The Boston Red Sox continued their quest for power by drafting high school slugger Triston Casas in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft Monday night. He was the 26th overall draft pick.

Casas, 18, is a 6-foot-4, 238-pound left-handed power hitter. He throws right and played third base for American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida, and can also play first base.

He was one of two Red Sox draft picks Monday. In the second round, Boston chose high school outfielder Nick Decker, with the 64th overall pick.

The rest of the 40-round draft will take place over Tuesday and Wednesday.

The overall No. 1 pick belonged to the Detroit Tigers and they chose Auburn University right-handed pitcher Casey Mize. Nearly every mock draft had Mize going No. 1. With pinpoint control (151 strikeouts and only 12 walks) and a plus-splitter, Mize could be in the majors soon.

San Francisco picked Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart with the second pick.

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Casas has a scholarship waiting at the University of Miami. But don’t look for Casas to use that as leverage in negotiations.

“I’m not going to lie. I love the city of Boston,” he said in a conference call after his selection. “I like this fit. It’s going to be hard to turn down.

“It’s kind of evident I want to play baseball for a living, and the quicker the better.”

The assigned value of the 26th pick, as determined by MLB, is $2,552,800. Boston and Casas can negotiate a higher or lower signing bonus.

Casas played for the U.S. National 18-under team and was MVP in the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Cup.

Known for his power, “the only question is whether he’ll make enough contact to tap into that power consistently,” according to a scouting report on mlb.com.

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One of Casas’ strengths is hitting to the opposite field – which could have Casas taking advantage of the Fenway Park Green Monster.

“I feel like the park fits my swing well,” said Casas who went through a pre-draft workout at Fenway.

“I’ve kind of had that ability (to hit the other way) since a young age. It was preached to me to hit to all fields, to become a complete hitter and let the power come.

The second-round pick, Decker, is also considered a left-handed power hitter. Decker, 18, played for Seneca High in New Jersey. He has a scholarship with the University of Maryland.

The draft began with five college players selected. After Mize and Bart, the Phillies picked Wichita State third baseman Alec Bohm, followed by the White Sox taking Oregon State middle infielder Nick Madrigal, and the Reds drafting University of Florida Jonathan India.

The first high school player drafted was outfielder Jarred Kelenic of Waukesha West High in Wisconsin, taken sixth by the Mets.

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Oakland picked ninth and chose Oklahoma outfielder Kyler Murray – who is also expected to be the Sooners’ starting quarterback this fall, replacing Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield.

The Yankees drafted one of the top high school prospects, catcher Anthony Siegler of Cartersville High in Georgia, at No. 23.

Casas may have the most power of any of the high school prospects. If he signs with Boston, he adds depth to the corner infield position – behind third baseman Rafael Devers (in Boston), and first basemen Sam Travis (Pawtucket) and Josh Ockimey (Portland).

This draft was considered important for the Red Sox. Not only was the 2018 field considered one of the deepest in years, but Boston’s farm system has been thinned recently after players were promoted (including Andrew Benintendi and Devers) and other top prospects were traded (including infielder Yoan Moncada, pitcher Michael Kopech and outfielder Manuel Margot).


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