Red Sox Prospect Watch: Tanner Houck now in Triple-A bullpen
The Boston Red Sox are looking everywhere for bullpen help. That includes starting pitcher Tanner Houck, who is now in the bullpen in Triple-A.
The ups and downs of the Boston Red Sox 2019 season haven’t stopped. Of course, the biggest issue has been the bullpen. To fight that, the Red Sox have moved multiple starting pitching prospects to the bullpen – and a few appear close to the Majors.
Other than the bullpen, things still aren’t perfect. However, a lot of the younger players are giving them a reason to be excited.
On Monday, Michael Chavis hit his first career grand slam. He now has 16 homers on the season for Boston, hitting .259 with 52 RBI. His power has more than translated to the Majors and he’s shown an ability to play multiple positions.
With the DFA of Eduardo Nunez, it appears the Red Sox plan on keeping Chavis around for the rest of the year.
With Nunez DFA’d, Sam Travis was recalled. He’s having a very strong year in Triple-A, slashing .275/.362/.432 with 33 RBI and 36 runs scored. Travis is only hitting .194 in the Majors this year but that’s in just 31 at-bats. Things can change quickly. It should also be noted that this likely won’t be a long stint for the first baseman/outfielder.
Marco Hernandez is another reason for the Nunez DFA. The infielder has been absolutely on fire for the Red Sox so far. He’s 18-for-52 (.346) with career-highs already in doubles (4) and home runs (2). He has a new high with seven RBI and his 10 runs scored are just one away from tying his old mark.
Hernandez is a great offensive player and getting a chance to showcase that this year. It’s great to see him back after battling injuries for the past two seasons.
Josh Taylor hasn’t given up a run since June 30. The left-hander is proving to be a valuable member of the Boston bullpen – posting a 3.72 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings pitched so far.
Triple-A (Pawtucket Red Sox)
The Boston Red Sox are being proactive about their bullpen problems by looking to the minors. They’re in the process of switching a few starting prospects to relievers for the time being to see if they can find a fix.
One of those options is Tanner Houck. The righty’s first relief appearance didn’t go well. In Double-A, he allowed six earned runs in 1/3 of an inning. However, he bounced back nicely. The next time out he threw one scoreless inning. That was enough for the Red Sox, as they moved him to Triple-A. In Houck’s first appearance with Pawtucket, he threw another scoreless inning. If he looks strong for a few outings his MLB debut could be looming.
What’s incredible is how much this has accelerated his debut projections. If you would’ve asked me a few weeks ago, I would’ve been certain 2019 was out. Now it seems a given that he’ll make his debut this year.
More from Red Sox Prospects
- Predicting top Red Sox outfield prospect Ceddanne Rafaela’s timeline to the majors
- Predicting Red Sox top prospect Marcelo Mayer’s timeline to the majors
- Red Sox risk repeating rookie mistake with Eric Hosmer release
- Red Sox invited group of players you’ve probably never heard of to Spring Training
- Jeter Downs’ official departure will continue to haunt Red Sox
Darwinzon Hernandez has already made his Major League debut this year. Now he’s working as a reliever in the minors though – hoping to help out of the bullpen. Hernandez has made four straight relief appearances. In that time, he’s thrown 4 1/3 innings and given up one run. The lefty has six strikeouts compared to just one walk, and could definitely be electric out of the bullpen.
Mike Shawaryn is working out of the bullpen now too. I don’t like it. I said it when the Red Sox called him up and I stick by it. This guy is built to be a starter. He’s struggled out of the bullpen and his ERA has sky-rocketed to 4.26. Time to go back to the starting rotation.
Trevor Kelley has a 1.27 ERA. I’m not going to say anything else about him. Give him a real shot in the Majors, please.
Bobby Poyner might deserve another look too. The lefty has looked phenomenal lately, and his ERA is down to 3.08. He’s been miserable in the Majors this year but has gotten sporadic chances. Last year he was great in a more controlled role.
Kyle Hart is down to a 3.18 ERA in Triple-A after not allowing an earned run over six innings in his last start. He’s been fantastic all year and really his entire career has looked great. The 26-year-old could make his debut this year – especially with Boston searching for answers at pitcher.
Teddy Stankiewicz has a 4.12 ERA after an “eh” start, giving up three earned runs in five innings this week. The right-hander has definitely been more consistent this year though, which is the exact growth I wanted to see from him.
DLG is back baby! Chad De La Guerra returned from the IL and went 1-for-4 in his return. The infielder is hitting .322 on the year and is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak. I honestly believe he could be the next man up if Boston needs middle infield help. He definitely deserves it.
Chris Owings could be in his way though. The 27-year-old was brought to the team not too long ago and honestly, a lot of fans seemed weirdly upset about it. Quite a few people on twitter were complaining that Boston signed this utility guy with miserable numbers in 2019 instead of a reliever. You know, because every team only gets one signing apparently.
Owings has looked great in Triple-A though. He’s hitting .305 with five doubles and three homers so far. In 22 games he has 12 RBI and 11 runs scored, as well as four steals. Owings has had some very solid MLB seasons so he could end up being sneaky good depth.
Josh Ockimey is back up over the .200-mark after slipping under it for a minute. He’s hitting .205 but does have a .351 OBP thanks to 56 walks. The 23-year-old has 13 doubles and two triples on the year. He’s also already just three away from tying his career-high in homer as he has 17 this season. Take the good with the bad.
Double-A (Portland Sea Dogs)
Another starter-turned-reliever is Dedgar Jimenez. The lefty has only had three outings so far since the switch, but it’s going well for the most part. Jimenez has given up two runs over 5 1/3 innings in the bullpen. I’d much rather see him as a starter. Like Shawaryn I think his skill set plays a lot better in that role. However, he’s definitely looked pretty electric out of the bullpen. We’ll see where this goes. I’m hoping it leads to him in the Majors this year because Boston could use some Baby Bartolo magic.
Bryan Mata made his third Double-A start and bounced back like I thought he would. The 20-year-old went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight. Both the six innings and the eight Ks tie career-highs for the righty. Mata should be untouchable – I don’t even want to hear his name brought up in trade rumors. El idolo.
Denyi Reyes continued his run of strong starts – lowering his ERA to 4.32. This time around he gave up one earned run in six innings. He hasn’t been the dominant force he was last year but the lefty is at a new level in the minors in 2019. This definitely isn’t a terrible season for the 22-year-old.
Eduard Bazardo has a 2.31 ERA after throwing 4 2/3 more innings this week – allowing one earned run. The righty has 13 strikeouts over 11 2/3 innings in Portland after recording 53 strikeouts in 41 Advanced-A innings.
Daniel McGrath has a 1.80 ERA over 60 Double-A innings this season. Opponents are hitting .179 against the 25-year-old – as he went seven shutout innings in his lone appearance this week.
Marcus Wilson is back in Double-A! I called for it last week and my wish was granted. He’s 0-for-3 since returning and is hitting .182 with Portland so far. He was hitting .342 in Advanced-A though so give him some time.
Austin Rei is also back! The catcher is 1-for-5 with a run so far in Portland after being hurt all year. Rei is incredibly talented and a great prospect to watch. The 25-year-old is gifted with a great throwing arm and has a lot of offensive potential. It’s exciting to see him back on the field.
C.J. Chatham is hitting .306 with 21 doubles and two home runs on the year. He’s driven in 29 runs and scored 28 more. Again, this is what a healthy C.J. Chatham can do. The Red Sox should be excited about him.
Jhon Nunez is 0-for-his-last-12 and it’s dropped his batting average from .307 to .286. While that’s still great, it’s a hefty drop. Nunez is still having his best season in the minors and I’d love to see him or Rei moved to Triple-A. That way both catchers can get consistent playing time and could help keep them from prolonged slumps.
Bobby Dalbec is now at .231 with a solid .375 OBP (61 walks). The third baseman has 19 home runs and 48 RBI. That power is very real.
Jarren Duran is down to .225 in Double-A but has at least one steal in five straight games. He’s already swiped 12 bags in 36 games for Portland. Even when he’s not getting on base much, he’s making a massive difference.
Advanced-A (Salem Red Sox)
Victor Acosta is seeing a bunch of promotions around him and he’s just sitting in Advanced-A raking. The outfielder is hitting .314 with 31 RBI and 26 runs scored. Admittedly he isn’t much of a power hitter, but he does have 24 walks compared to 26 strikeouts and can get on base.
Ryan Fitzgerald is on a four-game hitting streak and currently hitting exactly .300 on the year. The shortstop has 52 RBI and 40 runs scored, mashing 18 doubles and five triples – as well as one home run.
Garrett Benge is getting hot. The corner infielder is riding a four-game hitting streak at the moment. During those four games he has five RBI and five walks, striking out just twice. In that time he’s risen his average from .258 to .277. He also has a .381 OBP and 15 extra-base hits.
Pedro Castellanos has been up-and-down lately as his average now sits at .269. The first baseman has 19 doubles and one home run and has driven in a solid 49 runs, scoring 41 more. He has a surprising number of steals with nine. Although he’s not fast by any means, Castellanos is showing he can add to his offensive game. That’s the kind of growth you love to see from a 21-year-old.
Thad Ward gave up two runs in two innings in his last start – he did manage to strikeout five though. Still – that’s a bad start, right? That should destroy your ERA when it’s only your fifth start in Advanced-A, right? Ward has a 1.93 ERA in 23 1/3 innings with Salem.
Rio Gomez is down to a 2.03 ERA in Advanced-A. He achieved that by throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings over two outings this week. Gomez hasn’t looked as dominant in Advanced-A as he had in Full-A but he’s absolutely still getting the job done.
Full-A (Greenville Drive)
Tyler Esplin is heating up and showing the potential that made him so intriguing when he was first drafted. I know I’ve said it a few times but it’s important to remember how young Esplin is. He just turned 20 on July 6.
The right fielder is working with a four-game hitting streak and now has a .250 batting average. Esplin has a career-high 20 doubles to go along with two triples and two home runs. He’s also set career-bests in RBI (30), runs scored (39) and steals (6). The left-handed hitter is quickly reminding everyone how much potential he truly has.
Triston Casas is hitting .254 with 18 doubles, four triples, and 15 home runs. The 19-year-old has an absolutely ridiculous 63 RBI, scoring 45 runs as well. It’s easy to tell people not to get too excited but it’s really hard to not actually ride the hype train when watching him play.
Brandon Howlett is at a .252 batting average after going 4-for-21 this week. Something great did happen though. The 19-year-old drew six walks this week, five in his last three games. Howlett is a great offensive player but something he’s needed to work on is his plate discipline. If he can figure that out a whole new level could be unlocked for him. Maybe it’s starting to happen.
Kole Cottam is hitting .242 on the year and hit his fifth homer of the season this week. The catcher has 15 doubles to go along with the homers and has 28 RBI so far. He’s one of the main reasons I think Boston has an extremely underrated group of catching prospects.
Everlouis Lozada is up to .270 on the season and has a hit in five-of-his-last-six games. The 20-year-old second baseman should bring a lot to the table offensively. Although he probably won’t ever be a power guy, he could surprise many and sneak 15-20 homers in a few seasons.
Devlin Granberg is on an absolute tear right now and celebrated by picking up three hits and five RBI in his last game. The first baseman is hitting .291 on the year and has 18 doubles, five triples, and seven home runs. He’s driven in 39 runs and scored 47 more. He does everything well but isn’t phenomenal at anything which sadly means he probably won’t get the recognition he deserves – reminds me of DLG in that sense.
Chase Shugart made two starts this week. He combined to allow two earned runs in 11 1/3 innings, striking out seven. The 22-year-old right-hander has a 1.73 ERA over 57 1/3 innings pitched in Full-A this season. We could definitely see him sky-rocket up prospect rankings.
Logan Browning is an intriguing name. The left-handed reliever has a 1.93 ERA on the year and a whopping 66 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings pitched. Browning has a .198 BAA and 0.88 WHIP so far. He’s still just in Full-A so he’s not close to the Majors yet, but the Red Sox should definitely give him a look at a higher level this year. The 23-year-old could move up the minor league ladder fairly quickly.
Yoan Aybar is doing that thing where he’s getting me all excited again. The lefty allowed a run in his last outing but has looked really good all month. He’s down to a 5.86 ERA and has 46 strikeouts (but 34 walks) in 35 1/3 innings. Opponents are hitting .159 against him. If he finds some command Aybar will be an elite bullpen arm.
Short-A (Lowell Spinners)
Stephen Scott coming in hot. The Red Sox drafted Scott out of Vanderbilt in the 10th-round of this year’s Draft. So far it’s going great for the outfielder. Scott’s played in four games for Lowell and has at least one hit in each. He’s currently 8-for-14 with three doubles and one RBI.
Gilberto Jimenez is hitless in his last seven at-bats. He’s still hitting .348. The 19-year-old outfielder has four doubles, one triple and one home run on the year and already has five steals. Jimenez has all-around potential and will be fun to watch grow.
Nick Decker is fun to watch. The 19-year-old is hitting .239 on the year but is already mashing. In 21 games the left-handed hitter has three doubles and two triples, as well as four home runs. Those four homers have all come in his last five games, three coming in his last two. He also has an impressive 16 RBI to this point.
Nicholas Northcut could be growing right besides Decker. The 20-year-old is hitting .236 with six doubles, one triple and one home run so far. He’s driven in 15 runs and scored nine more. The biggest hill to climb for him might be his position – as the Red Sox are kind of stacked when it comes to third base.
Joe Davis is hitting .333 with three doubles and one home run in 11 games. The first baseman has 11 RBI and almost as many walks (5) and strikeouts (8).
Xavier LeGrant is getting hot. The first baseman is on a 10-game hitting streak that’s risen his average from .063 to .296. LeGrant has one double, one triple and one home run and has driven in five runs while scoring 11.
Marino Campana looks lost this year. He hit .139 in Advanced-A, then .169 in Full-A and now has a .210 average in Short-A. He does have three homers in Short-A and five total though. I still have all the confidence in the world in Campana. He’s still just 21 and has a lot of pop in his swing.
Hildemaro Requena has a 1.13 ERA over 16 innings. The 21-year-old righty has 11 strikeouts and a .217 BAA so far. Despite only starting one game (six appearances) he’s managed a solid 3-1 record.
Chris Murphy was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 Draft. He’s already thrown three shutout innings for Lowell. The left-handed pitcher has allowed just two hits and one walk in that time, striking out five.
Kris Jackson has a 0.00 ERA in 9 1/3 innings in Short-A this season. He’s 3-for-3 in save opportunities and has a stupid good .133 BAA and 0.64 WHIP. The right-handed pitcher struggled in Advanced-A but looked strong in Full-A. He definitely doesn’t belong in Short-A.
Osvaldo De La Rosa has a 1.86 ERA over 9 2/3 innings so far. He’s 2-0 and 2-for-2 in save opportunities. The 21-year-old righty has a .212 BAA and 1.03 WHIP, striking out eight batters so far.
Next. Red Sox Rumors: 5 starting pitchers to target before MLB trade deadline. dark
Ryan Fernandez allowed three runs over four innings in an appearance on June 28 (he did strikeout six there). Outside of that, he hasn’t allowed an earned run all year. The 21-year-old righty (that’s a theme apparently) has a 1.53 ERA over 17 2/3 innings. He’s 2-0 with one save and has a ridiculously low .141 BAA and 0.79 WHIP.