With the MLB Draft five weeks away, the Boston Red Sox will soon add more talent to their minor league system. Over the last few months, Boston has been tied to multiple players including, Jack Leiter, Brady House, and Marcelo Mayer. In Jonathan Mayo’s latest mock draft, however, a new name emerged. Mayo has Boston selecting Jordan Lawlar with the fourth overall pick. The eighteen-year-old is committed to Vanderbilt but is one of the top players in the 2021 class.
Lawlar’s break-out campaign came in 2020 when he hit .485 before the pandemic disrupted his season. He also managed to drive in 13 runs and hit one home run. In 2021 he has picked up where he left off. Through May, Lawlar had posted a slash line of .425/.552/.713. His bat speed has been impressive as his draft stock has risen. While the 2021 class is full of talented shortstops, Lawlar sticks out.
The Texas native has five-star potential, but his hitting has drawn the most attention. He handles velocity well and can make contact to all fields. As Lawlar gets older, his power will only continue to improve. According to FanGraphs, he has shown an advanced hitting approach and barrel control. While he is known for his offense, his one weakness is defense.
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Additionally, the Jesuit Prep product has a strong arm but has to improve in the field. Through his first three seasons of high school ball, he had a .839 fielding percentage. He has, however, shown improvement as he only committed three errors in his senior season. With more experience, Lawlar should be able to make strides defensively as he improves his consistency.
How Lawlar Would Fit with Boston
The talented shortstop has drawn comparisons to Bobby Witt Jr. The Royals shortstop was the second overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft and is their top prospect. Lawlar is a more polished hitter than Witt at the same stage. He did strike out more than expected as a senior but still showed the tools that have made him one of the top high school players. In many mock drafts, Lawlar is projected to go in the top 10. It’s just a matter of where.
While the Red Sox do have Xander Bogaerts at short, Lawlar is a top-notch talent. He is projected to stick at short and is expected to add more power at the next level. In the coming weeks, the rumors of who the Red Sox select will continue to grow. If Lawlar is available at the fourth pick, he will be hard to pass up.
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