Red Sox 2023 Second-Round Pick On Move In Boston’s Farm System

The Boston Red Sox didn’t waste any time earlier this month promoting their top draft pick this year in Kyle Teel.

And now, the Red Sox are having Nazzan Zanetello, who they drafted in the second round at No. 50 overall, move up the minor league ladder. But Zanetello’s next destination isn’t the same as Teel’s.

The Red Sox on Wednesday assigned the 18-year-old infielder to Single-A Salem after playing 12 games in the Florida Complex League. Teel got promoted to High-A Greenville after 11 FCL games.

Zanetello didn’t light it up at the Rookie Level and instead struggled, batting just .139 with no home runs and one RBI. He did record five stolen bases, though, and walked nine times compared to registering 15 strikeouts.

Zanetello got off to a strong start with Salem, though, driving in a run with a single in his first at-bat Thursday.

There’s sure to be a learning curve entering pro ball for Zanetello, who just months ago was playing for Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis.

But there’s plenty of potential packed into his 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame. He has difference-making speed and showed plenty of pop in his bat to get drafted as high as he did.

Even though he has played only a handful of games in the Red Sox organization, MLB Pipeline views him as the eighth-best prospect in Boston’s farm system.