Over the Monster - Red Sox 2014 MLB DraftBut Can He Pitch?https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/32934/otm-fv.jpg2014-06-07T12:47:45-04:00http://www.overthemonster.com/rss/stream/54951992014-06-07T12:47:45-04:002014-06-07T12:47:45-04:00MLB Draft 2014: Rounding up Red Sox' Day 2 picks
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<p>Rounding up Boston's draft picks from the first 10 rounds.</p> <p>Day 3 of the MLB Draft may consist of 30 more rounds worth of selections, but the real meat of the thing is behind us now, with the first two days and ten rounds in the books.</p>
<p>We've covered the first five rounds of the draft already:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/5/5784562/mlb-draft-2014-results-red-sox-select-infielder-michael-chavis-26"><b>Round 1: Michael Chavis</b></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/5/5784668/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-rhp-michael-kopech-33-overall"><b>Round 1S: Michael Kopech</b></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5784940/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-indiana-first-baseman-sam"><b>Round 2: Sam Travis</b></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5786634/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-rhp-jake-cosart-103-overall"><b>Round 3: Jake Cosart</b></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5786832/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-right-handed-pitcher-kevin"><b>Round 4: Kevin McAvoy</b></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5786976/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-first-baseman-josh-ockimey-164"><b>Round 5: Josh Ockimey</b></a></p>
<p>But how did the rest of Day 2 go for Boston? Let's take a quick look at rounds six-through-ten.</p>
<p><b>Round 6: Danny Mars, CF</b></p>
<p>The Red Sox broke form with their first six picks of the draft, making 20-year-old Mars the first pick of the sort we're used to seeing from them: athletic up-the-middle players with some questions at the plate. Mars is a switch-hitting version of the quintessential leadoff man of old: a slap-hitter who can run the bases and projects to stick in center. He's not Jacoby Ellsbury--he was drafted in the sixth round, not the first--but excepting the 2011 MVP-style Ellsbury, that's at least the kind of game he might be expected to play.</p>
<p><b>Round 7: Reed Reilly, RHP</b></p>
<p>The closer for Cal Poly, the 22-year-old Reilly might just be the first member of this class to reach the majors. He doesn't have much in the way of a repertoire, relying heavily on the fastball he is most comfortable with. The Red Sox might well be content to let him focus in on one other offering just enough to give batters pause, and have themselves a serviceable-or-better bullpen arm in relatively quick order.</p>
<p><b>Round 8: Ben Moore, C/OF</b></p>
<p>Given Fenway's odd dimensions, a corner outfielder needs to either bring plenty of offense to justify playing in front of the Monster, or plenty of range to cover right field. Alabama's Ben Moore doesn't necessarily match either description, which is why the Red Sox have drafted him as a catcher. If he can make the switch back behind the plate, his excellent contact abilities will look a lot more impressive there than in left.</p>
<p><b>Round 9: Kevin Steen, RHP</b></p>
<p>The classic Red Sox lottery ticket pick. Steen has a lot going for him physically, but isn't necessarily much of a baseball player at the moment. If he joins the Red Sox, dropping basketball and a commitment to play at Tennessee, they'll have some good clay to mold. He is, however, entirely what they make of him: low floor, high ceiling.</p>
<p><b>Round 10: Cole Sturgeon, OF</b></p>
<p>It wouldn't be a Red Sox draft without at least one two-way player. Sturgeon can not only hit for contact, producing a .325 batting average in his senior season with Louisville, but can pitch to avoid it, striking out 35 in 34 innings of relief. He's a guy who does a lot of things decently, but nothing exceptionally, meaning he's got a better chance of reaching the majors than some 10th round picks might, but is far less likely to make a real impact than, say, the aforementioned lottery ticket in Kevin Steen.</p>
https://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/7/5788870/mlb-draft-2014-rounding-up-red-sox-day-2-picksBen Buchanan2014-06-06T15:44:01-04:002014-06-06T15:44:01-04:002014 MLB Draft : Sox select 1B Josh Ockimey #164
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<p>After going years without selecting a first baseman in the first five rounds, the Red Sox have now selected two, taking Josh Ockimey #164 overall.</p> <p>With the 164th pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, the Boston Red Sox selected high school first baseman Josh Ockimey out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>Well this is a surprise. The Red Sox have spent recent drafts avoiding first basemen like the plague, at least in the upper rounds. In fact, they haven't taken one in the top five rounds since 2006, when they drafted Aaron Bates in the third. Now 2014 has seen them take not one, but <i>two</i> power-hitting first basemen in their first six picks. First Sam Travis, and now Josh Ockimey.</p>
<p>Looking at Ockimey, there's no mistaking him for what he is. At 6'4" and 220 pounds, Ockimey is a big guy who might get bigger still. He's a left-handed hitter, but if you're worried about what that means in Fenway Park, Ockimey has already taken his swings on the hallowed ground of Fenway, and he's proven capable of clearing the right field fence more than once, and done so at just 18 years old.</p>
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<p>The Red Sox seem to have come to this draft with a plan: power, power, and more power. Michael Chavis brings it from the left side of the infield, and both Sam Travis and Josh Ockimey can hammer the all from the right side. Perhaps this is a reaction to the value the market's placing on power these days, or perhaps it's a reaction to how flush the team seems to be with talent up the middle. Personally, my money's on the latter.</p>
<p>Whatever the case, whenever you get a power bat in the fifth round, there are going to be some blemishes. Ockimey is young, which means there's room for growth, but also a chance to fall well short of his ceiling. And with little to speak of in terms of his glove, Ockimey <i>will </i>need to hit if he's going to make it in the majors. If he does, though, he's got the opportunity to put on a real show.</p>
https://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5786976/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-first-baseman-josh-ockimey-164Ben Buchanan2014-06-06T14:44:38-04:002014-06-06T14:44:38-04:002014 MLB Draft : Sox select RHP Kevin McAvoy #134
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<p>The Red Sox selected right-handed pitcher Kevin McAvoy with their fourth round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.</p> <p>With the 134th overall pick in the 2014 MLB draft, the Boston Red Sox selected right-handed pitcher Kevin McAvoy out of Bryant University.</p>
<p>McAvoy is unlike Boston's first two pitching selections in that he is not at all a high-upside project. At 21-years-old with three years under his belt for Bryant, McAvoy knows what he's about on the mound. He'll throw his fastball for strikes, and he'll do it often.</p>
<p>Let's not beat around the bush: McAvoy is not an <i>exciting</i> pick. He's very likely a reliever, and not the fireballing closer-type that Jake Cosart might end up as if starting doesn't work out. Instead, he's the reliable middle-innings type who's not going to take the game out of his defense's hands.</p>
<p>There's value to that in the majors, however moderate it may be. Even more so when said player can be shuffled back and forth between the major and minor leagues as necessary, and be reliably called upon for six years of team control. Maintaining consistency in a bullpen is no small feat these days.</p>
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<p>The real reason for this pick, though, can be found in the numbers. Given his draft stock (he wasn't ranked in Baseball America's top-500) and age, this seems like a quintessential middle-round money-saving pick from the Red Sox. They'll sign him for a pittance, and take the money saved on his slot to sign some of their more exciting high school players who need to be lured away from college commitments. These sort of picks aren't exciting, but they're necessary. If the Red Sox are going to spend almost all of their budget in these rounds to sign a select group of players, then throwing away more picks on more high-bonus players would just be wasteful.</p>
https://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5786832/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-right-handed-pitcher-kevinBen Buchanan2014-06-06T14:03:53-04:002014-06-06T14:03:53-04:002014 MLB Draft : Sox select RHP Jake Cosart #103
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<p>The Red Sox have made their first draft pick of Day 2, selecting right-handed pitcher Jake Cosart, brother of Jarred.</p> <p>With the 103rd pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, the Red Sox selected right-handed junior college pitcher Jake Cosart our of New Lennox, Illinois.</p>
<p>Yes, that's Cosart, as in Jarred Cosart down with the Houston Astros. He's a pitcher now, but hasn't been one for long, having spent much of his baseball career in the outfield. What he lacks in experience, however, he makes up for in arm strength. Cosart, much like his elder brother, can dial his fastball into the upper-90s if necessary, and sits around 93-95 MPH without much trouble.</p>
<p>The question for Cosart will be whether or not he can make it as a starter. His repertoire of secondary pitches is currently lacking, as you might expect from someone new to this side of the game. His curveball and slider could both form into major league quality pitches, but there's no guarantee for either one, and he's certainly not going to survive six-plus innings on his fastball alone. Who can?</p>
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<p>If supplementary pick Michael Kopech was one kind of risk on the mound, Jake Cosart is another. Neither one is guaranteed to reach their full (considerable) potential. But where Kopech needs to be broken down and built back up, Cosart has never been built in the first place. It seems likely that, one way or another, he'll be able to play as a relief option based on the strength of his arm alone. Unlike with Kopech, however, it's anybody's guess whether or not there <i>is</i> a starting pitcher in there to be found.</p>
<p>One way or another, though, Cosart is Boston's second big arm with big question marks. If you liked the Kopech pick, getting Cosart two rounds later seems like good value to me.</p>
https://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5786634/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-rhp-jake-cosart-103-overallBen Buchanan2014-06-06T08:00:20-04:002014-06-06T08:00:20-04:00Chavis on being drafted: 'A lifelong dream.'
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<p>Michael Chavis, considered one of the top high school bats in the 2014 draft, is excited to join the defending World Series champions.</p> <p>BOSTON -- Michael Chavis did not know that he was going to be a <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Red Sox</a>, but when the team's pick came around near the tail end of the first round, the 18-year-old sat in the MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J. hoping that the team would choose him. Shortly thereafter, Chavis was up on the stage, wearing a Red Sox jersey and shaking commissioner Bud Selig's hand.</p>
<p>Suddenly, Chavis, who committed to Clemson as a senior from Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Geo., had the opportunity to join the defending <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series" class="sbn-auto-link">World Series</a> champions.</p>
<p>"I was nervous when I woke up this morning," Chavis said. "This is a lifelong dream."</p>
<p>Chavis played shortstop for the majority of his high school career and projects as a second or third baseman, though an outside possibility exists that that he could wind up behind the plate or in a corner outfield spot as well. Wherever he's destined to play, however, Chavis is excited to visit Fenway Park for the first time.</p>
<p>"I talked to the [the Red Sox] a pretty decent amount before the draft," Chavis said. "When they called my name, I knew it was coming. But leading up to that call, I had no idea and was really hoping it would happen. I'm really thrilled it came out this way.</p>
<p>The Red Sox selected Chavis with the 26 pick in the draft, which has an assigned slot value of $1.87 million. Coming off a strong senior season in which he hit .580 with 13 home runs, 37 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 28 games for Sprayberry, Chavis was considered one of the top high school bats in the draft with the potential for plus-power as an infielder. He provides outstanding bat speed, which suggests potential for growth in the power department.</p>
<p><span>"Growing up, I’ve always hit home runs. I didn’t realize I was quote-unquote undersized," Chavis said. "That’s always been a major part of my game, and hopefully that will continue in professional baseball."</span></p>
<p>The 5-foot-11 Chavis said that he admires the way that second baseman <span>Dustin Pedroia</span> plays the game.</p>
<p>"I like how he plays 100 percent," Chavis said. "Plays as hard as he can every play of the game."</p>
<p>Chavis, who sported a pink bowtie to the draft, said that fashion choice was something that "needed to happen."</p>
<p>"I thought it would be a little flashy," Chavis said. "Kind of classy."</p>
<p>The Red Sox hope that Chavis can provide precisely that kind of performance on the field in the years to come.</p>
<p>"I’m absolutely thrilled," Chavis said. "I couldn’€™t be more excited. With them winning the World Series last year, obviously they have a great program and a great organization and farm system. I can’t wait to become a part of it."</p>
https://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5784778/michael-chavis-on-getting-drafted-by-red-sox-this-was-a-lifelong-dreamJoon Lee2014-06-06T00:06:17-04:002014-06-06T00:06:17-04:002014 MLB Draft: Sox select 1B Sam Travis #67
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<p>With the 67th pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, the Boston Red Sox selected first baseman Sam Traivs out of Indiana University.</p> <p>With the 67th pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, the Boston Red Sox have selected Sam Travis, a power-hitting first baseman from Indiana University.</p>
<p>There's the college bat we'd heard the Red Sox were after. And by bat, I do mean <i>bat</i>. Travis, who is listed by Indiana at 6'0" and 210 pounds, isn't one of those maybe shortstop, maybe third basemen the Red Sox have been known to draft so often. He's a first baseman who could <i>maybe </i>play at third base if the situation absolutely necessitates it.</p>
<p>But the bat is something. Hitting from the right side of the plate, Travis has hit .327/.410/.544 in 184 games with the Hoosiers these past three seasons. His power numbers especially have been on the rise, with his career-high 12 homers this year coming in a career-low 59 games started. Add 18 other extra-base hits and you get an impressive .576 slugging percentage.</p>
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<p>There's little question that Travis can hit. And the right-handed contact bat should play well in Fenway Park. He won't set the world on fire, but the bat should work at the major league levels, and perhaps will even do so before too long.</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong: teams don't tend to draft based on need, and the Red Sox probably didn't make much of a reach here just because they might have openings for Travis in the near future. Still, given that the system is relatively light in terms of power bats that could adequately fill a spot like first base (and, dare I say it, DH?) in the long-term, Sam Travis fits comfortably into Boston's plans for the not-too-distant future.</p>
https://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/6/5784940/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-indiana-first-baseman-samBen Buchanan2014-06-05T22:34:03-04:002014-06-05T22:34:03-04:002014 MLB Draft : Red Sox select Michael Kopech #33
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<p>The Red Sox have selected right-handed pitch Michael Kopech with the 33rd pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.</p> <p>With the 33rd pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, the Boston Red Sox have selected right-handed high school pitcher Michael Kopech out of Texas.</p>
<p>Where the Red Sox were linked to polished college players, they have now selected two high schoolers. And, really, Kopech is about as far from a polished product as you can get. Take a look at this video from Baseball Prospectus:</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IU6coqQBgNI" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>There's a lot of weird going on in that delivery, from the strange slide step he does at the beginning, to the max-effort finish. Simply put, Kopech is a project that's going to need plenty of work over the next few years.</p>
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<p>What the Red Sox are hoping to get out of it is the pitcher that his 6'4" body promises. While the above video has his fastball labeled at 91-92, he's added some velocity lately, and has been clocked in the upper 90s at times, and is far from the flat, straight offering you might expect at those speeds. With a pitch like that, he doesn't really need the help of an unorthodox delivery to fool hitters.</p>
<p>The Red Sox will look to clean the mechanical side of Kopech up, and hopefully in doing so will mold him into shape in terms of command and long-term durability. With that in mind, we might expect to see some early struggles from the young righty before he starts to show the results of the tinkering. In the end, though, if all goes according to plan, the Red Sox could have a top-of-the-rotation arm on their hands.</p>
https://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/5/5784668/2014-mlb-draft-results-red-sox-select-rhp-michael-kopech-33-overallBen Buchanan2014-06-05T21:59:44-04:002014-06-05T21:59:44-04:00MLB Draft 2014 : Red Sox select Michael Chavis #26
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<p>The Red Sox have selected high school infielder Michael Chavis with their first pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.</p> <p>With the 26th pick in the 2014 MLB draft, the Boston Red Sox have selected infielder Michael Chavis, a high school bat from Georgia who will likely play on the left side of the infield.</p>
<p>At 5'10" and 192 pounds, Chavis doesn't cut the most initimidating figure on the diamond. He is, however, one of the best prep hitters the draft had to offer this year. He brings excellent bat speed to the table, and is already hitting for power at 18-years-old which, coming from the left side of the infield, is no small thing.</p>
<p>While Chavis was drafted as a shortstop, he seems likely to shift to third base down the line. There he has both the hands and the arm to provide a steady-if-unspectacular defensive presence. There's some possibility that a shift to either a corner outfield spot or even catcher could be in his future, but in all likelihood we're talking about a third baseman with a bat that can play in the five-hole.</p>
<p>Chavis is currently committed to Clemson, but if you're worried he might be a difficult sign, the fact that he showed up to the draft itself in a spiffy pink bowtie and is already wearing a Red Sox jersey might put your mind at ease:</p>
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<p>Michael Chavis rocking a bow tie as he speaks with reporters after being drafted 26th overall. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23MLBDraft&src=hash">#MLBDraft</a> <a href="http://t.co/BHLhCVwOa3">pic.twitter.com/BHLhCVwOa3</a></p>
— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) <a href="https://twitter.com/RedSox/statuses/474731026510798848">June 6, 2014</a>
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<p>Chavis is not the college bat or the falling pitcher that the Red Sox were projected to take earlier, but he's a strong hitter who comes in above average in just about every category. And, given the fact that the consensus on him was 21st to the Indians, we might consider ourselves lucky to have him.</p>
<p>The Red Sox will be back on the clock shortly for pick no. 33.</p>
https://www.overthemonster.com/2014/6/5/5784562/mlb-draft-2014-results-red-sox-select-infielder-michael-chavis-26Ben Buchanan