The Red Sox selected University of Connecticut right-hander Matt Barnes with the 19th pick in the MLB First-Year Player Draft on Monday. Seven picks later, the organization took a guy Barnes may throw to one day in high school catcher Blake Swihart, who has verbally committed to the University of Texas and represents a signing risk.
Barnes, a native of Bethel, CT, was the Big East Pitcher of the Year after going 11-3 with a 1.11 ERA in 14 regular-season starts. Currently, he is with the Huskies playing in one of the regional brackets of the College World Series in South Carolina.
The 20-year-old Barnes, who can throw his fastball as high as 96 and works in quality curveballs and sliders, pitched for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League each of the last two summers. He was projected by some to go higher than 19th.
Swihart is a switch-hitter who may have another position in his future. At 6-feet-1 inch and 175 pounds, he has a rather small frame for a catcher. While it will fill out to some degree, it is possible that the Red Sox may steer him in another direction and focus on keeping a plus-bat in the lineup more often for years to come.
That is if they can sign him. The 19-year-old New Mexico native has committed to Texas, so his asking price may be rather substantial. Boston, obviously, is one organization that can meet some increased demands.
With their first pick in the supplemental round, and the 36th overall, the Red Sox selected high school left-hander Henry Owens. A 6-foot-6, 190-pound product of Edison High School in Huntington Beach, CA, Owens struck out 140 and allowed only 45 hits in 91 2/3 innings during his senior season.
The organization's final pick of the first day of the draft — the 40th overall — netted University of South Carolina outfielder Jackie Bradley. A slow start followed by wrist surgery has made Bradley's senior year a difficult one and caused a former surefire first-rounder to fall to where the Red Sox found him. However, he hit a combined .358 his previous two years with the Gamecocks and led them to their first national championship last year, batting .345 in Omaha.
Bradley is considered a plus defender with very good power potential.
The remainder of the draft takes place over conference call at the MLB headquarters on Tuesday and Wednesday.
