Red Sox Draft Bryce Brentz, OF With Pick #36

The Red Sox have drafted Bryce Brentz, outfielder, with pick #36 in the 2010 MLB Draft.

Vitals:

6'0", 190 lbs.

12/30/88

My reaction:

The Red Sox lack big power bats in the outfield, and Brentz is definitely one. I think it might have been the defense that sold this pick, in a way, since finding the big bats that also can play the field better than, say, Manny or Bay is often a difficulty. Seiler suggests that he needs to improve his plate discipline, though, and that's always a big flag, especially in this system.

Andy Seiler from the SBN draft site, MLB Bonus Baby, has this to say:

Bryce Brentz has become a well-known prospect on account of his eye-popping college statistics at the
plate. However, Brentz was first known as a pitching prospect, something he’s mostly kept up in college.
The Indians drafted Brentz in the thirtieth round in 2007 as a pitcher out of high school in Knoxville, but
he’s matured more as a hitter than pitcher in college at Middle Tennessee. Brentz isn’t the most toolsy
player in the college game, but he can flat-out hit. His hit tool rates anywhere from above-average to
plus depending on who you’re talking to, with the backers saying that his bat speed is freakishly good,
but the detractors saying he can’t hit a decent curveball. His power isn’t questioned, and it’s a plus tool.
His other plus tool is an arm that was responsible for getting him drafted off the mound in high school.
He’s tried out center field in college this year, but he’s a possible above-average right fielder at the next
level, depending on if he can improve his routes. Some makeup questions started popping up last
summer when he was with Team USA concerning his work ethic and coachability, but he has allayed
those concerns with a good spring that has included a solid return from an ankle injury halfway through
the season. He should go somewhere from the middle of the first round into the supplemental first
round to a team that fully believes that his plate discipline will improve and his offensive tools will shine.

Andy is giving us a free preview of our top 3 picks in the draft from his 2010 MLB Draft Notebook. Stats and profiles for over 700 players are available in the over 400 page notebook for $9.99 at Andy's site.