The 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft rolled on Tuesday afternoon, with the Boston Red Sox adding eight new prospects to their draft haul.
Here’s a look at Boston’s Day 2 selections:
Third round, 81st overall: Austin Rei, C, Washington
The fifth catcher selected in this year’s draft, Rei was regarded as one of the better backstops in college baseball. A thumb injury limited him to just 25 games this season, but he still managed to hit .330 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs, and his play behind the plate drew positive reviews, as well.
Rei was the highest catcher drafted by the Red Sox since the team selected Kelly Shoppach in the second round in 2001.
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Fourth round, 111th overall: Tate Matheny, CF, Missouri State
The son of St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny is regarded as a solid all-around player whose future could be as a fourth outfielder on a major league team.
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Fifth round, 141st overall: Jagger Rusconi, CF, West Ranch (Calif.) High School
The first high schooler selected by the Boston in this year’s draft, Rusconi will begin the process of converting from shortstop to the outfield. The 18-year-old committed to USC after his freshman year, but West Ranch coach Casey Burrill expects him to sign with the Sox.
“Anything can happen,” Burrill, a USC grad, told The Boston Globe. “I think he’s learning toward signing. I believe he’ll be playing minor league baseball this summer. We would sure love him to go to USC, but I think Jagger really wants to be a Boston Red Sox player.”
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Sixth round, 171st overall: Travis Lakins, RHP, Ohio State
Lakins, who recently completed his sophomore season with the Buckeyes, was the first pitcher selected by the Red Sox. The right-hander is a bit of an unknown commodity, as his fastball reportedly touched 96 mph last summer but hovered in the 88-to-92-mph range during Ohio State’s spring season.
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Seventh round, 201st overall: Ben Taylor, RHP, South Alabama
A four-year college player, Taylor spent his freshman and sophomore years at Chattahoochee Valley Community College before transferring to South Alabama for his final two seasons. As a senior this season, the 6-foot-3 righty posted a 1.48 ERA and struck out 14.3 batters per nine innings in 25 relief appearances.
Eighth round, 231st overall: Logan Allen, LHP, IMG Academy
The third consecutive pitcher taken by the Sox (and the first high school arm), Allen boasts a low-90s fastball and has committed to play college ball at South Carolina.
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Ninth round, 261st overall: Tucker Tubbs, 1B, Memphis
Tubbs was a third-team All-American as a senior at Memphis, posting a .305/.393/.601 slash line and clubbing 17 homers after not hitting more than four in any of his first three collegiate campaigns.
Tenth round, 291st overall: Mitchell Gunsolus, 3B, Gonzaga
Another hitter whose numbers shot up in his senior season, Gunsolus hit seven homers this year for the Zags after failing to hit one in his first three seasons in Spokane. He also batted .353 as a senior in 207 at-bats.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@Marc_Normandin
