The Boston Red Sox were well represented this year in the minor leagues by Michael Chavis and Jalen Beeks who headline a list of talented prospects and award winners.
The Red Sox have named their minor league Offensive Player of the Year, Michael Chavis, as well as their minor league Pitcher of the Year, Jalen Beeks. Both were awarded after their fine efforts throughout the 2017 season.
Chavis is a 22-year-old right handed hitter that finished the year with 31 home runs, 35 doubles, 94 RBIs, and a final slash-line of .282/.563/.910. He played in 126 total games splitting time between Portland (67 games) and High-A Salem (59 games).
Beeks is a left handed starting pitcher and former Arkansas teammate of Andrew Benintendi. He finished the season with 11 wins and 8 losses while posting a 3.29 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in 26 starts. Beeks held opposing batters to an average of .224 while also recording 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Like Chavis, Beeks spent some time in Portland but he also saw some action in Triple-A Pawtucket.
More from Red Sox Prospects
- Predicting top Red Sox outfield prospect Ceddanne Rafaela’s timeline to the majors
- 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
Beeks is an up and coming prospect but expect to see his name more this winter as the Red Sox will need to add him to their 40-man roster if they wish to protect him from the Rule-5 Draft.
A list of all the Red Sox minor league awards and their winners can be seen here:
- Offensive Player of the Year: Michael Chavis, 22, 3B
- Pitcher of the Year: Jalen Beeks, 24, LHP
- Defensive Player of the Year: Austin Rei, 23, C
- Baserunner of the Year: Tate Matheny, 23, OF
- Latin Program Player of the Year: Keibert Petit, 19, 1B/OF/C
- Latin Program Pitcher of the Year: Luis Rivero, 19, RHP
Left handed pitcher Brian Johnson was also named the 2017 Lou Gorman Award recipient. The Lou Gorman Award is intended to honor a Red Sox minor leaguer who demonstrates dedication, perseverance, and an ability to overcome obstacles while working towards their major league promotion. The award was created in 2011.
Next: Predicting the Red Sox Bullpen for the ALDS
The Red Sox may not have the farm system they once did just a couple years ago, but they still have some very talented prospects available. Many of them are young, unproven, and unpredictable, yet they are on the right path to making the majors. These award winners are just a handful of the talent that Boston is developing and the fans should look forward to many of these names.