Why the Red Sox Should Be Inspired by "Explosive Athleticism" of Nazzan Zanetello

Before the start of the 2024 season, NESN.com is evaluating several noteworthy prospects in the Boston Red Sox organization, using insight and analysis from industry experts to gauge each player’s outlook for the upcoming campaign. Next up: Nazzan Zanetello.

The Red Sox drew strong reviews for landing Kyle Teel with their first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

But don’t sleep on their second rounder.

Nazzan Zanetello, the 50th overall selection last July, is an intriguing prospect in his own right and certainly has the potential to make noise in the Red Sox farm system over the next several years.

So, what exactly stands out about the 18-year-old? Here’s everything you need to know about Zanetello ahead of the 2024 season.

Background
Zanetello already has a Boston connection: He played basketball for Jayson Tatum’s father, Justin, at Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis.

Random? Sure. But a nice perk should Zanetello ultimately reach the majors with the Red Sox. The Celtics star is beloved in Boston.

“Justin was my basketball coach. He actually texted me this morning and said, ‘I’ll hook you up with Jayson. He’ll take care of you,’ ” Zanetello told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier after being drafted. “That was sick.”

Zanetello’s multisport prowess speaks to his athleticism, which was a significant factor in the Red Sox’s decision to pick him despite taking a high-school shortstop in the first round of each of the previous two drafts (Marcelo Mayer in 2021 and Mikey Romero in 2022).

Zanetello was named MVP of the MLB Breakthrough Series in 2022, a testament to both his talent and his makeup.

“This award means a lot to me, because this week at the Breakthrough Series we talked a lot about playing the (Jackie) Robinson way,” Zanetello said. “If you look around the walls in the building, there’s a lot of keywords: excellence, teamwork, integrity, courageousness. That means I represented all of that, so that means a lot that they noticed that.”

Zanetello decommitted from Miami and later committed to play baseball at Arkansas. He never suited up for the Razorbacks, though, as he signed an over-slot bonus with Boston upon being drafted in 2023.