A Recap of the Red Sox' 2024 Draft Class (Part 1)
Braden Montgomery, Payton Tolle, Brandon Neely
The 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft wrapped up Tuesday evening after 600+ rising athletes heard their names called throughout the three day process. The Boston Red Sox were said to have an interesting string of picks by the industry, selecting 13 total pitchers, 6 position players, and one two-way player. This article will cover their first three selections.
ARLINGTON, TX - MARCH 01: Braden Montgomery #6 of the Texas A&M Aggies smiles after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning during a game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at the Kubota College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field on March 1, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kate Woolson/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)
1.12 / Braden Montgomery / Outfielder / Texas A&M / Switch/Right / 21 years old
Heading into the draft, Boston was heavily linked with a handful of college players at the 12th overall pick, such as Tennessee infielder Christian Moore and Eastern Carolina right-hander Trey Yesavage, with those rumors not expecting the A&M outfielder to be available at #12. For the second time in as many years, a surefire top 10 pick (Kyle Teel, 2023) has fallen to the Red Sox, adding to their already loaded pool of position players throughout the organization.
Braden Montgomery looked to be headed toward the very top of the draft going into the 2024 season, but despite an all around solid year on both sides of the ball (and a couple appearances on the mound), a devastating ankle injury in Texas A&M’s super regional vs Oregon held him out of their run to the College World Series Final, causing his draft stock slip.
Playing all 59 of his games as a position player in right field for the Aggies this past spring, Montgomery is all but slated to play corner outfield in pro ball. One thing to keep note of is that the Red Sox have a heavy emphasis on positional value with their prospects, so it will be interesting to see if they try to have Montgomery “fake it” in center field to maximize his value until he outgrows the position. An example of this from recent years is fellow outfield prospect Roman Anthony, who was projected to move to a corner outfield spot immediately after signing out of high school, but has stuck in center field all the way up to the Double-A level so far.
Braden Montgomery’s bat speed and rotational power numbers from a 2021 Prep Baseball Report event. Credit: JoeTourville1 on X
Another part of Montgomery’s game that will be monitored is if the first round pick’s switch hitting is optimal for his outcomes to become a major leaguer. Shortly after being drafted, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reported that Montgomery plans to continue switch hitting in pro ball. The outfielder’s aforementioned injury will likely hinder him from appearing in any games for Boston’s complex site or affiliates the rest of this season, giving him a full offseason to reassess if he will continue hitting from both sides headed into his first full professional season. Boston is not expected to have any signability issues with their first round pick, but a matter of if he will sign for slot value or slightly over the slot.
2024 12th overall selection slot value: $5,484,600
ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 22: TCU utility Payton Tolle (49) pitches the ball during the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship game between Oklahoma and TCU on May 22, 2024, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
2.50 / Payton Tolle / Left-handed pitcher / TCU / 21
Most could predict that the Red Sox’ new “pitching lab” would result in the front office allocating more assets to developing pitching, a far cry from the organization’s process in recent years. Director of Pitching Development Justin Willard, On-Field Pitching Coach Andrew Bailey, and the rest of the “Run Prevention Unit” have shown they have a clear type for the type of pitchers they want to acquire and develop: Large-framed arms with a characteristic that can, at the very least, carry them to the higher ranks of the minor leagues. Payton Tolle fits this description, as the 6’6” southpaw carved up the Big 12 with his low-90s fastball, a pitch he used significantly more often than any of his other secondaries.
After cracking Wichita State’s rotation as a true freshman, Tolle put together two solid seasons for the Shockers, striking out 146 batters across 152 innings, posting a 4.56 ERA before entering the portal and heading south to TCU. A full-time two-way player at Wichita State, Tolle was in the lineup for all his appearances on the mound this past spring, as well as a handful of games as a designated hitter.
Perhaps Tolle’s best trait is his extension down the mound, which allows his pitches to “play up” faster than they read on a radar gun. This ability can carry Tolle up the ranks as a prospect if the development of his secondary offerings progresses, as he may need to give professional hitters different looks than his fastball, despite its outlier characteristics. Expected by most to go no earlier than round 3, Tolle will likely sign for under the slot value of where he was selected.
2024 50th overall selection slot value: $1,846,400
HOOVER, AL - MAY 24: Florida Gators pitcher Brandon Neely (22) during the 2023 SEC Baseball Tournament game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators on May 24, 2023 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
3.86 / Brandon Neely / Right-handed pitcher / Florida / 21
An NCBWA preseason First Team All-American, Florida right-hander Brandon Neely had high expectations coming out of Florida’s bullpen in the 2024 season. After floating between the Gators’ starting rotation and bullpen his freshman year, Neely became one of the best relief pitchers in the country his sophomore season, making 34 appearances out of the bullpen and securing 13 saves. Poised for a big draft year, the right-hander made a handful of starts but struggled to prevent damage, posting a 5.13 ERA despite striking out 12.3 batters per 9 innings.
At 6’3”, 210 lbs and some experience with starting in college, it is easy to imagine a world where the Red Sox try to develop the projectable Neely as a starting pitcher, despite his best results coming in a relief role. Showcasing decent command across his 3 seasons with Florida (3.1 BB/9), Neely will have to maintain that trait as a professional in order to reach his potential.
86th overall selection slot value: $878,800