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

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.