Sox pick Marrero hopes to follow Pedroia

Shortstop Deven Merrero, taken by the Red Sox in the first round (No. 24 overall) of the Major League Baseball draft on Monday, said that he hopes to follow the same fast track to Boston that Arizona State predecessor Dustin Pedroia. Like Marrero, Pedroia was taken with the Red Sox' top pick in a draft, and after signing in 2004, he was in the major leagues to stay by the end of the 2006 campaign.

"I met Dustin a couple times. He trains out there at ASU and always comes by to alumni games. I met him a couple times, and it’s just awesome to have him as a guideline. He’s a great guy and a great one to follow," Marrero, 21, said in a conference call. "He’s a unique player. I'd like to put myself in his category and hopefully do what he did. Hopefully everything goes right and I get a chance to do what he did."

Marrero suffered a difficult season as a junior. Arizona State was banned from taking part in postseason play as a result of NCAA rules violations, and the shortstop admitted that he struggled with the reality that he could not compete for a championship. That may have played a part in his offensive struggles, as Marrero hit just .284 with a .340 OBP and .436 slugging mark as a junior.

"This is baseball. Everyone has their year and has their time. At the plate, there were some injuries. For me, it was just keeping my head straight and continue playing and having fun. I learned a lot of things, a lot of team things, and at the end of the day, we had a great season," said Marrero. "My offensive game is I’m a gap-to-gap guy. I felt that this year compared to my last two years, balls just weren’t getting through the infield. Guys were standing where my ball was landing. It’s just one of those things. All I can control is just hitting the ball, and from then on, the ball controls where it lands and all that. It’s just one of those things this year where I was focused, nothing really different happened with my swing. It happened to be I was hitting the ball hard at people. That’s just the way the game goes."

While his Arizona State season ended in some disappointment, as ASU finished two games out of first place in the Pac-12 regular season, Marrero said that he was elated to be taken by the Red Sox. He's become familiar with the New England sports landscape as a result of a couple of stints in the summer Cape League, and expressed excitement at becoming a part of the region's professional sports scene.

"That area up there is unbelievable. They love their sports. They have a great reputation for every sport — NFL, NBA and definitely baseball. It’s a great vibe up there. They all want to win and they want championships. Going up there and getting that feel for that at the Cape was awesome. All the people who come to the Cape games and understand these players here are the future. It was pretty cool," said Marrero. "I’m excited to be drafted by the Red Sox. It’s a great organization, and it’s really an honor."

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