2018 Draft Signing Period

Go to the draft tracker and look at the players rankings. He was taken 220 and two places ranked him 170 and 317. Sure those rankings aren't the greatest,  just the best we have. For a junior to be way underslot I wouldn't have expected him to be ranked at all or maybe late on one list. Being on two lists that high shows you he's a quality prospect. So this isn't surprising and frankly seems like a good deal. Quality pick at a very fair price.

It's third-round money. Bird in hand vs. bird in bush. He also might just not have a very strong interest in going to college. You never know what goes into the decision for a guy. Nick Longhi, for example, would've gone to college had he been drafted by any other team, but he grew up a Red Sox fan and wanted to join the organization (the fact that he was later traded is exactly why I'd tell a draftee this is not a good reason to sign, but to each their own).

Agreed. He’s talented and could always go back to school. Perfectly reasonable pick who should get slot. He’s very fast, and I thought I read that he has an average arm, so I think a move to CF is a great idea. He’s certainly a guy whose hit tool (I just love those hit tool picks) should give him some value even if he doesn’t develop power-wise. Solid OBPs and a little gap/LD power, provided he has the defensive value that would go with being able to convert that speed into quality range (we’ll see about his routes) suggest a sleeper pick to me. I think if the CF conversion goes well he could be a valuable 4th OF or even potentially a 2nd division starter. That’s great value in rd 7.

The quest for Duran Duran finally ends.

Brian Brown got $2,500 as well.

Sox have currently spent $4,437,200. Cap +5% is $6,009,465. So they have $1,572,265 remaining. Decker is reportedly getting $1,250,000 of that, leaving $322,265 for Marrero (slot: $157,700) and anyone else. And of course, that total goes up if Marrero signs for under slot.

I was a little bummed to see Duran at 2b (Brannen in CF), but two triples and a double is an awfully nice debut.

Based on their maybe 300k excess depending on Marrero, gotta hope they can net at least one and maybe two later-round quality talents.

The good news is that I think as one of the few good teams in the AL, I don't think we need to trade for much, and as such shouldn't take much damage to our farm team this year. 

Im really liking this draft class so far. I think this front office did an especially good job drafting way out of their element. Not like they havent drafted lots before, but I mean taking the power route. Its not all that ballsy, but still is not the prototypical draft for the Sox. Anyways, I have a quick question...The Sox have been drafting a few guys each year that tend to be "soft" tossers. For example, Brad Stone and Trevor Kelley in 2015, Dominik LoBrutto and Rio Gomez in 2017, Brian Brown in 2018 etc. (Im sure there are better examples, but you get the point). Why do the Redsox draft these players in particular? Players like these tend to be in the 87-90 mph range, which is very very difficult to get by with (Bobby Poyner exception obviously). Their draft positions vary of course, but a player like Brian Brown was taken very early this year. These examples are mostly if not all college players, which means they are probably closer to being physically maxed out.

So in the end, like I had asked above, what are the Sox looking to get out of these guys in particular? I completely understand the need for senior signs, but they have an incredible amount of options still other than a finesse type player. If they are looking for someone to be a specialist type there has to be many available college options with upside that can handle this. You cant win them all, but its not like it costs extra to take a college senior specialist vs. power arm. Thanks

Thanks for the reply. Well put. I will never know even a fraction of what they do when it comes to scouting these types of players. I do know that they tend to find organizational types to fill out rosters like you said. Honestly, I didnt even think of that until you had pointed it out. In my mind I was questioning if they saw potential for more velocity or have a good build. I certainly can see them choosing a player thats in the high 80s where one tweak in their mechanics then its off to the races. Maybe they are looking to find their Charlie Blackmon 2.0 like in our 2005 draft lol. He was listed as a LHP, and now hes a stud OF. So heres to hoping Brian Brown either finds it, or hopefully pull a Charlie Blackmon haha. If not a Blackmon then maybe a Brandon Belt where he was drafted by the sox as a LHP as well.

I agree completely, right down to a terrific hitter Sr sign (Granberg) and a tooled-up (sans power) MIF. I think this draft was absolutely terrific. I think their approach and the players they targeted were genuinely excellent. I have, honestly, no complaints, and that is very unusual. I guess my only “coulda” was I wanted to see a prep/HS SS in rd 2. But I like Decker well enough. And Northcutt was an astute get. As you say, it’ll be years, but yeah...I think it’s a terrific draft.