BOSTON - Mock Drafts are popping up, and while these are useful it’s always fun to look back on previous predictions. Last year two of these (ESPN & Perfect Game) had Boston taking Keston Hiura at 24, but he ended up being taken 9th by Milwaukee. Not going to get sucked in by that again.

ESPN

1 (26) Boston Red Sox : SS Brice Turang (Santiago HS, CA)

Turang is a premium defensive shortstop with power but a questionable hit tool; a team taking him in the first round is likely hoping to work with his swing to get that power to play more in games. I think Boston will go for some upside with this pick, depending on who falls this far, but is unlikely to take a prep pitcher. - Keith Law

I feel like this is a Hiura situation, and I’ll be really surprised if Turang is available. I see him coming up a lot as Boston’s potential selection, but something tells me someone in our draft is going to take him well before I have a chance. I also feel like he would obliterate my my bonus pool at 26.

Perfect Game

1 (26) Boston Red Sox : OF Connor Scott (Plant HS, FL)

Scott is an excellent athlete with plus speed and a chance to hit for plus power at maturity. The Florida commit has a loose swing with good lift and has ridden a loud spring to first round consideration. Boston can afford to take their time refining his defense and approach with an eye towards growing an impact power/speed center fielder. - NF (Not sure who this was written by).

Goes against all of the real Red Sox tendencies, and some of the comps I’m seeing (Kyle Tucker, Christian Yelich) actually have the opposite effect on me. When I hear someone is the next Mike Trout (or whoever) I tend to jump right to "He’s not Mike Trout…" in order to temper my expectations. The other issue is that I see comments about how he’s one of if not the top prep position player with 5-tool upside, which means he’ll be long gone by 26. I’m filing him in my Hiura Zone.

CBS

1 (26) Boston Red Sox : RHP Mason Denaburg (Merritt Island HS, FL)

When picking late in the first round, the Red Sox tend to be opportunistic and grab whichever highly regarded player falls into their laps. Hankins and Turang are possibilities here, though since they're off the board in our mock draft, Denaburg is the guy. He was climbing draft boards earlier this spring before coming down with a biceps issue. When healthy, he showed a mid-90s fastball and wipeout breaking ball, and there's some belief Denaburg has more to give once he focuses on pitching full-time. He currently splits his time between pitcher, catcher, and the outfield, and he plays football as well. - Mike Axisa

Definitely a more realistic prep arm, he seems to be ranked around where I’m picking and it wouldn’t take much for a few teams to pass over him. He’s on my radar, but at this point I’m not that focused on him. He’s also coming off an injury, so there is some high-risk high-upside to him that could push him down the draft.

MLB

1 (26) Boston Red Sox : 1B Seth Beer (Clemson)

The Red Sox have alternated between high school and college players in the first round over the last four Drafts and if they were to follow the pattern, they'd go the prep route in 2018. But Beer's power and on-base skills are valued by teams who keep a keen eye on such things. - Johnathan Mayo

Despite that 80-Grade name, Beer has not been on my radar yet. I do have 1B as more of a priority, and as a college player he would (in theory) have an impact sooner. I don’t particularly like that he’s ranked out of the 1st round in most places, and he’s got the mobility of a bag of sand so it’s 1B/DH or nothing.

FanGraphs

1 (26) Boston Red Sox : LHP Ryan Rolison (Ole Miss)

We’ve heard mostly college players going here, and it makes sense for Boston to sit back and pounce on value at this juncture, making either Kowar or Rolison a logical fit if either of them get here. Eierman is another player linked to this pick. - Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel

This makes me feel a little better, more because I’ve been eyeing Eierman. I would like Rolison at this point, but based on what I have seen so far I don’t think he’s going to be available when I select at 26. Total no-brainer if available, but again, doubt he will be.