Red Sox Play It Safe With Hull, Signal Draft Philosophy Shift

After shocking everyone by trading up for Jake Scheffner at pick 20, the Red Sox yanked the wheel hard in the opposite direction when they selected Owen Hull at 67. This is the baseball equivalent of ordering the experimental appetizer, then going with the burger. Hull, a power-hitting outfielder from North Carolina, represents exactly what conventional draft wisdom says you should pick in the second round: a proven college performer with obvious tools and a path to impact at the big league level.

Here’s the thing—that’s probably fine. Craig Breslow’s front office has swung for the fences early. Take your shot at the unlikely prize, then populate the rest of your haul with recognizable talent. Hull’s credentials from the College World Series speak for themselves. He can hit the ball out of the park, which in baseball, shockingly, still matters. In a system that already has promising bats working their way through the minors, adding a legitimate power prospect in the second round isn’t flashy, but it’s defensible.

The real question is whether Hull profiles as an impact player or a useful depth piece. At 67, you’re hoping for someone who can contribute at the majors eventually. The Red Sox rotation and bullpen construction under Breslow has emphasized acquiring quantity and letting competition sort quality—see the crowded arm barn with Garrett Whitlock, Danny Coulombe, Aroldis Chapman and a handful of others jockeying for innings. That philosophy seems to extend to position players too. Get young, athletic players with upside, see who sticks.

This pick also tells you something about how the Red Sox view their immediate future. They’re not desperate. With Masataka Yoshida in the DH spot and established names like Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran occupying outfield real estate, there’s no urgent need for immediate production. Hull is a three, four, five-year project at minimum. The organization can afford to play the long game.

So was Hull the right call at 67? Conventional, yes. Safe, absolutely. A reach? No. The Red Sox mixed gamble with pragmatism, and if Hull develops into a legitimate contributor, nobody will remember the surprise Scheffner pick one way or the other.