With Their First-Round Pick, The Red Sox Select Third Baseman Triston Casas, Who Has A 516-Foot Home Run On His Resume

The MLB Draft is the most unpredictable draft in pro sports. Even the experts who have been following these guys for weeks, months and even years have no idea if they’ll make it to the big leagues or not. But after watching that promo video, I am SOLD on Triston Casas.

Both of MLB.com’s draft experts had Casas going at No. 16 to the Rays and he fell to the Red Sox at No. 26. I’m not gonna ask any questions. I’m just gonna be happy about it, and hope that he signs, which I’m not reading any concerns over signability. MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo says that Casas has “as much raw power as any hitter in the Draft”, and that promo video showed him hitting a fuckin’ 516-foot homer. Aluminum bat or not, that’s still VERY impressive.

When Bryce Harper participated in a showcase in 2009 prior to the 2010 MLB Draft, he hit the longest home run in Tropicana Field history. The video went viral before the draft, and the home run that he hit was 502 feet. Triston Casas. Five hundred and sixteen feet. Remember the name.

Here’s the scouting report via MLB.com:

Casas is one of the streakier hitters in this year’s Draft class, and he was on fire while playing for the 18-and-under U.S. National Team in international competition. The corner infielder was the Most Valuable Player of the World Baseball Confederation U-18 Baseball World Cup, helping Team USA win a gold medal by leading the tournament in home runs and RBIs. He was named the WBSC International Baseball Player of the Year for his efforts.

Casas is all about his bat and the power he can produce with it. In terms of raw pop, he’s up there with just about anyone in the class, registering high exit velocities at times. The only question is whether Casas will make enough contact to tap into that power consistently, as there are some holes in his swing. He loves to hit and does have a solid approach at the plate, something he’ll have to continue to refine at the next level.

While Casas is more agile than one might think — he plays third base at American Heritage, possesses a fastball on the mound that can reach 92 mph, and has worked hard to tone his body — he likely profiles as solely a first baseman in the future. How much a team believes Casas will hit determine his Draft status and if he is taken early enough to walk away from a commitment to the University of Miami.

And the best part about him is that he’s already taking shots at Pablo Sandoval.

I love this kid!