The Boston Red Sox apparently have a clear strategy when it comes to the MLB Draft: take position players early.
By selecting Braden Montgomery with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday, the Red Sox now have selected a position player with their top draft pick in seven consecutive drafts dating to 2017.
That's an interesting tactic considering the lack of elite arms in Boston's farm system. But according to many draft experts, Boston made the right call by nabbing Montgomery in the first round.
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The 6-foot-2, 220-pound outfielder is a switch hitter with serious power: He slashed .322/.454/.733 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI for Texas A&M last season before suffering a broken ankle on June 8. Montgomery also boasts a rocket arm in the outfield and actually pitched earlier in his college career at Stanford, where he spent his freshman and sophomore seasons before transferring to Texas A&M for the 2023-24 season.
So, what kind of a player are the Red Sox getting in the 21-year-old slugger? Here's a roundup of grades and analysis of the Montgomery from experts across the industry -- and you'll notice most are very positive.
(One note: MLB scouts use a 20-80 grading scale for prospects' attributes; 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average.)
MORE RED SOX COVERAGE
Keith Law, The Athletic
"The Red Sox may have just gotten the steal of the draft so far, getting the fourth-ranked player on my board at pick 12.
"... He hits the ball extremely hard, with a much better hit tool from the left side, with power there but a whiff rate of 38 percent. He's got at least a 70 arm from right and should be at least a 55 defender there, assuming the ankle heals fully."
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com
"After his name was floating all over the top 10, this is a pretty soft landing spot for Montgomery, whose tremendous season at Texas A&M ended prematurely because of a broken ankle suffered in the Super Regionals. The transfer from Stanford served him well, and he’s a switch-hitter with plenty of power, doing more damage from the left side."
Dave Schoenfield, ESPN
"As a consensus top-10 player on most draft boards, the Red Sox simply couldn't pass up on Montgomery's 70-grade power and 80-grade arm.
"He'll have to make enough contact as a pro and he's recovering from that broken ankle, but with a nice group of young players in the majors -- plus some highly-rated prospects in their farm system -- the Red Sox could be developing an impressive lineup of position players to build into a consistent winner."
Joel Reuter, Bleacher Report
"I had Montgomery going No. 4 overall in my final mock draft, and he looked like a lock to go somewhere in the Top 10, so this is a great get for the Red Sox. Expect him to crush low-minor pitching and quickly climb top prospect lists."
Grade: A+
Edward Sutelan, Sporting News
"A fractured ankle might be to thank for Montgomery's fall outside the top 10. Because before that, he seemed almost certain to go as a top five or 10 pick. The switch-hitting outfielder is all about the power: rocket arm, explosive bat. A former pitcher, Montgomery's arm now is a major asset for him defensively. He's also showed improved plate discipline that allowed him to reach his considerable power in 2024.
"Assuming the medicals aren't a problem, he could be a middle-of-the-order batter with an advanced hit tool and 25-plus-homer power."
Grade: A
R.J. Anderson, CBS Sports
"Montgomery is a switch-hitter with a right-field arm. There are some swing-and-miss concerns in his game that caused him to slip outside of the top 10. Sources I talked to had him outside of the top 10 even before the ankle injury. Make of that what you will. "
Grade: B
Devin Pearson, Red Sox director of amateur scouting
"There's always surprises in the Draft and the way it works in baseball, and we were really excited that he was there for us and happy we were able to make it work. And we just couldn't be more fired up to bring him into the organization.
"We were enamored by him (as a high school prospect), and then got to follow his career to Stanford and (then Texas A&M). He had a huge year in the SEC, and we believe he has even more development left. His skill set fits perfectly into what we are trying to do here."