Keith Law Changes Red Sox Prediction In Updated 2023 MLB Mock Draft

The Athletic’s Keith Law predicted in his first 2023 MLB mock draft that the Boston Red Sox would select a college shortstop in Round 1.

Roughly a month later, Law still believed the Red Sox would go down that path, only he now sees them calling a different name.

Law projected in his updated (2.0) mock draft this week that Boston will land Maryland shortstop Matt Shaw with the No. 14 pick in the first round.

“Shaw is one of the best hitters in the college class, with hard contact and power, but needs to play somewhere other than shortstop,” Law wrote. “He’s one of many college bats I’ve heard linked to Boston, along with (Tommy) Troy and (Brayden) Taylor, all of whom are good batted-ball data guys as well as hitters scouts believe will continue to hit in pro ball.”

This is a deviation from Law’s initial mock draft back in May, when he projected the Red Sox would nab Stanford shortstop Tommy Troy.

Troy went No. 18 to the Milwaukee Brewers in Law’s updated mock draft. Shaw went No. 13 to the Chicago Cubs in Law’s first mock draft.

Obviously, a lot still can change before the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft kicks off Sunday, July 9. Law’s updated mock released this week simply is based on the additional intel he’s been able to gather. The number of rumors and the amount of available information only will increase in the coming weeks, for better or worse.

There’s a collection of shortstops expected to go in that range, though. And the Red Sox, despite needing an infusion of premium pitching talent, have been no strangers to drafting middle infielders in the first round in recent years.