MLB Notebook: Red Sox’ bold draft, Brody Bumila heads to Texas, trade deadline cautionary tales, and around the league

The 2026 MLB Draft is underway, and the White Sox may have hit a home run with the first overall pick.

Chicago selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 pick, and he’s expected to sign for a record-setting bonus that will eclipse the $9.25 million bonuses received by Chase Burns and Charlie Condon in 2024. Even as commissioner Rob Manfred mispronounced Cholowsky’s last name during the broadcast, the White Sox celebrated adding another premium infielder to one of baseball’s deepest collections of young infield talent.

“We were most comfortable with Roch Cholowsky with our first pick, regardless of what the signing bonus was going to be,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “Now there was a fair amount of debate on which was the best selection for the Chicago White Sox, but as we really spent time the last couple of weeks dialing in on what’s best for us, who’s someone that we feel like can really come into this organization, fit in?”

At 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, Cholowsky pairs an advanced bat with an outstanding glove and arm. He joins an organization already stocked with young infield talent, including All-Star third baseman Miguel Vargas, shortstop Colson Montgomery, top prospect Caleb Bonemer, William Bergolla and 2025 first-rounder Billy Carlson. 

“It’s awesome,” Cholowsky said during a Zoom call with reporters after the draft. “I know I’m not going straight to the big leagues, there’s a lot of work that needs to be put in. But seeing how well the team at the top is doing and the moves they’re making, the way they’re playing, it’s definitely a lot more motivation to get up there and join those guys at some point.

“Being able to be part of a contender is pretty cool. I value winning a lot. Seeing what they’re doing up there for the first half of the season is pretty special.”

Cholowsky hit .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs and 60 RBI this spring after posting a .353/.480/.710 line with 23 home runs as a sophomore. He became the White Sox’s first No. 1 overall selection since Hall of Famer Harold Baines in 1977.

Boston took a much different approach.

The Red Sox drew criticism after selecting North Carolina shortstop Jake Schaffner with the 20th overall pick, a selection that came well ahead of where most public draft boards projected him.

Schaffner is regarded as one of the best pure contact hitters in the class, combining elite bat-to-ball skills, plus defense at shortstop and above-average speed. Still, many evaluators believed Boston passed on more impactful offensive profiles. The move also fueled speculation that the Red Sox were saving bonus pool money to spend later in the draft.

“For the record, told the smaller room with senior leadership, like, ‘Hey, when we are going this route, this is going to be viewed as very off the wall,’” Red Sox amateur scouting director Jake Bruml said. “That’s just how the rest of the group sees it. We were very convicted in our evaluation of Jake and what it can provide us through the rest of the draft.”

Schaffner hit .356/.467/.552 with a 1.019 OPS, six home runs, 19 doubles and eight triples in 68 games at North Carolina while drawing 45 walks against just 32 strikeouts.

The Red Sox shocked the industry in 2020 by selecting Nick Yorke 17th overall despite MLB Pipeline ranking him 139th in the class. Boston signed Yorke below slot before using the savings to sign third-round pick Blaze Jordan to an over-slot bonus.

“We had obviously a couple other options that we were considering, but just the combo of talent and what we were able to do later in the draft was what made Schaffner so appealing there,” Bruml said. “But he’s a great talent and deserving of where he went.”

Schaffner hopes to add more power as he begins his professional career, though his calling card remains his advanced contact ability.

“We were in a spot that, yeah, it’s exciting because we got a player that we love and are excited to join the organization, but have to block out the noise a little bit and make sure we do what’s best for the org,” Bruml said.

Boston doubled down on North Carolina with the 67th overall pick, selecting Schaffner’s teammate and roommate, outfielder Owen Hull.

“I think even more unique is that they were roommates, too,” Bruml said. “Both of them were transfers in this year to UNC. But it was good. We got to meet with both of those guys at the combine. I’ve spoken to both of them. They told me they’re best friends, so hopefully they can bring some of the magic that they had in that (College) World Series run to Boston in the coming years.”

Hull enjoyed a breakout season, batting .393/.500/.615 with a 1.115 OPS, nine home runs, 27 doubles, two triples, 87 RBIs and 18 stolen bases while drawing 48 walks against 49 strikeouts.

The Red Sox believe there’s even more offensive upside to unlock.

“That will obviously be one of his primary goals from a development lens,” Bruml said, referring to helping Hull elevate the baseball more consistently.

Boston then added another high-upside athlete in the third round, selecting 6-foot-4, 195-pound Hudson (Wis.) High School shortstop Jace Mataczynski with the 97th overall pick.

“They are both very large individuals that hit the ball really hard,” Bruml said. “And much like Jake is going to, they’re both going to stay in the middle of the field there. So they’re premium athletes with very strong skill sets and chance for significant power outputs.”

Bruml also praised Mataczynski’s defense, calling it one of the best he’s evaluated.

“He is one of the best high school shortstop defenders that I’ve personally seen,” Bruml said. “And I know that our group was comparing him defensively to guys like Billy Carlson, who went obviously in the first round last year, Marcelo (Mayer) from back in the day, who was an incredible defender as an amateur as well. His caliber of defense is up near those guys. And part of it is instincts, and part of it is he’s a fantastic athlete.”

Rangers Select Brody Bumila 

Bishop Feehan star Brody Bumila entered Saturday's MLB Draft as one of the most highly regarded amateur prospects to ever come out of Massachusetts.

The 6-foot-9 left-hander from Raynham, armed with a fastball that has touched 101 mph, had to wait longer than expected after a UCL injury in his left elbow surfaced just days before the draft. But his name was finally called when the Texas Rangers selected him with the No. 89 overall pick in the third round.

Once viewed as a potential first-round pick, Bumila slid after informing clubs earlier in the week about the elbow injury. The Rangers, who have a history of betting on injured pitchers with high upside, announced that renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister will perform the procedure. The club has not yet determined whether Bumila will undergo Tommy John surgery or an internal brace repair.

“The downside is we have to wait a little while for Rangers fans and for all of us to see this guy on the mound and see what he’s capable of,” Rangers assistant general manager Josh Boyd said. “But as we all know, the way that pitchers come back from these injuries, especially under the care of our medical and performance staff and Dr. Meister, I think it’s second to none. So, we’re excited about that. We just got to wait a little while. That’s what we do in the draft — you’re playing the long game.”

Texas doubled down on prep pitching, selecting Florida left-hander Gio Rojas with the No. 16 overall pick before taking Bumila in the third round.

“I think we got two of the best pitchers in the draft,” Rangers senior director of amateur scouting Kip Fagg said.

Even with the injury, Bumila’s upside remains enormous.

He dominated this spring, going 6-0 with a 1.10 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings, highlighted by a 20-strikeout no-hitter against Moses Brown in early May. Scouts have compared his towering frame to Hall of Famer Randy Johnson, while one evaluator likened his arsenal to Garrett Crochet’s.

Boyd also praised Bumila’s competitiveness and makeup.

“We saw every one of his games, every start, every pitch he threw,” Boyd said. “(Rangers regional scout) Tyler Carroll did an incredible job getting in to scout and evaluate him. Sometimes the buzz doesn’t always live up to the hype, and I feel like this one exceeded it. … A very, very special, unique talent.”

Bumila is more than just a baseball standout. He led Bishop Feehan to the 2026 Massachusetts state basketball championship, averaging 40.8 points and 20.8 rebounds per game during the playoff run.

On the mound, his ceiling is what made him one of the most intriguing players in the draft. His fastball regularly sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and has reached 101 mph, playing even harder because of his extension and low release point. He pairs it with a promising changeup that projects as an above-average offering, while his slider remains the pitch that needs the most development.

Despite his unusual size, Bumila repeats his delivery well, throws strikes and attacks both sides of the plate with confidence. The injury adds significant risk, but few pitchers in the 2026 class possess his combination of size, athleticism and raw stuff, making him one of the draft’s biggest boom-or-bust selections.

Bello's Back, For Now

The Red Sox are recalling right-hander Brayan Bello from Triple-A Worcester to join the club in New York on Sunday as a long-relief option. Bello takes the roster spot of left-hander Danny Coulombe, who was designated for assignment following Saturday’s 4-0 win over the Mets.

Boston optioned Bello to Worcester on June 4 after he was shelled for eight runs by the Orioles at Fenway Park.

Over four starts with the WooSox, the 26-year-old posted a 4.34 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings while working with pitching coach Dan DeLucia to refine his pitch mix in hopes of earning another opportunity in the majors.

Before his demotion, Bello struggled to a 6.34 ERA across 61 innings with Boston. His biggest issue came at the start of games, as he posted a 10.35 ERA in the first inning of his 10 starts, allowing 15 runs on 19 hits over eight innings. Curiously, Bello thrived when pitching behind an opener, recording a microscopic 0.71 ERA over 25 1/3 innings in those appearances.

Junior Caminero's Emergence

Sometimes the best trade is the one you never make.

It’s something the Red Sox should keep in mind over the next few weeks as they navigate the trade deadline. Boston enters Sunday just a half-game out of the final American League Wild Card spot, making it increasingly likely Craig Breslow will look to add rather than sell.

The Red Sox could use a right-handed power bat, but acquiring one likely means parting with young talent, particularly from one of baseball’s deepest pitching systems. That’s the cost of doing business for contenders, and in today’s game, clubs are often forced to overpay for impact players.

History is littered with deadline deals franchises wish they could undo.

Red Sox fans know that all too well.

In August 1990, Boston traded 22-year-old prospect Jeff Bagwell to the Astros for reliever Larry Andersen. The veteran was outstanding, posting a 1.23 ERA in 15 appearances as the Red Sox captured the American League East, but he left in free agency after the season.

Bagwell, meanwhile, became one of the greatest first basemen in baseball history. He finished his career with 449 home runs, 1,529 RBIs, the 1994 National League MVP Award, the 1991 Rookie of the Year Award and a Hall of Fame induction in 2017.

Now another organization may be watching history repeat itself.

On Nov. 19, 2021, the Guardians traded teenage third baseman Junior Caminero to the Rays for right-handed pitcher Tobias Myers.

At the time, Cleveland had little reason to believe Caminero would become one of the game’s brightest young stars. The organization already had José Ramírez entrenched at third base after consecutive MVP-caliber seasons, making Caminero appear expendable.

Myers never threw a pitch for Cleveland. He was later dealt to Milwaukee, where he broke out in 2024 before being traded again to the Mets as part of the Freddy Peralta deal.

Caminero, meanwhile, has blossomed into one of baseball’s premier power hitters.

The 23-year-old will showcase that power in Monday’s Home Run Derby after one of the hottest stretches the sport has seen in years. Entering the All-Star break, he had homered in six consecutive games and blasted 11 home runs over an 11-game span. Through Friday, he had 13 home runs in his previous 17 games.

His raw power is just as impressive. Ten of his home runs this season have traveled at least 425 feet, seven have left the bat at 110 mph or harder, and his 28 home runs have him on pace for 49, which would shatter the Rays’ single-season franchise record of 46.

It’s impossible to know which prospects will become the next Bagwell or Caminero.

That’s what makes this trade deadline so fascinating for Boston.

The Red Sox need to add to their roster if they’re serious about making a playoff push. They can’t let the fear of what a prospect might become years from now prevent them from improving a club that has fought its way back into contention.

That said, every front office knows the danger of giving up too much. Here’s a look at some of the most infamous trades in baseball history that teams would love to take back.

The Heathcliff Slocumb Trade

In 1997, the Mariners traded pitcher Derek Lowe and catcher Jason Varitek to the Red Sox for closer Heathcliff Slocumb.

At the time, the deal made sense for Seattle. Despite boasting a roster that featured Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez and Randy Johnson, the Mariners had one of baseball’s worst bullpens and desperately needed a proven closer.

Slocumb recorded 10 saves with a 4.13 ERA in 27 appearances for Seattle, but the trade quickly became one of the most lopsided in baseball history.

Boston, meanwhile, landed two players who went on to impact the franchise.

Varitek developed into one of the greatest leaders in Red Sox history, spending his entire 15-year career in Boston while serving as captain and helping the club win two World Series championships. Lowe reinvented himself as both a reliever and starter before playing a pivotal role in the Red Sox’ 2004 championship run.

What makes the deal even more remarkable is that neither player looked like a sure thing at the time.

Varitek entered pro ball with lofty expectations after being selected in the first round twice, but he struggled to establish himself in Seattle’s system. By age 25, he was an average hitter at Triple-A and blocked by All-Star catcher Dan Wilson.

Lowe’s stock had also cooled considerably. Once a top-100 prospect, he stalled in the upper minors and posted a 6.96 ERA over nine starts with Seattle in 1997, allowing 11 home runs in just 53 innings.

The Mariners dealt two stalled prospects for a reliever it desperately needed at the time. The Red Sox and Dan Duquette saw untapped potential and it became one of the greatest trades in franchise history.

The John Smoltz Trade

In August 1987, the Tigers made one of baseball’s most infamous win-now trades, sending young pitching prospect John Smoltz to the Braves for veteran right-hander Doyle Alexander.

Detroit got exactly what it wanted in the short term. Alexander went 9-0 with a sparkling 1.53 ERA after the trade, helping propel the Tigers to a 98-win season and the American League East title.

The postseason, however, told a different story. Alexander lost both of his ALCS starts against the Twins, posting a 10.00 ERA as Detroit was eliminated in five games.

Smoltz, meanwhile, blossomed into a Hall of Fame career with Atlanta. Over 20 seasons with the Braves, he won 210 games, earned eight All-Star selections, captured the 1996 National League Cy Young Award and became the only pitcher in MLB history with both 200 wins and 150 saves.

Alexander remained productive for Detroit, earning the lone All-Star selection of his career in 1988 after winning 14 games before retiring following the 1989 season. But the Tigers’ short-term gain ultimately came at the cost of one of the greatest pitchers of his generation.

Smoltz also had a brief stop in Boston late in his career. He made nine starts for the Red Sox in 2009, going 2-5 with an 8.32 ERA while striking out 33 over 40 innings. Boston designated him for assignment in August, and he was claimed by the Cardinals, where he finished his Hall of Fame career.

Other Notable Bad Trades

I don’t have the energy to revisit the Red Sox trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees, so I left that one off the list.

There are plenty of other infamous deals worth mentioning.

In 1989, the Expos traded Randy Johnson, Gene Harris and Brian Holman to the Mariners for pitchers Mark Langston and Mike Campbell.

Imagine if Montreal had held onto the “Big Unit.” Johnson went on to win 303 games, five Cy Young Awards, a World Series MVP and earned 10 All-Star selections on his way to the Hall of Fame.

Langston made just 24 starts for the Expos before being traded to the Angels, while Campbell never threw a pitch for Montreal.

The Athletics also dealt Mark McGwire to the Cardinals at the 1997 trade deadline for pitchers T.J. Mathews, Eric Ludwick and Blake Stein, a package that produced virtually no long-term value for Oakland.

Frank Costanza is still furious about the Yankees trading Jay Buhner.

“What the hell did you trade Jay Buhner for? He had 30 home runs and over 100 RBIs last year. He’s got a rocket for an arm. You don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”

The rant became one of Seinfeld’s most memorable moments because it wasn’t far from reality.

Buhner was just 23 with limited major league experience when the Yankees traded him, along with Rick Balabon and Troy Evers, to Seattle for 34-year-old designated hitter Ken Phelps. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner believed Phelps would help deliver a division title. Instead, New York finished fifth, Phelps lasted barely a year, and Buhner became a Mariners icon, hitting 307 home runs and driving in 951 runs over 14 seasons in Seattle.

Around the League

The Red Sox lost right-hander Jack Anderson on waivers to the Twins after designating him for assignment Thursday to clear a roster spot for left-hander Patrick Sandoval’s return from the 60-day injured list.

Anderson made his major league debut with Boston on April 14 against Minnesota and posted a 3.38 ERA over eight innings across three appearances.

The 26-year-old spent most of the season at Triple-A Worcester, where he went 2-4 with a 4.81 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 51 strikeouts and 21 walks over 58 innings in 16 appearances (11 starts), while holding opponents to a .259 batting average.

Boston acquired Anderson from the Tigers in the Triple-A phase of the 2024 Rule 5 Draft.

The Brewers placed left-hander Kyle Harrison on the 15-day injured list Sunday with left forearm tightness.

Harrison revealed after Wednesday’s start against the Cardinals that he had been dealing with elbow soreness. He allowed four runs over four innings and took the loss.

“I’m not too worried about it at the end of the day,” Harrison told reporters. “Just going to take a break to recover, especially with the All-Star break coming up, but it isn’t a long-term thing.”

Harrison has been one of Milwaukee’s biggest surprises this season, going 8-2 with a 3.01 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 83 2/3 innings, emerging as a key piece of the Brewers’ rotation.

Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will skip the All-Star Game to focus on his health after missing his final start before the break to receive treatment on his left knee.

Ohtani, who led all players in fan voting for this year’s Midsummer Classic, will instead use the extra time to recover. He said he expects to resume pitching as normal following the break.

Before announcing his decision, Ohtani reached another historic milestone Tuesday night, launching the 300th home run of his career.

The blast made him the 170th player in MLB history to reach the mark and the first Japanese-born player to hit 300 career home runs.

Ohtani’s milestone homer came off Rockies right-hander Michael Lorenzen, who left a sinker over the heart of the plate. Ohtani crushed it with a 112.2 mph exit velocity into the left-center field seats, becoming just the second player in major league history to reach 300 career homers with a leadoff home run, joining Steve Finley (2006).

The Pirates and White Sox completed a trade ahead of the MLB Draft, with Pittsburgh acquiring infielder Jacob Gonzalez and left-hander Brandon Eisert in exchange for Competitive Balance Round A pick No. 34 and left-handed pitching prospect Jaden Woods.

Chicago used the 34th overall selection to draft Landon Thome, the 18-year-old son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, out of Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park, Illinois.

Gonzalez, 24, gives the Pirates additional infield depth while rookie sensation Konnor Griffin remains on the injured list with a finger injury. The former No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte earlier Sunday to make room for Munetaka Murakami’s return from the injured list.

In 30 major league games this season, Gonzalez hit .244/.323/.360 with two home runs and 17 RBIs. While he appeared primarily at first base in Chicago, he spent most of his minor league career at shortstop and second base.

Gonzalez also continued to produce at Triple-A, batting .320 with a 1.097 OPS, 19 home runs and 63 RBIs in 53 games for Charlotte. He entered the season ranked among the White Sox’s top prospects, checking in at No. 16 by Baseball America and No. 22 by MLB Pipeline.

Thome was named the 2026 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year after batting .535 with seven home runs, 29 RBIs, 57 runs scored and a 1.676 OPS. The 6-foot, 177-pound shortstop also stole 49 bases in 50 attempts, setting Nazareth Academy’s single-season stolen base record.

His speed is one of the traits that separates him from his Hall of Fame father, who stole just 19 bases over his 22-year major league career.

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy isn’t looking too far ahead, but he isn’t hiding his interest in the job either.

Tracy told MassLive’s Chris Cotillo that he’d “love to” become Boston’s full-time manager after helping engineer one of the club’s most impressive turnarounds in recent years.

Since taking over, the Red Sox have won eight straight games, 13 of their last 15, climbed to within a half-game of the final American League Wild Card spot and posted a 35-31 record under Tracy.

“I’d love to,” Tracy said when asked about managing the club beyond this season. “We’ll get into that later.”

For now, however, Tracy insists his focus remains squarely on keeping Boston’s momentum going.

“I mean sincerely, that (my future) is the furthest thing from my mind right now,” Tracy said. “It’s all on our guys and trying to keep this thing rolling the way it is right now.”

On This Day in Baseball, Red Sox Edition

July 12, 1997 – Pitching at Fenway Park for the first time as a visitor, Roger Clemens struck out 16 Red Sox hitters in a 3-1 Blue Jays victory. Throughout the game, the “Rocket” repeatedly appeared to glare toward Duquette’s suite after the club allowed him to leave in free agency the previous offseason.

July 12, 2010 – David Ortiz captured the Home Run Derby at Angel Stadium, launching 32 home runs, including 11 in the final round to defeat fellow Dominican Hanley Ramírez. Ortiz dedicated the victory to his friend, former major league pitcher José Lima, who had died unexpectedly just weeks earlier.

July 12, 2013 – The Red Sox acquired veteran left-handed reliever Matt Thornton from the White Sox in exchange for minor league outfielder Brandon Jacobs. Thornton went on to post a 3.38 ERA in 24 appearances and helped Boston win the 2013 World Series.