Red Sox Select College Arm With Elite Upside In MLB Draft Expert's Latest Mock
Could this be the year that the Boston Red Sox finally prioritize the pitching staff at the Major League Baseball draft?
Boston will be in the mix for one of the top college arms in the class according to one draft expert.
The Red Sox take Florida University right-hander Hurston Waldrep with the No. 14 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft according to MLB.com's Jim Callis in his first mock draft of the year.
"Waldrep's upper-90s fastball and mid-80s slider and splitter/changeup all can earn plus or better grades at their best, though he's still working to harness them," Callis wrote.
The 21-year-old hurler is the No. 11 prospect in the class according to MLB Pipeline but his prospect status appears to be relying almost solely on upside.
As Callis alluded to, Waldrep sits 95-99 mph with his fastball and is known for a split-change that misses bats at an elite level.
However, Waldrep's game-level stats leave much to be desired. The flamethrower is 6-3 with a 5.07 ERA, 102-to-40 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.45 WHIP in 65 2/3 innings for Florida this season.
The strikeout rate is highly encouraging (14 K/9) but his walk rate is far too high and he's not shown the ability to dominate in the Southeastern Conference.
The young hurler could harness his fastball -- which is wild at times -- and has the pieces to become a superstar. He also likely could be a high-end reliever even if he fails to reach his ceiling.
Waldrep has traits that are enticing but you'd like to see his raw ability translate into better results, especially with the No. 14 pick in the draft.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom tends to lean toward position players -- he's taken high school middle infielders in all three of his drafts. That strategy raises his floor as pitchers are a much more risky proposition.
I'm not sure Waldrep would be Bloom's guy but I do think he has the traits that Tampa Bay Rays' disciples like Bloom would covet.
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