The Salem Red Sox announced Thursday that former Red Sox infielder Reed Gragnani has been hired in a coaching capacity by the Boston Red Sox and will join the 2017 Salem field staff as a coaching assistant.
Gragnani, 26, is a native Virginian who played his high school baseball at Mills Godwin High School in Henrico, twice earning District Player of the Year and All-Metro honors. In 2009, he was named to the Virginia All-State team, and was also named to the Rawlings/Louisville Slugger All-American squad.
He was drafted by the Red Sox in the 27th round in 2009, but chose to attend the University of Virginia.
He was drafted by the Red Sox in the 27th round in 2009, but chose to attend the University of Virginia.
During his Virginia career, Gragnani posted a career batting average of .311 and struck out only 47 times in 160 games while playing every position except pitcher and catcher for the Cavaliers. In his senior season, he batted .304 with three homers and 49 RBI, while earning First-Team All-ACC honors and a spot on the ACC All-Tournament Team.
The Red Sox selected him again in the 21st round of the 2013 MLB draft, and he signed with them to begin his professional career.
Gragnani debuted in 2013, splitting time between the short-season Lowell Spinners and the Intermediate-A Greenville Drive. He batted .277 with 20 RBI in those 52 games.
He spent the entire 2014 season with Salem, batting a cool .300 with 64 walks to 51 strikeouts while amassing 53 RBI en route to spots on both the mid-season and season-end Carolina League All-Star teams.
The Carolina League named him Player of the Week for the week of April 28 to May 4, 2014, in which he batted .533 (8-of-15) in five games, drew five walks, cracked a double and two triples, scored seven runs, and struck out only once. From April through June, Gragnani hit .328 with 37 RBI and five triples.
In 2015, Gragnani played in 42 games between the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs and the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, batting .224 in his first stint in the high minors.
He played in 31 games in 2016 between Portland, Salem and the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. Of his three career homers, two were hit for the Salem Red Sox, both at Salem Memorial Stadium.
— Courtesy of Salem Red Sox
