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MLB mock draft roundup: Red Sox projected to take Henry Davis, Jack Leiter
Will Jack Leiter be available to the Red Sox at No. 4?
The Red Sox have the best record in the American League East even after Sunday’s loss to the Phillies and the No. 4 pick in the MLB Draft on Sunday evening.
Who will the Red Sox take? Mock drafts are split, but most agree on one of two prospects: Louisville catcher Henry Davis and Vanderbilt right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter. Davis is considered one of the best hitters in the draft and had a recent workout with the Red Sox, while Leiter and the Red Sox reportedly have mutual interest if he’s still on the board. At this stage, none of the top three are clear.
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ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projected Davis to the Red Sox, while the Rangers took Leiter at No. 2.
In FanGraph’s “Morning Of” mock, Eric Longenhagen and Kevin Goldstein both took Davis. The duo wrote that two out of three sources “don’t think Leiter’s gambit to fall here will work, as he is just too damn good to drop this far.” They also nodded to Davis’s recent workout with the Red Sox.
Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com both went with Davis. They wrote that other high-school catchers could be in the mix.
The Athletic’s Keith Law also picked Davis. Law, however, wrote that the Red Sox seem to be in on college players (perhaps the interest in catchers and college players coalesces around Davis). Law also noted Leiter’s Vanderbilt teammate Kumar Rocker — another right-handed pitching prospect with top-10 talent.
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Baseball America’s Chris Collazo picked Leiter due to the mutual interest between the two teams, but added “don’t mistake that for confidence on our end that he makes it here. There’s a real shot he doesn’t.” Collazo speculated that shortstop Matt McLain could be a wildcard for the Red Sox.
CBS’s Mike Axisa sent Leiter, the “best and most advanced pitcher” in the draft, to the Red Sox as well calling his acquisition “a major coup.”
And finally, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter picked Leiter for the Red Sox after the Rangers took high-school shortstop Jordan Lawlar, and the Tigers took right-handed pitcher Jackson Jobe.
The takeaway? One of Davis or Leiter will probably be available for the Red Sox based on mock drafts. The Red Sox reportedly have a preference in Leiter, but Davis could be the back-up plan.
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