Red Sox Prospect Watch: Young players are the future

The Boston Red Sox made a shocking decision to call up a top 3 prospect to Boston. Also, an update on the 2016 Draft Class.

With the rumors of Boston Red Sox scouts going to watch Jose Quintana and Todd Frazier, it is clear that prospects are going to have to be a part of that. Chicago is still in the middle of a full rebuild. As for Boston, they are not going to be willing to part with any of their young core of major league players.

Even though the farm system has been depleted from trades made by Dave Dombrowski, there is still a good amount of talent that exists. Remember, the young core of players were all members of recent draft classes or acquisitions.

Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. were members of the 2011 Draft Class. Xander Bogaerts was signed as an international free agent in 2009. Andrew Benintendi was the first round pick of the 2015 draft. And while Eduardo Rodriguez was signed as a international free agent by Baltimore in 2010, he was acquired by Boston in 2014.

Keeping a farm system that is at least above average is something that is paramount to any organization. It is something that the Red Sox seem to be keeping at the forefront of their vision. Obviously trading Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech to get Chris Sale was a very big trade, but in the small sample size it has been a great return.

The Red Sox are hoping to harvest another young crop of players with the 2016 Draft Class, but those players still have a long way to go. Between injuries and average performance, the jury is still out on those players.

Pawtucket Red Sox

While Travis gets called up to Boston, this week’s featured PawSox player should follow suit soon. Brian Johnson, the once highly-touted prospect, should be getting called up to Boston on Saturday. Johnson will take over the 5th rotation spot until David Price is able to make his 2017 debut.

In Johnson’s only start for Boston this year, he only managed to go 5 innings, while surrendering 4 earned runs. But, things have been different in Pawtucket for the former Florida Gator.

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• Predicting Red Sox top prospect Marcelo Mayer’s timeline to the majors
• Red Sox risk repeating rookie mistake with Eric Hosmer release
• Red Sox invited group of players you’ve probably never heard of to Spring Training
• Jeter Downs’ official departure will continue to haunt Red Sox

In 7 starts, Johnson is 2-0 with a 2.82 ERA. During his 44 innings pitched, Johnson has only allowed 2 home runs while striking out 37. Clearly, there is a talent difference between AAA and the major leagues. But, it is very encouraging to see Johnson being borderline dominant in Pawtucket.

As long as David Price can stay healthy when he returns, Brian Johnson will not be in Boston for long. But, if he can string together one or two successful starts at the major league level, they could be real building blocks for him. With the inconsistency of Drew Pomeranz, if Johnson can pitch well at this level, Boston might have to go to Johnson instead.

Finally, this could be an audition for 29 other organizations. When the rotation is fully healthy, it will be very hard for Johnson to crack. The 3-headed monster of Porcello, Sale, and Price will all feature at the top. And one of the most consistent players on the Red Sox, Eduardo Rodriguez’s production has been a pleasant surprise. With pitching being at a premium in today’s game, there is a good chance that Johnson could be involved in a trade at the deadline.

Portland Sea Dogs

In Portland, there is one man who has gotten all of the hype. The number one prospect in the system, Rafael Devers is deserving of all the praise. But, this week there is another top-20 prospect who has been just as dominant as Devers.

The 2014 MLB Draft was very fruitful to Boston. Sam Travis was their second round pick, and 4 of their top-20 prospects were a result of that draft class. In a shocking turn of events, one of their best players from that class was their 12th round pick, Jalen Beeks.

Beeks is a left-handed pitcher who has been lights out in his time in Portland. He has started 7 games this season, and is 5-1. He has been able to make batters miss, registering 48 strikeouts in only 39 innings.

Finally, many analysts view WHIP as one of best measures of a pitcher. WHIP(Walks+Hits/Innings Pitched) shows the true dominance, or lack thereof, of a pitcher. Jalen Beeks currently has an impressive 1.04 WHIP. Clearly, Beeks has been a dominant pitcher in 2017.

Beeks spent 13 starts in Portland last season, and was wildly ineffectively. He had an ERA over 4.5, and had a WHIP over 1.50. This trend seems to speak to the development of Beeks, as he looks to have turned the corner and had some success in AA. Realistically, Beeks should spend the rest of the season in Portland to continue developing. There is a chance he gets called up to Pawtucket later in the season, but his chances to make Boston’s roster are virtually zero.

Salem and Greenville

With all sports, it is shortsighted to try and judge a draft class after the first season. Baseball is no exception, but that did not stop the pundits who thought that Boston had a very good draft.  So far, the draft has not started out great.

The 12th overall pick, Jason Groome, made one start for Greenville where he could only get 4 batters out. After the start, it was revealed that he had a lat strain, and has been on the DL ever since. The second round pick, CJ Chatham, started the season in Extended Spring Training to rehab his strained hamstring.

Chatham just joined Greenville this past weekend, and has a lot of time to make up. Chatham spent 4 years at Florida Atlantic University before being drafted, and is currently 22 years old. In low-A baseball, most players are 20 or younger. Because of this, Chatham is already behind many of his peers.

Another 2016 draft pick, another injury. Bobby Dalbec was the hero for the Arizona Wildcats in the College World Series last year. The third baseman/pitcher, Dalbec threw over 120 pitches, and then proceeded to have a multi-hit game in their next game. Boston was clearly impressed with his skill set, as they drafted him in the 4th round as a third baseman.

Next: What if the Red Sox never signed Ramirez, Sandoval?

Dalbec was playing well, but his season has taken a turn for the worst. He was placed on the DL with hand and wrist soreness last week, and there is currently no timetable for his return. Bobby Dalbec is someone who the Red Sox hope can develop into either a position player or a pitcher, and seeing this is never a good sign for a young player.