A National League scout walked into the Hadlock Field press box Tuesday and heard someone bring up “launch angle.”

“Don’t talk to me about that,” he said. “I know a hitter when you see him. When you hear the ball come off the bat.”

Apparently, the Boston Red Sox like what they see and hear in Triston Casas and Nick Decker, their top two picks in the major league draft.

When the draft begins, every team say they are after the best talent – and not necessarily a need. But it became obvious that Boston liked the idea of sluggers when it chose Casas in the first round (26th overall) and Decker in the second (64th).

Both hit seven homers in their high school seasons, and impressed in summer tournaments.

Both are 18, and Boston is about to turn over about $2.5 million to Casas and $1 million to Decker in signing bonuses.

Gamble?

You bet.

Since 1999, Boston has drafted 10 high school hitters in the first and second rounds, and one is in the majors (Blake Swihart). Another, outfielder Rey Fuentes, has played in the bigs with San Diego and Arizona, and is now in Triple-A.

When it comes to high school power hitters, the gamble is greater.

Jason Place never made it past Double-A, despite being draft 27th overall in 2006, with a $1.3 million bonus.

Michael Chavis has the quick hands and power potential. Taken 26th overall in 2014 ($1.87 million), Chavis struggled at first and then broke out last year with 31 home runs between advanced Class A Salem and Portland. But Chavis tested positive for steroids and is on an 80-game suspension, naturally causing doubts about last year’s results.

There are big successes with high school picks. A sixth-rounder in 2007 worked out well – although Anthony Rizzo was traded.

A 2011 fifth-round pick was not known for his home runs, but Mookie Betts has combined quick wrists, wiry strength and a plus approach at the plate.

But Boston has a history of high school sluggers who had “raw power” but faded (Mickey Hall, Brandon Jacobs and Kendrick Perkins among the many). In 2011, Boston’s second-round pick was a high school outfielder named Williams Jerez. He’s now pitching.

But Boston was right to take shots on Casas and Decker. You can’t manufacture power hitters. You pick them and try to develop them.

“There are some guys you see how the ball jumps off their bat, you can look down the road and say, OK, he’s going to be able to pop some consistently,” said Greg Norton, the Red Sox minor league hitting coordinator. “A lot of that will depend on better mechanics, exit velocity, the launch angle.”

Better mechanics creates better exit velocity. As for launch angle, that usually comes from the batter himself.

“We talk about it,” Norton said, “but it’s not like we have lines in the cages, or anything like that to try and create that.”

Casas has always been a slugger, without thinking of launch angle.

“Not something I really pay attention to. I just try to make contact,” he said. “I don’t focus on launch angle or uppercut swing. I’m a guy who hits to the opposite field well.”

That drew attention from the Red Sox. Left-handed sluggers have done well in Fenway Park.

“He can hit the ball to left-center as far as many other right-handed hitters can when they pull the ball,” Red Sox amateur scouting director Mike Rikard said. “That’s always been a big thing in scouting him.”

As for Decker … “Nick’s a lot like Triston,” Rikard said

While Rikard said he likes the “professional approach” of these prospects, they are young. They swing and miss. Scouting reports on both talk about “holes in the swing.”

That’s where the “development” comes in – not forcing the power, but making the power hitter more efficient.

“We talk about looking for pitches that you can drive and impact the baseball,” Norton said. “Doing that, and not trying to do too much or trying to create too much of an angle – that doesn’t work for them.”

If Casas and Decker learn to impact the baseball consistently, Boston’s gamble will be well worth it.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases