The Boston Red Sox selected Arizona baseball commit Nick Yorke with the 17th pick of the first round in a surprising move.
Yorke, an infielder from Archbishop Mitty, now faces a tough decision between honoring his commitment with the Wildcats or joining the Red Sox. The signing bonus slot value for the No. 17 pick is $3.6 million.
Boston’s selection of Yorke drew immediate skepticism as the Bay Area native wasn’t expected to be drafted until the later rounds. MLB Pipeline listed Yorke as the No. 139 prospect.
Arizona coach Jay Johnson faces an uphill to keep Yorke in the program.