Tag: pitching prospects

Red Sox select Biola University left-hander Connor Butler with final pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 609th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected Division II Biola University left-hander Connor Butler.

Butler, 22, is not ranked by Baseball America as one of the top pitching prospects in this year’s draft class. The Idaho native began his collegiate career at the University of Hawaii — where he was briefly teammates with Jeremy Wu-Yelland — before transferring to Spokane Falls Community College and then again to Biola ahead of the 2021 campaign.

This past season with the Eagles, Butler posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.68 WHIP to go along with 47 strikeouts to 32 walks over 15 appearances (one start) spanning 22 innings of work.

Listed at 6-feet and 180 pounds, Butler does not turn 23 until next April. He has eligibility remaining, so it is no guarantee that he will sign. If he does, the allotted slot value for the 609th pick in this year’s draft sits at $125,000.

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That concludes the 2022 MLB Draft. In all, the Red Sox selected 21 players. Of those 21 players, seven were taken out of high school and 14 were taken out of college.

(Picture of Connor Butler: Biola University Athletics)

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 Santa Rosa Junior College right-hander Austin Ehrlicher with 18th-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 549th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected Santa Rosa Junior College (Calif.) right-hander Austin Ehrlicher.

Ehrlicher, 19, is not ranked by Baseball America as one of the top pitching prospects in this year’s draft class. This past season, the California native posted a 4.26 ERA with 43 strikeouts to 14 walks over 10 appearances (eight starts) spanning 38 innings of work for the Bear Cubs.

He also made five appearances (three starts) for the Healdsburg Packers of the California Collegiate League earlier this summer, pitching to a 4.15 ERA with 12 punchouts to seven walks across 13 innings.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds, Ehrlicher is a two-sport athlete who also plays basketball and averaged 6.4 points per game as a freshman. Since he attends a junior college, Ehrlicher does not need to sign with the Red Sox before the traditional August 1 deadline.

Instead, the Sox can wait up until one week before next year’s draft to sign Ehrlicher for up to $225,000. As Boston’s director of amateur scouting, Paul Toboni, explained to reporters on Tuesday, Ehrlicher is now considered a “draft and follow” player.

(Picture of Austin Ehrlicher: Darryl Bush /For The Press Democrat)

Red Sox select Southern Mississippi right-hander Garrett Ramsey with 16th-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 489th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected University of Southern Mississippi right-hander Garrett Ramsey.

College teammates with third-round selection Dalton Rogers, Ramsey is not regarded by any major publication as one of the top pitching prospects in this year’s draft class.

The 22-year-old made 21 relief appearances for the Golden Eagles this spring, posting a 2.61 ERA and 1.39 WHIP to go along with 45 strikeouts to 11 walks over 31 innings of work.

A native of Brandon, Miss., Ramsey began his collegiate career at Hinds Community College before transferring to Southern Miss. ahead of the 2021 campaign. The 6-foot-3, 194-pounder operates with a low-90s fastball as well as a slider, according to Perfect Game.

Ramsey, who turns 23 in late October, has at least one year of eligibility remaining. If he winds up signing with Boston it is worth mentioning that the allotted slot value for the 489th pick in this year’s draft come in at $125,000.

(Picture of Garrett Ramsey: University of Southern Mississippi Athletics)

Red Sox select Missouri left-hander Nathan Landry with 15th-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 459th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox have selected University of Missouri left-hander Nathan Landry.

Landry, 23, is not regarded by any major publication as one of the top pitching prospects in this year’s draft class. The Quebec native spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Mineral Area College before transferring to Mizzou for his junior season.

In 15 appearances (four starts) for the Tigers this spring, Landry posted a 3.67 ERA and 0.91 WHIP to go along with 54 strikeouts to just seven walks over 41 2/3 innings of work.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Landry becomes the first player the Red Sox have taken out of the University of Missouri since 2017, when they used their first-round pick on right-hander Tanner Houck.

Landry, who does not turn 24 until next May, is not a guarantee to sign with Boston since he has one year of eligibility remaining at Mizzou. If the lefty elects to go pro, the allotted slot value for the 459th pick in the 2022 draft is $125,000. The Red Sox will have until August 1 to sign him.

(Picture of Nathan Landry: University of Missouri Athletics)

Red Sox select Auburn left-hander Hayden Mullins with 12th-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 369th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected Auburn University left-hander Hayden Mullins.

Mullins, 21, is not regarded by Baseball America as one of the top pitching prospect’s in this year’s draft class, though the Tennessee native was ranked 119th by BA coming out of high school in 2019.

While he was not drafted back then, Mullins recently put the finishing touches on a junior season with Auburn in which he posted a 3.63 ERA and 1.39 WHIP to go along with 43 strikeouts to 25 walks over 11 appearances (eight starts) spanning 34 2/3 innings of work for the Tigers.

One of the primary reasons Mullins was limited to just 34 2/3 innings this spring was because of injury. On March 25, he left his start against Texas A&M after throwing three innings. On April 29, he left his start against Tennessee after throwing 1 2/3 innings and was later shut down for the rest of the season due to an elbow injury.

Listed at 6-foot and 194 pounds, Mullins has a high leg kick in his delivery and works with an 86-90 mph fastball that reaches 92 mph as well as a 72-79 mph curveball, per his 2019 scouting report.

Mullins, who turns 22 in September, has eligibility remaining so it is no sure thing he will go pro right now. Regardless of that, though, it is worth mentioning that the lefty played with 2021 ninth-rounder Tyler Miller as both a freshman and sophomore at Auburn.

The recommended slot value attached to the 369th pick in the 2022 draft comes in at $125,000, which is actually the case for all of Boston’s Day 3 selections. The Red Sox will have until the end of the month to sign Mullins.

(Picture of Hayden Mullins: Auburn University Athletics)

Red Sox select Long Beach state right-hander Marques Johnson with 11th-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 339th overall pick in the 2020 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected California State University, Long Beach right-hander Marques Johnson.

Johnson, 22, is regarded by Baseball America as the 328th-ranked prospect in this year’s draft class. Formerly of Riverside Community College, the Hemet, Calif. native posted a 3.25 ERA and 1.15 WHIP to go along with 51 strikeouts to 21 walks over 14 appearances (six starts) spanning 44 1/3 innings of work for the Dirtbags this season.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Johnson “has a fast arm,” according to his Baseball America scouting report. “His average fastball touches 95 mph and sits 91-93 mph. He generates high spin rates with his fastball, but as of yet, that has not generated exceptional movement or life on his heater. He throws a low-80s above-average slider that has plenty of tilt. He’s steadily improved his now fringe-average changeup.”

The hard-throwing senior began his collegiate career as a reliever before moving into Long Beach State’s starting rotation towards the end of the 2022 season. Because of that, some evaluators wonder if Johnson would be better suited for a relief role moving forward, though he still could develop into a productive starter.

Johnson, who does not turn 23 until next July, becomes just the third player the Red Sox have ever drafted out of Long Beach State, joining the likes of 2019 21st-rounder Dylan Spacke and 2018 seventh-rounder Jarren Duran. The righty also becomes the seventh college pitcher Boston has taken in this year’s draft.

The recommended slot value attached to the 339th selection in the 2022 draft comes in at $125,000. The Red Sox will have until August 1 to sign Johnson, as well as the rest of their draft picks.

(Picture of Marques Johnson: Long Beach State Athletics)

Red Sox select Oral Roberts right-hander Isaac Coffey with 10th-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 309th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected Oral Roberts University (Tulsa, Okla.) right-hander Isaac Coffey.

Not related to second-round selection Cutter Coffey, Isaac was not ranked by Baseball America or any other major publication as one of the top pitching prospects in this year’s draft class.

After being named Summit League Pitcher of the Year in 2021, Coffey posted a 3.77 ERA and 0.96 WHIP to go along with 78 strikeouts to 16 walks over 15 starts spanning 88 1/3 innings of work for the Golden Eagles this season.

Coffey, 22, hails from Goleta, Calif and possesses a fastball that sits between 88-91 mph. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder was a two-way player in college, but seems solely focused on pitching now since he only made 33 trips to the plate as a junior this spring.

The Red Sox last drafted a player out of Oral Roberts in 2005, when they took left-hander Matt Hancock in the 27th round. Coffey, meanwhile, becomes the sixth college arm Boston has taken in this year’s draft, joining the likes of Dalton Rogers, Noah Dean, Alex Hoppe, Caleb Bolden, and Jonathan Brand.

The recommended slot value attached to the 309th pick in the 2022 draft comes in at roughly $149,900. The Sox will have until August 1 to sign Coffey and the rest of their draft selections.

That concludes Day 2 of the MLB Draft. The third and final day of the draft will consist of rounds 11-20, meaning the Red Sox have 10 more picks to make. Day 3 begins at 2 p.m. eastern time.

(Picture of Isaac Coffey: Oral Roberts University Athletics)

Red Sox select Miami University right-hander Jonathan Brand with eighth-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 249th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected Miami University (Ohio) right-hander Jonathan Brand.

College teammates with current Red Sox relief prospect Jacob Webb, Brand was not regarded by Baseball America as one of the top pitchers in this year’s draft class.

This past season with the RedHawks, the 22-year-old posted a 1.43 ERA and 1.14 WHIP to go along with 86 strikeouts to 29 walks over 13 starts spanning 77 1/3 innings of work en route to being named First Team All-Mid Atlantic Conference. He also made five starts for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League earlier this summer and recorded 21 strikeouts to just two walks across 21 frames.

A native of Columbus, Ga., Brand is currently committed to transfer to Auburn University if he elects not to sign with the Red Sox. The recommended slot value attached to the 249th selection in this year’s draft comes in at approximately $173,100.

Brand, who does not turn 23 until next February, is listed at 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds. He becomes the fifth college pitcher scooped up by Boston in the 2022 draft, joining the likes of Dalton Rogers, Noah Dean, Alex Hoppe, and Caleb Bolden.

(Picture of Jonathan Brand: Miami University Athletics)

Red Sox select TCU right-hander Caleb Bolden with seventh-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 219th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected Texas Christian University right-hander Caleb Bolden.

Bolden, 23, is a fifth-year senior who spent the first four years of his collegiate career at the University of Arkansas before transferring to TCU for the 2022 season. In 23 appearances (one start) with the Horned Frogs, the Texarkana native posted a 6.23 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with 46 strikeouts to 19 walks over 39 innings of work.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Bolden underwent Tommy John surgery three years ago, which resulted in him missing the entirety of the 2019 season at Arkansas.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, Bolden “is a low slot sinker/slider pitcher with a low effort delivery and solid arm talent. His stuff has never played as good as the pitch-mix that he has.”

This is the second time Bolden has been drafted, as the righty was previously taken by the Rays in the 16th round of the 2017 amateur draft out of high school. Rather than sign with Tampa Bay, though, Bolden elected to go to college.

The Red Sox last drafted a TCU pitcher in 2018, when they took fellow reliever Durbin Feltman in the third round. Bolden, on the other hand, becomes the fourth college hurler Boston has selected in this year’s draft, joining the likes of Dalton Rogers, Noah Dean, and Alex Hoppe.

The expectation seems to be that Bolden, who turns 24 in December, will sign for less than the $208,600 that is allotted to the 219th overall selection in the 2022 draft. The Red Sox have until August 1 to sign Bolden, as well as the rest of their draft picks.

(Picture of Caleb Bolden: Texas Christian University Athletics)