MLB Mock Draft Roundup: Sox Widely Expected to Select Tennessee Star originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
With two days left until the 2024 MLB Draft, there is a consensus among experts on who the Boston Red Sox will select with the 12th overall pick.
Tennessee’s Christian Moore continues to be linked to Boston more than any other prospect in this year’s class. Some predict it will be Florida State’s James Tibbs or East Carolina’s Trey Yesavage, but others have gone so far as to call Moore’s landing with Boston “inevitable.”
So what makes Moore such an attractive option to first-year director of baseball Craig Breslow and the Red Sox front office?
How about the fact that he can totally rake?
The 21-year-old posted a 1.144 OPS in 186 games over three college seasons. Last year with the Volunteers, he slashed .375/.451/.797 with a school-record 34 home runs and 74 RBI. He also led NCAA Division I with 111 hits.
His power forward was evident when he hit three home runs in a game against Kentucky to set a new Tennessee record:
Moore also homered in Tennessee’s College World Series opener against Florida State. It was the second cycle of the College World Series – the first was in 1956:
At a burly 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Moore isn’t your prototypical second baseman. Although he spent some time at shortstop, average arm strength and inconsistencies with the glove made second his primary home. He also played all three outfield positions sparingly for the Vols.
Recruiting experts seem convinced that the Red Sox are targeting one of the best college bats falling to them at age 12. In this case, that likely means they will decide between the right-handed Moore and the left-handed Tibbs. While Tibbs is no slouch, Moore appears to have the higher ceiling of the two prospects.
The 2024 MLB Draft begins Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. Below is a summary of expert predictions for Boston’s first-round pick, which includes Moore and a few other names to monitor:
Kiley McDaniel, ESPN: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
McDaniel: “Moore’s top landing spots are here, eighth to the Angels and 16th to the Marlins. Kurtz and Griffin could also be the pick if they’re on the board. Trey Yesavage is also in the mix for most teams’ picks at numbers 11 -15.”
Joe DeMayo, NY: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
DeMayo: “Just like Caminiti and Detroit, the Red Sox and Moore almost seem like an inevitability, which, again, makes me wonder. I think that’s the word for Rainer or Griffin, otherwise it should be a college bat.”
Jim Callis, MLB. with: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Cali: “If a surprise upset doesn’t fall to 12, the Red Sox figure to take someone from a group of about a dozen guys in the second tier of college bats. Top candidates include Moore, Smith, Benge and Waldschmidt. This is probably the ceiling for Wake Forest third baseman/outfielder Seaver King, Louisiana State third baseman Tommy White and North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt If Boston wants to pitch, East Carolina right-hander Trey. Yesavage, would be the obvious choice.
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Mayonnaise: “The Red Sox would love for one of the dozen players selected above to reach them, and let’s face it, that usually happens. But in this scenario, Moore appears to be the best of the next group that is very heavy on college hitters. . Boston could also look at Florida State’s Cam Smith from that demographic or Yesavage from the college arm group.
Jesse Yomtov, USA TODAY: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Erik Beaston, grandstand Report: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Edward Sutelan, Sports News: James Tibbs, OF, Florida State
Sutelano: “A year ago, the Red Sox drafted Kyle Teel, a bat-first catcher. Here, they continue the trend with a bat-first player, this time outfielder James Tibbs. Boston has a history of first-round hitters, and the Tibbs’ polished approach and above-average power make him one of the best hitters in the class, even if there are questions about how effective he will be as a fielder.
Eric Longenhagen, FanGraphs: James Tibbs, OF, Florida State
Longenhagen: “There’s no consensus on what Boston will do here. I’ve spoken to people who think Craig Breslow’s pitching dev experience will push the organization in that direction, but Trey Yesavage and one or two of the high school pitchers are the only viable options.” here, and if you’re good at pitching a developer, you don’t need to use first-round resources on one.”
Keith Law, The Athletic: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep (Mississippi)
Law: “Griffin is a true wild card in the draft, with the tools to go 1-1, but with real questions about how well he can hit professional pitching right now, especially since there is no short-season league to send players to after the draft (another genius MLB move). If he’s gone, I think the Red Sox go to college – Christian Moore, Waldschmidt or Yesavage.
Bryan Mcwilliam, the score: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake (California)
McWilliam: “Rainer was once viewed as a potential two-way player, but skyrocketed in the draft when he focused primarily on becoming a position player. The burly Californian has a high ceiling and comes with a solid pedigree after attending Harvard-Westlake , which used to house MLB players like Max Fried, Lucas Giolito, Jack Flaherty and Pete Crow-Armstrong He would be another blueliner for an ever-improving Red Sox farm system that already includes top-100 prospects in Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony. . and Kyle Teel.”
Carlos Collazo, Baseball America: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
