The Major League Baseball draft is a couple of months away, but that doesn’t stop publications from talking about mock drafts. The Red Sox have had plenty of different selections from different outlets. But this recent mock draft from MLB Pipeline has yet another player, a more intriguing one.
Red Sox Projected To Take Massachusetts Pitcher at Pick #20
The Red Sox have the 20th overall pick in this year’s draft, and with that pick, MLB Pipeline projects them taking star pitcher Brody Bumila out of Bishop Feehan in Massachusetts. They have had a recent history of drafting locally, drafting Wake Forest third baseman and Newton native Jack Winnay. But Bumila would be different. He’s a left-handed pitcher, and while the Sox already have a lefty-dominant rotation, this kid would be too good to pass up on.
The Texas commit has been a force this season, throwing a seven-inning no-hitter with 20 strikeouts earlier this season. His recent start against Xaverian saw him strike out 14 in six innings, although he unraveled in the seventh and allowed four runs on one hit.
20-strikeout‼️ no-hitter and up to 100 mph from 6-foot-9 Brody Bumila.
2026 high school LHP was overpowering tonight for Bishop Feehan in Massachusetts. Heavy fastball attack and mixed in a quality changeup.
Baseball America projected first-round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. pic.twitter.com/Y5NDvqS4xQ
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) May 9, 2026
He has dominant size for a left-hander, standing at six foot nine, 255 pounds. He throws hard, hitting 100 miles per hour consistently with his fastball. And it’s his go-to swing and miss pitch. The main problem is the lack of a great secondary pitch. According to Keith Law of The Athletic, his slider ranges from the low to mid-80s. He also doesn’t have complete control of his changeup. (Subscription Needed)
Additionally, there’s some injury history with him. In his sophomore year, he tore his UCL and had to undergo Tommy John surgery. Taking a player that high after a major surgery like that is a bit risky, but if he’s throwing 100 after the fact, there’s surely some intrigue there. While Law sees him as a second-rounder due to the risk factor, he can see the upside and first-round potential.
Bumila’s Placement in Other Mock Drafts
- Last Word On Sports: #22 to Detroit Tigers (Red Sox Pick: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State)
- Bleacher Report: #21 to San Diego Padres (Red Sox Pick: Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA)
- Baseball America: #18 to Cincinnati Reds (Red Sox Pick: Jared Grindlinger, RHP, Huntington Beach (CA)) (Subscription needed)
- The Athletic: #18 to Reds (Red Sox Pick: Bo Lowrance, 3B, Christ Church Episcopal (SC)) (Subscription needed)
Bumila is the 22nd-ranked prospect on the draft board according to MLB Pipeline, so the range of 18 to 22 makes sense here, depending on the team’s need, of course. Seeing as Cincinnati doesn’t have a left-hander in its top 30 prospects, that would justify this pick. San Diego and Detroit would also be intriguing spots for him.
Why Bumila to the Red Sox?
Aside from the local team connection, pitchers from the state of Massachusetts have been performing well recently. Recent names to come from the Red Sox home state include New York Yankees ace Cam Schlittler and Chicago White Sox pitcher Shane Smith, who, while struggling this season, performed well last season. There’s a development system in Mass that works well.
The Red Sox have four left-handers currently in the top 30 team prospects. Jake Bennett and Eduardo Rivera have already made their major league debuts.
The “Core Four” that they have in the minors in Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, Juan Valera, and Marcus Phillips are all right-handers, so the Red Sox don’t quite have a top left-hander to develop. Rivera was pretty good when called up, and he should be fun to watch. But it would be a nice hypothetical to imagine what the Sox could do with the Attleboro kid, if he so chooses to sign this year. He is a projected first-round pick, but as mentioned earlier, he could decide to go pitch in the SEC at Texas next year.
The development system has flipped around as well since the hiring of general manager Craig Breslow. The minor leagues are stacked currently. Then there are young players in the majors, such as Payton Tolle and Connelly Early, who continue to prove that the development works. So there’s no doubt that they could help develop a guy like Bumila.
The Last Word
While Bumila is a highly sought-after prospect in this year’s draft, the fact that he could fall into the Red Sox’s hands should be enticing to fans. When thinking of former Red Sox pitchers from Massachusetts that got drafted by them, Manny Delcarmen comes to mind. Hopefully, Bumila can become the next hometown kid to play for and become a star with the Red Sox. The MLB Draft is on July 11th.
Main Photo Credit: Cameron Merritt/Taunton Daily Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
