Red Sox Draft TCU Closer Durbin Feltman, Who Has Chance To Make Big Leagues This Season
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's always dangerous to place lofty expectations on the shoulders of any young player who gets drafted by a professional team, but the newest member of the Red Sox organization appears to be willing to accept a challenge.
Durbin Feltman, whom the Red Sox selected with the 100th overall pick (third round) of this week's MLB draft, already has some believing he could make the big leagues as soon as this season. And Feltman does not seem inclined to shy away from such talk.
"Everybody wants to make it to the big leagues as fast as possible. I feel like I have a pretty good shot at it," Feltman said, according to The Boston Globe's Alex Speier. "If the Red Sox decide to push me up and challenge me, I'm always ready for the challenge."
Though the Red Sox are likely not banking on a 2018 draft pick to help their 2018 World Series push, Feltman has a chance.
The 21-year-old just finished up his junior season at Texas Christian University, where he recorded a 0.74 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched while picking up six saves. He struck out 43 batters in that time, posting a 0.740 WHIP. With his high 90s fastball and effective slider, opponents batted just .143 against him.
Feltman was named to the First-team Academic All-Big 12 and was an Honorable Mention for All-Big 12 Conference in 2017, his sophomore season. This year he made the All-Big 12 First Team.
As for the potential to make an impact in the majors this season, Feltman's college pitching coach supports the idea.
"You hate to put something on a kid before he's even thrown a professional pitch, but if he just does what he did here for three years, that's going to play in any league — I don't care what league it is. I could see him helping out the Red Sox in the bullpen this year, for sure," TCU pitching coach Kirk Saarloos told Speier. "His stuff will definitely play in the big leagues."
