Florida center fielder Jud Fabian‘s wait finally came to an end, as he was selected by the Boston Red Sox with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the 2021 MLB draft on Monday. Many projected Fabian to be a first-round pick, but he went unselected in the first 36 picks on Sunday night.
The No. 13 high school recruit in the nation back in 2019, according to Perfect Game, Fabian entered his “COVID” sophomore season in 2021 as a potential No. 1 overall pick.
He was productive in his 59 starts, leading the team in home runs with 20. That mark was tied for second-best in the SEC and ninth-best nationally. He also notched 10 doubles and 46 RBI.
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But Fabian was inconsistent at the plate. He only managed a .249 average, and he struck out 79 times, 25 more than anyone else on the entire team. Still, Fabian is an elite defensive player, finishing with a .971 fielding percentage in 2021.
His slide past the first round could have something to do with a report from D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers, which indicated that Fabian was looking for a hefty signing bonus and would be content with returning to Florida if he doesn’t get what he’s looking for.
With his selection at No. 40, Fabian is slotted to make $1.86 million at signing. But given the fact that he was projected to be selected higher and could leverage a potential return to Florida, he will likely ask for more than the slotted amount.
How that negotiation process progresses with the Red Sox will likely determine whether Fabian will sign or return to school in 2022, but with his early-round selection, it’s very possible his time in the Orange and Blue has come to an end.
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