Boston Red Sox Get Creative in Signing 2026 Draft Class

· Yahoo Sports

BOSTON -- Just four days after the conclusion of the 2026 MLB Draft, the Boston Red Sox have agreed to terms with nearly all of their top selections, including each of their first three selections, Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull, and Jace Mataczynski. 

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About Jake Schaffner

The Red Sox went off the beaten path for their first pick, selecting UNC infielder Jake Schaffner with the 20th overall pick in Saturday's first round. Despite being selected in the first round, Schaffner was a reach for the Red Sox, as MLB Pipeline ranked him as the No. 75 player available in the draft. At the time of his selection, many expected Schaffner to sign an underslot deal with the Red Sox in order to spend the money elsewhere in the draft. 

Those predictions were proven true on Friday as, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, Schaffner agreed to sign with the Red Sox for just $2 million, more than $2 million cheaper than the $4.37 million slot value associated with the No. 20 pick. According to Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com, Schaffner's deal is the largest discount of any player selected from pick 11 through the end of the first round since 2017. 

About Hull

After forfeiting their second-round pick thanks to signing All-Star starter Ranger Suarez, the Red Sox were not on the clock again until the No. 67 pick, which was acquired in the offseason deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that sent pitcher Kyle Harrison to Milwaukee in exchange for Caleb Durbin. With the 67th overall pick, Boston went back to Chapel Hill, selecting Schaffner's teammate, outfielder Owen Hull. 

Hull, like Schaffner, spent only one season at North Carolina after transferring from the Atlantic 10's George Mason. In 69 games for the Tar Heels, the 21-year-old lefty hit .393/.500/.615/1.115 with nine home runs and 27 doubles. According to MLB Pipeline, he was the 67th-ranked player available in the draft. 

Like his former roommate, Hull signed an underslot deal, with Speier reporting that the outfielder agreed to a $1.2 million signing bonus, just under the $1.3 million mark associated with the pick. 

Who did the Red Sox use their savings on?

Boston used their third selection, No. 96 overall, on 18-year-old shortstop Jace Mataczynski, who had committed to attend Auburn University in the fall. Mataczynski is seen as a potential 20/20 player who could stick at shortstop, with MLB Pipeline giving him a 50-grade power to pair with 60-grade speed, fielding, and arm. The 6-foot-4 youngster was ranked as the 131st best player by Pipeline. 

According to Speier, Mataczynski will forgo his commitment to Auburn, instead signing with the Red Sox for $2 million, a $1.2 million jump from the $816,000 slot value that comes with the 96th overall pick. 

In addition to signing Mataczynski, the Red Sox used the bonus pool money they saved on Schaffner and Hull to sign a pair of high-ceiling high schoolers in ninth-round pick outfielder Martin Shelar, and 10th-round pick, pitcher Kaleb LaFavor. 

The 18-year-old Shelar hit .500 with 19 home runs in his senior year for Marist High School in Georgia, earning a first-round grade from Baseball Prospectus. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, Shelar received a $1.5 million bonus to forego his commitment to Mississippi State, a massive increase from the $205,000 slot value of the 274th overall pick. 

LeFavor was selected with the 304th overall pick out of Bishop Heelan High School in Iowa. The 6-foot-7 right-hander has a build and delivery that, according to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis, resemble those of Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski. According to Speier, LeFavor will receive an $850,000 signing bonus to forego his commitment to Iowa, a more than $650,000 jump from the $194,00 slot value of the pick. 

Schaffner, Hull, Mataczynski, Shelar, and LeFavor, along with the rest of Boston's signed draftees, will report to the Red Sox facilities in Ft. Myers before potentially being assigned to an affiliate for the remainder of the minor league season. 

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