The Noah Song story is a complicated one.
The Red Sox' fourth-round pick from last June left a tremendously positive impression on his new organization during a two-plus-month stint with Single-A Lowell. Considering he was one of four finalists for the Golden Spikes Award (best collegiate baseball player) in 2019, such a performance from the Naval Academy grad shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise.
"The expectation was high, but seeing him ... I'll never forget seeing him throw his first bullpen in Batavia," Spinners pitching coach Nick Green said on the Bradfo Sho. "I was like, 'Wow!' It wasn't just the velo. It was the command, everything. From Day 1 he got my attention and from that point on it's been great to watch him."
But there has been that caveat.
There are no guarantees Song will be able to play professional baseball in the coming years due to his military commitment. In fact, after the righty finishes his current stint with Team USA at the Premier 12 Tournament (an Olympic qualifier) he is slated to report to flight school in Pensacola, Fla.