With Rule 5 Draft looming, Red Sox pitcher AJ Politi expresses desire to play at Fenway Park
On November 15th, the day when teams set their 40-man roster, the Boston Red Sox had to make many tough decisions regarding the futures of multiple prospects in their system. The organization had to choose whether to protect a player that has played for five seasons by adding them to their 40-man roster or keep them unprotected, which would allow other teams to select them in the Rule-5 Draft on December 7th.
One of those tough decisions the team had to make included not protecting relief pitcher A.J. Politi, who was one of the most effective bullpen arms in the Red Sox system. Politi is going into his age-27 season and is on the older side of what most consider a “prospect,” but he managed to finish the 2022 season with a 2.34 ERA over 69.1 innings in Portland (Double-A) and Worcester (Triple-A).
Politi was drafted by the Red Sox in the 2018 MLB Draft during the 15th round with the 460 overall pick and could be pitching for another organization if chosen in this upcoming Rule-5 Draft. The Red Sox are the only organization Politi has played in and he expressed his enjoyment suiting up for the organization over these last 4 seasons on the Locked On Red Sox podcast, “I loved every part about being with the Red Sox. I think it’s a first-class organization. It’s been like a family for me.”
Politi expressed that he has a strong desire to play at Fenway Park and that the possibility of playing there is one of the biggest things that excited him when drafted by Boston in 2018. Politi first saw the historic park when he was playing in Double-A for the Portland Sea Dogs and his host family took him to a Red Sox game when the Sea Dogs were playing in New Hampshire. “I remember sitting at Fenway, I was like, ‘This is the place to play. This is the dream.’”
With Politi’s ultimate dream this next season to play in the big leagues, he said Fenway Park is the place he’d want to play. He went on to say, There’s no place like Fenway. I told myself the day I visited, ‘if I'm going to play professional baseball, this is the park I want to play in every day.’”
The Seton Hall alum could have the opportunity to make that a reality in 2023, but only if he doesn’t get in this week’s Rule-5 draft.
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