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Boston Red Sox: Nick Yorke is a mixture of these two rugged All-Stars

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

BOSTON - SEPTEMBER 13: Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox is congratulated by teammate Kevin Youkils #20 after Pedroia hit the game winning home run against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 13, 2009 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Pedroia drove in pinch runner Joey Gathright on the play. The Red Sox defeated the Rays 3-1. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
BOSTON - SEPTEMBER 13: Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox is congratulated by teammate Kevin Youkils #20 after Pedroia hit the game winning home run against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 13, 2009 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Pedroia drove in pinch runner Joey Gathright on the play. The Red Sox defeated the Rays 3-1. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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The Boston Red Sox have fans scratching their heads with the selection of second baseman Nick Yorke with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.

The Boston Red Sox scratched a few heads with their selection of high school second baseman Nick Yorke with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.

Projected to go in the last second-round at the earliest, this selection is being seen as a reach by Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom, but a reach that could end up benefitting the team if he is anything like the former Red Sox player he has drawn comparisons to.

Red Sox Amateur Scouting Director Paul Toboni, who saw Yorke play in five games prior to the COVID-19 shutting down sports, not only labels him as a special kid, he also sees a bit of Kevin Youkilis in him.

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Yes, the three-time All-Star who played a role in the Boston Red Sox winning a couple World Series titles.

"“(Yorke) has got kind of that kind of rugged, advanced hit tool,” Toboni said in a Zoom call with the media, via Masslive.com.  “When I say rugged, that rugged look about him.  He’s a really physical kid.  We think he’s going to get to power.  (Youkilis’) type of offensive profile, but different that he can play in the middle of the field.”"

As a player Toboni also sees playing second base long time, the 6-foot, 200-pound Yorke, who was ranked as the 139th best player in the 2020 MLB Draft, will already have a lot to prove in his road to the big club.

Not only will he have to prove he is worthy of a first-round selection, he also has to live up to that Kevin Youkilis comparison.

While both Toboni and Bloom feel they have selected a gem, Yorke also has confidence in his ability which is the one ingredient he needs to be the type of player Youkilis was and a player in Dustin Pedroia, who he can ultimately replace as the future Boston Red Sox second baseman.

Boston Red Sox first-rounder Nick Yorke talks Dustin Pedroia

Kevin Youkilis comparisons aside, the one player Nick Yorke has watched is Boston Red Sox veteran infielder Dustin Pedroia.

While no one really knows whether Pedroia has played his last game or not, the 18-year-old rookie got to watch the former AL Rookie of the Year and MVP in his prime.  What he loves about Pedroia is how he leaves his all on the field, which is the same type of “blue-collar” work ethic Yorke adds to the team.

"“He was a beast,” Yorke said in speaking to the media.  “I mean, he’s a dirtbag, sliding hard into second base, love getting dirty.  Dirtiest on the field has always been my mind of thing and with the Red Sox, they just kind of let you play so I’m excited for that.”"

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If Nick Yorke has any combination of Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia in him both offensively and on the diamond, the Boston Red Sox will be validated in their 2020 first-round selection.  He could just be a future rugged All-Star and Fenway Park favorite.

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