances) as a senior at Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High School.

Coffey, also 18, was regarded by Baseball America as the 65th-ranked prospect in this year’s draft class. A right-handed hitting shortstop from Bakersfield, Calif., Coffey slashed .442/.581/1.021 with 12 home runs, 32 RBIs, 48 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases over 31 games (129 plate appearances) at Liberty High School.

Romero, who has two older sisters — Sierra and Sydney — who were college softball stars at Michigan and Oklahoma, was previously committed to play college baseball at Louisiana State University. He will instead forego his commitment by signing with Boston for $2.3 million, which is approximately $676,400 under-slot.

Coffey, on the other hand, was once a two-way player who was projected by evaluators to be better as a pitcher. Like Romero, Coffey was also committed to play his college baseball at a big school in the University of Texas at Austin. He, too, will forego his commitment by signing an under-slot deal with the Red Sox.

Both Romero and Coffey spent the weekend in Boston and are expected to be introduced to the media at Fenway Park prior to Monday’s game against the Guardians.

(Picture of Mikey Romero: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Red Sox select Oklahoma right-hander Jaret Godman with 19th-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 579th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected University of Oklahoma right-hander Jaret Godman.

Godman, 22, is not regarded by Baseball America as one of the top pitching prospects in this year’s draft class. This past season for the Sooners, the Las Vegas native posted a 6.98 ERA and 1.91 WHIP to go along with 17 strikeouts to seven walks over 20 relief appearances spanning 19 1/3 innings of work.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Godman operates with a 92-95 mph fastball and an 81-82 mph slider. The senior hurler also spent part of his summer last year pitching for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Godman, who does not turn 23 until next May, was college teammates with fellow righty Wyatt Olds, whom the Red Sox took in the seventh round of last year’s draft. He becomes the 12th college pitcher to be selected by Boston this time around.

The allotted slot value for the 579th pick in the 2022 draft comes in at $125,000. The Red Sox will have until August 1 to ink Godman, who could sign for less than that amount.

(Picture of Jaret Godman: University of Oklahoma Athletics)

Red Sox select San Diego infielder Chase Meidroth with fourth-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 129th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected University of San Diego infielder Chase Meidroth.

Meidroth, who turns 21 in five days, is regarded by Baseball America as the No. 258 prospect in this year’s draft class. The Manhattan Beach, Calif. native should be somewhat familiar with baseball in the New England-area, as he spent part of his summer playing for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

As a sophomore at the University of San Diego, the right-handed hitting Meidroth batted .329/.440/.544 with 19 doubles, 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, 53 runs scored, six stolen bases, 40 walks, and 25 strikeouts over 56 games (275 plate appearances) with the Toreros en route to being selected to the All-West Coast Conference First Team.

On the Cape, Meidroth again walked more (15) than he struck out (14) while slashing .286/.434/.381 in 22 games with the Y-D Red Sox.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, Meidroth “is a smaller hitter who doesn’t have much in the way of raw power, and instead uses a line drive swing and average bat speed to make plenty of contact and spray the ball into the gaps. Meidroth’s home run power was almost exclusively to the pull side and his exit velocities and lack of physical projection don’t suggest much more power in the future.”

Defensively, Meidroth has at least some experience at every infield position besides first base. The 5-foot-10, 172-pounder saw the majority of his playing time at San Diego this season come at second base, which is likely his best position moving forward since his speed is considered below-average.

The Red Sox last took a player out of the University of San Diego in 2019, when they selected left-hander Chris Murphy in the sixth round. Murphy has since emerged as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system.

Meidroth, on the other hand, becomes the first collegiate position player and third California-born infielder the Sox have taken in the 2022 draft, joining the likes of first-rounder Mikey Romero and second-rounder Cutter Coffey.

The recommended slot value attached to the 129th overall pick in this year’s draft comes in at $461,000. The Sox will have until August 1 to sign Meidroth, as well as the rest of their draft selections.

(Picture of Chase Meidroth: University of San Diego Athletics)

Red Sox reach agreement with second-round compensatory draft pick Roman Anthony, per report

The Red Sox have reached an agreement with second-round compensatory draft pick Roman Anthony, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. The agreement is pending a physical.

Boston selected Anthony — an outfielder out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. — with the 79th overall pick in the 2022 first-year player draft. The Red Sox were rewarded with that pick after losing Eduardo Rodriguez to the Tigers in free agency.

Anthony, 18, was regarded by Baseball America as the 72nd-ranked prospect in this year’s draft class. The left-handed hitter recently put the finishing touches on a senior season with the Eagles in which be batted .520/.589/.980 with 14 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 40 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 21 stolen bases, 21 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 32 games spanning 129 trips to the plate, per MaxPreps.

Known for his plus raw power, Anthony had been committed to play college baseball at the University of Mississippi. It now appears as though the Red Sox have been able to sway the native Floridian away from his commitment to Ole Miss. Speier reports that the two sides have reached agreement on a $2.5 million deal, which is well north of the $820,000 allotted to the 79th pick.

That sort of investment just goes to show how much the Red Sox like what they have in Anthony, who at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds has the tools to stick in center field.

“Basically the story with Roman is he’s a tremendous athlete,” amateur scouting director Paul Toboni said Sunday night. “We think he has a really good shot at sticking in center field and he’s got this profile where he gets on base, he sees the ball well, but he’s also got tremendous, tremendous power potential. And that’s a pretty rare combination to find for a center fielder.”

Assuming he passes his physical, expect Anthony to begin his professional career in the Florida Complex League.

(Picture of Roman Anthony: Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox select Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School outfielder Roman Anthony with 79th overall pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 79th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox have selected Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Fla.) outfielder Roman Anthony.

Boston was rewarded with the 79th pick in this year’s draft after losing left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to the Detroit Tigers in free agency back in November.

Anthony, 18, is regarded by Baseball America as the 72nd-ranked prospect in this year’s draft class. The Florida native is currently committed to play college baseball at the University of Mississippi.

In his senior season with Stoneman Douglas — a high school that has produced the likes of former Red Sox prospect Anthony Rizzo — the left-handed hitting Anthony batted .520/.589/.980 to go along with 14 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 40 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 21 stolen bases, 21 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 32 games spanning 129 trips to the plate.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, Anthony “looks the part of a developing young slugger with wide shoulders and present strength that shows up in the form of massive, 400-plus foot home runs. His raw power is easily plus, and when he catches a pitch on the barrel, there are few players in the class who can send a baseball as far as he can. However, Anthony struggled with swing-and-miss issues over the showcase circuit, which raised questions about his pure hitting ability.”

Defensively, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder has served as the Eagles’ everyday centerfielder. However, due to his frame, he will likely “move to a corner outfield position in the future, but he moves well underway and is a savvy and aggressive baserunner currently.”

Anthony, who does not turn 19 until next May, becomes the third high schooler the Red Sox have drafted in the first three rounds of the 2022 draft, joining prep infielders Mikey Romero and Cutter Coffey.

The recommended slot value for the 79th overall selection in this year’s draft comes in at approximately $820,000. Boston will have until August 1 to sign its draft picks.

On that note, Day 1 of the MLB Draft has concluded. It will pick up at 12 p.m. eastern time on Monday with rounds 3-10. Rounds 11-20 will take place on Tuesday.

(Picture of Roman Anthony: Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox select Liberty High School infielder Cutter Coffey with second-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 41st overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox have selected Liberty High School (Bakersfield, Calif.) shortstop Cutter Coffey.

The Red Sox were rewarded with the 41st selection in this year’s amateur draft after failing to sign second-round pick Jud Fabian out of the University of Florida last summer.

Coffey, 18, is regarded by Baseball America as the No. 65 prospect in this year’s draft class, 11 spots behind first-rounder Mikey Romero, who hails from California himself.

Unlike Romero, though, Coffey hits from the right side of the plate. In his senior season with the Patriots, Coffey batted a stout .442/.581/1.021 to go along with 13 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 32 RBIs, 42 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 28 walks, and 17 strikeouts over 31 games spanning 129 trips to the plate.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, Coffey “made significant improvements as a hitter this spring” and is an “excellent athlete.” He “has average raw power to his pull side and began making more contact this spring to tap into it, but whether he’ll make enough contact remains an open question. At times he flashes the bat speed, strength and ability to make adjustments to project to be an above-average hitter, while at others he takes long, jagged swings that lack timing and balance and invite questions about whether he will be even a below-average hitter.”

On the other side of the ball, it should be noted that Coffey was a two-way player who also pitched in high school, though it seems like he is fully focused on being a position player now. According to Baseball America, the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder “has the natural actions for shortstop and a good internal clock. He has plenty of arm strength for the position and demonstrates an advanced feel for manipulating his arm stroke. His lateral range is a tick below-average, but he has a chance to stay at shortstop and projects to be an impact defender at either second or third base if he has to move.”

Coffey, who does not turn 19 until next May, is currently committed to play college baseball at the University of Texas. On that note, Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser reports that the infielder is “widely expected to sign for significantly above slot.” Glaser also relays that Romero is “expected to be an under-slot signing.”

The recommended slot value for the 41st overall pick in this year’s draft comes in at roughly $1,905,500 million. The Red Sox will make one more selection at No. 79 on Sunday before Day 1 of the draft comes to a close.

(Picture of Cutter Coffey: Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox select Orange Lutheran High School shortstop Mikey Romero with top pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 24th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox have selected Orange Lutheran High School (Calif.) shortstop Mikey Romero.

Romero, 18, is regarded by Baseball America as the 54th-ranked prospect in this year’s draft class. The California native is currently committed to play college baseball at Louisiana State University.

In 30 games with the Lancers this spring, the left-handed hitting Romero batted .372/.419/.659 with five doubles, five triples, four home runs, 26 RBIs, 24 runs scored, one stolen base, eight walks, and seven strikeouts over 105 trips to the plate.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, Romero “has a pretty, natural left-handed swing and an advanced feel for hitting. He identifies pitches well and frequently gets the barrel to the ball to make consistent contact, including against high-end velocity and quality breaking stuff. Though Romero makes lots of contact, it’s often soft contact. He has a slender build and lacks the strength to do damage even when he squares balls up. He needs to make substantial strength gains to reach his potential as an above-average hitter with below-average power, with opinions sharply divided on whether he will be able to.”

Defensively, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound infielder is “an instinctive defender” at shortstop, though there are some questions surrounding his future at the position. According to Baseball America, Romero possesses “sure hands and a quick transfer, but his range is limited by his fringe-average speed and his fringy arm strength makes it difficult for him to make throws moving to his right. He is likely to move to second base or play a utility role.”

Romero, who does not turn 19 until January, attended the same high school as Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and Brewers top prospect Garrett Mitchell. Under chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and amateur scouting director Paul Toboni, the Red Sox have made a habit of taking California-born prepsters in the first round of the draft.

Flash back to 2020, Boston selected Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, Calif.) second baseman Nick Yorke with the 17th overall pick. Last year, Eastlake High School (Chula Vista, Calif.) shortstop Marcelo Mayer was taken with the fourth overall selection.

Yorke wound up signing an under-slot deal with the Sox at $2.7 million, while Mayer signed at the recommended slot value of $6.664 million. This year, the slot value attached to the 24th overall pick in the draft comes in at roughly $2.975 million.

The Red Sox will have until August 1 to reach an agreement with Romero, as well as the rest of their draft picks. They will make two more selections (No. 41 and No. 79) before Day 1 of the MLB Draft concludes.

(Picture of Mikey Romero via his Instagram)

Latest MLB Pipeline mock draft links Red Sox to University of Florida outfielder Sterlin Thompson

In his latest 2022 mock draft for MLB Pipeline, MLB.com’s Jim Callis writes that the Red Sox will more than likely “wind up with a college outfielder” with the 24th overall pick in the first round.

While Callis links University of Tennessee teammates Jordan Beck and Drew Gilbert to the Sox, he also suggests that the club “could have interest in” University of Florida outfielder Sterlin Thompson.

Thompson, who turns 21 on Sunday, is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the 27th-ranked prospect in this year’s draft class. With the Gators this season, the left-handed hitting sophomore batted .354/.443/.563 with 16 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 51 RBIs, 59 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 37 walks, and 47 strikeouts over 66 games and 305 plate appearances.

On the other side of the ball, Thompson logged 44 games in right field this year. The 6-foot-4, 200 pounder also appeared in 26 contests as a second baseman for the first time in his collegiate career.

Per his MLB Pipeline scouting report, Thompson “has long shown a good feel to hit from the left side of the plate with a very good approach. He can use the whole field and drive the ball to the gaps, rarely missing a fastball, though he struggles a bit more with softer stuff.”

Defensively, it noted that “most scouts feel an outfield corner is his best long-term home at the next level. Wherever he plays, it’s his left-handed bat that will carry him and potentially get him drafted in the top three rounds.”

The Red Sox have an extensive history when it comes to drafting players out of Gainesville. Last year alone, they took fellow outfielder and Ocala, Fla. native Jud Fabian in the second round and catcher Nathan Hickey in the fifth round. Fabian may not have signed with Boston, but Hickey has since emerged as arguably the top catching prospect in the organization.

The recommended slot value for the 24th overall pick in this year’s draft comes in at roughly $2.975 million. Because Thompson participated in the MLB Draft Combine earlier this month and presumably took part in the pre-draft MRI program, he would have to receive a signing bonus offer of at least 75% of the slot value of his pick.

So, if the Red Sox were to take someone like Thompson at No. 24, they could offer him no less than $2,231,175 in signing bonus money. According to Baseball America, if this requirement is not met, “players would become free agents and teams would not receive a supplemental pick during the following year.”

On that note, the 2022 MLB Draft gets underway in Los Angeles on July 17. So it begins three weeks from Sunday.

(Picture of Sterlin Thompson: Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Latest Baseball America mock draft has Red Sox selecting University of Florida ace Hunter Barco with top pick

Note: Barco underwent Tommy John surgery in early May.

In the first installment of their 2022 MLB Staff Draft, Baseball America has the Red Sox selecting University of Florida ace left-hander Hunter Barco with its first-round pick at No. 24 overall.

Baseball America writer Tom Lipari was the one who made the selection, and he noted that Barco is a “solid, pitchability lefty with a history of success in the SEC” who would be a “safe pick and quick mover through any system.”

Barco, 21, was originally selected by the Mets in the 24th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of The Bolles School — the same high school New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones attended.

The Jacksonville native did not sign with New York, however, and instead opted to honor his commitment to Florida. After his freshman season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Barco earned All-SEC Newcomer honors in 2021.

Through nine starts with the Gators this season, Barco has posted a 2.50 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and .187 batting average against to go along with 69 strikeouts to 11 walks over 50 1/3 innings of work. He was forced to leave his last outing against Vanderbilt on April 15 after just two innings due to illness and is now questionable for his next start against Tennessee on Friday.

Barco, who does not turn 22 until December, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 23 draft-eligible prospect in this year’s class, ranking 14th among collegiate players and seventh among pitchers. MLB Pipeline, meanwhile, has Barco coming in at No. 53, which ranks 20th among hurlers who could be drafted in July.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Barco operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s fastball that tops out at 95 mph, a sweeping slider in the low-80s that can give off the appearance of a curveball, and a changeup that typically clocks in at the low-80s.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, “Barco throws from a low slot that adds deception and helps his stuff play up.” MLB Pipeline, on the other hand, notes that Barco “has done an excellent job of consistently finding the strike zone in college, though there’s improvement that can be made in terms of command within the zone with that funky delivery tough to repeat at times.”

While you have to go back to 2017 to find the last time the Red Sox used a first-round pick on a pitcher (Tanner Houck), the club certainly has not shied away from taking players out of Gainesville in recent years. Jud Fabian (who did not sign), Nathan Hickey, and Wil Dalton stick out there.

Barco could become the latest former Gator to join Boston’s organizational ranks, though plenty could — and likely will — change between now and Day 1 of the 2022 draft in Los Angeles on July 17.

(Picture of Hunter Barco: AP Photo/Gary McCullough)