Red Sox Reportedly Won Bidding War To Secure High-Upside Draft Prospect
Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has kept the farm system stocked with middle infielders drafted out of high school, and he went out of his way to continue that trend on the first night of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft in Seattle.
The Red Sox selected Christian Brothers College High School shortstop Nazzan Zanetello with their second-round selection, No. 50 overall.
It turns out, the Red Sox had to win a bidding war to secure the highly-touted middle infielder.
"The last few minutes, it was between the (Washington) Nationals and the Red Sox," Zanetello told The Boston Globe's Alex Speier on Sunday night while speaking with the media. "After 40 that's when I knew I was going to be a Boston Red Sox."
High school prospects have a lot of leverage in negotiations, as they can always go to college should a deal fall through. For that reason, teams have to be sure they can sign said players ahead of their picks.
It sounds as if Zanetello's representation waged a bidding war between the Nationals and Red Sox, one that left Washington unsure that they could sign him. That, or the Nats were higher on Miami third baseman Yohandy Morales -- who they selected at No. 40.
The slot value for No. 40 is $2.14 million while the slot value for No. 50 is $1.70 million. Still, the Red Sox can pay Zanetello big bucks by drafting players with low leverage later in the draft, signing them under slot value -- college seniors being the easiest to do so with.
Boston has used this strategy often in chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom's tenure to ensure that they are able to get high-end talent at the top of the draft.
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