Red Sox Predicted to Replace Jarren Duran With 68 Home Run Slugger Jace LaViolette originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Boston Red Sox are seemingly embracing a youth movement, which might not be the worst idea.
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However, for the Red Sox to continue doing that, they need to hit the draft out of the park. The Red Sox hold the 15th overall pick in this upcoming draft, giving them an opportunity to add another young star.
Looking at options for the Red Sox to select, The Athletic recently predicted they’d take Jace LaViolette, a left-handed hitting slugger out of Texas A&M.
“This is more of a bet on the Red Sox taking a player who was generally considered among the top bats in the class coming into the spring but who had a rough spring than any specific tie between the two. The Red Sox went very college-heavy last year, taking just one high school player in the top 10 rounds and only one more after that. I could also see them on Gavin Kilen or Ike Irish,” Keith Law wrote.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) reacts after striking out against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning at Fenway Park.Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
LaViolette is widely considered one of the top college prospects in the nation, and for good reason. All he did during his time in the SEC at Texas A&M was swing the bat at a high level, evident by his 68 home runs.
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If he falls to the 15th pick, there’s reason to believe the Red Sox would be very interested in taking him.
With the possibility of trading Jarren Duran following recent rumors, selecting someone who could replace him much quicker than a high school bat makes sense.
It remains uncertain if the Red Sox want to find an immediate contributor, but LaViolette could be just that.
Related: Red Sox’s Craig Breslow Talks Culture Shift Following Rafael Devers Trade
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.