Red Sox Prospect Watch: Change to top-30 list highlights new week

The Boston Red Sox prospect watch is starting to get really interesting thanks to the first change to their top-30 prospects list this season.

2018 has already produced quite a few interesting storylines for some Boston Red Sox prospects. The first major shakeup happened over the last week though, as Tzu-Wei Lin graduated from prospect status.

That means there’s a new member of the top-30 prospect list. I’m not giving anything away here though. If you want to find out who it was, you’ll have to read the article. I mean, I guess you could just go look at the Red Sox top-30 prospect list. Come on though, reading the article’s more fun.

Lin started the year in Triple-A but was quickly recalled following a Xander Bogaerts injury. He remained in the Majors once Bogaerts returned due to Brock Holt being sent to the disabled list as well.

So far this season, Lin is one of two players to appear in the Majors for the Red Sox while on the top-30 prospect list. The other was Bobby Poyner, who was sent to the minors after a DL stint thanks to the return of Drew Pomeranz.

Meanwhile, Austin Maddox is the next closest player on that list to rejoining the Red Sox. The reliever broke into the Majors last season and was utterly dominant over a 13-game stretch. He threw 17 1/3 innings, allowing just one run (0.52 ERA) while posting a 0.87 WHIP.

Due to those ridiculous numbers, you’d have to expect he’s very close to the Majors again. In fact, if he didn’t get hurt, he probably would’ve made the Opening Day roster. Once Maddox comes off the DL, it will be interesting to see where he goes. If he goes to the minors, common sense would dictate he’d be one of the first players called up should Boston need someone.