it's the seventh round of the 2015 MLB Draft, meaning there are just four picks to go until the break until Wednesday. The Red Sox, to this point, have selected four position players and one pitcher -- remember, they didn't have a second-round pick, so they're one player "behind" -- and for the 201st pick, they went with another college player, and another pitcher: Boston drafted right-hander Ben Taylor from the University of South Alabama.
He's a bit older, as he'll be 23 years old in November, but you knew at some point the Sox would be drafting a senior. Seniors are key to the draft budget, as they have less negotiating leverage since they can't return to school, so they are one way to get players who will sign for bonuses well under slot. That allows the Red Sox to spend more money elsewhere, on players who do have leverage, so don't be surprised if Taylor ends up agreeing to a deal for less than the 201st pick's slot value of $215,500.
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That this is his likely fate becomes even more apparent when you notice Taylor lacks a scouting report from either MLB.com or Baseball America, and there is no video of him at either publication, either. If the 201st pick isn't one of the top-500 players available, chances are good it's a pick made with money in mind.
That doesn't mean Taylor is a non-prospect, of course: it just means he's not one of the top-500 in this draft. Kyle Martin was a relief prospect the Sox drafted to save money back in the ninth round of 2012, and he's currently pitching well for Double-A Portland with a potential big-league career as a sixth-inning guy in front of him. Taylor was dominant in his senior season, posting a 1.48 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 42-2/3 relief innings, so maybe he'll keep on thriving as a reliever and be more than just a way to move money around like Martin looks to be. He'll kick things off as a starter, as so many future Red Sox relievers do, but eventually, he is likely to make the switch back to the pen.