Why Red Sox Can Dream On Nazzan Zanetello’s ‘Explosive Athleticism’

Before the start of the 2024 season, NESN.com is evaluating several noteworthy prospects in the Boston Red Sox organization, using insight and analysis from industry experts to gauge each player’s outlook for the upcoming campaign. Next up: Nazzan Zanetello.

The Red Sox drew strong reviews for landing Kyle Teel with their first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

But don’t sleep on their second rounder.

Nazzan Zanetello, the 50th overall selection last July, is an intriguing prospect in his own right and certainly has the potential to make noise in the Red Sox farm system over the next several years.

So, what exactly stands out about the 18-year-old? Here’s everything you need to know about Zanetello ahead of the 2024 season.

Background
Zanetello already has a Boston connection: He played basketball for Jayson Tatum’s father, Justin, at Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis.

Random? Sure. But a nice perk should Zanetello ultimately reach the majors with the Red Sox. The Celtics star is beloved in Boston.

“Justin was my basketball coach. He actually texted me this morning and said, ‘I’ll hook you up with Jayson. He’ll take care of you,’ ” Zanetello told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier after being drafted. “That was sick.”

Zanetello’s multisport prowess speaks to his athleticism, which was a significant factor in the Red Sox’s decision to pick him despite taking a high-school shortstop in the first round of each of the previous two drafts (Marcelo Mayer in 2021 and Mikey Romero in 2022).

Zanetello was named MVP of the MLB Breakthrough Series in 2022, a testament to both his talent and his makeup.

“This award means a lot to me, because this week at the Breakthrough Series we talked a lot about playing the (Jackie) Robinson way,” Zanetello said. “If you look around the walls in the building, there’s a lot of keywords: excellence, teamwork, integrity, courageousness. That means I represented all of that, so that means a lot that they noticed that.”

Zanetello decommitted from Miami and later committed to play baseball at Arkansas. He never suited up for the Razorbacks, though, as he signed an over-slot bonus with Boston upon being drafted in 2023.

Scouting report
Zanetello is physically gifted. Plain and simple.

“He’s an insane athlete,” Ian Cundall, director of scouting for SoxProspects.com, recently told NESN.com. “He’s another ceiling guy. We don’t know what he is, but there’s the raw tools that you look for.

“It’s a great frame. He’s insanely athletic. He was one of the best athletes in the class last year in the athletic testing models. So, he’s got that ceiling. It’s just a question of how good a baseball player is he? And that’s what I don’t know. We need to see that this year.”

Zanetello struggled in his first taste of pro ball, slashing .139/.311/.222 with 15 strikeouts in 45 plate appearances in the Florida Complex League last season. And there are no guarantees his hit tool will develop. He’s very raw and will need to make offensive adjustments as he climbs the organizational ladder.

But the upside is eye-opening. The Red Sox took a calculated risk that he’ll someday put everything together, at which point they’d have a legitimate five-tool contributor on their hands. Power, speed, the works.

“It’s just going to be a question of how does his explosive athleticism translate on the field to baseball actions, both defensively and offensively,” Cundall said. “How does it translate at the plate with his approach? Obviously, the bat speed is going to be there. But what’s the feel like? What’s the approach like? What is his pitch recognition? Is he chasing too much? What is the feel for contact? Those are the questions there.”

Zanetello, a right-handed hitter, is listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds. He turns 19 in May and could fill out as he ages. If so, that might affect his profile, both offensively and defensively. There’s just so much unknown.

Zanetello played exclusively shortstop in the FCL and in his lone game with Single-A Salem last season. Will he stick there? It’s hard to say. The outfield remains an option, and team need could factor into his long-term home.

“It’s definitely a fun pick,” Cundall said.

“He’s an insane athlete.”

Ian Cundall, director of scouting for SoxProspects.com, on Nazzan Zanetello

Most-likely outcome: Versatile MLB regular.

Again, there’s such a wide range of outcomes with Zanetello — high floor, low ceiling and everything in between. So, it’s nearly impossible to set baseline expectations at this stage of his career. The 2024 campaign — his first full professional season — is important in that regard.

Without the luxury of waiting, let’s assume Zanetello eventually refines his skills to the point where he becomes a viable big leaguer. Will he be the next Mookie Betts, the player he aspires to emulate? Probably not. That’s a 99th percentile outcome for anyone. But it’s not farfetched to think he could make an impact at several positions while flashing both power and speed.

Fellow Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela, though more akin to Betts in physical stature, might be a reasonable comparison from a versatility standpoint. (Rafaela’s long-term outlook remains up in the air, as well.)

“With Rafaela, I think he’s a good example,” Cundall said. “He’s a very good shortstop, but also, with someone with his athleticism and speed and range, it made sense to try him in the outfield. And he’s turned into a potential Gold Glove-caliber center fielder, which is very fortunate for the Red Sox.

“So, with Zanetello, obviously you’re not going to project that level of defensive ability immediately. But you try him at a bunch of spots and see what clicks the most, I guess. Unless you have conviction immediately that he’s best suited at a certain position, then you just go with that.”

Best-case scenario: Dynamic center fielder.

Having a good defensive center fielder is valuable. Having a good defensive center fielder who can hit, too? That’s a total game-changer.

It’s a scenario that’s very much on the table with Zanetello, even if the Red Sox initially groom him as a shortstop. There’s two-way talent there. And Boston basically is banking on his tools and his work ethic — along with the right structure/coaching — creating a total package down the road.

The hit tool could be the real differentiator. If he supplements his power and speed with a disciplined approach and solid bat-to-ball skills, the Red Sox can dream on a future All-Star. Or, at the very least, someone worth keeping in the lineup at a premium position on a consistent basis.

“If you can be even like 75 percent of Mookie Betts, you’re going to make nine figures in your career, so…,” Cundall joked.

SoxProspects ranking: No. 12

We’ve written in this space about how Miguel Bleis and Yoeilin Cespedes are candidates to someday become the Red Sox’s top prospect once the “big three” — Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel — graduate to the majors. Zanetello probably belongs in that conversation, as well.

Fenway forecast
Zanetello’s underwhelming pro debut shouldn’t sound any alarms. He’s young. It was a small sample size. Growing pains are to be expected.

But it nevertheless was a reminder of how difficult the transition can be for even the most talented prospects, especially those whose current strengths are rooted more in physical tools than baseball mastery.

Zanetello has a long way to go in his development, with peaks and valleys inevitable. He’ll likely spend this season in Single-A and probably won’t debut with Boston until 2027 or so.