TEAM: Boston Red Sox
PICK: 26 (Slot: $2,552,800)
POOL: $5,723,300
SCOUTING DIRECTOR: Mike Rikard

PREVIOUS TOP PICKS
2017: Tanner Houck, RHP, Missouri (24th overall)
2016: Jay Groome, LHP, Barnegat HS, NJ (12th overall)
2015: Andrew Benintendi, OF, Arkansas (7th overall)
2014: Michael Chavis, 3B, Sprayberry HS, GA (26th overall)
2013: Trey Ball, LHP, New Castle Chrysler HS, IN (7th overall)

HISTORY: While it doesn’t show up in three of their last five first-round picks, the Red Sox lean very much college in the draft. Before taking RHP Tanner Houck (Missouri) in 2017, Boston’s top pick in 2016 was LHP Jay Groome (Barnegat HS, NJ). Groome was a candidate to go first overall at one point, but off field questions pushed him down draft boards. Their 2015 first-rounder—OF Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas)—zoomed through the minors and is already a fixture in the lineup of one of baseball’s best teams right now.

FORECAST: A bonus pool under $6 million probably prevents the Red Sox from taking a high school guy that slips, a la Groome in 2016, putting their focus squarely on the college options. Possibilities include SS Nico Hoerner (Stanford), SS Jeremy Eierman (Missouri State), RHP Tristan Beck (Stanford), RHP Logan Gilbert (Stetson), RHP Blaine Knight (Arkansas), OF Steele Walker (Oklahoma), RHP Griffin Roberts (Wake Forest), OF Tristan Pompey and 1B Seth Beer (Clemson).

Nico Hoerner, SS, Stanford
PBR Draft Board: 23
HIT: 40/55            POWER: 30/40            SPEED: 55/60            DEFENSE: 45/50            ARM: 55/55
Hoerner is an athletic, medium-frame infielder with good bounce and energy. Offensively, he showed a mostly balanced approach with a loose swing. He’s more of a doubles or gap power type with the chance to hit 10-12 home runs a year in pro ball. He has contact and pitch recognition skills that should allow him to also hit for average, as well as take his share of walks. His above-average to plus speed plays in the game. He showed above-average arm strength with a quick release and solid carry to his target. Although not a silky smooth defender, Hoerner has good hands and is aggressive and confident in the dirt. (David Seifert)

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Jeremy Eierman, SS, Missouri State
PBR Draft Board: 25
HIT: 30/40            POWER: 40/55            SPEED: 60/60            DEFENSE: 45/55            ARM: 50/60
Eierman is a strong-bodied, super athletic infielder. He started the season slow at the plate, but now looks to be locked in. He showed an improved approach with much better balance than last summer. He’s a pull hitter with plus raw power. He shows an above average to plus arm and will likely remain at shortstop, though he could profile as an offensive second baseman as well. He’s a plus runner with good acceleration and his speed impacts the game. (David Seifert)

Find Eierman's full report in the Draft HQ.

Tristan Beck, RHP, Stanford
PBR Draft Board: 26
FB: 50/55            CB: 55/55            SL: 50/50            CH: 50/60
Beck is tall, lean and wiry at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds. He mixed four pitches for strikes with a cross-body landing and high-3/4 slot. He occasionally dropped closer to a 3/4 slot. His fastball sat 90-93 mph, occasionally touching 94 and one 95 on a 3-2 pitch that was up and well out of the zone. He generated occasionally swings and miss, but that was mostly due to his pitch mix and not excessive life or pinpoint command. His first changeup was at 83 and plus. It had great bottom and good hand speed. All the other changupes were 80-83 with more average quality and movement. The curveball was his best breaking ball, showing good shape and depth in the 75-79 range. He also mixed in a sweeping slider/slurve at 80-84. (David Seifert)

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Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson
PBR Draft Board: 27
FB: 50/55            CB: 45/45            SL: 45/55            CH: 40/50
Overall, Gilbert is an athletic pitcher with a proportional frame, long legs and long arms. There is a little wrist wrap/curl in his separation, but the arm works free and easy. When he gets to extension with the fingers on top, there is tilt on the fastball. He showed velocity early, sitting 92-95 mph and settled in at 91-92 mph. He competed, despite not having his best command and being up in the zone. Both breaking balls are average at best and will need to improve. At times, they blended together. (Doug Freeman)

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Blaine Knight, RHP, Arkansas
PBR Draft Board: 28
FB: 45/50            CB: 45/50            SL: 50/55            CH: 45/50
Knight is a highly competitive righty with a slender frame and good pitchability. During the regular season, he won matchups against Casey Mize, Brady Singer, Ryan Rolison and Sean Hjelle. He worked at 90-93 early in the game, touching 94-95. The slider can show plus, but worked more average at 80-84. He also throws a curveball that flashes average at 73-75 and a changeup at 80-81. (David Seifert)

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Steele Walker, OF, Oklahoma
PBR Draft Board: 38
HIT: 40/55            POWER: 30/50            SPEED: 50/50            DEFENSE: 45/50            ARM: 40/45
Walker is one of the best pure hitters in the draft and has a selective, aggressive approach with a quiet set-up. Overall, he very balanced and has a fundamentally sound swing. He consistently generates above-average bat speed while also taking a few man hacks, which showed plus bat speed. He showed a below average to fringy arm and range in center field, running fair routes with some first step hesitation and jaggedness at times. In all likelihood, he’ll need to move to left field to have an everyday role. (David Seifert)

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Griffin Roberts, RHP, Wake Forest
PBR Draft Board: 39
FB: 60/70            SL: 60/60            CH: 45/55
Roberts is an athletic, aggressive righty with swing-and-miss stuff and a plus slider as his feature pitch. From a low-3/4 to sidearm slot, his fastball ranged from 90-94 mph, sitting mostly 92-93. At times, it showed 80 life with vicious arm-side action. For the most part, he repeated his 81-83 slider and threw it to both sides of the plate. Occasionally, it backed up on him, but that will naturally happen from his low arm slot. His third pitch was an above-average changeup, thrown at 84-87 with fastball arm speed and late sink. (David Seifert)

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Tristan Pompey, OF, Kentucky
HIT: 30/30            POWER: 30/60            SPEED: 60/60            DEFENSE: 40/45            ARM: 40/45
Pompey is an athletic, long-bodied outfielder with a 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame. He has plus speed and power potential. The bat speed is easy and the ball jumps off his barrel. There is a big hole in his left-handed swing, as he repeatedly swung over top of anything moving down or away on the outer third. He has an athletic stride, though his outfield defense is below average with limited range. (David Seifert)

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Seth Beer, 1B/OF, Clemson
HIT: 40/50            POWER: 50/60            SPEED: 20/20            DEFENSE: 30/30            ARM: 50/50
Beer has a strong frame at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds. His value is completely tied to his left-handed bat. He has a tall, balanced set-up with good rhythm. He takes a short stride and gets his hands into a good launch position. The lefty stroke is smooth with average bat speed, a direct path to the ball and strength at contact. He can drive the ball to all fields with the barrel staying in the zone. Beer doesn't run well, showing stiffness in his movements. Defensively, he has an average arm that produces accurate throws with carry, but his lack of mobility limits him to first base or DH. He has always performed in the spring, but has yet to establish a track record with a wood bat. (Nathan Rode)

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