Red Sox farm system ranks low with only one top-100 prospect
By Kyle Porch
With the MLB top 100 prospects list released for the 2019 season, how do the Red Sox stack up against every farm system in the league?
In this year’s edition of the top 100 prospects, we saw a list of future talent that we all can’t wait to play for our favorite teams. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. headlining at number 1, who else cracked the top 100? Which Red Sox prospects made the cut? How does Boston’s farm system rank among the league? We’re about to find out.
In this year’s list, the Red Sox only have one prospect crack the top 100 ( the lowest since 2011). While once having the best farm system in the entire league around 2015, most of the talent has helped the club win the 2018 World Series by performing, or as trade pieces. With only a few good players left, the only Red Sox prospect hits at 79 on the top 100.
3B/1B Micheal Chavis.
The 23-year-old first-round draft pick in 2014 has a lot to prove coming into this season. In early April of last year, Chavis was suspended for 80 games without pay for testing positive with DHMCT, in cooperation with the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment. He was among the 75 minor leaguers suspended due to this policy.
Chavis is an interesting player in the minors as of right now. He flashes the ability to hit for power, just not consistently enough to play at the major league level. He has had offensive ” struggles” throughout his minor league career. Notably, in his first call up to Single-A Greenville, his power was out of sync.
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His biggest question mark is on the defensive side of the ball. His footwork is very choppy, which allows the ball to get the best of him on some plays. He has very good hands during the transfer, and his arm is pretty good. It is his defense that will be tested the most in the 2019 season. He will play his first full season for AAA Pawtucket barring any injuries or major setbacks. This becomes his most important season yet.
Chavis has an invitation to spring training, although a call up seems unlikely with Rafael Devers, Steve Pearce and Mitch Moreland already filling their respective roles. He missed a lot of developmental time last season, only playing in 8 games for AAA Pawtucket last season.
How does the farm system rank?
According to a FanGraphs rankling after the World Series, the Boston Red Sox have the #29 ranked farm system in the MLB. The Seattle Mariners are the only farm system that is deemed “worse.” Although they have three prospects that cracked the top 100, including Justus Sheffield, a left-handed pitcher with some phenomenal movement.
The arch-rival New York Yankees are currently going through their tier of prospects just like the Red Sox did. While also having a huge class play in their own everyday lineup, they have traded assets for veteran players. It will be interesting to see if they can replicate what the Red Sox did in 2018, and how they start to handle their contract extensions moving forward.
Next. What can we expect to see from Tyler Thornburg in 2019.. dark
With impending decisions in the near future, the Red Sox farm system will rise once again as it always does. Until then, let’s be thankful for what the last bountiful of prospects helped give us: A World Series trophy.