Red Sox take Lindstrom with first draft pick
June 6, 2004
The Boston Red Sox have picked the grandson of a Hall-of-Famer with its first selection in this year's amateur draft.
The Beantowners took Freddie Lindstrom, a 20-year-old second baseman, with the second overall pick. Lindstrom's grandfather was a second baseman, third baseman and outfielder with the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers from 1924-36. Lindstrom was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976.
Boston's pick will likely begin his career in AA Portland, GM Theo Epstein said. Some believe he could play AAA right away, but Epstein said he wants to take things "slow and steady" with his potential star.
Here are some comments Boston scouts have made about Lindstrom. He gets a 4 1/2 star rating. He's listed as the 73rd best prospect in the league's top 100 list of all young players in the pros.
"Freddie may be one of the top second baseman for years to come," said Red Sox scouting director Doug Cotney. "He has the tools -- and the attitude -- to develop into a star..."
LF George Echebarria was the first overall selection in the draft. He was taken by Baltimore. He's 19 and listed as a 5 star guy. "Write it down -- he will be a star in the future. He's a HUGE prospect," Cotney said. "We were debating between Freddie and George, but we saw a greater need in the infield."
Other Boston selections in the 10-round draft included:
2) P David Guo - 22 years old, 4.5 stars, reliever, "very live arm"
3) P Christopher Taylor - 19 years old, 4.5 stars, "outstanding reliever"
4) C Julian Houck - 19 years old, 3.5 stars, "quality prospect"
5) 2B Ruben Bohnert - 21 years old, 3 stars, "above average talent"
6) SS Thomas Agar - 22 years old, 3 stars, "very good defensively"
7) CF Diego Elizalde - 24 years old, 2.5 stars, "should be a quality CF... raw"
8) P Tony Diaz - 19 years old, 3.5 stars, "tremendous talent and poise"
9) CF John Aguilar - 19 years old, 2.5 stars, "average CF"
10) RF Carlos Velazquez - 19 years old, 2 stars, "won't be a star but should be consistent"
The last pick in the entire draft was
C Lawrence Walker, taken by the Giants... "He looks like the perfect candidate for a career in the minor leagues," Cotney said.
So naturally, the Giants have him at AAA already... for real...
