Red Sox possibilities for 2018 from the baseball landfill
By Rick McNair
If the Red Sox are considering starting a basketball team, they may wish to sigh 6’8” Chris Volstad as a power forward. Volstad, a 30-year-old right-hander, has been with nine organizations in his career including a short stay in Korea. As an MLB pitcher, Volstad has an unremarkable 36-53 and 4.92 ERA.
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Volstad relies on a lukewarm fastball in the very low 90s that also passes as a sinker, a slider, curve, and change. Volstad’s career has a 50.4 GB% and a 3.1 BB/9. You will not have Walter Johnson strikeout totals since Volstad has a 5.6 K/9 for his career. Volstad also has a 9.8 H/9 for his career. The statistical line is obvious with Volstad – nothing to bet the farm on.
Looking at Volstad’s minor league career show a slightly under .500 career record (67-68) and a release from his Korean team after going 5-7 and having a 6.21 ERA in the hitter-friendly Korean League. There is nothing remarkable about Volstad whose career high water mark was a 12-9 season for Miami in 2010.
Volstad is typical of a player who you will see in Triple-A next season as an MLB will most certainly offer a minor league deal. For the Red Sox, this is very similar to Kendrick, but there is always the chance that at Pawtucket Volstad could make enough of a positive impression to catch a career break.