The Red Sox have two picks in the first two rounds of tonight’s MLB draft

Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during a news conference at a meeting of MLB owners on Jan. 21 in Coral Gables, Fla. Lynne Sladky/AP

By PJ Wright

June 9, 2016

1 minute to read

The Red Sox will look to bolster their farm system with the start of the 2016 MLB Draft on Thursday night ( 7 p.m., MLB Network). The three-day event consists of 40 rounds, with rounds 3 through 10 taking place on Friday and rounds 11-40 on Saturday.

A total of 77 selections will be made on Thursday, including the first two rounds plus Competitive Balance Rounds A and B which, through a lottery, award picks to clubs from the 10 smallest markets and 10 lowest revenue organizations. There are four-minute intervals between first round selections, and one-minute intervals between picks in the second round, Competitive Balance Round A and Competitive Balance Round B.

Boston owns the No. 12 and No. 51 overall picks for Thursday after finishing the 2015 season at 78-84, last in the American League East. You can watch the Red Sox make their selections on MLB Network or online at MLB.com, starting with a one-hour studio show before the draft at 6 p.m.

Here’s who the experts have the Red Sox taking at No. 12:

Keith Law, ESPN: Zack Collins, C, Miami

Question w/ Zack Collins is will he stick as catcher or move to first? @MLBDraft @MLBPipeline Plus to take, 20-plus HR potential, lefty bat

— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) June 9, 2016

Jim Callis, MLB.com: Ian Anderson, RHP, Shenendehowa HS (Clifton Park, N.Y.)

Get to know Ian Anderson before Thursday’s #MLBDraft! #HOFer John Smoltz gives his analysis on the RHP from NY: https://t.co/4qtOL5s5j0

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 7, 2016

Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com: Matt Thaiss, C, Virginia

“A guy that can catch and be that left handed bat.” Meet @UVABaseball‘s Matt Thaiss… https://t.co/oQ1OcXPJdt pic.twitter.com/und4OhE98o

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) June 6, 2016

John Manuel, Baseball America: Taylor Trammell, OF, Mount Paran Christian School (Kennesaw, Ga.)

2016 MLB Draft: Taylor Trammell, OF, Kennesaw, Georgia; it is unlikely he’ll end up at GA Tech.https://t.co/VIJUlsPxCZ via @MinorLeagueBall

— GlennW (@givemeglenn) May 29, 2016