BOSTON - The Red Sox have a top 10 draft pick for the second time in three seasons, but drafting early hasn't been a strong suit of the team over the last decade.

Of the 12 players on the Red Sox 40-man roster who were drafted by Boston, the only two first-rounders are righthander Matt Barnes (2011) and catcher Blake Swihart (2011).

The Red Sox have the No. 7 pick in this year's draft, which begins next Monday. They've been linked to a handful of pitchers and positions players including LSU shortstop Alex Bregman and Arkansas outfielder Andrew Benintendi.

An early pick could result in a franchise-type player and Boston's pick this season is even more important given the team won't draft again until the third round. By signing free agents Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, the Red Sox forfeited a second round and Competitive Balance Round B pick.

Given the importance of next week's first pick, it's worth a look at where past Red Sox first rounders stand. (Note: This list consists of true first-rounders and does not include supplemental first-rounders.):

Last 10 MLB Drafts:

2014: SS Michael Chavis; RHP Michael Kopech

Though early in their careers, both Chavis and Kopech have excelled.

Kopech has been tearing up Single-A Greenville in his first professional season. He has a 2.76 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 11 walks in 32 2/3 innings over eight starts.

Chavis is currently hitting .205 with a .261 OBP, but has a .638 OPS thanks to 10 doubles and five homers in 38 games.

2013: LHP Trey Ball

The last No. 7 pick the Red Sox had, Ball has struggled through his first three professional seasons with a combined 4.85 ERA in 36 starts. He's currently at High-A Salem with a 4.98 ERA through nine starts.

2012: SS Deven Marrero

Currently at Triple-A Pawtucket, Marrero has the potential to break through to the majors, but hasn't shown enough to break through. Plus, there's a logjam for him in the infield with Dustin Pedroia at second and Xander Bogaerts at short. He's hitting .241 with a .305 OBP and .653 OPS in Pawtucket.

2011: RHP Matt Barnes; C Blake Swihart

This duo remains the only two first-rounders on the major-league roster.

Barnes made his debut in Boston last September and has earned a bullpen spot this spring. He has a 2.03 ERA with 11 strikeouts and five walks in 10 appearances out of the Boston pen.

In one month at the major league level, Swihart has made a relatively smooth transition into a tough role on a struggling team. He's hitting .225 with a .257 OBP and .524 OPS in 21 games.

2010: 3B Kolbin Vitek

Vitek is no longer in professional baseball.

2009: CF Reymond Fuentes

Fuentes was traded along with Casey Kelly and Anthony Rizzo to the San Diego Padres in 2010 for Adrian Gonzalez. He is currently with Kansas City's Triple-A affiliate and has yet to make his major league debut.

2008: RHP Casey Kelly

After the Gonzaelz trade, Kelly rose through the Padres minor leagues. He is currently with their Triple-A affiliate and has yet to make his major league debut.

(Ed. note: Kelly and Fuentes both briefly debuted with the Padres in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Kelly made six starts in 2012; Fuentes appeared in 23 games in 2013. Both are currently in Triple-A.)

2007: None

2006: OF Jason Place; RHP Daniel Bard

Place is no longer in professional baseball after six seasons in the minors.

Bard's story and struggles have been well-documented after his dominant seasons as a reliever in Boston from 2009-11. Since signing a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs this offseason, Bard has been in Cubs' extended spring training in Arizona.

2005: OF Jacoby Ellsbury; RHP Craig Hansen

Ellsbury is the most productive first-rounder the team has drafted in the last decade. Of course, he's no longer with the team having signed with New York Yankees before the 2014 season.

Hansen pitched in Boston over parts of three seasons from 2005-08 before being traded to Pittsburgh as part of the three-team trade in 2008 that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hansen is no longer in professional baseball.

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The jury is still out on Kopech, Chavis and Ball and even Marrero, Barnes and Swihart. They are progressing through the early stages of their careers. None of them have had meteoric rises to the majors like the Cubs' Kris Bryant, but they could each evolve into reliable everyday players.

The other seven, however, tell a story of Boston's miss-more-than-hit approach when drafting in the first round. Ellsbury is the exception and Bard, for a time, was, too.

To his credit, Ben Cherington only became general manager in 2011. But he did have a heavy hand in each of those drafts as part of the Red Sox front office since December 2005.

The Red Sox have had some key additions in later rounds like Christian Vazquez (2008; ninth round), Mookie Betts (2011; fifth round). First-rounders are not the end all be all, but the best chance for a team to acquire top-line talent.

For all that goes into scouting and the draft process, the projections and predictions can be arbitrary until a player actually reaches professional baseball. The Red Sox are not alone in missed opportunities with drafting.

This is all to say the Red Sox could be better drafting in the first round. Cherington has had a rough season so far with Sandoval and Ramirez not producing as expected. The loss of the draft picks for their signings looks even worse now.

This draft could be a chance for Cherington to rebound, but of course the fruits of that labor likely won't be seen for a few seasons.

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