Prospect profile: Carlos Asuaje

2013 Panini Elite Extra Edition Baseball Card

Carlos Asuaje is a natural middle infielder turned third baseman currently shining for the Boston Red Sox South Atlantic League affiliate, the Greenville Drive. Asuaje has put up a triple slash line of .338/.473/.585 so far this season, and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

On a team full of highly touted prospects like Trey Ball, Manuel Margot, Tzu-Wei Lin, and Teddy Stankiewicz, it is Asuaje that is shining brightest.

If Asuaje were to somehow keep hitting at his current pace, he would set new Drive records for batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging. While only has 38 games under his belt this season, the one record he has a real shot at breaking is that on-base percentage mark, currently held by Jon Still, who reached base at a .432 clip in 2007.

Last season in Lowell, Asuaje hit just .269, but he managed an on-base percentage nearly 100 points better. He has reached base in more than half his trips to the plate over the past two weeks, and he prides himself on his approach at the plate and his ability to recognize and take advantage of the pitch he is looking for.

Asuaje’s projects best as a second baseman, but with the Red Sox pretty well set there for the foreseeable future and plenty of organizational depth at the position, he has already played four different positions this season, including the outfield.

I had the opportunity to interview him for Fansided’s Minor League Baseball site, Grading on the Curve, where he talks about his hot start, advanced approach at the plate, and more.

The Drive currently have a record of 22-21 and are 7.5 games back of the division leading Savannah Sand Gnats.