Monitoring the minors: Mookie Betts and more

Nov 2, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; Boston Red Sox base runner Mookie Betts run to second base against the East during the Fall Stars Game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Big news in the minors this week: Mookie Betts has been called up from AA Portland Sea Dogs to the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox! The 21 year old right-handed hitter logged his first AAA games in Pawtucket this week, playing second base and wore number 2 on his jersey. In his first game for the Paw Sox, he was 0-4 with one strike out. In his second game he knocked three hits and an RBI, scoring two runs. Now that’s some great improvement! His hits included a home run hit in the top of the 11th inning to put the Sox ahead of the Durham Bulls. If this isn’t a sign of maturity, I don’t know what is. He was in a high pressure situation and responded very well.

Will we be seeing him up in the majors at some point this season? It does not seem like an unreasonable expectation. The Red Sox drafted Betts in the fifth round of the 2011 draft. There have been high expectations surrounding the Tennessee native ever since. Last season he batted .314 with .923 OPS in 127 games with Greenville and Salem combined. He has played second base and center field.

Mookie isn’t the only future Red Sox player to keep an eye on. Allen Webster has allowed just two earned runs in his last two games with Pawtucket. This is an improvement over his disaster of a game on May 25 when he gave up six runs in five innings.

Henry Owens racked up his seventh win with Portland Sea Dogs. The left-handed pitcher from California gave up only two hits in eight innings against the Erie SeaWolves. He struck out six batters and lowered his ERA to 2.24.

Sean Coyle, also with Portland, is batting .363, including 14 hits over the last 10 games.