Red Sox Prospect Watch: Just a couple of games in
The minor league season is only a few games in, but it’s still not too early to talk about some prospects. Who’s off to a hot or cold start so far?
The Boston Red Sox have benefited from quite a few fantastic prospects over the last few years.
Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi provide a lot of everything at the top of the order, while Jackie Bradley Jr.’s defense always brings highlights. Christian Vazquez is a fantastic catcher and Xander Bogaerts already has multiple Silver Slugger awards at shortstop.
The newest mainstay homegrown addition to the lineup is the powerful Rafael Devers at third base.
Meanwhile, the pitchers are benefiting from arms like Matt Barnes and Eduardo Rodriguez (yes I’m counting him because he never played a game in the Majors for anyone else).
So many major contributors to the Red Sox are players that were once prospects in their organization. With that in mind, it’s easy to get excited to see who will be the next star to come out of the minors for Boston.
At the moment, the Red Sox are considered to have one of the weaker minor league systems in baseball. That doesn’t mean they don’t have at least a little star power though. Then there are the hidden gems, the players with plenty of potential but none of the recognition.
We’re going to keep track of these prospects throughout the year and see how their stocks rise and fall. Who’s going to get buried in 2018, and who’s going to emerge as a new star in the system? Only time will tell.
So far, we’re only a few games into the season. That doesn’t mean we can’t start discussing though.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox have four players with extremely limited time in the Majors on the roster right now. Three of them aren’t exactly “prospects” though.
Brian Johnson has been a high-level prospect in the Red Sox system for years. Injuries and other issues have kept him away from the Majors for the most part though. So far this season, however, he’s looked great both as a starter and in the bullpen for Boston. With no more options and a strong start to the year, expect him to stick around.
Hector Velazquez is one of my guys. I have quite a few that I’ll advocate for like I’m Paul Heyman and they’re my clients Brock Lesnar or CM Punk.
Velazquez makes that list.
Ever since the Red Sox brought him over from the Mexican League, Velazquez has done one thing – get outs.
In Triple-A last season, he posted a 2.21 ERA over 102 innings. The right-hander didn’t shy away in the Majors either, rocking a 2.92 ERA over 24 2/3 innings.
This year, Velazquez has been fantastic once again. The 29-year-old has a 3.29 ERA over 13 2/3 innings (two starts and two relief spots) and has won both of his starts.
Sadly, when everyone’s healthy, Velazquez will more-than-likely hit the minors again. The good news is, he always seems to be ready to go when needed.
Next up is Marcus Walden. The 29-year-old has already been down to Triple-A once this year and will be back there once Drew Pomeranz returns. He made his MLB debut this season though, and although his ERA isn’t pretty (5.00) he did get his first career save during his last appearance.
Finally, there’s the true prospect in Tzu-Wei Lin. Boy has that Tzunami hit hard since Xander Bogaerts went down with an injury. Known mostly for his slick fielding, Lin had a breakout year with the bat in Double-A last season. That turned into a call-up in 2017 and being the first man in line should something happen in 2018.
So far this year, Lin’s hitting .500 (6-for-12) with two doubles and one run batted in.
Quite a few people are calling for Lin to take Brock Holt‘s roster spot once Bogaerts returns, but I don’t see it happening. Lin’s playing fantastic, but the Red Sox will want him getting regular at-bats for the time being. Sticking him behind a Devers-Bogaerts-Eduardo Nunez–Dustin Pedroia (when he returns) blockade seems like a waste.
Pawtucket Red Sox
Triple-A is always kind of weird when it comes to prospects. A lot of veterans are in the league, waiting in the wings should the Major League team need them. So prospects aren’t as common as you’d expect. That being said, the Pawtucket Red Sox have a few to watch out for.
Let me get this out of the way now – just like last year, Rusney Castillo is killing it already. That contract’s not doing him any favors though. So he’s basically stuck there.
Sam Travis is obviously one of the first names you’ll think of after Castillo. The first baseman’s already had time in the Majors and held his own. He’s not great defensively, but he’s taking steps in the right direction.
The bat is the major selling point for him. He doesn’t have crazy power but isn’t completely lost in that area either. Contact is the name-of-the-game for Travis, and that doesn’t seem to have changed early on. He’s hitting .286 with one double and three RBI over 28 at-bats so far.
With Hanley Ramirez and Mitch Moreland both hitting so well, Travis has no spot in the Majors right now.
Sticking with hitters, Chad De La Guerra had a breakout year in 2017. He’s come out of the gates in 2018 a little cold though. A .130/.200/.174 slash line isn’t pretty, but a good game or two could change that narrative fast. His ability to play multiple infield positions makes him a little more intriguing, but the Red Sox probably won’t need him this year.
Jalen Beeks has been solid since joining the Boston system in 2014 but was special in 2017. The left-hander is showing no signs of slowing down in 2018 either. He’s pitched eight innings so far, giving up just one earned run while striking out 16. The 24-year-old will probably see MLB time at some point this year.
Now let’s get to one of my “clients”.
Dedgar Jimenez looked pretty dominant in Advanced-A last season and didn’t miss a beat going to Double-A.
This year, however, he stumbled in his first start. The 22-year-old allowed four runs over 4 2/3 innings for the Portland Sea Dogs. His response was getting a shot in Triple-A and throwing six innings of two-run ball for Pawtucket.
Constantly doubted, this might be the year Jimenez finally gets the positive attention he deserves.
Portland Sea Dogs
Trey Ball could be considered a “client” of mine. I’ve mentioned him in articles a few times since the start of Spring Training and wrote about him in the past.
After putting up bad numbers in 2017 following a strong year in 2016, he was converted to a reliever. This has worked out well so far. No need for me to tell you though, as Brandon Carusillo will tell you everything you need to know.
From reliever to starters. First up is Mike Shawaryn, who’s allowed very little damage this year.
Through two starts, the 23-year old has thrown 10 1/3 innings. In that time he’s given up just two runs (1.69 ERA), striking out eight while walking just one. Opponents are hitting .205 against him, and aren’t exactly making much hard contact (three extra-base hits).
Teddy Stankiewicz, on the other hand, has not looked as good this season. Through 8 1/3 innings, he’s allowed 13 runs (14.04 ERA). He has a 2.28 WHIP and opponents are hitting .368 against him.
It’s obviously still extremely early in the year. The right-hander has been known to go on some dominant stretches, so maybe he’ll put one together soon.
Then we go to Esteban Quiroz at second base. The 26-year-old is in his first year with the Red Sox, after spending the last seven in the Mexican League. If Boston was hoping they’d strike lighting again like they did with Velazquez – things are looking good.
Quiroz is slashing .370/.500/.741 through his first eight games with Portland. The left-handed hitter has one double and three home runs while driving in eight runs and scoring six more. To prove he can do everything, he even has a steal.
The Red Sox don’t need infield help and a few names are probably ahead of him even if they did. That being said, if he continues to rake, Boston won’t complain.
Now back to my Heyman-ways though, as we talk about the reigning, defending, undisputed, universal Boston Red Sox minor league batting average leader from 2017.
Mars is off to a decent enough start. He’s hitting just .250 but has three multi-hit games already on the year. There’s no rust in his speed either, as he’s already 2-for-2 on steal attempts.
The switch-hitting outfielder had back-to-back fantastic years in 2016 and 2017. If he can get hot early on, I might be talking about him in the “Triple-A” portion of this pretty soon. With the four outfielders on the Major League roster, the Red Sox aren’t dying for help at the moment. Their depth at the position in the minors isn’t great though, and should something happen – Mars should be near the top of their list.
Salem Red Sox
Bobby Dalbec is an interesting name here. The third baseman is off to a poor start average-wise (.188) but is impressing in other areas. The right-handed hitter already has two home runs and two doubles, as well as seven RBI. Meanwhile, he’s stolen a base as well.
The 22-year-old definitely has plenty of pop. That being said, he has strikeout issues, and it remains to be seen what his average will look like. Nevertheless, he’ll be entertaining to keep an eye on, and should provide plenty of runs.
Second baseman Brett Netzer is hitting .286 but has just one extra-base hit so far. Don’t expect much in the power department, but he’s a solid hitter and defender. He might not be the most “exciting” guy for those of you that want to follow prospects, but plenty of potential is there.
Pitching-wise, there’s plenty to talk about.
Tanner Houck has had command problems (nine walks over nine innings) which has led him into trouble (5.00 ERA). It will be interesting to see if the 21-year-old can straighten that out soon. If so, the right-hander has the stuff to be extremely dominant.
Bryan Mata (18) is the youngest player in the Carolina League and has given up just two runs over nine innings. Roniel Raudes has allowed two runs as well, this time over 9 1/3 innings though. Both have electric stuff and should be watched closely this year. Raudes has the potential to see Double-A in the not-too-distant future.
Darwinzon Hernandez meanwhile, has allowed just one run over 10 1/3 innings so far. He has a 0.97 WHIP and has already racked up 12 strikeouts.
Greenville Drive
C.J. Chatham wouldn’t be here if it was for injuries. Last season he picked up 19 at-bats. The shortstop is in his third year in the Boston system and has played just 50 games.
He’s showing plenty of potential with bat early on, slashing .382/.405/.471 with five RBI. The 23-year-old has scored eight more runs and stolen a base as well. Don’t be surprised if he isn’t in Greenville for long.
Michael Osinski is the newest member of my clientele. He was drafted in the 31st round last year. This year, he has 12 RBI in nine games. The right-handed hitter has a .375/.459/.500 slash line to go along with those 12 steaks as well.
He’s at a loaded position (third base), so Osinski’s already in a bad spot when it comes to getting the recognition he deserves. A solid showing in his inaugural year in the Boston farm is being followed up nicely though.
Cole Brannen is slashing .139/.244/.222 so far this year. He’s only 19 though. If that doesn’t make you feel any better, what about the fact that the left-handed hitter already has four steals.
That’s four steals in nine games while struggling to get on base. Imagine what he’ll do once the bat starts coming around. He’s got that type of speed that can only be described as “stupid”. So expect to see a lot of steals from him, he’s fun to watch.
Jhonathan Diaz is the number 30 prospect in the Red Sox organization. There’s a reason he cracked the top-30 list. The left-handed pitcher has a 1.54 ERA over 11 2/3 innings so far this year. Opponents are hitting .190 against him and he’s already picked up 16 strikeouts. He could climb up the ranks even more if that keeps up.
Next: Red Sox: Three players key to a dominant team in 2018
Finally, we have Denyi Reyes. Over 10 2/3 innings, the right-hander has surrendered two earned runs. He’s struck out nine and has a 0.75 WHIP. This is his first season in Full-A but the numbers aren’t new. He was utterly dominant in Short-A last season, going 9-0 with a 1.45 ERA.