Friday, June 6, 2014

Red Sox Take SS, Pitcher, 1B In MLB Draft

Michael Chavis—(Baseball America Photo)
With their first pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, the Red Sox selected Georgia high-schooler Michael Chavis—a shortstop. Chavis is considered one of the most versatile players in the entire draft—and can hit a ton (he had a .580 average in his final year). The 5'10", 190-pound Chavis is sometimes compared with current Braves second baseman Dan Uggla (in his prime, not now). With their compensatory pick (for Jacoby Ellsbury's departure via free agency), Boston selected right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech from Mt. Pleasant High School in Texas. Kopech tied for the lead in his Division with 129 strikeouts. With their second-round selection, Boston chose first-baseman Sam Travis from Indiana University—a First-Team All-Big-Ten player. Travis was a Cape Cod League All-Star in 2012—playing for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. He was previously drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, but decided to attend college instead.