Boston Red Sox top-30 prospect rankings after the 2019 season

28. Tyler Esplin (Right Fielder)

Tyler Esplin is one of the most underrated prospects in the Red Sox system in my opinion. The right fielder had a career-year in basically every aspect of the game.

Esplin spent 100 games in Full-A and two more in Advanced-A last season. His highest level before 2019 was Short-A.

That’s just the start of it though. Not only did Esplin play at the highest levels of his career, but he also played at the highest level of his career.

The left-handed hitter had a .253 average with 26 doubles and five home runs. Those were all career-bests. His three triples were one-off his old mark.

Meanwhile, he drove in 43 runs and scored 52 more, stealing six bases. As you might have guessed, those were all highs as well.

Esplin also got to play in the playoffs in Advanced-A. In four games with the Salem Red Sox, he hit .250 (4-for-16) with a double and two home runs, driving in four runs and scoring four more.

Esplin’s only unexciting category is his speed. He isn’t slow, but Esplin also won’t be stealing a ton of bases anytime soon. Still, he’s fast enough to leg out a ton of doubles and get a few steals.

He’s solid defensively in right field. Esplin seems really comfortable at the position and he has a phenomenal arm. That arm could help him throw out a lot of base runners.

Offensively is where Esplin will make his money. He should only get better when it comes to average as he gets older. Remember, he’s still just 20.

Esplin could flirt with .275 consistently once he grows his game a little better and has tons of raw power potential. Once he gets a little stronger, that 6’4″, 225 lb frame will work wonders. A lot of those deep fly balls he’s hitting will start leaving the park. He could be a 40-plus doubles 25-plus home runs guy.

The Red Sox should be absolutely thrilled with the incredible step forward Tyler Esplin made in 2019. If he replicates that in 2020 there’s no way he’s under-appreciated any longer.