The Red Sox made quick progress, signing up their draft picks and making assignments. Top-pick, Cameron Cannon of the University of Arizona, signed with Boston and has been sent to Fort Myers before beginning his pro career at short-season Single-A Lowell. According to MLB.com senior writer Jim Callis, Cannon earned $1.3 million in the process.
Cannon, 21, is 184-for-531 (.347) with 16 home runs, 113 RBI and a 1.004 OPS in three years at Arizona. An All-Pac-12 selection as a junior, Cannon recorded more walks than strikeouts in each of the last two years with Arizona. He’s already a bit of a familiar face having played for Falmouth last summer in the Cape Code League, where he was selected an All-Star.
Red Sox have also signed Ryan Zeferjahn (3rd round, catcher), Jaxx Groshans (5th catcher), Brock Bell (7th, pitcher), Wil Dalton (8th, outfielder), Alex Erro (17th, infielder), Jacob Herbert (18th, pitcher), Dylan Spacke (21st round, pitcher), Dominic D’Alessandro (22nd round, first baseman), Leon Paulino (23rd round, outfielder), Dean Miller (24th round, outfielder), Brandon Walter (26th round, pitcher), Devon Roedahl (27th round, pitcher), and Luke Bandy (29th, outfielder).
Especially in the heat of a current campaign it’s easy to view the draft as a futuristic list of someday/maybe potential. But it wasn’t all that long ago that draftees like Michael Chavis (2014), Andrew Benintendi (2015), and Mike Shawaryn (2016) were simply names on a long list and not big league contributors. Benintendi made his MLB debut just 14 months after being drafted. Jackie Bradley, Jr. likewise made his debut in 2013 less than two years after being selected in the 2011 June Draft.
Now, a few other notes of interest for Red Sox Nation:
- Dominican Republic authorities say they’re closing in on arresting the person who ordered the shooting of David Ortiz. There are likely to be plenty more details to come in the days ahead from what the police there are calling a “complex” assassination plot. The murder rate in the D.R. is 12.5 killings per 100,000 people, making it one of the most dangerous countries in the world, according to the US State Department. So far, there have been 10 suspects taken into custody for the Ortiz shooting.
- Ortiz remains at Massachusetts General Hospital where he’s expected to make a full recovery. On Sunday on Instagram Ortiz’ wife, daughter, and son all posted Fathers Day tributes to the iconic slugger.
- Last month the Pirates Josh Bell recorded 94 total bases. That’s the most in a single May since aptly-named Willie Mays in 1958 (102). Mays and fellow Hall of Famers Ty Cobb (103 in 1921) and Mickey Mantle (102 in 1956) are the only players with 100+ bases in the fifth month. Hall of Famer and Red Sox great Jim Rice had 92 TB in 1978, the most in club history for May and now the 9th-most for the month in MLB history since at least 1908.
- Former Sox closer Craig Kimbrel is now in the Cubs organization. Will be interesting to see how his shortened season unfolds. Kimbrel is set to pitch on Tuesday in Sacramento with Chicago’s Triple-A Iowa team.
- The Orioles were just what the Red Sox needed this weekend. Boston recorded three straight wins against the birds to extend their winning streak to a season-high-tying five games. The Sox have won 11 of their last 12. Baltimore, meanwhile, has yet to win 10 home games in 2019, stuck at 9-28, the fewest home wins in the majors. The 4:44 game was the longest of the season for both teams.
- Through Sunday’s game the Red Sox have recorded an extra-base hit in 73 straight games, the longest active streak in the major leagues. Boston owns the major league record for the longest-ever streak of games with an XBH since at least 1908: 164 in a row over a full calendar year starting May 3, 2004 and ending a year later on May 3, 2005.
- Now it’s on to face a very tough Minnesota team on their turf. The Twins lead baseball with 5.96 runs/game (vs 5.40 for the Sox) this season. Minnesota also tops baseball for runs (417 vs 394 for Boston), home runs (137 vs 107), RBI (407 vs 371), AVG (.275 vs .262), and OPS (.857 vs .790). The Twins are 22-8 for their last 30 games, tied with the Dodgers for the best record in baseball in that time.