1. Michael Chavis
I mean, he was the coverboy of the article – what did you expect? He’s also the Boston Red Sox number one prospect for a reason. Michael Chavis is an absolute monster with the bat. The third baseman is one of the most powerful hitters in the Red Sox system. He can also hit for a good average and has elite-level run production ability.
Chavis is also a solid defender with a great arm, and has enough speed to rack up extra-bases and even steal a few bases.
Most importantly, he made the jump to Triple-A last season. Barring injuries, Chavis will be in Boston at some point next year. Things could be even more accelerated if he has a strong showing in Spring Training.
Last year in 46 MiLB games, Chavis slashed .298/.381/.538 with 27 RBI and 36 runs scored. He also ripped 14 doubles and nine home runs in that short amount of time.
Like Dalbec, Chavis played some first base last season. Again, this gives the Red Sox plenty of flexibility with him. Having him available for third and first base, as well as DH means there’s no excuse to not have him in the lineup when he gets the call to the Majors.
Chavis would be a scary addition to the Boston lineup because he could fit into so many spots. His power is built for the middle of an order. Meanwhile, he has the ability to get on-base for others. That means he doesn’t necessarily need to be sandwiched between stud hitters to be productive. He can sit near the bottom of the order and bring in everyone in front of him, or be near the top be on-base for those behind him.
When he gets a full(ish) season under his belt, Chavis could put together an all-around fantastic season. The home runs will come, as will the doubles. With those will be plenty of runs driven in and runs scored. For him, the icing on the cake is the fact that he has the ability to hit .280-plus.
All that combined could create a season that no other rookie has a chance to duplicate. He also has a realistic chance of being up for the award in 2019. If not, there’s no way he’s not eligible in 2020.
Just like the Boston Red Sox prospect list, there are plenty of worthy candidates. Michael Chavis just so happens to stand above them all.