Top five Red Sox players age 25 and under
The Red Sox have had an excellent farm system for the past several years and that young talent is finally beginning to surface at the Major League level. In the span of one year, the Red Sox have gotten significantly younger and that process will continue over the next handful of seasons as well. Unfortunately, however, many of those young players will either never make it in the Major Leagues or will simply become complementary pieces or role players. So, let’s check out who is the cream of the crop in the Red Sox organization. Who are the top five players aged 25 or under?
Jul 29, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rubby De La Rosa (62) pitches during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
5. Rubby De La Rosa, 25 years old
Acquired from the Dodgers in the mega-trade in 2012, featuring Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, and Carl Crawford, De La Rosa has finally joined the Red Sox rotation after two lost years following Tommy John Surgery. And while he hasn’t been spectacular this season, he has held his own through 16 starts in Boston. De La Rosa has posted a 4.01 ERA backed by a 4.28 FIP and 1.94 K/BB.
There are concerns over whether or not De La Rosa will be able to start in the long run, stemming from his lack of a reliable third pitch. However, at just 25 years old, there’s plenty of time for De La Rosa to develop a breaking ball to complement his strong fastball and change. Unless the Red Sox really go all out on the pitching front this offseason, expect De La Rosa to slot into the back of the Red Sox rotation come 2015.
4. Blake Swihart, 22 years old
Swihart is yet to make his Major League debut, but it’s easy to imagine him starting regularly behind the plate within a year. A first-round draft pick in 2011, he has developed into an excellent catching prospect both behind and at the plate and had his strongest Minor League season in 2014. Between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket, the young backstop slashed .293/.341/.469 with 13 home runs and 8 stolen bases.
Swihart has a mix of defensive and offensive talent to go with surprising athleticism for a catcher, a skill set reminiscent of a young Buster Posey or Joe Mauer. And while it’s obviously unfair to attach those comparisons to a 22 year old prospect, Swihart has a chance to develop into one of the best catchers in all of baseball. He will start 2015 in Pawtucket but if he swings the bat well, then he could certainly be in Boston by the year’s end.
Feb 21, 2014; Ft Myers, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Henry Owens (76) throws during spring training at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
3. Henry Owens, 22 years old
Another member of the vaunted 2011 Red Sox draft class, Owens has made good on his exciting potential since joining the Red Sox organization. Owens first caught the eyes of prospect watchers when he struck out 11.5 batters per nine innings with Single-A Greenville in 2012 and, since then, has developed into an even better all around pitcher.
Owens had a breakout season between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland last season, posting a 2.67 ERA and 11.3 K/9; however, there were still issues surrounding his command as he walked 4.5 per nine, an even higher mark than his 4.2 in 2012. In 2014, however, Owens has put those questions to rest by posting his second consecutive excellent season. Between the Sea Dogs and Triple-A PawSox, Owens has a 2.94 ERA and, while his strikeouts have dropped to a still impressive 9.6 K/9, his walks have also fallen significantly as his BB/9 stands at 3.3 this season. Owens is far and away the top pitching prospect in the Red Sox organization and he could very well be pitching in Boston by the end of next season.
Sep 1, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (50) points to left fielder Yoenis Cespedes (not pictured) after he scored on his RBI single eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
2. Mookie Betts, 21 years old
Betts was yet another member of the 2011 draft class, as the Red Sox took the diminutive second baseman in the fifth round, and he has exceeded expectations in a big way since starting his Minor League career. Betts had a relatively quiet debut in 2012, slashing just .267/.352/.307 with the Low-A Lowell Spinners, showing athleticism and a good on-base percentage but not much more.
However, he broke out in style last season. Betts caught the eyes of scouts and prospect analysts with a phenomenal season between Single-A Greenville and High-A Salem as he raked to the tune of a .314/.417/.506 slash line, 15 home runs, and 38 stolen bases. After such an excellent season, however, the question remained of whether Betts would be able to repeat that type of performance.
So, Betts has gone out and been even better in 2014. In 99 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket, Betts slashed a remarkable .346/.431/.529 to go with 11 home runs and 39 stolen bases. In addition to his impressive Minor League performance, Betts has also been very good since joining the Major League squad, as he has hit .288/.359/.466 in 34 games for the Red Sox. Needless to say, it’s no longer looking like Betts’ Minor League performance was a fluke.
Aug 31, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) doubles during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
1. Xander Bogaerts, 21 years old
You probably knew this was coming. Bogaerts, the Red Sox top prospect last season, tore through the Minor Leagues in time for the playoffs and impressed fans and scouts alike by slashing .296/.412/.481 in the postseason as the Red Sox went on to win the World Series.
Ranked the #2 prospect in all of baseball entering the season, expectations were understandably high for Bogaerts in 2014 and, while his full-season debut hasn’t gone as planned, his enormous potential is still there. Bogaerts has slashed just .232/.296/.348 but he has shown occasional flashes of brilliance before a dismal slump which lasted from the beginning of June to a week or so ago.
Bogaerts is still remarkably only 21 years old so it’s no wonder why he’s struggling in his first full season but, despite his struggles, he still possesses a ton of talent. There’s a very real chance that Bogaerts will develop into one of, if not the best offensive shortstop in baseball within a few seasons and could be a middle-of-the-order hitter for the next decade. That’s the kind of promise that teams just don’t give up on.