Nick Yorke, Red Sox's Top Players Selected in the 2020 MLB Draft
June 12, 2020
The Boston Red Sox selected second baseman Nick Yorke out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California, with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft on Wednesday, highlighting a four-player class.
Boston's picks came in the first, third, fourth and fifth rounds. Here's a look at the whole class.
Red Sox 2020 Draft Picks
Round 1, Pick 17: Nick Yorke, 2B, Archbishop Mitty HS
Round 3, Pick 17: Blaze Jordan, 3B, DeSoto Central (HS)
Round 4, Pick 17: Jeremy Wu-Yelland, LHP, Hawaii
Round 5, Pick 17: Shane Drohan, LHP, Florida State
Per the Associated Press, the draft was shortened to five rounds this year as a cost-cutting measure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused the ongoing delay of the 2020 season.
The Red Sox forfeited their second-round pick following MLB's investigation into the team's sign-stealing practices during the 2018 World Series-winning campaign, per Kyle Glaser of Baseball America.
Boston will hope that these four players boost a farm system currently ranked 25th in the league by Jim Callis, Mike Rosenbaum and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com.
"After fueling a 2018 World Series championship, the Red Sox system is in a rebuilding phase, with most of its best prospects at the lower levels," the trio wrote.
The Sox did reload a bit in a trade that sent 2018 American League MVP Mookie Betts and left-handed starting pitcher David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers, as middle infielder Jeter Downs (No. 44 on MLB.com's list of the top 100 prospects) was sent to Boston in return.
Downs hit 19 home runs and drove in 75 runs for the Class-A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga Quakes before getting a late-season call-up to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. He dominated Double-A ball during his cup of coffee up a level, hitting five home runs and batting .333 in 12 games.
The 21-year-old figures to have a bright future in Boston, but he and first baseman Triston Casas (No. 77) are the only two Red Sox minor leaguers ranked in the top 100 of MLB.com's list.
The Red Sox hope that this 2020 class can emerge soon, though, as it looks to help a rebuilding team.