Boston Red Sox: Four prospects that need to be moved

For the Boston Red Sox, minor league system prospects fluctuate in their development. A top ten could sink rapidly and these four have.

Eventually, the Boston Red Sox will dispose of prospects that were once highly rated, but have since stalled or regressed. This is a very natural process in baseball as talent reaches a certain level, usually Triple-A, and simply stalls.

Another generality is the prospect is exposed to major league baseball and just cannot adjust to that level. Weaknesses are soon discovered by the opposition or on clear display by themselves.

A few years ago the Red Sox had several prospects that were easily in their top ten or very close to it. Garin Cecchini, Sean Coyle and Anthony Ranaudo all were coveted by Red Sox fans as future mainstays – all are gone. The list is quite extensive since for every Mookie Betts, there is one that flames out. Here are a few that simply have worn out their welcome and Boston future. All are former first round selections and that makes it even more tragic.

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Deven Marrero has made several appearances in Boston the last two seasons. Best noted for an above average glove and a below average bat. You can fully understand why his MLB future is rather dim based on the fact his offense has simply not matured.

Marrero certainly knows the game and will attempt to do the little things – especially at the plate – that can influence a game, but hitting .196 at Pawtucket this season essentially places Marrero in an “automatic out” category. Last season the Pawtucket average was .256 and .210 the season before. Simply put: “It ain’t happening with his bat.”

Marrero could find a spot somewhere based on his glove skills, but that will not be in Boston, where hitting is the optimum skill one seeks. The National League always can beckon and Marrero may just find an opening, but at 25-years-old it is time for the Red Sox to move on.

The most frustrating of pitchers is Henry Owens. The tall 24-year-old lefty has a world of talent when he gets the ball over and that is exactly his problem. The latest was an emergency start in Boston, where Owens simple walked far too many and paid the price.

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The start against the Tigers brought five more free passes for a grand total of 18 in 17.2 innings. At Pawtucket that continued to be an issue, as Owens clearly has continued to regress with a career-high 5.6 BB/9. With the IL hitting Owens at a .219 clip the problem is clear – walks.

Do you give up on Owens? I certainly would considering the rotation is staffed with three lefties now and you certainly do not need a proliferation of walks out of the bullpen. That would leave Owens as potential trade material and that has most certainly depreciated in value in the last year. Expect the Red Sox to move cautiously since Owens could go elsewhere and suddenly find the plate.

The other left-hander of note is Brian Johnson. Johnson started to fall apart after his lone appearance in Boston in 2015. Prior to that, one could debate the point of Johnson being the best pitcher in the International League. After that Boston start, Johnson soon went to the disabled list with an arm issue and this season took time off to receive treatment for anxiety.

Johnson’s problem is not the apparent “stuff” he possesses, but his ability to locate it consistently enough to move to the next level. In 2015 Johnson’s 3.0 BB/9 at Pawtucket looks rather pristine compare to the 4.4 BB/9 of this season. Johnson will certainly limit the number of hits, but when you give too many walks and then start to be finite the results are often quite disappointing.

Johnson has value, but that value has certainly decreased in the last year. At 25-years-old the opportunity is still there in the right situation and that means elsewhere and not Boston.

Bryce Brentz returned to Boston this season and put up some respectable numbers. The 27-year-old right-handed hitter had a .279 average in 64 PAs before being sent back to Pawtucket. That will probably be his Boston career as the outfield depth is considerable for the Red Sox with the versatility of Brock Holt and the return of Chris Young eminent.

Brentz was once viewed as the great need that Boston thirsts for – a right-hand power bat. In 2011 Brentz slammed 30 home runs combined with two teams and appeared on his way. An accidental shooting and various nagging injuries seemed to have Brentz move back two steps after taking one forward.

At Pawtucket, this season Brentz did not display much power nor had he in 2015 and 2014. The towering home runs that were expected never materialized. Brentz will undoubtedly be cleared from the roster in the near future and will likely be signed by another organization.

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That is just four players and there are certainly others on the 40-man roster that could be jettisoned. Once so promising and now so disappointing – it is never a good idea to place too much faith in a prospect until they have put in some quality time at the MLB level.

Sources: MLB Prospect Watch/Baseball-Reference