2025 MLB Draft Day 1 Thread: Boston Red Sox Draft on Talk Sox

[Brandon Glick]

The 2025 MLB Draft will again feature just 20 rounds, but there has been a format change. After downsizing from a two-day, 40-round draft to a three-day, 20-round draft, Major League Baseball has now gone to a two-day, 20-round draft. 

The first three rounds (which is a round longer than before) will happen later today, beginning at 6 p.m. You can catch it live on MLB Network and ESPN. The Destination: The Show crew would like to invite you to join us live as we cover the entirety of the first three rounds. 

The last 17 rounds will take place tomorrow beginning at 11:30 a.m. There hasn't been a 17-round draft day in a while, but rest assured — there used to be 20-round days, so Talk Sox will have the capacity to cover the duration.

The Red Sox will make four selections on Day One.

15th overall (Round 1)

33rd overall (Round 1 – CBA Round A)
- Acquired in trade involving Quinn Priester and Milwaukee Brewers

75th overall (Round 2 - Compensatory)
- Padres forfeited pick to sign Nick Pivetta

87th overall (Round 3)

The Red Sox will have the 13th-largest bonus pool ($12,409,300) in baseball. As a reminder from Baseball America: "In the MLB draft, each pick inside the first 10 rounds comes with assigned slot values. The sum of those slot values creates each team’s bonus pool. From rounds 11-20, players can sign for up to $150,000 without counting towards the bonus pool. Anything beyond that value does count towards the pool."

It's also important to remember that teams can exceed their bonus pool allotment by up to five percent before incurring any future pick penalties. No team in bonus pool era has ever exceeded that additional five percent threshold.

Once again, Talk Sox will feature the Red Sox Draft Tracker, which will be kept up-to-date not only during the draft but through the entire signing period. So keep coming back for updates!

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[Brandon Glick]

Let us know your draft thoughts/hopes for tonight and tomorrow!

[Randy Red Sox]

2 hours ago, Brandon Glick said:

Let us know your draft thoughts/hopes for tonight and tomorrow!

i still want the Sox to draft the best available college SP available providing it is fairly close. Need to bolster the P depth in the system.

[Larry Cook]

I would prefer we take Steele hall at 15 and Riley quick at 33!

I believe we take marek Houston at 15 and Patrick Forbes at 33!!!!!

 

 

[sk7326]

Both Keith Law (Athletic) and Kiley McDaniel (ESPN) land on guys named Gavins in their final mocks

Gavin Fien, 3B, Greak Oaks HS (CA) - had the best batted ball data and results in last summer's showcase circuit but had a meh season in high school this spring.  (ESPN's pick)

Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee - great batted ball and swing decision data, things the Sox are using more now.  The Sox were super college-heavy last year and there is a lot of college depth this season.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I've noticed that Matt Holliday's other son Ethan got drafted at #4.

Gee, it doesn't seem that long ago when PAPS picked off Matt at 1st base.

[Dynasty Prospects Anon]

If Jamie Arnold slides to the 15 I think we take him there. Otherwise maybe Kyson Witherspoon

[notin]

1 hour ago, sk7326 said:

Both Keith Law (Athletic) and Kiley McDaniel (ESPN) land on guys named Gavins in their final mocks

Gavin Fien, 3B, Greak Oaks HS (CA) - had the best batted ball data and results in last summer's showcase circuit but had a meh season in high school this spring.  (ESPN's pick)

Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee - great batted ball and swing decision data, things the Sox are using more now.  The Sox were super college-heavy last year and there is a lot of college depth this season.

Fien is off the board at #12…

[notin]

11 minutes ago, Dynasty Prospects Anon said:

If Jamie Arnold slides to the 15 I think we take him there. Otherwise maybe Kyson Witherspoon

Arnold taken at #11

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Sox grabbed a pitcher and a pretty good one according to the experts.

[sk7326]

Quote

Witherspoon was dominant in his second year with the Sooners after he spent a year in junior college, cutting his walk rate almost in half even though he’s gained about a full mph on his heater since last year. Witherspoon will hold 95-97 deep into games, topping out at 99, with a five-pitch mix that includes a slider and cutter that run into each other, along with a 55 changeup that he needs to use more often. He has such good arm speed on that last pitch that it looks like it should be a real weapon for him, especially against lefties, but he prefers to go to the cutter against them despite worse results. His arm action is very short — after separation, he barely brings his pitching hand down, tapping an imaginary button behind him with the ball before he begins moving forward — which is the trend right now but in his case has produced plus control. He looks very athletic and should be able to make adjustments to the delivery to get him to a more consistent release point out front, which should boost the command, especially on those two breaking pitches, which he can leave up in the zone. There’s so much to work with here, and a strong foundation of arm strength and strikes, with No. 2 starter upside if he gets the right development help. He won’t turn 21 until a month after the draft, just like his twin brother Malachi (what a strange coincidence), who has similar velocity and a 55 slider, but doesn’t throw enough strikes to start because he doesn’t repeat his longer arm stroke.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6454202/2025/07/01/mlb-draft-2025-top-100-prospects-holliday-doyle/

Law on Witherspoon, 9th on his big board.  Good upside if the staff can turn his 5-pitch mix into a 3-best-pitches mix.

[Soxlover]

This guy looks like a nice pick, as many had him near #10.

[sk7326]

ESPN had Witherspooon #10 on their big board https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45688041/2025-mlb-draft-rankings-top-250-prospects-final-kade-anderson-liam-doyle-ethan-holliday

Fastball: 55/60, Cutter: 50/60, Slider: 45/50, Curveball: 45/50, Changeup: 40/50, Command: 40/50

Quote

 

If it doesn't work out, what happened? His delivery/arm action doesn't allow for his command to improve, and his fastball/cutter play more 55-grade than 60-grade, so he's a back-end starter or reliever.

Witherspoon (along with his brother, Malachi, ranked below) was a bit of a prospect out of high school in Florida but then fell off the radar as his velo slipped down the stretch, and he went to junior college. He reemerged in the past year as he remade his delivery and arm action, causing a spike in stuff and performance.

His shorter arm circle looks like Dylan Cease or Lucas Giolito, while his arsenal is very similar to Gage Wood (ranked below), with a four-seam fastball; hard cutter; and big, power curveball as their primary pitches. I tend to like betting on pitchers with athleticism, a hard-breaking pitch and an upward development trajectory, and Witherspoon fits. Some scouts think he's on the verge of making a big jump.

 

 

[sk7326]

More from Law on the draft day blog https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/mlb-draft-2025-live-updates-pick-by-pick-tracker/LxcVX3nybPKn/

Quote

The Red Sox took a pitcher! Kyson Witherspoon was the top right-handed starter on my board, a very athletic right-hander with a five-pitch mix, and I think there's some low-hanging fruit here if someone just helps him alter what pitches he uses to lefties. I heard some of the most positive notes on his makeup this spring that I heard on any player as well. He did slide a little on concerns about his unusual arm action, although he repeats it well and showed plus control in college. He's a definite starter and should at least get to double A very quickly.

 

[Soxlover]

I like what I’m reading.

15th pick: best RHP. 
 

nuff said as Brez continues his increased focus on building up our young pitching strength and depth. 

[tawest]

Most of the talking heads had very positive comments. Watched a few of his highlights and his delivery reminded me a little of Kutter Crawford. 

 

On another note. 3 kids from the same high school # 6 pick, #10 pick and #32 pick out of Carona, California. That's crazy.

[moonslav59]

The soxprospects.com's take:

https://news.soxprospects.com/2025/07/red-sox-select-kyson-witherspoon-with.html

[moonslav59]

First pitcher taken by Sox in round 1 since 2017 (Tanner Houck #24 as Jay Groome was taken at #12 in 2016..)

4 of top 6 picks in 2024 were pitchers. Not sure the last time that happened. Cason was picked 8th and got the 3rd highest signing bonus (about $1M overslot!)

2 IFA pitchers were signed for $350K+ (top 3 bonuses) in 2025. D Reyes got $450K in '24. This was way more than recent years.

Trades for Slaten, Fitts, Weissert, Harrison, Holobetz, Fajardo,, J Moran, J Bello, Judice & I Campbell.

While the trade for Crochet and the extension was not for a pitching prospect, the guy was young. Maybe one of the best thing Brez did to upgrade our pitching was the trade or a pitching prospect for a catcher:  Narvaez.

 

[moonslav59]

Marcus Phillips RHP Tennessee taken with 33rd Pick.

[TedYazPapiMookie]

24 minutes ago, tawest said:

Most of the talking heads had very positive comments. Watched a few of his highlights and his delivery reminded me a little of Kutter Crawford. 

 

On another note. 3 kids from the same high school # 6 pick, #10 pick and #32 pick out of Carona, California. That's crazy.

Southern California HS ball is very competitive.  Arenado, Chapman and Skenes are from the same high school.  Arenado and Chapman played together with Arenado the SS then after he graduated Chapman became the SS.

[moonslav59]

Next Pick #75.

[Larry Cook]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Marcus Phillips RHP Tennessee taken with 33rd Pick.

 Very raw kid. Has not been on the all star circuit!!! 
low mileage arm that might have been there at number 75!!!! 

[sk7326]

Law's writeup of Marcus Phillips, #98 on his board

Quote

Phillips needs a pitch to get lefties out, and if he finds one, he could be a mid-rotation starter. He’s 95-98 with some sink, coming from a low three-quarters slot, and he has a hard, sweepy slider at 86-88, also using an occasional cutter and changeup. The changeup isn’t bad, maybe a 45, just too firm and too often on the outer third. He used the changeup just 16 percent of the time against left-handed batters, while using the slider — a pitch that runs right at their bat paths — 28 percent of the time, which is at least part of why lefties hit .258/.365/.402 off him this spring. His arm action is a little long, but he repeats it enough for average control. Odds are he’s a sinker/slider reliever in the long run; someone should give him every opportunity to start, however.

The draft day reaction to the pick

Quote

Phillips started at Tennessee, but right now he projects as a reliever, as he's a lower-slot guy who has nothing to get good lefties out. He's a classic sinker/slider type who has life on his fastball, up to 98, with a slider that's very effective against righties but runs right into lefties' bat paths. Sinker/slider types with his slot often have trouble developing a third pitch; I wonder if the Sox think they can do for Phillips what they did for Tanner Houck.

ESPN had him rated #40.  Scouts are divided - some see terrible arm action, some see a real four pitch mix with some development.  

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

 Very raw kid. Has not been on the all star circuit!!! 
low mileage arm that might have been there at number 75!!!! 

Maybe they are working towards overslotting someone.

Here is one scouting report on Phillips:

 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

Scouts first identified Marcus Phillips when he was a South Dakota high schooler, but injuries and inconsistent strikes limited his opportunities to pitch as a senior as well as during his freshman season at Iowa Western CC. He showcased a live, if erratic, arm as a reliever on Tennessee's 2024 Men's College World Series championship club, then seized the Volunteers' No. 2 starter role this spring. Few college pitchers in this class can match his velocity and physicality.

Phillips can blow hitters away with a fastball that sits at 96-98 mph and touches 100, compensating for lackluster shape with deceptively low release height and plenty of carry and extension. His slider parks in the mid-80s and reaches 90 mph with more depth than sweep. He doesn't use his low-90s changeup very often, but it features so much fade that is creates more chases and empty swings than his heater and slide piece.

At 6-foot-4 and 246 pounds, Phillips has a build reminiscent of Kumar Rocker's and is more athletic than the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 Draft. He's a former two-way player who flashed solid power and speed as an outfielder at Iowa Western. He gets down the mound well and has improved his control as a junior, though he doesn't have the smoothest arm action and may never have more than fringy command.

[Larry Cook]

28 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Maybe they are working towards overslotting someone.

Here is one scouting report on Phillips:

 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

Scouts first identified Marcus Phillips when he was a South Dakota high schooler, but injuries and inconsistent strikes limited his opportunities to pitch as a senior as well as during his freshman season at Iowa Western CC. He showcased a live, if erratic, arm as a reliever on Tennessee's 2024 Men's College World Series championship club, then seized the Volunteers' No. 2 starter role this spring. Few college pitchers in this class can match his velocity and physicality.

Phillips can blow hitters away with a fastball that sits at 96-98 mph and touches 100, compensating for lackluster shape with deceptively low release height and plenty of carry and extension. His slider parks in the mid-80s and reaches 90 mph with more depth than sweep. He doesn't use his low-90s changeup very often, but it features so much fade that is creates more chases and empty swings than his heater and slide piece.

At 6-foot-4 and 246 pounds, Phillips has a build reminiscent of Kumar Rocker's and is more athletic than the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 Draft. He's a former two-way player who flashed solid power and speed as an outfielder at Iowa Western. He gets down the mound well and has improved his control as a junior, though he doesn't have the smoothest arm action and may never have more than fringy command.

Fringy command. Isn’t that what they said about Clarke last year????

[moonslav59]

20 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

Fringy command. Isn’t that what they said about Clarke last year????

Good point. I like this quote:

Few college pitchers in this class can match his velocity and physicality.

[sk7326]

20 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

Fringy command. Isn’t that what they said about Clarke last year????

From what it looks like, he basically is another righty with that three quarters arm slot - like Tanner Houck or Justin Masterson.  The challenge for him to remain starter is going to be whether he can throw his change up or splitter or some other pitch to keep lefties honest.  We know the slider from that arm slot has an even bigger tendency to drift into lefty hitter's sweet spot.

[moonslav59]

With the 75th pick, Brez drafted a SS, as many recent GMs have done.

Henry Godbout (Virginia)

MiLB: 

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

The University of Virginia has consistently produced solid hitters who end up in the big leagues, most recently Jake McCarthy and Zack Gelof, and in 2024, Griff O’Ferrall and Ethan Anderson went in the top two rounds. The 2025 class has another pair of Cavaliers who could go in the same range in Henry Ford and Godbout, an infielder coming off a sophomore season that saw him finish with an OPS of 1.117 and earn second-team All-American honors from Baseball America.

In many ways, Godbout is the prototypical Virginia hitter, a solid all-around baseball player with tools that play up thanks to a high baseball IQ. He makes consistent hard contact from the right side of the plate and doesn’t chase or swing-and-miss much (14 percent miss rate in 2024). He could end up with better than average power when all is said and done, with most of it coming right now to his pull side. Godbout appeared to have added some strength this fall, but looked a little stiffer as a result. He’s a fringy runner and that might be trending in the wrong direction with that added bulk.

There was some hope Godbout would get time at shortstop this coming season; not that he’d be able to play there long-term but so scouts could see how athletic he could be, and he did play a few games at the premium position during his brief Cape Cod League stint. But he’s played second base almost exclusively and that added physicality has hampered his range at the keystone, making it unclear where he might profile best defensively long term.

[moonslav59]

• With the 87th pick, Brez drafted Anthony Eyanson, RHP LSU. One site has him ranked 40th.

• Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 65 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

  Eyanson served UC San Diego as a solid starter for two seasons before electing to transfer to LSU. He showed top-two-rounds potential last summer by working with a 93-97 mph fastball and a hammer curveball while with the U.S. collegiate national team and in the Cape Cod League. His stuff wasn't as sharp early in his junior season but he came on strong in the final two months to rank third in NCAA Division I in wins (12) and strikeouts (152 in 108 innings) and help the Tigers win the College World Series.

  Eyanson's slider has become his best pitch during his first season in Baton Rouge, parking at 82-85 mph and eliciting empty swings in and out of the strike zone thanks to its tremendous depth. His upper-70s curveball has been solid but hasn't enticed hitters to chase nearly as much as his slide piece has. His fastball has operated at 92-94 mph and topped out at 98, though its lack of life can make it vulnerable if he doesn't locate it well.

  Though Eyanson's low-80s changeup can miss bats with its fade and sink, he struggles to throw it for strikes. He's a good athlete with decent control but will nibble around the plate too much at times. He has a ceiling of a No. 3 starter if he can improve his fastball shape but also could wind up as a reliever who relies heavily on his breaking pitches.

 

[moonslav59]

So, 4 college draftees- 3 pitchers.

I'm liking this, a lot.