The Red Sox have selected Calabasas (Calif.) High School shortstop/outfielder Phoenix Call with their 15th-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft at No. 448 overall.
After going pitcher-heavy to kick off Day 3, Boston dips back into the prep shortstop pool and takes one of the best high school infielders in the state of California in Call, who is committed to play college baseball at UCLA.
Call was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 253 prospect in this year’s draft class. The publication described the right-handed hitting 18-year-old as “athletic and toolsy with 70-grade run times from home-to-first from the right side, as well as plus arm strength and sneaky power from his 6-foot, 170-pound frame.”
Elsewhere, Call “has a chance to play both center field and shortstop, though scouts seem split on which position is most likely at the next level. Questions about his pure hitting ability could ultimately determine his draft status, and because he didn’t dominate his high school competition this spring and wasn’t on the circuit much, many teams might prefer he prove his offensive chops at UCLA.”
When speaking with reporters (including MLB.com’s Ian Browne) on Tuesday, Red Sox amateur scouting director Devin Pearson acknowledged that it may be difficult for the club to sway Call away from his commitment to the Bruins.
“Yeah, we’ll kind of see how that one falls,” Pearson said. “I think, as you guys know, a lot of things can happen post-draft, and having as many options as you can with good athletes to try to sign is what our goal is. Phoenix has a UCLA commitment, so it’s not going to be an easy sign by many means, but we’ll just kind of see how things play out.
“He’s one of the rare types where he has the ability to be a plus center fielder and a plus shortstop,” added Pearson. “He’s one of the best high school defenders I’ve ever seen.”
As a 15th-round selection, the Red Sox can offer Call up to $150,000 without it counting toward their bonus pool. Based on what Pearson said, however, it would likely take significantly more than that to get Call to go pro now as opposed to three years down the road.
Regardless, Call — who turns 19 next month — is the third high school shortstop selected by Boston in this draft, joining the likes of second-rounder Nazzan Zanetello and third-rounder Antonio Anderson.
(Top picture: Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
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