Red Sox Predicted To Bring 15-HR Middle Infield Prospect To Boston

It's nearly draft time...

Tennessee's Gavin Kilen (6) leaps in celebration as he rounds the bases after Andrew Fischer (11) hits a home run at the NCAA college baseball Knoxville Regional final against Wake Forest on June 2, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's been a lot of other things to focus on in Boston Red Sox land, so many may not have even noticed that the Major League Baseball Draft is on the horizon.

Boston owns the 15th overall pick this season, as a result of their perfectly mediocre 81-81 season in 2024. They've shown a strong preference for position players with their first-round picks (no pitchers since Tanner Houck in 2017), and most evaluators seem to think they'll continue that trend.

But that still leaves plenty of intriguing options: College or high school? Infield, outfield, or catcher? And what sorts of tools should Boston prioritize.

In their mock draft on Thursday, Tyler Jennings and Jared Perkins of Just Baseball predicted that the Red Sox would go with a popular name in Boston circles, and one who possesses several intriguing tools.

Jennings and Perkins' pick? Gavin Kilen, the middle infield prospect from the University of Tennessee.

"Boston leaned heavily into the college side last year, taking just two prepsters in the entire draft, and there’s been nothing to convince me otherwise in 2025. Kyson Witherspoon is a fit here, though the Red Sox may be more inclined to take a contact-oriented bat here," wrote Jennings and Perkins.

"Enter Gavin Kilen. Boston relies heavily upon their model, and Kilen grades out well in that regard. Gavin Fien makes sense if they choose to go for a prep bat, though that’s unlikely."

Kilen, 21, is a 5-foot-11 left-handed hitter with a 60-grade hit tool and 55 overall grade in MLB Pipeline's pre-draft rankings. He popped 15 home runs in 53 games at Tennessee this past season, splitting his time fairly evenly between second base and shortstop.

If you ask this writer, Kilen seems destined to be a second baseman in the pro ranks. But if he can give you a 115 to 125 OPS+ at the major league level, that could be an extremely valuable get with the 15th overall pick, whether he matriculates to Boston someday or not.