MLB Notes: Red Sox draft 15 pitchers in the MLB Draft, Rule 5 implications, Rob Manfred comments on potential All-Star Game at Fenway Park

The Red Sox loaded up on pitching during the 2025 Draft ahead of the All-Star festivities in Atlanta. Boston selected 15 pitchers and six position players, infusing more pitching talent within the system.

The Sox went heavy on college players, taking only one high school player, who went in the 19th round. Under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, the Red Sox have used 29 of their 41 picks on pitchers.

Red Sox director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson said the college-heavy draft selections weren’t intentional but mainly due to how the draft played out.

“Big frame, big velo, and stuff — that’s kind of how we prioritize pitchers as we work throughout the draft and certainly got a lot of those guys," Pearson said Monday during a Zoom after wrapping up the second and final day of the draft. “I know there’s a lot of SEC players this year. That was, I guess, where all the big guys with stuff and velo are.”

Three of the first four picks were pitchers, including University of Oklahoma flame-thrower Kyson Witherspoon, who went No. 15 overall in the first round; righty Marcus Phillips out of the University of Tennessee, who was taken No. 33 overall; and LSU righty Anthony Eyanson, who was taken No. 87 overall, marking the third SEC pitcher taken by the Sox up to that point.

“I think we had targeted a group of college pitchers that we really liked, and I think a lot of the bats that we liked as well went early,” Pearson said. “We were able to get a couple bats that we had valued highly throughout the draft. But we were really intentional with what bats we circled. And we’re lucky to get a lot of the college pitchers that we like.

“There were certainly a group of high school hitters that we really liked that, but either didn’t have the money to access them, or they went earlier and kind of just fell that way,” Pearson added.

Here’s how the rest of the Red Sox draft unfolded from the fourth round through the final round.

Rd. 4 - 118: Mason White, SS, Arizona

White is a three-year starter at Arizona and offers tremendous power from the left side of the plate. The 21-year-old was named a Second Team All-American by Perfect Game after a breakout junior season where he hit .327 with 20 home runs and 73 RBI. He has some holes in his swing with plenty of swing-and-miss in his game. He struck out 65 times in 257 at-bats as a junior and 85 times as a sophomore. While at Arizona, he primarily was a shortstop, but he’s expected to transition into a second baseman.

“He was a guy we were pumped to get,” Pearson said. “I think the defense, he’s been really good at shortstop. Cut down on his whiff rate a lot, and has just continued to get better. Gets the ball in the air to the pull side with some power. Just fits what we do here well. And especially at a premium position, he was a guy we didn’t want to miss on.”

Rd. 5 - 148: Christian Foutch, RHP, Arkansas

Foutch was the fourth SEC right-hander selected by Boston. His fastball sits at 98 mph and has touched triple digits at 100 mph. He offers a mid-80s slider and a split-changeup. As a sophomore in 2024, he recorded an impressive 0.81 ERA, 20 strikeouts, and converted one save in 20 appearances. As a junior, he had a 4.09 ERA and struck out 31 batters in 2025.

“Big body, big stuff,” Pearson said. “His mix has changed at times, and we saw some optimization opportunities there. But definitely the velo, definitely the size, and just the chance to get to really good secondaries and pair that all together could give him a shot to be pretty interesting.”

Rd. 6 - 178: Leighton Finley, RHP, Georgia

Boston remained in the SEC, selecting Finley out of Georgia, where he is coming off a sophomore campaign in which he struck out 83 batters in 68 2/3 innings with a 4.85 ERA. The 6-foot-5, 226-pounder sits in the mid-90s with his fastball and has touched 98 mph. He mixes in a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup.

Rd. 7 - 208: Myles Patton, LHP, Texas A&M

Shocker, another SEC pick. 

The southpaw spent his first two years of collegiate ball at Long Beach State before transferring to Texas A&M as a junior. Patton struggled in his only season with the Aggies in 2025, posting a 5.26 ERA over 77 innings. Despite his struggles, he recorded a 24.7 strikeout percentage and a 5.1 walk percentage. He doesn’t throw particularly hard; his fastball sits between 89 and 91 mph, and his main pitch in his arsenal is his low-80s slider. Patton offers good command and feel of his three-pitch mix.

Rd. 8 - 238: Dylan Brown, LHP, Old Dominion

The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder is another big-bodied pitcher who overpowered opposing hitters over the last two seasons at Old Dominion. This past season, he struck out 102 batters in 82 innings with a 4.06 ERA.

Rd. 9 - 268: Jacob Mayers, RHP, LSU

The Red Sox selected their second player from LSU in Mayers, who has electric stuff. His fastball sits at 96 and 97 mph and has touched 102. He spent two years as a starter at Nicholls State before transferring to LSU in 2025 and transitioning to the bullpen. He recorded a 4.80 ERA in 15 innings but walked a staggering 27.8 percent of the batters he faced. Mayers throws an 88-91 mph slider and a changeup but needs to show he can command all his pitches if he expects to make an impact in the Red Sox system.

“Really exceptional fastball velocity,” Pearson said. 

“Went to the draft league and pitched there. That’s where we kind of tracked him throughout the last couple months or a month, however long he’s been there. And I think we just saw some things that we can help him get to better positions and throw more strikes. Just a fun arm with some upside, and we were excited to get him.”

Rd. 10 - 298: Maximus Martin, SS, Kansas State

After opening up the second half of the draft and selecting five straight pitchers, Boston added Kansas State shortstop Maximus Martin in the 10th round. The 6-foot, 175-pounder from New Jersey was a top-150 prospect before he began his collegiate career at Rutgers. He transferred to Georgia State in 2024 and then Kansas State in 2025. While with the Wildcats, he hit .320 with 14 homers and 54 RBI.

Rd. 11 - 328: Barrett Morgan, RHP, Cowley County CC (Kansas)

Morgan is a 6-foot-5 righty who struck out 40 batters with four walks in 21 1/3 innings this past season. He offers a 95 mph fastball and is committed to Texas A&M next season, and it’s unclear if the Sox will be able to sign him.

Rd. 12 - 358: Ethan Walker, LHP, Kentucky

The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder started nine games for the Wildcats last season and pitched out of the bullpen. The southpaw recorded a 4.08 ERA in 46 frames.

Rd. 13 - 388: Jack Winnay, INF/OF, Wake Forest

The Newton, Mass., resident played three seasons at Wake Forest, showing off positional versatility by playing first base, third base, and all three outfield positions. He belted 20 homers in his sophomore season for the Demon Deacons and hit 15 as a junior.

“We’ve known him for a long time. And I think he was a guy that even last year we had some draft interest in,” Pearson said. “And just being able to get him this year when we did, we’re super excited.”

Boston should have no problem signing Winnay.

“He wanted to be a Red Sox. We wanted him here, and it worked out that way,” Pearson said. “So a fit for both sides.”

Rd. 14 - 418: Carter Rasmussen, RHP, Wofford

Rasmussen is a 6-foot-5 righty that pitched in relief for Wofford. As a junior, he recorded a 3.21 ERA in 47 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He spent two seasons at Brown before transferring. He was a teammate at Wofford of former Red Sox closer’s son Koji Uehara, Kaz Uehera, while at Wofford.

Rd. 15 - 448: Skylar King, OF, West Virginia

King was a center fielder for West Virginia the last two seasons and hit .291 with 9 doubles, 32 RBI, and 42 runs scored as a junior.

Rd. 16 - 478: Jason Gilman, LHP, Kean University

The 6-foot-2 lefty was named the Division 3 National Pitcher of the Year and he struck out 150 batters while holding opposing hitters to a 2.08 ERA in 112 1/3 innings.

Rd. 17 - 508: Patrick Galle, RHP, Ole Miss

Galle spent the last two seasons as a receiver for Ole Miss, recording an 8.18 ERA in 14 career appearances. He owns a 96.4 mph fastball, which has topped out at 99.2 mph. In addition, Galle has a cutter that generates heavy swing-and-miss over his tiny collegiate sample size.

Rd. 18 - 538: Cade Fisher, LHP, Auburn

Fisher recorded a 4.68 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across 42⅓ innings this season in a hybrid role as a starter and reliever with Auburn. He doesn’t throw hard, with his fastball sitting at 87 mph while mixing in a slider and changeup. The southpaw also pitched in the Cape Cod League, recording a 1.04 ERA in eight appearances for Wareham.

Rd. 19 - 568: Fabian Bonilla, OF, Christian Military Academy (Puerto Rico)

Bonilla was the only high school player the Sox drafted in this year’s class. Perfect Game ranked the native of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, seventh in his home territory and 481st in the high school class.

“The credit there goes to our area scout, Wallace Rios,” Pearson said. “He’s located in Virginia but also covers Puerto Rico, where he’s from. Just had established a relationship with Fabian. We’ve had him at our workout. See a lot of upside with some power potential and the overall athlete. And was a good fit where he wanted to be with us, and we wanted him to be here.”

Rd. 20 - 598: Garrison Sumner, RHP, BYU

Sumner was dominant in his sophomore season at Salt Lake Community College before transferring to BYU for his junior year. He posted an 8.32 ERA and 1.72 WHIP over 61 2/3 innings pitched. His fastball averaged 90.3 miles per hour, topping out at 95.

INFLUX OF PITCHERS PROTECTS AROUND RULE 5 DRAFT

The Red Sox will have some key 40-man roster decisions to make at the conclusion of the season. Boston will need to make some of those decisions over the next couple of weeks ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

It’s no coincidence that the Red Sox were pitcher-heavy in this draft. The Sox have 20 pitchers who will be Rule 5 eligible at the conclusion of the season, and Boston will need to decide which ones they’d like to add to their 40-man roster and protect from the draft.

There are three names to keep an eye on ahead of the trade deadline: right-handers David Sandlin, Yordanny Monegro, and southpaw Hayden Mullins.

Of the three, Sandlin is both a prime candidate to be traded in a deal to improve the rotation and also to potentially stay and get added to the 40-man this winter.

The hard-throwing righty has enjoyed a good season with a 5-4 record, recording a 3.87 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 15 games (12 starts). He was part of a trio of Sea Dogs that pitched a no-hitter with Christopher Troye, who the Red Sox released ahead of the draft, and Jonathan Brand.

Boston acquired Sandlin from the Royals two years ago for reliever John Schreiber. He throws hard; his fastball has topped out at 99 mph in games, and he’s also thrown 100 mph in workouts during the offseason. The righty throws five pitches in total and could be a candidate to see a promotion to the WooSox this summer.

Sandlin has been used as a starter and a piggyback starter for the Sea Dogs. He’s a swingman-type pitcher who can eat multiple innings and, if he sticks around, could help out of the Sox bullpen later in the season.

Monegro is a name that Red Sox fans will recognize, but not someone that people should be worried about losing. He underwent Tommy John surgery this past June. The righty throws hard with his four-seamer hitting 96 mph, and looks more like a bulk-inning pitcher. He’s 22 years old and hasn’t pitched above Double-A and won’t see time until late next season.

Mullins is an intriguing Rule 5 add, but I don’t see the Red Sox protecting him from the draft and could sell him in a prospect-laden deal before the deadline.

The lefty threw an immaculate inning this season and is ranked as the No. 30 prospect. According to MiLB.com. The Sox drafted him out of the 12th round in the 2022 MLB Draft, and he is projected to make his big league debut next season.

“Mullins' fastball operates in the low 90s and tops out at 95 mph, yet it misses plenty of bats because it features tremendous carry up in the strike zone,” according to his MiLB prospect profile. “He'll flash a low-80s-plus slider with two-plane depth at times and can turn it into a harder, tighter cutter that's similarly effective. His low-80s changeup lacks the consistency of his other offerings but has quality tumble at its best and helps him keep right-handers in check.

The Sox have two other prospects that are prime candidates to be traded in the next couple of weeks in WooSox infielder Blaze Jordan and outfield prospect Miguel Bleis.

Jordan was the subject of trade talks this offseason when the Sox were connected to the Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. Former Red Sox front office boss Chaim Bloom, who'll run the Cardinals beginning this offseason, could try and reacquire the power-hitting prospect.

Boston promoted Jordan to the WooSox a few weeks back, and he’s been seeing time at both first and third base. He’s having a strong season where he’s hitting .304 with 10 homers, 21 doubles, one triple, 56 RBI, and an. 863 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A.

It feels like we’ve talked about Bleis for years. 

The 21-year-old outfielder entered this season as a prime bounce-back candidate after experiencing injuries during the last few professional seasons after he suffered a shoulder subluxation in 2023 and had a down year offensively in 2024 that saw him earn a promotion to High-A Greenville.

This season has been more of the same for Bleis. He’s hitting .230 with 12 homers, 40 RBI, 12 doubles, one triple, and 18 stolen bases for High-A Greenville. Offensively, Bleis hasn’t hit for average the last couple of seasons and has yet to see time in Double-A.

Bleis’ abilities are off the charts; however, his inability to stay healthy and get consistency at the plate has tarnished his stock some. He offers the raw abilities of a superstar that pair with supporting tools. The five-tool player hasn’t really hit to his projections in the minors, leaving many to question whether he has enough in his bat to hit at the upper levels or even the big levels.

I don’t see the Red Sox adding Bleis to the 40-man roster and he is a candidate to be traded this month.

BOSTON OVERDUE FOR ALL-STAR GAME

The last time the Red Sox hosted an All-Star Game was back in 1999, and Pedro Martinez had one of the greatest displays by a pitcher during the Mid-Summer Classic. Since then, the Red Sox haven’t had the opportunity to host the exhibition and have been trying to now for the last handful of years.

Ahead of the All-Star Game on Tuesday night, commissioner Rob Manfred said that Fenway Park “would be a great venue” for the game.

“Time is one issue. Level of interest of the club is another issue,” Manfred said. “The Red Sox have certainly expressed interest.”

The last time the All-Star Game was held in Fenway Park, there were no seats atop the Green Monster, adding to the intrigue of the Home Run Derby. Boston could host the MLB Draft from the new MGM Theater attached to Fenway Park.

The Blue Jays (1991) and Orioles (1993) are overdue for the chance to host the game. The A’s haven’t hosted since 1987 and won’t until they finally begin playing in Las Vegas.