Red Sox Select Elite College Slugger, Mass Native, In Latest Mock Draft
Could the Boston Red Sox take a local product who doubles as one of the best hitters in the upcoming draft next month?
The 2023 Major League Baseball Draft is set for July 9 in Seattle, where the Red Sox will have the No. 14 pick in the first round.
The Athletic's Keith Law, one of the top draft experts in the league, has the Red Sox drafting Maryland shortstop Matt Shaw.
"Shaw is one of the best hitters in the college class, with hard contact and power, but needs to play somewhere other than shortstop," Law wrote Tuesday. "He’s one of many college bats I’ve heard linked to Boston, along with (Tommy) Troy and (Brayden) Taylor, all of whom are good batted-ball data guys as well as hitters scouts believe will continue to hit in pro ball."
Shaw is the No. 18 prospect in the upcoming draft according to MLB Pipeline and posted guady numbers throughout his college career.
The 21-year-old hit .320 with 102 extra-base hits including 53 home runs, 166 RBIs and a 1.036 OPS in 167 games for the Maryland Terps across three seasons.
The Springfield Mass. native had a monster junior season, hitting .341 with 45 extra-base hits including 24 home runs, 69 RBIs, a strong 43-to-42 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.142 OPS in 62 games.
The right-handed slugger -- who can play shortstop, second base, third base and corner outfield -- also shined in the Cape Cod League prior to his junior season.
Shaw hit .360 with 17 extra-base hits including five home runs, 19 RBIs and a 1.006 OPS in 36 games for the Bourne Braves in front of dozens of scouts on a daily basis.
If there's one thing that's consistent about Shaw's game it's that he's mashed at every level. He would be a fantastic bat to add to the Red Sox organization, regardless of where he ends up defensively.
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