Red Sox Plan To Develop 2024 Draft Pick As Two-Way Player In Shohei Ohtani Mold

Boston has an exciting prospect joining the organization

Scott Neville | Jul 18, 2024

Jul 14, 2024; Ft. Worth, TX, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred during the first round of the MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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Boston Red Sox

Could the Boston Red Sox have the next two-way sensation on their hands? The organization made arguably the most intriguing pick of the entire process on Day 2 of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft.

Babe Ruth, Shohei Ohtani.. Conrad Cason? Boston selected Cason -- a shortstop/right-handed pitcher from Greater Atlanta Christian High School with pick No. 237 on Monday. The 17-year-old has as much potential as anyone in the draft and the Red Sox do not plan to cap him by pushing him into one direction.

“Our group was actually a little bit split on it. We had some guys that liked him better as a pitcher and other guys that liked him better as a hitter,” Red Sox amateur scouting director Devin Pearson told MassLive's Chris Cotillo. “On both sides, you have an elite athlete who can throw 100 mph and hit balls very far. We will take that bet and see where he best fits but we’re going to develop him as a two-way player.”

The reigning Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year was spectacular in both roles and will have a chance to develop into a two-way sensation for as long as he continues to thrive in both roles.

Cason went 7-1 with a 0.48 ERA, 99 strikeouts and a .085 batting average against in 43 2/3 innings last season. He also hit .364 with three home runs, 28 RBIs a .519 on-base percentage and 16 stolen bases.

The budding star was a Mississippi State commit and expected to join the college ranks if not taken in the top couple of rounds but Boston seemingly is confident they can sign him. Pearson said as much and organizations do not make these selections without prior conversations with Cason's representation. It's clear the Red Sox will have to make some under-slot signings elsewhere to afford Cason.

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Published Jul 18, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu