The Red Sox took two hard-throwing pitchers from the SEC ranks at the top of their 2025 draft class
. Their third pick was a position player.
Boston selected University of Virginia second baseman Henry Godbout with the No. 75 overall pick, which was compensation for the Padres signing right-hander Nick Pivetta over the winter. Godbout joins right-handers Kyson Witherspoon and Marcus Phillips as Red Sox draftees.
The recommended slot value at Godbout’s pick is $1,093,800. Godbout was teammates at UVa with former Red Sox first-rounder Kyle Teel in 2023.
Godbout, a New York City native who attended high school at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, played three years in Charlottesville. In 50 games this spring, the 21-year-old hit .309 with eight homers, 10 doubles, 37 RBIs and an .895 OPS. He had a standout sophomore year (1.117 OPS) in 2024, then played for Harwich in the Cape Cod League.
Godbout is the No. 72 prospect in this year’s draft, according to
MLB Pipeline
. Here’s their scouting report:
“The University of Virginia has consistently produced solid hitters who end up in the big leagues, most recently Jake McCarthy and Zack Gelof, and in 2024, Griff O’Ferrall and Ethan Anderson went in the top two rounds. The 2025 class has another pair of Cavaliers who could go in the same range in Henry Ford and Godbout, an infielder coming off a sophomore season that saw him finish with an OPS of 1.117 and earn second-team All-American honors from Baseball America.
“In many ways, Godbout is the prototypical Virginia hitter, a solid all-around baseball player with tools that play up thanks to a high baseball IQ. He makes consistent hard contact from the right side of the plate and doesn’t chase or swing-and-miss much (14 percent miss rate in 2024). He could end up with better than average power when all is said and done, with most of it coming right now to his pull side. Godbout appeared to have added some strength this fall, but looked a little stiffer as a result. He’s a fringy runner and that might be trending in the wrong direction with that added bulk.
“There was some hope Godbout would get time at shortstop this coming season; not that he’d be able to play there long-term but so scouts could see how athletic he could be, and he did play a few games at the premium position during his brief Cape Cod League stint. But he’s played second base almost exclusively and that added physicality has hampered his range at the keystone, making it unclear where he might profile best defensively long term.”
