The scouts who had run Red Sox Drafts since 2015 all left the club this year. Mike Rikard (2015-19) took a job with the Diamondbacks as a senior advisor in January. The Nationals hired Paul Toboni (2020-22) as president of baseball operations in October, and he brought Devin Pearson (2023-25) along as an assistant GM.
Jake Bruml, Boston's new scouting director, has worked for the franchise since 2019 and as Pearson's assistant the past two years. He'll be tasked with continuing the recent Draft success for the Red Sox.
2026 Draft:
The club plans on 2025 rookies Roman Anthony (supplemental second round, 2022), Kristian Campbell (fourth, 2023) and Marcelo Mayer (first, 2024) being cornerstones of their long-term lineup, along with Jarren Duran (seventh, 2018) if he isn't traded. Two more rookies, Connelly Early (fifth, 2023) and Payton Tolle (second, 2024), are testaments to Boston's resurgent pitching program. Recent first-rounders Kyle Teel (2023) and Braden Montgomery (2024) were the keys to the trade that landed ace Garrett Crochet.
Who could the Red Sox take with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 Draft? Let's take a look...
Projection in this week's early mock draft:
Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky (No. 22)
The highest unsigned pick in the 2024 Draft, Bell turned down the Rays as a supplemental second-rounder to attend Kentucky. He was the Wildcats' best player as a freshman last spring, batting .296/.385/.522 with 10 homers and 11 steals, then became their first member of the U.S. collegiate national team since Zack Thompson in 2018. He's a switch-hitter with 20-homer upside and all the tools to provide solid defense at shortstop.
Three more possibilities:
Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M (No. 20)
The grandson of two big leaguers, Tom Griffin and Billy Sorrell, Sorrell has some of the best all-around tools in the college class. His raw power, speed and arm strength all grade as plus and he has enough quickness and instincts to handle center field. He hit .337/.430/.789 with 12 homers in 26 games last spring while dealing with hamstring and hamate injuries.
Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Arkansas (No. 24)
The Red Sox popped Southeastern Conference right-handers with their first three choices in the '25 Draft, and could be tempted by another next July. Gaeckle has one of the more unhittable fastballs in college baseball, operating at 94-96 mph and reaching 98 with a low release height and impressive carry, and he also can overmatch hitters with a tight upper-80s slider. He logged a 4.42 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings as a sophomore.
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Chris Rembert, 2B, Auburn (No. 25)
Some evaluators believe Rembert could be the best pure hitter in the college class, and the bat-first second baseman draws comparisons to Howie Kendrick and Christian Moore. A sophomore-eligible, he slashed .344/.467/.555 with 10 homers and more walks (37) than strikeouts (36) as a freshman. He might not have more than 15-homer power, though he has the strength and bat speed to provide more pop if he learns to pull and lift balls more frequently.