Northwestern third baseman Alex Erro drafted by Boston Red Sox in 17th round

Junior third baseman Alex Erro was selected by the Boston Red Sox as the final pick in the 17th round of the MLB Draft on Wednesday.

Erro’s selection comes as a bit of a surprise given he didn’t appear to be on any draft prospect radars, but there’s no denying that the junior had a breakout campaign this past season.

He started 50 out of 51 games for Northwestern, hitting .322 with 34 RBIs and four home runs. His average and total RBIs were each second-highest on the team behind only senior shortstop Jack Dunn. His defensive versatility is significant as well, as after playing his first two seasons primarily at second base, Erro shifted to the hot corner for the first time in 2019.

With this selection, Erro becomes the second Wildcat to be drafted in 2019, joining fellow junior Nick Paciorek, who was drafted by the New York Yankees in the seventh round on Tuesday as a reliever.

Erro’s selection makes him the first Northwestern position player to be drafted since 2011 (Chris Lashmet), and the highest such selection since 2009 (13th-rounder Jake Goebbert). It marks the first time that the Wildcats have had two players selected in the first 20 rounds since 2006.

The Miami, Fla. native is currently slated to play summer ball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in the wood bat Cape Cod Baseball League — largely considered to be the premier summer league for college players.

His status as a 17th-rounder makes it a serious question as to whether he will forego his last year of eligibility and sign with Boston. We will keep you updated on his decision.