NEW YORK – The Red Sox knew there might be public backlash when they went outside the box with their first-round pick (20th overall) in the MLB Draft on Saturday, selecting UNC shortstop Jake Schaffner -- but they trusted their internal instincts and went for it anyway.
The left-handed hitter was ranked No. 75 on MLB Pipeline’s prospect rankings.
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“We prepared for 20 scenarios. I won't say where this scenario was on that list,” said Red Sox director of amateur scouting Jake Bruml. “We knew what we were getting into. We were very comfortable with it, and for the record, told the smaller room, senior leadership, ‘Hey, we are going this route. This is going to be viewed as very off the wall."
“We were very convicted in our evaluation of Jake and what [the pick] can provide us through the rest of the Draft, so we were in a spot that, yeah, it's exciting because we got a player that we love and are excited to join the organization, but have to block out the noise a little bit and make sure we do what's best for the org.”
As for Schaffner, the projections left him unfazed.
“I really didn't look at that a whole bunch,” said Schaffner. “I didn't really take it personally. I don't really know. I guess they thought what they thought, and it's super cool to be drafted at 20th overall. It’s a dream come true. I've always wanted to be a professional baseball player since I was a little kid, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity.”
When on Saturday did Schaffner start to think being a first-rounder was even possible?
“I think it was around the 15th pick,” Schaffner said. “I got a call saying that this might happen, and I didn't really know that it was going to happen. And then I saw my name pop on Draft Tracker, and I'm like, ‘Holy cow!, I’ve got to go out there and be with my friends and family.’ It was super cool. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'm just so fortunate to get drafted by such a great organization.”
The 21-year-old transferred to the Tar Heels this past season after playing two seasons at North Dakota State.
What made the Red Sox so bullish on Schaffner?
“I think Schaffner is a great player. Obviously, shortstop on that UNC College World Series team, and then as a player himself, fits us really well in what we try to do from a development lens,” said Bruml. “Elite bat-to-ball skills, a plus runner, gonna stick in the middle of the field. I think we can try and tap into a little bit more power, which will give him a good ceiling to go with what's already a really stable floor."
Schaffner is known as a disciplined contact hitter who can hit the ball from gap to gap, a style which would play well at Fenway Park, one of the best doubles parks in the game. Triples were Schaffner’s specialty in ‘26, as he led Division 1 with 13 of them.
The Janesville, Wis. native, listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, slashed .356/.467/.552 in his one season at Carolina, adding 19 doubles, six homers, 50 RBIs and 26 stolen bases in 29 attempts over 68 games.
“I think that something I really want to get better at in my game is really working on my power,” said Schaffner. “I want to hit more doubles, hit more homers, whatever that is.”
Schaffner has plus range and reliability on defense, but some scouts think his arm will play more at second base in professional ball.
But Schaffner says not so fast.
“Another thing that I can work on is my arm strength,” he said. “I think I’ve still got a lot in the tank for that and hoping to get that better soon.”
While Schaffner will likely get to Fenway Park soon after he officially signs, it won’t be his first trip to one of MLB’s most historic parks. He went there last year when he was playing in the Cape Cod League.
“Oh my gosh, I thought it was unbelievable," he said. "My host family [were] huge Red Sox fans, and I was fortunate enough to go up on the Green Monster, and someone hit a home run. I forgot who it was. It might have been [Ceddanne] Rafaela hit a home run up there when I was up there, so it was just a crazy experience. It was super cool.”
Naturally, Schaffner’s mind wandered while he was up there.
“Oh, of course,” said Schaffner, if he envisioned himself one day going deep at Fenway. “That’s always been a thought in my mind, playing at I think the coolest park in the MLB, and now having a chance and getting drafted by this organization, it's just so cool.”