Boston Red Sox Prospect Watch: End of another minor league season

The Red Sox Prospect Watch sees the end of another MiLB season

Well we’ve reached the end of the 2021 MiLB season – it’s a sad day. Obviously, that means that this is the last Boston Red Sox Prospect Watch of the year. We’ll be back next year though. And importantly, remember that the Top-30 Prospect list is still set to come out after the Red Sox season is over.

So there is still a lot to look forward too. And while we’re waiting for that, expect to see some specific prospects highlighted over the next few weeks.

For now though, we still have to focus on the Prospect Watch. And as always we are starting with the “prospects” that are working in the Majors right now.

Man, if Bobby Dalbec could’ve gotten hot just one month earlier. The first baseman has been the best rookie in baseball for over a month now. Give him a little more time and he would’ve won AL Rookie of the Year. Dalbec is up to a .245/.306/.497 slash line. That’s solid no matter what. It’s incredible when considering how bad it looked midway through the year. He also has 20 doubles, five triples, and 23 home runs. Dalbec’s driven in 76 runs and scored 47 more, stealing two bases in two attempts.

Garrett Whitlock has thrown 72 1/3 innings this season. That’s amazing. He never pitched above Double-A before this year and was a Rule-5 draft pick. The New York Yankees didn’t think he was worth saving. Well Whitlock’s been one of the best relievers and rookies in baseball. He holds on to a 1.99 ERA, .235 BAA, and 1.12 WHIP. Whitlock is 8-4 with 14 holds and two saves. He’s struck out 79 batters compared to 17 walks. The pitcher suffered an injury on Sunday and is listed as day-to-day at the moment. Hopefully it’s nothing bad. The Red Sox need Whitlock for their playoff push.

Tanner Houck was moved to the bullpen this week and dominated in his first appearance there. Well, it wasn’t his first appearance there this year. It was his first since getting moved there again though. And ironically enough, he got his first win of the year in a game where he came out of the bullpen. Houck has thrown 60 1/3 innings this season. In that time he has a 3.58 ERA, .237 BAA, and 1.16 WHIP. He’s struck out 73 batters compared to 16 walks and has one win and one save this season.

Red Sox Double-A (Portland)

Triston Casas went out and proved he is a star this year. The first baseman slashed .284/.395/.484 with 12 doubles, two triples, and 13 home runs. Oh, and he did that in just 77 games (275 at-bats) due to missing a large chunk thanks to the Olympics. Casas drove in 52 runs and scored 57 more, stealing six bases. He’s ready for the Majors if you ask me. Or at least, he’s extremely close.

Kole Cottam had a really solid season in High-A. Then he got promoted to Double-A and the catcher put up even better numbers. In 25 games with Portland, Cottam slashed .282/.337/.526. Overall, he slashed .278/.371/.500 with 18 doubles, two triples, and 10 home runs. Cottam had 33 runs scored and 33 runs driven in, giving pretty strong run production in just 234 at-bats.

Ronaldo Hernandez went on some kind of run to end the season. The catcher ended up slashing .280/.319/.506 with one triple and 19 home runs accompanying a career-best 26 doubles. Hernandez has driven in 53 runs and scored 44 more – all in just 92 games. One of his best years in the minors.

Pedro Castellanos put up numbers this year. Yet, he doesn’t get much fanfare. The right-handed hitter slashed .289/.364/.471 with 14 doubles, three triples, and a career-high 13 home runs. He drove in 44 runs and scored 66 more (a career-high as well), while stealing two bases. Castellanos has a very mature bat and is only 23. He doesn’t have a clear path at the moment but could figure something out, especially with his ability to play first and the corner outfield.

Cameron Cannon was finding his swing in Double-A. He ended the year slashing .284/.331/.440 between two levels. The shortstop mashed an impressive 30 doubles and 11 home runs in that time, driving in 53 runs and scored 61 more – stealing nine bases. Cannon’s offensive potential is off the charts, and he really let that shine in 2021.

Ryan Fitzgerald has proven in the past that he’s a great player. Great defense, ability to play a few positions, and a strong bat. This year he added power to his game though. Prior to 2021, his highest slugging percentage was .396. This year between Double-A and Triple-A Fitz slashed .270/.350/.512. That massive jump in slugging was due to career-highs in doubles (32) and home runs (16) to go along with four triples. He drove in 58 runs and scored 55 more, stealing four bases.

Devlin Granberg finished off his year strong, hitting a grand slam this week. The outfielder ended up slashing .297/.355/.515 between High-A and Double-A. He smacked 23 doubles and two triples to go along with a career-high 17 home runs. Meanwhile, he set new career-highs in runs scored (69) and runs batted in (74), adding on five steals.

Tyreque Reed didn’t set a new career-high in home runs. He finished the year with 17 between High-A and Double-A, one off his career-best of 18. However, Reed did set new marks in RBI (71) and runs scored (60). His .271/.375/.492 slash line was the best of his career as well. Reed added 17 doubles and one triple, stealing four bases.

Hudson Potts finished off the year pretty strong. The third baseman ended up slashing .217/.264/.399 with 18 doubles and 11 home runs in 281 at-bats. Potts drove in 47 runs and scored 33 more. Overall, the numbers aren’t phenomenal but he had decent run production and pop and played better as the year went on. Remember, he missed a large portion to start the year due to injury.

Jay Groome finished his year between High-A and Double-A incredibly. After a miserable start to the year, he was dominant. The lefty ended the season with a 4.81 ERA, .239 BAA, and 1.27 WHIP. In 97 1/3 innings pitched, Groome racked up 134 strikeouts and produced some untouchable outings.

Chris Murphy didn’t post the best numbers in 2021. The left-hander finished with a 4.62 ERA, .241 BAA, and 1.26 WHIP. Not terrible, but nothing spectacular. That being said, Murphy had a couple of stretches where he was absolutely phenomenal. Considering this was his first full season and he was playing at two levels that he had never played at before, it’s very excusable. Murph has phenomenal stuff and amazing potential. He finished with 128 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings and the future is very bright.

Brayan Bello spent time between High-A and Double-A, just like Murphy. And he had his moments of brilliance as well. The right-handed pitcher finished with a 3.87 ERA, .251 BAA, and 1.28 WHIP. He struck out 132 batters in 95 1/3 innings pitched. The reason for that is he’s just absolutely filthy. Unfair pitches.

Joan Martinez was utterly dominant to end the year. The relief pitcher ended up with a 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and .180 BAA. Martinez had 20 walks in 36 1/3 innings, but severely cut down on them at the end of the year, they were basically non-existent for the last few months. The right-hander also had six holds, five saves in five opportunities, and 51 strikeouts.

Victor Santos threw 45 1/3 innings for Portland this season. In that time, the right-handed pitcher posted phenomenal numbers. Santos went 4-2 with 45 strikeouts compared to just six walks. That’s an incredible K/BB ratio. The 21-year-old posted a 2.58 ERA, .240 BAA, and 1.08 WHIP in the Red Sox organization this year.

Red Sox High-A (Greenville)

Nick Yorke’s first season in the Red Sox organization was so good that it took him just one year to go from a draft pick that many questioned, to a can’t-miss-elite prospect. Yorke slashed .325/.412/.516 between Low-A and High-A. He hit 20 doubles, five triples, and 14 home runs. The 19-year-old drove in 62 runs and scored 76 more, stealing 13 bases.

Stephen Scott was having a solid year in Low-A, but took it to a different level when he got to High-A. Between the two levels – the left-handed batter slashed .291/.400/.514 with 29 doubles, one triple, and 16 home runs. He drove in 71 runs and scored 73 more, stealing three bases.

Tyler Dearden had a breakout season in 2021. Not only did the outfielder put together a good slash line and a nice average, but he was hitting for power we’ve never seen from him before. Dearden finished with a .261/.368/.523 slash line with career-highs in doubles (20) and home runs (24). Meanwhile, set new marks in RBI (80) and runs scored (73) as well – stealing one base.

Brandon Howlett also set a lot of career-highs. The third baseman had a .253/.345/.469 slash line on the year. He had 19 doubles and career-bests in triple (4) and home runs (17). Howlett also set career-highs in RBI (57), runs scored (62), and steals (2).

Nick Sogard ended his year on an incredibly high-note. The infielder hit two home runs and drove in four runs on Sunday – the last game of the year. Sogard slashed .276/.346/.461 between High-A and Double-A this season. He hit 12 doubles, two triples, and 13 home runs. Meanwhile, Sogard drove in 42 runs and scored 52 more, stealing eight bases.

Jaxx Groshans enjoyed a breakout year as well. The catcher spent time in Low-A and High-A. In that time, he slashed .281/.373/.456 with 13 doubles, three triples, and nine home runs. He drove in 37 runs and scored 39 more, stealing one base.

Elih Marrero wasn’t about to be outdone though. Also a catcher, Marrero had a great season. He slashed .287/.376/.397 with 14 doubles, one triple, and one home run. The power is solid, but he does so much more. Marrero gets on-base nicely and has great run production. In just 57 games (174 at-bats) he had 23 RBI, 32 runs scored, and an impressive 14 steals.

Christian Koss had a strong first year in the Red Sox organization. The shortstop slashed .271/.325/.451 with 18 doubles, seven triples, and 15 home runs. He drove in 55 runs and scored 65 more, stealing 10 bases.

Joe Davis spent time in both Low-A and High-A this season. In that time he proved that he is a legitimate bat. The first baseman slashed .297/.345/.509 with 23 doubles and 19 home runs. Davis was incredible with the run production too. He drove in 78 runs and scored 56 more in 95 games.

Jeremy Wu-Yelland only made three appearances in High-A, but he looked great in that time. Overall, the left-handed pitcher finished the year with a 3.91 ERA in 76 innings between Low-A and High-A. He posted a 1.29 WHIP and a .203 BAA. Wu-Yelland walked 42 batters, which was a serious issue. However, he also had 90 strikeouts and some absolutely dominant starts.

Casey Cobb was great in Low-A. But in High-A the reliever was even better. The right-handed pitcher finished with a 1.95 ERA, .198 BAA, and 0.92 WHIP in 73 2/3 innings between the two levels. Cobb struck out 82 batters and only walked 16. A year that definitely put him on the map.

Oddanier Mosqueda threw 47 1/3 innings in 2021. In that time, the right-handed reliever had another strong campaign. Mosqueda posted a 3.61 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and .182 BAA. He walked 25 batters but struck out 66 and had four holds and three saves in three opportunities.

Jose Espada had a phenomenal final week. In two appearances, Espada combined to throw six shutout innings. Those six innings saw the right-handed pitcher allow six hits and two walks, while striking out eight. Overall, he finished with a 3.09 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and .199 BAA. In 43 2/3 innings he struck out 53 batters.

Zach Bryant threw 48 1/3 innings in 2021. The right-handed pitcher posted a 3.54 ERA, .177 BAA, and 1.01 WHIP. He struck out 65 batters compared to 18 walks. Meanwhile Bryant won three games, had one hold, and picked up six saves.

Brandon Walter spent time in both Low-A and High-A this season. Overall the right-handed pitcher had a 2.92 ERA, a .199 BAA, and a 0.97 WHIP. Walter threw 89 1/3 innings and went 5-4 with two holds and two saves in that time. He racked up an incredible 132 strikeouts compared to 20 walks on the year.

Brian Van Belle had a really solid first year in the system. The right-handed pitcher had a 4.10 ERA, .276 BAA, and 1.25 WHIP. In 79 innings, he struck out 82 batters and only walked 13. Van Belle had a fantastic stretch that helped him turn his season around. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here. Not the flashiest pitcher, but clearly knows how to make it work.

Chase Shugart threw 105 2/3 innings in 2021. The right-handed pitcher had a 4.78 ERA, .292 BAA, and a 1.39 WHIP. Shugart struck out 93 batters compared to 24 walks. Not the best numbers, but he had a really strong end to the season. That’s very promising.

Red Sox Low-A (Salem)

Ceddanne Rafaela had himself a damn year. All season long I’ve bragged about his defense. The 20-year-old plays so many positions, and he plays them all at an elite level. Well he was named the Red Sox MiLB defensive player of the year. Meanwhile, Rafaela slashed .251/.305/.424 with 20 doubles, nine triples, and 10 home runs. He drove in 53 runs, scored 73 more, and stole 23 bases.

Gilberto Jimenez slashed .306/.346/.405 with 16 doubles, six triples, and three home runs. The outfielder didn’t show off as much power as people were expecting after bulking up in the offseason. However, he had a phenomenal season. The run production was great, driving in 56 runs and scoring 64 more – stealing 13 bases.

Tyler McDonough has been fantastic since getting drafted. The switch-hitting utility-man slashed .296/.397/.491 with four doubles, four triples, and three home runs in Low-A. He picked up 14 RBI and scored 23 runs, stealing three bases. Great start to his career.

Speaking of starts to a career, Tyler Miller was dominant. The third baseman slashed .359/.419/.615 with two doubles, one triple, and two home runs in nine games. Miller drove in eight runs and scored nine more, stealing one base. The left-handed hitter has already built a good (albeit short) resume in the minors.

Nicholas Northcut had an underrated but fantastic season. The right-handed hitter got really hot to end the year, and rose his average nicely. He finished with a .261/.352/.513 slash line. Meanwhile Northcut hit career-highs in doubles (32), triples (2), and home runs (17). He also set new marks in RBI (77) and runs (68). Great season and it’s wild to me that he didn’t get more attention.

Nick Decker slashed .276/.377/.452 with 18 doubles, one triple, and eight home runs in just 68 games (250 at-bats) for Low-A. The left-handed hitting outfielder drove in 39 runs and scored 55 more, stealing four bases. Decker was a consistent bat and put together a really solid season, showing a good bat with solid power.

Matthew Lugo ended up having a great season at the plate. The shortstop struggled defensively but managed to slash .270/.338/.364 with 21 doubles, three triples, and four home runs. He’s driven in 50 runs and scored 61 more, stealing 15 bases.

Wilkelman Gonzalez made four starts in Low-A. The 19-year-old righty threw 17 2/3 innings pitched. In that time, he posted a 1.53 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and .206 BAA. Gonzalez struck out 20 batters in that time. He’s seen as a raw prospect, so the fact that he’s able to put up those numbers this early on is pretty wild.

Chih-Jung Liu had another great start this week. The right-handed pitcher went 4 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits and four walks, striking out six. Liu finished the year with a 4.29 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and .257 BAA. He struck out 54 batters in 50 1/3 innings pitched. Liu had one or two blowup starts, but was untouchable most of the year.

Jacob Webb was a 14th-round pick this year. The right-handed pitcher posted a 0.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and .143 BAA in 10 innings for Salem. In those 10 innings, Webb walked six batters – a little bit of an issue. However, he only gave up five hits and had 12 strikeouts.

Wyatt Olds was also a 2021 draft pick, being selected in the seventh round. The right-handed pitcher posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and .268 BAA in 11 innings in Low-A. Olds had two holds and struck out 20 batters in that time.

Joey Stock threw 13 innings in Low-A this season. The right-handed pitcher posted a 2.08 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and .235 BAA in that time. Stock did win a game, and managed to strikeout a solid 15 batters in that time.