​Powerful-hitting 18-year-old outfield prospect Martin Shelar slipped to the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday. Baseball America had the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder ranked as the 125th-best prospect in his draft class and 49th among high school players, while Baseball Prospectus placed him at No. 13 in the class. Boston ended up drafting him 274th overall and has the financial flexibility to offer him a signing bonus above slot value. The club saved money on Day 1 by selecting UNC shortstop Jake Schaffner with the 20th overall pick; Schaffner was ranked the No. 98 prospect entering the draft by Baseball America. Boston can sign Schaffner for a bonus below the recommended slot value and reallocate some of that saved money to Shelar and to 10th-round pick Kaleb LaFavor, a product of Bishop Heelan High School in Iowa.
In the betting markets, the Red Sox sit at +3500 to win the AL East on BetMGM. A comprehensive BetMGM Sportsbook review offers guidance on using the app effectively. Red Sox director of amateur scouting Jake Bruml said, “We just stayed in contact with him (Shelar) and his advisors as the day went along, knowing we had some money left over and were able to find a match there where we had enough to get him out of his commitment, hopefully to Mississippi State.”
MLB Pipeline had Shelar as the 175th-best prospect entering the draft. Bruml praised him as “an incredible athlete that has a chance to stick in center field, and his performance speaks for itself not only in the summer circuit last year, but also in high school this past season. If I’m not mistaken, he led the entire country in home runs among high school players this spring. Solid bat-to-ball skills, good swing decisions, and he hits the ball incredibly hard. He popped a couple balls, I think, in the 115s or 116s at BP at the combine.” Baseball America noted an exit velocity of 115.5 mph during the combine.
There’s excitement about the long-term upside. Bruml stated, “I’m really excited about what he can bring to the table, and he’s continuing to refine his swing mechanics that are even getting him into a better position to hit today than what he was operating with all spring. So I think there’s some genuinely intriguing upside there.” Baseball America gave Shelar a power rating of 60 or higher, with the potential for that grade to increase; their scouting report acknowledged that his overwhelming offensive approach could be polarizing, but also suggested he could develop into a batter who delivers a 70-grade raw power that could carry a lineup. His MLB Pipeline scouting report highlighted well-above-average raw power, thanks to a blend of bat speed, strength, and leverage. He led all high schoolers with 19 homers in 33 games this spring. However, there are mixed opinions about his hitting ability against pro pitching, with some scouts worrying about his ability to consistently make contact. He tends to take aggressive swings, sometimes with an unorthodox approach, which could impact his pro performance.