Iowa High School Baseball Standout Compared To MLB Star Jacob Misiorowski

An Iowa high school baseball standout who was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the most recent Major League Baseball Draft is already receiving some interesting comparisons.

The Red Sox made Kaleb LaFavor from Sioux City Bishop Heelan a 10th-round selection. LaFavor had an offer to play college baseball at the University of Iowa, but Boston presented him with an offer too good to pass up at almost $850,000 - well above the $194,000 slot value assigned to him.

Iowa High School Baseball Standout Drawing Exciting Comparison

Now, LaFavor is drawing some exciting comparisons to that of current Milwaukee Brewers flame-thrower Jacob Misiorowski.

LaFavor checks in at 6-foot-7, the same height as Misiorowski. Like LaFavor, “The Miz” was selected right out of the prep ranks, as he starred at Grain Valley High School.

“With Kaleb, I guess if we’re trying to dream big here…in a Jacob Misiorowski mold,” Boston’s director of amateur scouting, Jake Bruml, said in an interview with Ian Browne of the Red Sox Beat. “He fits the bill. He’s someone our area scout and special acquisition specialist did a great job of identifying and having a great process with.

“He’s as projectable as they come with that 6-foot-7 body going to add more to the frame. He has crazy release traits, and hopefully, once he gets into our development system, he’s going to take off when he gets those added velo gains that we’re expecting to come.”

Kaleb LaFavor Has Been Dominating Since His Arrival At Sioux City Bishop Heelan

This past summer for the Crusaders, LaFavor went 3-1 over four appearances, making six starts and throwing just under 18 innings. He struck out 40 batters during his time on the mound, sporting a 0.79 earned run average with just six walks and four hits allowed to 62 batters.

As a junior, LaFavor picked up 69 strikeouts in 49 innings, going 4-1 with a save and a 0.71 earned run average. Opponents hit just .090 off him, as he allowed 18 hits over nine appearances, making eight starts.

LaFavor may not be the next Shohei Ohtani, but he has shown skills at the plate. As a sophomore, he batted .363 with two homers, eight doubles and 41 RBI. He hit .385 with four homers, eight doubles, two triples and 34 RBI as a junior.

He went 7-1 with one save and 72 strikeouts in 61 innings that summer on the mound as a sophomore, recording a 1.61 earned run average.

In his first season of high school baseball, LaFavor went 3-4 with 43 strikeouts.

The 6-Foot-7 Kaleb LaFavor Was Selected By The Boston Red Sox

“I’d say kind of just taller pitchers like Misiorowski…He is one that I’ve kind of gotten compared to a lot. I’ll try to follow a little bit after him. I think I can live up to that. I just need to put my head down and work in the weight room.”

LaFavor told the site he believes his fastest pitch thrown to date topped out at 96 miles per hour, adding that he throws a sweeper and a changeup while trying to add a cutter or a gyro shape pitch.

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