C-1B Kole Cottam, 4th round (130th overall) - Boston Red Sox - Signed - $375,000

With their fourth round (130th overall) pick, the Boston Red Sox have selected C-1B Kole Cottam.

Slot money $417,800.

Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn. 

Canadian Roots: Father, Jeff, was born in Burlington, Ont.

Bats/Throws: R-R

Height/Weight: 6’ 3” 225 lbs. 

Team: University of Kentucky

Coaches: Nick Mingione.

Past Teams: Knoxville Catholic High School.

Past Coaches: Scott Pickler, Matt Passauer, Adam Sullivan.

Good genes: Younger brother, Kyle, is a golfer at Clemson … Father Jeff, from Burlington, Ont., played baseball and handball for Memphis and mom Kori played basketball for Memphis ... Uncle, Danny Cottam, played baseball at Memphis.

Twitter Handle: @kole_cotton13

Slot Money: $417,800

Signing bonus: $375,000.

Scout: John Pyle

Number: Wears No. 13 because he has had 13 surgeries on his right eye due to a congenital melanocytic nevus, a type of mole that's considered a birthmark that occurs in an estimated 1% of infants worldwide.

Scouting Report

Perfect Game

Cottam split time behind the plate and at first base this season and was one of Kentucky’s best and most consistent hitters. He slashed .352/.438/.667 with 12 doubles, 19 home runs and 50 RBI. He’s a very strong, physical catcher who has a chance to play the position long-term, and his righthanded raw power is an added bonus to the profile.

2018 season, junior at Kentucky: Batting .352 with 12 doubles, 19 homers and 50 RBIs ... Had 1.105 OPS in 56 games ... Had team-high 25 multi-hit games and 17 multi-RBI games ... Three hits, including a double, a homer and two RBIs against Auburn in SEC conference tourney ... 3-for-5 with a double, home run and two RBIs, including a two-out, two-strike game-tying double in the ninth in extra-inning loss to Auburn ... 2-for-3 with a solo homer against Vanderbilt ... Single facing Vandy ... Double, homer, plus two RBIs vs. Murray State ... Three hits, including a double and an RBI against Mississippi State ... Doubled against Indiana ... Homer, single, two RBIs facing Tennessee ... Singled in a run against Vols and did the same in the next game ... Had a three-hit night with a double, a homer and five RBIs facing Missouri ... Three hits in other two Missouri games ... 2-for-2 with RBI against Morehead State ... Four hits in Florida series with a double, homer and two RBIs ... Four hits in Georgia  series with a homer and three RBIs ... Two singles facing Western Carolina ... Three hits, including a double, against South Carolina ... Singled against Louisville ... Eight hits in Alabama, including a double, two homers and knocking in three runs ... Single against Miami ... Three hits in three-game set facing Auburn with a homer and two RBIs ... Went 3-for-4 with two solo homers ... Three hits against Arkansas with two homers and three RBIs ... Double and homer against Texas Tech ... Single facing Northern Kentucky ... Two hits, including a two-run homer against Eastern Kentucky ... Double against Sam Houston State ... Single, homer two RBIs against Houston ... Single facing Western Kentucky ... Seven hits, including a double, homer and five RBIs ... Two hits and four RBIs in two-game series against USC Upstate ... Two hits, including a homer in opener against Wofford.

Summer of 2017 in Cape Cod: Appeared in 20 games with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox ... Hit .277 with a double, home run, six runs scored and five RBIs …Was off to a hot start before a minor wrist injury ended his summer early.

2017 sophomore season at Kentucky: Appeared in 55 games, starting 50, 32 games as the DH and 18 at catcher ... Batted .319 with 12 doubles, one triple and seven home runs, plus 44 RBIs while scoring 34 times Posted a .505 slugging percentage as part of his .885 OPS ... Hit .324 in SEC play with eight extra-base hits and 19 RBIs ... Had 20 multi-hit games, including five three-hit efforts, as well as 11 multi-RBI games ... Had a career-long 11-game hitting streak ... Knocked in a career-high four runs at Mississippi State … Homered, doubled, scored three runs and knocked in three in a series-clinching win over LSU … Went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs in a 12-4 win at Florida … In three elimination games in the NCAA Lexington Regional, went 5-for-11 with a double, triple, home run, four runs and six RBIs … Had go-ahead two-run double against NC State to push Cats to first-ever Super Regional … Threw out 50% of base runners attempting to steal.

Honours

2018 Honours: Earned first team SEC honours ... Semi-finalist for Dick Howser watch list ... Earned Academic All-District First Team by the College Sports Information Directors, maintaining a 3.56 GA

2017 Honours: SEC Academic Honor Roll

2016 Honours: SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll

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