Red Sox select Justin Riemer with second fourth-round compensation pick

With the 133rd overall pick in the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Red Sox selected Justin Riemer (pictured, right), a shortstop out of Wright State (OH). Riemer is unranked in the draft class by MLB Pipeline and ranked 137th by Perfect Game USA.

The 21-year-old just finished up his second season with Wright State after being lightly recruited coming out of high school in Virginia. Since arriving on campus, his name has popped up in draft discussions after showcasing fantastic contact skills, hitting .329 in his first season in 2022 and following it up this year with a .323/.563/.645 slash line in a limited 12 games in 2023. While that slugging percentage might lead you to believe there is power in his game, it is fueled almost exclusively by his high average and OPS, totaling only five home runs and 14 doubles at Wright State. However, his plate discipline was outstanding in college with 46 walks to only 14 strikeouts, granted while playing against mid-major competition. 

The redshirt sophomore has seen time at both second base and shortstop for Wright State but was announced as a shortstop. Time will tell where he winds up as a professional but Riemer has said he enjoys both middle infield positions. Slot value for the 133rd overall pick is $487,800 and with his selection, the Red Sox hope to bring yet another talented, contact-oriented middle infielder into the system.