Draft Reviews: Boston Red Sox

2008 Draft Slot: 30th overall
Top Pick: Casey Kelly, RHP/SS, Florida high school
Best Pick: Casey Kelly
Keep an Eye On: Derrick Gibson, SS, Delaware high school
Notes: Based on pure potential and athleticism, the Red Sox had a massively-successful draft. With that said, most of the players are young and extremely raw, like Derrick Gibson, Casey Kelly, Pete Hissey, and Ryan Westmoreland. The club did a nice job of balancing that out with college picks like Bryan Price.

2007 Draft Slot: 55th overall (supplemental first round)
Top Pick: Nick Hagadone, LHP, Washington U
Best Pick: Nick Hagadone
Worst Pick: Chris Province, RHP, Southeastern Louisiana (4th round)
Notes: It’s a little crazy that Nick Hagadone is still the top pick from the draft considering the time he missed due to Tommy John surgery. The other players drafted, though, have been slow to develop. Don’t be surprised if the best player from this draft ends up being first baseman Anthony Rizzo. This draft would have been even stronger at the time if the organization had been able to sway top prep players like catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitcher Nick Tepesch to sign, both of whom were considered second-round talents but were drafted after the 25th round due to signability concerns.

2006 Draft Slot: 27th overall
Top Pick: Jason Place, OF, South Carolina high school
Best Pick: Justin Masterson, RHP, San Diego State (2nd round)
Worst Pick: Kris Johnson, LHP, Wichita State (supplemental 1st round)
Notes: Kris Johnson’s stuff has not been the same in pro ball thanks to injuries. Justin Masterson has definitely been the best player so far, but Daniel Bard could have something to say about that before too long. Some kid named Matt LaPorta failed to come to terms after being selected in the 14th round.

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2009 Draft Slot: 28th overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): Best available player
MLB Club Need: Catching, third base, shortstop
Organizational Need: Left-handed pitching, Second base, Left field
Organizational Strength: Shortstop, Right-handed pitching, First base
Notes: With a history of picking at the end of the draft, Boston will no doubt take the best player available, which could very well be a Top 10-15 player, in terms of talent, who slid due to signability concerns. The club can also have the satisfaction of choosing one pick before the rival New York Yankees. Unlike in recent years, Boston does not have a bunch of supplementary picks so it will have to make the most of its selections, which is not a concern for the well-run, smart organization.