Salem and Greenville
This is the last week that only two levels of A-ball will be playing. The Lowell Spinners, the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, starts their season on June 19. Joining the Spinners is the top pitching prospect in the organization, Jason Groome.
Groome strained his lat muscle back in April pitching for the Greenville Drive, and has not pitched since then. For a frame of reference, this is a lesser injury that Noah Syndergaard suffered and has kept him out of the Mets’ rotation. Hopefully Groome can come back strong, and make his first professional season in baseball a successful one.
Transitioning to a more positive note, Michael Chavis has been one of the best players in the Red Sox system through the first 2.5 months of the 2017 season. The former 2014 1st-round pick has transitioned from shortstop to third base for the Salem Red Sox, and it has paid dividends.
Chavis is doing something that no prospect in any level of baseball is doing. He is the current triple crown leader of the Carolina League. Yes, Chavis is only playing in Class A advanced ball. But, he is so far ahead of anyone else in average, home runs, and RBI’s.
Next: David Price's control issues
Devers is the future at third base for the Red Sox. There is even a chance he could be the starter in 2018. In theory, that should block Michael Chavis. But, remember he is a natural shortstop, and Xander Bogaerts is an unrestricted free agent after the 2019 season. While Bogey has become one of the best pure hitters in baseball and a fan favorite in Boston, he could be the odd man out in this current young core of players.