Purple Sox predicted to take one other center infielder in current MLB mock draft

Purple Sox

Two separate mock drafts have Boston taking Maryland’s Matt Shaw with the No. 14 choose.

Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer for the Boston Red Sox .
Chaim Bloom has taken a center infielder along with his first spherical choose within the final three drafts. Barry Chin/Globe Workers

Two mock drafts revealed Thursday have the Purple Sox taking Maryland shortstop Matt Shaw with the No. 14 choose in July’s MLB Draft.

Each Baseball America and MLB.com predict that Chaim Bloom will take the reigning Cape Cod League MVP who performed his highschool ball at Worcester Academy.

The choice would slot in with Bloom’s pattern of taking center infielders within the first spherical of the draft.

Since he took over the place of Chief Baseball Officer for the Purple Sox, Bloom has taken two shortstops and one second baseman along with his first rounders.

Bloom took Nick Yorke (2B) in 2020, Marcelo Mayer (SS) in 2021, and Mikey Romero (SS) in 2022. All three have been highschool alternatives.

Shaw could be the primary faculty participant taken within the first spherical by Bloom since he began with the Purple Sox.

This 12 months, the junior has performed primarily shortstop however has impressed much more along with his bat than along with his glove.

“He’ll most likely slide over to second, however who cares? The dude can hit, and with energy (45 homers during the last two years),” MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo wrote in Thursday’s mock draft.

Whereas Shaw’s house run figures are what first pop off the web page, the 5-foot-11-inch center infielder has much more to supply on offense.

By 53 video games this 12 months, Shaw has extra walks (42) than strikeouts (35), is hitting .364 with a .764 slugging share, and leads Maryland with 17 stolen bases.

The one actual query mark with Shaw is that if he’ll have the ability to maintain his personal in a significant league infield or if he’ll have to fit in because the designated hitter.

In his 158 video games in faculty, the Brimfield native has 32 errors and a .954 fielding share.

Another choice for the Purple Sox

Whereas Shaw was the favourite prediction this week by Baseball America and MLB.com, Bleacher Report picked the Purple Sox to go a very completely different route in its mock draft final week.

The mock had Boston taking the very best prep arm within the class in Noble Meyer.

The 6-foot-5-inch right-hander from Oregon has a fastball that sits within the higher 90s and two different plus pitches in his slider and changeup.

Most publications have Meyer someplace between the No. 12 and No. 20 prospect on their massive boards, so he could be in the precise vary for Bloom if he desires to attempt to replenish his pitching prospects.

He’s solely 18 years previous so he most definitely wouldn’t contribute as rapidly as somebody like Shaw.

As Bleacher Report places it although, “he has the potential to develop right into a frontline starter and a top-tier prospect for a Purple Sox group that’s missing in pitching expertise.”

Originally posted 2023-05-19 15:21:20.