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Red Sox Draft Targets: 6 MLB Prospects Boston Should Watch From Pipeline’s Top 250 originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 MLB Draft is just over a week away, which means it is time for Red Sox fans to start getting familiar with the names who could be on Boston’s board.
This year’s draft begins Saturday, July 11, at 1 p.m. ET from the Pennsylvania Convention Center Grand Hall in Philadelphia. The first 10 picks will air on NBC and Peacock, while picks 11-40 — the range that includes Boston at No. 20 — will air on MLB Network and stream on MLB.com, MLB TV and MLB+. Picks 41-135 will continue on MLB’s digital platforms, and Rounds 5-20 are scheduled for Sunday, July 12, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET.
This is not a mock draft, though. The Red Sox are not simply picking from the top of MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 and calling it a day. Boston has to think about fit, upside, organizational need and the types of players it has actually shown an ability to develop.
What should the Red Sox be looking for?
The Red Sox own the No. 20 pick and also have a Competitive Balance Round B pick acquired from the Brewers in the Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler trade. But they do not have their regular second-round pick, and MLB’s current draft order also shows Boston’s fourth-round selection as forfeited after signing a qualified free agent.
The farm system also looks different than it did a year ago. MLB Pipeline’s current Red Sox Top 30 is led by Franklin Arias, Anthony Eyanson, Justin Gonzales, Kyson Witherspoon and Juan Valera. In other words, Boston still has some interesting arms near the top of the system, but the next wave of impact position-player depth is thinner after the Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell group graduated.
So the sweet spot should be:
- A college arm if the right one gets to No. 20
- A high-upside lefty if Boston believes its pitching development can handle the risk
- A college bat with a strong offensive track record
- A catcher or up-the-middle player because those profiles always play
- A later-range hitter who gives the organization depth after the lost picks
Here are six names who make sense.
Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
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Why he fits: This is the cleanest connection because MLB Pipeline’s latest mock draft had the Red Sox taking Dietz at No. 20. Boston also could consider local prep lefty Brody Bumila or a high school hitter like Bo Lowrance in that spot, but Pipeline gave the nod to Dietz as the college-arm option.
Dietz is a big left-hander with power stuff, and the profile fits a Red Sox system that has become more comfortable betting on college arms with carrying traits.
There is risk here, especially because his college track record has some injury context attached to it. But if Boston believes the medicals are clean enough and sees a starter’s path, this is a very logical first-round fit.
Current MLB comparison: Sean Manaea with more power
The comp is more about the big left-handed starter frame and fastball/slider look than a perfect match. Dietz has more velocity, but Manaea is a reasonable style lane if Dietz stays in a rotation.
Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State
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Why he fits: Carlon is another college lefty who makes sense in Boston’s range. MLB Pipeline’s latest mock mentioned him as the type of arm who could be in play around this part of the first round, and specifically framed Dietz as getting the nod for Boston over someone like Carlon.
Carlon gives the Sox another version of the same basic idea: left-handed power stuff with starter upside. MLB Pipeline’s player page lists him with 55 grades on both his fastball and slider, plus a curveball and changeup.
There is still risk because college arms in this range usually come with some combination of health, command or starter/reliever questions. But the fit is obvious. If Boston wants another lefty with bat-missing ingredients, Carlon belongs in the conversation.
Current MLB comparison: Garrett Crochet-lite
That is not saying he becomes Crochet. It is more about the power lefty look, fastball-driven profile and ability to miss bats with force.
Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feehan High School
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Why he fits: The local angle is real, but it should not be the only reason Boston would care. Bumila is a Massachusetts prep lefty with a massive frame and big velocity, and MLB Pipeline’s latest mock specifically mentioned him as a possible “own backyard” option for the Red Sox at No. 20.
This would be the riskier path. High school pitchers are volatile, and Boston’s recent success has been much more tied to college arms than prep pitchers. But if the Red Sox believe their pitching development group is in a better place now, Bumila is the kind of upside bet that can change a farm system.
He is not the safest pick. He might be one of the most interesting fits.
Current MLB comparison: Left-handed Tyler Glasnow
This is about the height, extension, and uncomfortable look more than polish. If the secondary stuff comes, the upside is pretty easy to dream on.
Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia
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Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
Why he fits: This one is pretty simple: right-handed power, catcher, athleticism. That is a valuable combination.
Jackson won the 2026 Golden Spikes Award after a monster season at Georgia. MLB.com noted he became the first catcher in Division I history to total 25 homers and 25 steals in the same season, and he won the SEC triple crown by hitting .379 with 32 homers and a school-record 87 RBIs.
The Red Sox should care about catching depth, especially after Kyle Teel was moved to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade. If Jackson is still available in Boston’s range, or if he slides closer to that Competitive Balance Round B area, he would be fascinating.
The big question is whether teams fully buy him as a catcher long term. If they do, the bat has first-round appeal. If they do not, it gets a little trickier.
Current MLB comparison: Willson Contreras
Right-handed power, athleticism for the position and some “is he a catcher forever?” conversation baked into the profile.
Eric Becker, SS/3B, Virginia
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Why he fits: Becker feels like the kind of player who could get slightly overlooked because he is not the loudest athlete in the class. But there is a lot to like.
MLB Pipeline’s player page describes Becker as a left-handed hitter who has hit from the moment he arrived on campus, while his Virginia bio lists him at .317 with 16 doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 42 RBIs in 2026.
For the Red Sox, the appeal is the offensive floor. Boston has had success with players who can hit first and let the defensive stuff sort itself out later. Becker could be a second baseman, third baseman or utility infielder depending on how the glove develops, but the bat is the reason he should be on the radar.
He is not the sexiest name on the board, but the Sox cannot afford to miss with fewer picks than usual.
Current MLB comparison: Brandon Lowe
Left-handed infield bat with extra-base ability. Becker may not have Lowe’s peak power, but that is the general lane if the swing adds more lift.
Carson Kerce, SS/3B, Georgia Tech
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Why he fits: Kerce is not a first-round name, and that is the point. With Boston missing picks, the Sox need to find value outside the obvious range.
MLB Pipeline has Kerce as the No. 131 prospect and called him one of the most underrated players in Georgia Tech’s deep lineup. Pipeline’s college-hitter breakdown also singled him out as one of the bigger helium names in the class, with buzz that he could go higher than his ranking because of his bat-to-ball skills, doubles power, instincts, IQ, work ethic and makeup.
That is a very Red Sox-friendly profile for the middle of the draft. Boston does not need every pick to be a future star. It needs players who can hit enough, move around the diamond and give the organization real depth.
Kerce might not be a huge upside swing, but he is the kind of player who often becomes more useful than his draft slot suggests.
Current MLB comparison: Brendan Donovan
Not flashy, but valuable. Good at-bats, defensive flexibility, enough doubles power and the type of player managers find ways to use.
The Sox do not need to draft for immediate need. That is not how baseball drafts work. But with fewer picks than usual, they do need to draft with a clear plan.
This board gives them a few different ways to do it.
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