The 2021 MLB Draft begins July 11 and the Boston Red Sox have the No. 4 overall pick in the first round.
The best-case scenario for the Red Sox is one of the two Vanderbilt starting pitchers, Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, falling to them at No. 4.
Leiter is rated higher on most draft boards, and according to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe, the highly touted prospect has interest in being drafted by Boston.
“Several sources have said Vanderbilt righthander Jack Leiter very much wants to play for the Red Sox,” Abraham wrote over the weekend.
Tomase: Leiter, Rocker now looking like possibilities for Sox at No. 4
The Red Sox need better starting pitching, both at the minor league and MLB levels. Leiter would obviously address that need in a massive way.
Leiter was awesome for Vanderbilt this season. He went 11-4 with a 2.13 ERA, 179 strikeouts and 44 walks over 110 innings. He also pitched very well in the 2021 College World Series.
The Red Sox have the most wins in baseball with a 54-32 record and lead the American League East division by 4.5 games over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox have a bright future, and adding Leiter to the mix would be a huge boost to the depth and talent of the team’s prospect pool.