Red Sox's Surprising Jake Schaffner 1st-Round Pick, Explained

Why the Red Sox seemingly "reached" for a high-contact bat

Jun 21, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels shortstop Jake Schaffner (2) celebrates after scoring on a wild pitch against the Oklahoma Sooners during the third inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not all first-round picks are made with equal intentions, and on Saturday, the Boston Red Sox did something interesting for theirs.

In former University of North Carolina shortstop Jake Schaffner, the Red Sox took a player who virtually all of the draft experts didn't see as a first-rounder. Baseball America had him rated outside the top 90 on their big board, while MLB.com had him at No. 75 overall.

However, there were obvious traits that stood out about Schaffner that the Red Sox had to buy into. Plus, there's the obvious consideration of signing bonuses, which we've yet to learn about at the time of publication.

Red Sox take Schaffner, set sights on contact

Jun 20, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels shortstop Jake Schaffner (2) throws to first for an out on a double play against the Oklahoma Sooners during the ninth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Schaffner, the 21-year-old from Janesville, Wisc., started his college career at North Dakota State before transferring to UNC as a junior. There, he flew up draft boards by slashing .356/.467/.552 as a senior, with six home runs, 26 stolen bases, and the second-most runs scored in Division I with 85.

We argued passionately at Red Sox on SI for Boston to select Mississippi State slugger Ace Reese with this pick, and when it was time for the selection to be made, Reese was still on the board. So while we might not profess our love for this move instantly, the logic behind it is certainly understandable.

I'm a big fan of Jake Schaffner. The more you watch him, the more you love his game.

Growing up, hockey was his 1st love. For baseball, North Dakota State was his only offer. Wisconsin actually offered him to be a preferred walk-on (safety) in football.

UNC coaches rave about…

— Mike Monaco (@MikeMonaco_) July 11, 2026

Schaffner has one tool that stands out above all his others: contact. In 339 plate appearances against high-level pitching in the Atlantic Coast Conference, he struck out only 32 times this season. At the same time, his average exit velocity rose more than any other Division I player's from 2025 to 2026.

If there's a knock on Schaffner as a first-round pick, it's that he might never develop into enough of a power hitter to reach star status in the major leagues. Add in that his arm strength is just fringy enough for questions to arise about his future at shortstop versus second base, and you see why he was rated where he was.

But there's likely another shoe to drop, because the Red Sox almost certainly worked out a deal to sign Schaffner for less than his pick's slot value of $4.37 million. So stay tuned later in the day for whatever they wind up doing with their other selections.