Over the last 4 or 5 years, the one piece of the Red Sox system that has remained consistently strong is the player scouting and development department. The Sox always have a plethora of young talent they can use for trade bait or grow into the next big hitter or pitcher in the major leagues. Some young home-grown talent currently in the majors for the Sox include Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia, and Jacoby Ellsbury.
For a casual Sox fan it is difficult to keep track of all the prospects and their potential added value to the team before they reach the majors. Not knowing about them makes it difficult to decide whether a potential trade is a good move for the Sox or not. There are two solutions: #1 Trust the Sox management to make the right choices or #2 Learn about the prospects and be knowledgeable to make your own judgement. Let’s explore option #2 and learn about some of the Sox top minor league prospects.
Casey Kelly, Pitcher
Kelly has gotten a lot of attention lately when he made the decision to focus on being a pitcher. Until this past week, Kelly had been in limbo whether he wanted to pursue being an infielder or a pitcher. Kelly has been considered one of the highest rated players in the farm system since he arrived on the scene, and now that he is able to focus all of his attention on growing as a pitcher, he may even be more valuable. Kelly went 6-1 with a 1.12 ERA and 39 Ks in 9 starts last year in single-A. He is brought up in almost every potential trade conversation because of his great command of a low 90s fastball and his solid curveball and changeup.
Jose Iglesias, Shortstop
This Cuban defect signed with the Red Sox in September and was immediately called the future at shortstop for the Sox. There is a ton of potential for Iglesias who has the raw talent, but his talent is just that, unrefined. For his young age, however, he is a strong defensive player who has incredible instincts. According to Theo, “For a kid his age, he’s doing a lot of things right out there” which is obviously extremely encouraging. More than likely, Iglesias will not be involved in any moves this off-season because the Sox want to develop him into a franchise shortstop, which has been a revolving door position in the majors since Nomar left.
Ryan Westmoreland, Outfield
In 2008, Westmoreland passed up going to college to sign with the Sox minor league system. He is a 19 year old legitimate five-tool player who can hit for power and average, but because he passed on college, has a longer road to the big leagues than others. On top of the hitting ability, Westmoreland has speed and is tauted as an extremely hard working and dedicated individual who has the correct attitude. Ian Browne of MLB.com feels that Westmoreland “might be the most gifted athlete in the [Red Sox] organization.”
Ryan Kalish, Outfield
Last year, Kalish took his largest step forward as a professional athlete since he was drafted in 2006. Kalish was promoted to double A last season where he hit .271, 13 HRs and 56 RBIs in 391 at-bats. He is a left-handed hitter who is considered to be a fairly strong defender which makes him even more valuable. Many reports about Kalish expect him to increase his power hitting ability as he progresses in his career, making him even more desirable.
Lars Anderson, Infield
Oh what a difference a year can make. Last off-season, he was the hottest prospect in the system and was plastered all over the news as the next big star. After a sub-par year in double A, hitting .233, 9 HRs, and 51 RBIs in 447 at-bats, his value has dropped considerably. Anderson still has the talent to become a great major league player, but will need to work extra hard to jump back on his path to stardom.