The Boston Red Sox arrive at Pick #21 courtesy of one of the bigger surprises from last season.
This selection originally belonged to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who spent most of the year making people look foolish for doubting them and came remarkably close to representing the United League in the World Series.
Instead, the pick ends up in Boston’s hands.
And Boston finds itself in an interesting spot.
There are needs throughout the organization. There are intriguing players still available. There are arguments to be made for pitching, for defense, for safer prospects, for organizational fit.
Which usually means one thing.
Stop overthinking it.
Take the best player available.
For Boston, that’s Aramis Ramirez.
And frankly, I’m a little surprised he’s still here.
Ramirez has been sitting near the very top of my board for a while now. In fact, on pure upside, he ranks sixth overall among every player in this draft class.
The reason he’s fallen isn’t talent.
It’s uncertainty.
At just 19 years old, there’s still a substantial amount of development required before he becomes the player scouts envision. The defensive profile raises questions. The body still needs to mature. There are enough unknowns here to make risk-averse organizations look elsewhere.
Boston shouldn’t be one of those organizations.
Because when you look at the offensive ceiling, it’s awfully difficult to find comparable players this late in the first round.
Potential for elite contact.
Potential for elite power.
Potential for elite gap production.
Strong strikeout avoidance.
Those tools don’t usually make it to Pick #21.
If Ramirez fills out properly, you’re talking about a middle-of-the-order monster capable of anchoring a lineup for a decade.
The defense remains the biggest concern.
Let’s be honest about that.
Nobody is drafting Aramis because they’re dreaming about Gold Gloves.
The glove may require some offseason attention, some patient development, and perhaps a little organizational optimism. There are outcomes where he remains at third base and becomes perfectly serviceable.
There are also outcomes where the bat eventually carries him elsewhere.
And that’s okay.
Because the bat is the entire reason we’re here.
Boston already has plenty of roster questions to answer in the coming years. Barry Bonds remains the centerpiece of the franchise for now, but every good organization should be thinking beyond the current roster.
Ramirez gives them exactly that opportunity.
This is the kind of prospect you bet on.
Not because he’s safe.
Not because he’s polished.
Because the upside is too good to ignore.
At Pick #21, trying to get clever feels unnecessary.
The board handed Boston a premium talent.
Take him.
Figure out the rest later.
PICK #21
Boston Red Sox select 3B Aramis Ramirez