Red Sox Mock Draft Roundup: Experts Predict Boston’s 2023 Round 1 Pick

The Red Sox could land a future star within the next week.

Not because chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has a blockbuster trade up his sleeve. He could. Who knows? Rather, the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft kicks off Sunday, offering Boston — and every other MLB club — the opportunity to infuse talent into its pipeline that could make an impact down the road.

The Red Sox own the No. 14 overall pick in the first round this year, a product of their underwhelming 2022 season in which they finished 78-84. Boston selected a high-school infielder in Round 1 of each of its last three drafts — Nick Yorke in 2020, Marcelo Mayer in 2021 and Mikey Romero in 2022 — and very well could follow that blueprint again.

It’s difficult to pinpoint who exactly the Red Sox have their eyes on, though, especially since Bloom set the tone of unpredictability by choosing Yorke — a little-known prospect at the time — with his first-ever draft pick three years ago.

Alas, here’s who some MLB draft experts believe the Red Sox will select at No. 14. It’s important to keep in mind industry predictions are fluid at this stage of the game, with additional intel oftentimes trickling in right up until Day 1 of the draft.

Kiley McDaniel, ESPN (July 7): Matt Shaw, 2B, Maryland
I’ll keep Shaw here as the Red Sox are mostly tied to safer position-player types at this pick with bolder choices coming down the board. One of the wildest rumors I’ve heard all spring is that Arizona State 2B Luke Keaschall could be a Nick Yorke-esque pick here. I buy that Boston likes him, is worried he won’t get to their next pick, and is thinking about it, but it’s just a little too farfetched to project right now. I’ve given Keaschall to them in the second round.

Keith Law, The Athletic (July 7): Colt Emerson, SS, John Glenn High School (Ohio)
Yes, another infielder for the Red Sox, although I don’t think you can have too many good infield prospects, ever. Emerson’s one of the younger players in the draft class and there are at least some scouts who think he’s one of the better pure hitters. I’m only hearing them with hitters, including college guys (Matt) Shaw, Brock Wilken and Chase Davis; and high schoolers with Bryce Eldridge — who supposedly wants to go to a team that will also let him pitch — (Colin) Houck and (Blake) Mitchell as other possibilities.

Carlos Collazo, Baseball America (July 7): Aidan Miller, 3B, Mitchell High School (Florida)
Boston has taken high school hitters with each of its last four picks in the first round: Mikey Romero, Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke and Triston Casas. There’s no obvious California prep shortstop for them in this spot this year, but I’m still hearing mostly bats for the Red Sox and talk of an underslot deal as well.

Mike Axisa, CBS Sports (July 7): Chase Davis, OF, Arizona
Some teams have a “type” on draft day and the Red Sox are among them. They’ve used their last four first-round picks on hitters with aesthetically-pleasing swings and premium ball-tracking data (exit velocity, etc.). All four also went to high schoolers, but I don’t get the sense they’re opposed to a college player. Davis played very well down the stretch for Arizona and he hits the ball as hard as just about anyone in the draft class.

Jonathan Mayo, MLB Pipeline (July 6): Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi
While talk about a high school hitter landing here still could come to fruition with someone like (Aidan) Miller, there could be a shift towards a more advanced college bat. Many feel Gonzalez will be gone by now, but he’s available, the Red Sox likely will have interest, along with players like (Matt) Shaw, Enrique Bradfield from Vanderbilt and Arizona outfielder Chase Davis.

Eric Longenhagen, FanGraphs (July 6): Blake Mitchell, C, Sinton High School (Texas)
Miller’s name pops up at all three of these picks (12-14), and if the Cubs and Red Sox want him but have their pockets picked by the D-backs, they might each check down to a college safety valve. Maryland’s Matt Shaw is often mentioned in this general area, but (Nolan) Schanuel has been mentioned specifically with the Cubs (and as high as the Angels). I’m getting mixed signals on the BoSox, who have been mentioned with Mitchell and also as a team looking to cut a deal. It sounds like Stanford’s Tommy Troy is behind a bunch of the other college hitters on teams’ boards, so he might present the greatest savings here if that’s what Boston wants to do.