Red Sox start Day 3 with infielder Asuaje

Through 10 rounds of the First-Year Player Draft, the Red Sox had yet to select an infielder, but that all changed on Day 3, as the Red Sox picked a slick-fielding shortstop from Florida. With their 11th-round pick, Boston took Carlos Asuaje from Nova Southeastern, a Division II school in Florida, on Saturday.

A native of Venezuela, Asuaje was raised in Florida. He has consistently played well at Nova Southeastern for the last three years, where he drew the attention of many professional scouts. This year, Asuaje hit .320 with 13 doubles, 33 RBIs and a .449 slugging percentage.

"It was ridiculous the way he dominated our league," said his college coach, Greg Brown, a former scout. "He has the best hand-eye coordination I've ever been around."

Asuaje makes hard contact using a compact swing, which he also showcased in the Cape Cod League last summer. Listed at 5-foot-8 and 155 pounds, he doesn't hit for much power, profiling more as a speedy, top-of-the-order hitter. He was 32-for-35 in stolen base attempts this season.

"I think he's a true leadoff, which is one of the hardest things to find these days," Brown said. "Red Sox Nation is going to love him."

Asuaje played mostly second base in college but moved to shortstop halfway through the spring, and he has played third base as well. As a professional, he is considered to be best suited for second base, where he has soft hands and solid range.