Red Sox select Cameron Cannon with first pick in 2019 draft

The Red Sox had to wait quite some time to make their first selection in this 2019 amateur draft, both in terms of picks and time. It took four hours and fifteen minutes for the draft to reach Boston with the 43rd overall pick, but when they finally made it they selected a college infielder. Their first selection this year was Cameron Cannon out of the University of Arizona. Cannon was ranked 94th on Baseball America’s Top 500 Prospect list, 48th on Fangraphs’ list and 79th on MLB Pipeline’s.

Cannon is the second University of Arizona infielder selected by the Red Sox in recent years, with Bobby Dalbec being taken in 2017. He was announced as a shortstop when he was selected, but nobody really sees him sticking at that position. He played third base in college and scouts see him as someone who could potentially play at the hot corner or at second base moving forward. Wherever he ends up, it’s the bat that will highlight his profile. It’s his hit tool that really stands out, with his power being average at best and mostly being graded as below average. The Red Sox have apparently been looking at him for a bit, though. Fangraphs had him going to Boston at this spot in both of their mocks that went beyond the first round.