Preliminary MLB Notes: Did the Red Sox get a ‘steal’ on Braden Montgomery? originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Red Sox apparently have a clear strategy when it comes to the MLB Draft: position players early.
Per selecting Braden Montgomery with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday, the Red Sox have now selected a position player with their highest draft pick Seven consecutive drafts dated 2017.
This is an interesting tactic considering the lack of elite weapons in the Boston farm system. But according to many draft experts, Boston made the right decision by taking Montgomery in the first round.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound outfielder is a power hitter: He slashed .322/.454/.733 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI for Texas A&M last season before suffering a broken ankle on June 8. Montgomery also possesses a rocket arm in the outfield and actually pitched early in his college career at Stanford, where he spent his freshman and sophomore seasons before transferring to Texas A&M for the 2023-24 season.
So what kind of player are the Red Sox signing in the 21-year-old slugger? Here’s a summary of Montgomery’s ratings and reviews from experts across the industry – and you’ll notice that most are very positive.
(A note: MLB scouts use a 20 to 80 rating scale for prospect attributes; 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average, and 70-80 is well above average.)
“The Red Sox may have pulled off the steal of the draft so far, putting the player fourth on my board at pick 12.
“…He hits the ball very hard, with a much better hitting tool on the left side, hard, but with a 38 percent strike rate. He has at least a 70 right arm and should be at least 55 defender there, assuming the ankle is completely healed.”
“After his name was floating around in the top 10, this is a pretty soft landing spot for Montgomery, whose tremendous season at Texas A&M ended prematurely because of a broken ankle suffered in the Super Regionals. The transfer from Stanford served him well , and he’s a really strong hitter, doing more damage from the left side.”
“As a consensus top-10 player on most draft boards, the Red Sox simply couldn’t pass up Montgomery’s 70-grade power and 80-grade arm.
“He will have to make enough contact as a pro and is recovering from his broken ankle, but with a good group of young players in the majors – plus some highly rated prospects in their farm system – the Red Sox could be developing an impressive lineup. of players positioned to become a consistent winner.”
“I had Montgomery at No. 4 overall in my final mock draft, and he looked like a lock to get somewhere in the Top 10, so this is a great accomplishment for the Red Sox. Expect him to crush low-minor pitching, and quickly climb the top prospect lists.”
Grade: A+
“A broken ankle could be a thank you for Montgomery’s fall outside the top 10. Because before that, he seemed almost certain to be a top five or 10 pick. The hitting outfielder is all about power: rocket, explosive bat A former pitcher, Montgomery’s arm is now a huge asset to him defensively. He has also shown improved discipline that has allowed him to reach his considerable power in 2024.
“Assuming medicals are not an issue, he could be a mid-level hitter with an advanced hitting tool and 25+ homers.”
Grade A
“Montgomery is a right-arm hitter. There are some swing and error concerns in his game that have caused him to drop out of the top 10. Sources I spoke to had him outside the top 10 even before the ankle injury.
Serie B
“There are always surprises in the Draft and the way it works in baseball, and we were really excited that it was there for us and happy that we were able to make it work. the organization.
“We fell in love with him (as a high school prospect) and then followed his career at Stanford and (then Texas A&M). He had an excellent year in the SEC and we believe he still has more development ahead of him. skill set fits perfectly into what we’re trying to do here.”
