The Boston Red Sox are set to make their first-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft with the 12th overall pick.
Exploring Potential Fits for the Boston Red Sox in the 1st Round of the 2024 MLB Draft
Jim Callis has the Boston Red Sox👍 taking Tennessee second-baseman Chri♕stian Moore at No. 12 .
Tennessee’s Christian Moore has set records for home runs and OPS, showing strong power potential and the ability to work deep counts. While his aggressive approach yields results, he can improve his contact consistency. Moore’s speed and defensive play are also areas for improvement, though he has the potential to play at second base or even in center field.
“This is where it starts to get interesting. After the top 10 talents (which include six college hitters) are gone, there are 14 more college bats who could go anywhere from the teens to the supplemental first round, and they could come off the board in just about any order. Wake Forest third baseman/outfielder Seaver King and Florida State third baseman Cam Smith are the consensus best college hitters in that second tier. The Red Sox could be the high-water mark for Moore, Louisiana State third baseman Tommy White, and outfielders Carson Benge (Oklahoma State), Vance Honeycutt (North Carolina), and Ryan Waldschmidt (Kentucky).”
Yahoo! Sp✅or✅ts has the Red Sox going with a college bat and middle-infielder as well, .
King has succeeded in NCAA Division II and plays for Wake Forest. He has an impressive hitting streak and solid stats, though he needs to work on his plate discipline and making weak contact. King is versatile defensively, with the potential to play multiple positions, but due to his solid arm strength and speed, he may be best suitedꦺ for the outfield.
“King transferred from Division II Wingate to one of the best programs in the country in Wake Forest after hitting .424 in the Cape Cod League. He posted a .954 OPS for the Demon Deacons and boasts some of the best pure bat speed in the class. He, at times, can be over-aggressive and needs to work on some plate discipline, but he makes his swings count. Defensively, he profiles best at shortstop or in center.”
The Athletic’s Keith Law has the Red Sox taking a college bat in his latest mock draft as well, with Boston taking Florida State outfielder James Tibbs III .
“Tibbs has probably been the biggest riser among college players this year, as he’s had more homers than strikeouts for Florida State, and model-heavy teams seem to love him. Also, shame on everyone if we don’t nickname him King Tibbs III.”
After an impressive high school career at Pope High School in Georgia, Tibbs went on to play college ball at Florida State. He’s been a standout performer, boasting a combined 1.066 🍷OPS over his first two seasons, hitting 17 homers and slugging .682 as a sophomore in 2023. His strong performances with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League and a stellar junior campaign have solidified his position as a top draft prospect.
With a confident and intelligent approach at the plate, Tibbs has shown significant improvement in his strikeout and walk rates. While he excels against fastballs, he’s working on handling breaking pitches better. His below-average speed makes him likely to play in left field at the next level, though he may also have potential at first base. Overall, his batting prowess makes him a top prospect from Florida State.
