As one of the 18 teams that didn’t qualify for the postseason, the Red Sox were eligible for Major League Baseball’s new draft lottery system once again.

Last December, the first lottery yielded the No. 14 pick, which the Red Sox used to draft Kyle Teel, the most decorated catcher in the University of Virginia’s program history.

On Tuesday evening, they emerged in an even better position:

No. 12.

It will be the fifth No. 12 pick in franchise history, and first since 2016, when they selected Jay Groome. Adam Everett (’98), Nomar Garciaparra (’94), and Tom Fischer (’88) were the others.

Since the draft began in 1965, the Red Sox have only had a better pick seven times, including thrice since 2013. They drafted shortstop Marcelo Mayer fourth overall in 2021, and seventh in 2015 (OF Andrew Benintendi) and 2013 (LHP Trey Ball).

The lottery yielded a historic moment, too. The Cleveland Guardians beat the odds – 2.0%, ninth-best – to get the first overall pick for the first time. The last time they picked as high as second was 1992.