Red Sox No. 50 overall draft pick ‘just can’t hit,’ says MLB Insider

The Boston Red Sox may not have used their second-round draft pick in 2023.

Boston selected talented teenage shortstop Nazzan Zanatello with the 50th overall pick in the 2023 draft, but Zanatello’s struggles with the Salem Red Sox in Single-A this season have left some doubting his potential.

The Athletic’s Keith Law published his notes on the Red Sox prospects on Tuesday, and Law didn’t mince his words when assessing Zanatello’s disappointing performances this season.

“On Wednesday, Nazzan Zanetello played second base for Salem, and Boston’s 2023 second-round draft pick was… bad, but that’s not a huge surprise for a guy who’s slashed .159/.279/.285 in 72 games this year,” Law said.

“He’s only 19, and he’s another example of a short-season player who had to go to Low-A because MLB eliminated that level of play, but right now he just can’t hit and is a long way from improving.”

Last season, Zanatello had a .158 average in 14 games, 13 of which came with the Florida Complex League Red Sox.

The question circulating in Boston’s front office about Zanatello is whether he can turn things around as he matures. There have certainly been stranger things in the history of player development.

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