Red Sox Prospect Watch: Spring Training comes to an end
With Spring Training coming to an end, Boston Red Sox prospects have had their chances to make an impact. Here’s the rundown on some of the biggest names.
Looking at the 2017 season, the Boston Red Sox roster is better than most. Due to this, the players who could break camp with the major league team for Opening Day are almost all penciled in. Even so, this last month could have proven to be invaluable experience for these young players.
The Red Sox will have the benefit of having the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball playing left field on April 3. Also, another top 10 prospect in Boston’s farm system should be on the Opening Day roster. If injury or poor play factor into a position, then there could be a third top 10 prospect in Boston for 2017.
Also, with some of the injury issues in the bullpen, a pitcher who was a part of the star-studded 2011 draft could factor into the roster. Not to mention the other young players that will be called up during the season.
Red Sox Nation is obsessed with prospects. During the Chris Sale trade, there were many people who couldn’t bear trading Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech. Both of these players will not be ready until 2018 the earliest. And the jury is still out on Kopech. While some prospects pan out, some do not. For every Dustin Pedroia, there is a Henry Owens.
With that being said, the farm system is one of my favorite parts about baseball. And the Red Sox are usually at the cutting edge of player development and talent acquisition. So before you go to Pawtucket, Portland, or Lowell, here is what’s happening with the prospects.
Andrew Benintendi
Most baseball analysts are very high on Andrew Benintendi. So high, that he is ranked the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball (MLB’s rankings). Boston fans were able to see the bright future that Benintendi should have in Boston last year. As soon as he was called up, he was a good, not great, hitter. In the fiasco that was the ALDS, he was one of the few bright spots.
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“Benny Baseball” has been a big part of this team’s Spring Training roster. He has logged the 2nd most at-bats of anyone on the team, and is hitting a very good .298. Another stat that is very positive is the type of hits he is getting.
Of the 17 hits that Benintendi has piled up, over half of them have been extra-base hits. That includes 6 doubles and 3 home runs. While Benintendi is never going to win a home run title, he is showcasing his ability to put the ball in the gap and create offense.
Benintendi’s success should come as no surprise. Just roughly 20 months ago, he won the 2015 Golden Spikes Award. That is given to the best player in college baseball. And now, he is poised to play for one of the best teams in baseball.
While the loss of David Ortiz can never been replaced, it does open the doors for players to try and shoulder some of his production. One of those players is none other than Benintendi. Already a fan favorite, if he can stay away from a sophomore slump the sky is the limit for him.
Hitters
While Andrew Benintendi is taking most of the spotlight, and rightfully so, there is another top 10 prospect that has had a great spring. Brock Holt became a smash hit with the fans due to his production and his value as a super-utility player. This year, Holt should have some competition with another utility player. That would be Marco Hernandez.
Hernandez made his Major League debut last April, and he did not have the best year. He was only in Boston for 40 games, and his .294 average was a very good sign. The problem is Hernandez is a natural shortstop. He is blocked at that position by Xander Bogaerts.
Hernandez is also a skilled second baseman, but he is also blocked there by Dustin Pedroia. Hernandez does have the ability to play six positions. This is where is value lies. Not only can Hernandez play the middle infield positions, he can also play in the outfield.
Finally, Hernandez can play third base, which could be very important. Pablo Sandoval has had a good spring, and there is a chance that he could be a productive player this year for Boston. But, history usually repeats itself. And the Panda could easily succumb to poor play or injury.
While Hernandez has good news, the same can not be said for Deven Marrero. On March 27th, Marrero was optioned to Pawtucket. Marrero could be considered a worse version of Marco Hernandez. Obviously utility players are important, but you can’t fill your bench with only utility players. Because of that, Marrero will probably only be called up when an injury happens.
Pitchers
Going into Spring Training, everyone was talking about the 3-headed monster of Chris Sale, David Price, and Rick Porcello. Dave Dombrowski made the acquisition of reliever Tyler Thornburg. And suddenly, it seemed like most of the pitching problems were fixed.
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First, David Price goes down with an elbow injury. This injury has sidelined him for the considerable future, and everything is still up in the air. Carson Smith will not be ready to come back from his Tommy John surgery until roughly June. Then, Tyler Thornburg will start the season on the DL with a right shoulder impingement.
All of these pitching injuries have let one man capitalize. Robby Scott is looking as a shoe-in to come out of the bullpen for Opening Day. While he was not drafted in 2011, Theo Epstein purchased his contract from an independent team that year. Epstein had a giant haul that year for Boston. Mookie Betts, Matt Barnes, Jackie Bradley Jr, Blake Swihart, and Travis Shaw were all selected by the Red Sox.
Scott fought through years of the minors to make his debut last year. And he was an effective lefty reliever. Scott has had a very good spring, giving up only 1 run in 11 innings pitched. If he can continue this, he could be an X-factor for the team this year.
Unlike Scott, Noe Ramirez did not take advantage of his time at JetBlue Park. Just like Deven Marrero, Ramirez was sent down on March 27th. In less than 10 innings, Ramirez had already allowed 5 runs. In the current state of the bullpen, this spring was pivotal into trying to take a bullpen spot. Robby Scott did just that, Noe Ramirez did not.
Non-Roster Invitees
Non-Roster Invitees are the players who are not on Boston’s 40-man roster that are invited to Spring Training. Like most organizations, if you are not on the 40-man roster in March, you are likely starting the season somewhere in the minors.
Had Sam Travis not torn his ACL in May of last year, he is probably the everyday first baseman for the Red Sox this year. But, that happened, and that job went to free agent signing Mitch Moreland. Travis has had a very productive spring, hitting 3 home runs and a dozen RBI’s.
With Moreland on a one-year deal, the writing is on the wall that Travis will be playing everyday in Boston in 2018. The 24 year-old has power that will easily translate in Fenway Park, and seems to be on the fast track to success.
Another top prospect who was invited to camp is Rafael Devers. The No. 2 prospect in Boston’s system, the 20 year-old third baseman is the future for the Red Sox hot corner. The White Sox originally asked for Devers as well as Moncada and Kopech for Chris Sale. Dombrowski would not give up all three.
This spring, Devers is showing that not many 20 year-olds are breaking into Major League Baseball. He has struggled mightily over the past month, with a terrible .136 batting average. Devers profiles as someone who will not be MLB ready until next year at the very earliest.
Next: Will Moreland be available for Opening Day?
Again, this is Spring Training. So these statistics truly do not mean that much. Devers should be spending the whole 2017 season in Portland, with a possibility that he gets the call to go to Pawtucket. Hopefully, Devers follows his good 2016 season with a solid 2017.