“Elite athlete who can throw 100 mph and hit balls very far” – Red Sox scout praises potential of two-way prospect Conrad Cason
The Boston Red Sox selected one of the most intriguing prospects, Conrad Cason, in the eighth round of the 2024 MLB Draft. The 17-year-old from Lilburn, Georgia was one of the most interesting players remaining in the class as he could strikeout batters on the mound and rack up home runs at the plate.
"In the eighth round, the Red Sox selected two-way player Conrad Cason. He was the Gatorade Georgia High School player of the year," Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) reported on X/Twitter.
When drafted in the eighth round, there is no guarantee that any player selected will make it to the majors, therefore selecting by upside tends to be the way that teams go. Conrad Cason has one of the most intriguing upsides of any player selected near him thanks to his two-way prowess.
While there are reportedly some within Boston's organization that prefer one aspect of his game over the other, Red Sox amateur scouting director Devin Pearson said that Cason will have the chance to develop as a two-way player. “On both sides, you have an elite athlete who can throw 100 mph and hit balls very far," Pearson told MLB insider Chris Contillo of MassLive.
Pearson also said that the team will "see where he best fits," but they will still allow him to work as both a hitter and a pitcher.
Conrad Cason is not the only interesting story to emerge from the Boston Red Sox draft
Although Cason might be one of the most intriguing prospects selected by the Boston Red Sox this year, the most celebrated pick may have been D'Angelo Ortiz. D'Angelo is the son of Red Sox legend and Hall of Famer David Ortiz.
The son of 'Big Papi' was selected by Boston in the 19th round of the draft, keeping the family in the organization. The 20-year-old can play in both the infield and the outfield, and while he may not have the home run prowess of his father, he posted a .377 batting average for Miami Dade Community College. It certainly could be a draft to remember for the BoSox.