Boston Red Sox Prospects: Who will make their MLB debut in 2022?

Which Red Sox prospects could make their MLB debuts in 2022?

The Boston Red Sox had a very successful 2021 season. It included a run to the ALCS, although many before the season didn’t see this as a playoff team.

One of the reasons for that was the contributions that the team got from some unexpected sources. Obviously, Hunter Renfroe had a career-year type of season. Kiké Hernandez was phenomenal as well. J.D. Martinez returned to form, and Kevin Plawecki was a tough out. Bobby Dalbec got hot for a while as well.

There were a number of rookies that made their Major League debut that had impacts too.

Jarren Duran struggled in his limited time in the Majors. But he provided a spark at times, and the outfielder should still be considered a serious part of the future in Boston. Catcher Connor Wong was called to action a few times and didn’t blink. Even infielder Jack Lopez got to take a few at-bats.

Pitching wise, there was a bigger impact. Connor Seabold and Kutter Crawford both got to make their first career starts in the Majors. Kaleb Ort and Raynel Espinal saw the mound in relief as well. Eduard Bazardo threw three innings and it likely would’ve been more if he didn’t get injured, as he looked fantastic in that time.

Hirokazu Sawamura may have been 33 last year, but it was still his first season in the Majors. So he counts here, and posted great numbers despite some fans souring on him. The right-hander managed a 3.06 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 53 innings (the 32 walks might be what caused some to watch through their fingers when he was on the mound).

Finally there was the star of the rookies, Garrett Whitlock. The now-25-year-old righty tossed a hefty 73 1/3 innings out of the bullpen last season for the Red Sox. He went 8-4 with 14 holds and two saves. Whitlock also posted a 1.96 ERA, .233 BAA, and 1.10 WHIP. He struck out 81 batters compared to just 17 walks.

It’s safe to say the Red Sox wouldn’t have gotten as far in 2021 if it wasn’t for the rookies that made their debut in the season.

With that in mind, which prospects could we see get their first taste of the Majors in 2022? Let’s take a look at some (in no particular order) and rate them on a scale from ice-cold to burning-hot based on the likelihood of a debut happening for them in the upcoming season.

Just a quick reminder, these are all subject to change. This is just their rating on the scale based off of right now. Once the lockout is over and more free agent signings happen, things will change. I mean, if Boston snags someone like Trevor Story for example – that’s changing a lot of ratings pretty quickly.

Red Sox second base prospect Jeter Downs

2021 was a down year for Jeter Downs. The middle infield prospect slashed .190/.272/.333 over 357 at-bats in Triple-A. There are a few things to remember though.

First of all, it was the first time Downs ever played at the Triple-A level. In fact, he had just 12 career games in Double-A before the season. It was also his first year in the Red Sox system, and it was after taking that year off that all minor leaguers had to deal with in 2020. So the cards were stacked against him. Oh, and the right-handed hitter spent most of the year as a 22-year-old in Triple-A. Not exactly easy.

Downs also started to swing a much better bat towards the end of the year. Then he was crushing it in the Arizona Fall League. It was almost like he needed to adjust to such a big jump after a year off and barely having any time at the level below.

Downs is still very much an elite-potential prospect. And oh, look at that! He plays a position of need for the Red Sox, second base.

Downs will have to perform though. If he’s hitting under .200 again, it’s unlikely Boston is going to be too pressed to give him the call-up. However, even if he isn’t exactly killing it, Downs should be on the shortlist.

I’ll take it a step further than that actually. If the Red Sox don’t make a big splash signing, Downs will go into Spring Training with a chance to win a roster spot. It will be an outside chance, absolutely. But it’s still a chance. That right there shows how close he could be to the Major Leagues.

That being said, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Downs hit .190 last season. Boston will want to give him some more time to mature. They saw what happened when they threw him into Triple-A before he was ready. Why run the risk in the Majors? Let him start in Triple-A and earn the promotion.

It seems insanely likely that it will happen at some point in 2022 though. So with that being said, Jeter Downs starts off this list with a “hot” rating. Not a sure thing, but he feels pretty close to it.

Red Sox relief pitching prospect Zack Kelly

Like I just stated, Boston doesn’t exactly have a star-studded bullpen. So even if they do give Feltman a chance, they’ll likely need more help. Enter Zack Kelly.

2021 was the first year Kelly was in Boston’s system, having spent 2019 with the Los Angeles Angels organization. However, it didn’t take long for the right-handed pitcher to prove just how good he is.

Kelly pitched in both Double-A and Triple-A in 2021. In 45 1/3 innings combined between the two levels, he posted a 2.18 ERA. It wasn’t just a low ERA though. Kelly managed a 1.08 WHIP and a ridiculous .194 BAA. He also struck out a staggering 69 batters in that time, posting a 4-1 record with 10 holds and six saves.

Kelly will enter the 2022 season as a 27 year old. He’s had a decent amount of experience in the minors (four seasons, 88 games, 13 starts, 196 1/3 innings pitched) as well. The Red Sox will be looking for cheap bullpen options. And he was toying with a call-up last season. It feels like if he was on the 40-man roster, that would’ve happened.

Now, Kelly isn’t on the 40-man roster at the moment either. However, Boston only has 39 players on it and that’s likely not going to remain the same. There are a few players I could see being taken off the list in exchange for others (although you could also argue there will be more free agent signings taking up spots). However, there will also be 60-day IL moves that free up spaces.

Kelly could even make it to the Majors through Spring Training. It seems likely that he’ll get a chance to win a spot this Spring. If that doesn’t happen though, it will happen before the end of the year. It feels sort of obvious.

Injuries happen. And at the moment there are very few pitchers that Boston would have in their minors that would be on the list ahead of the Newberry College product. A strong mix of solid pitches should work well in the Majors and this could be someone that once he makes it to the show, he’s there to stay.

Maybe not a 100% definite, but he’s pretty high up on the scale – getting a “hot” rating.

Red Sox outfield prospect Devlin Granberg

I’m going to say something a little controversial here. I’m not really all that excited about the Red Sox possibly re-signing Kyle Schwarber. To be fair, I wouldn’t be upset about it. It’s really not something that I’m hoping for though.

What were the biggest complaints about Boston last year outside of anything to do with pitching? The defense (especially in the outfield), the play of the first basemen, and inconsistent and streaky hitting.

Schwarber is terrible defensively in the outfield. He struggled mightily when they tried to move him to first base too. His offense was great overall in the 41 games he played with the Red Sox. But he’s still a career .237 hitter. Last season was the first time he hit over .250. He hit .205 in the postseason and was 3-for-25 in the ALCS.

Maybe focus your money somewhere else. Especially with J.D. Martinez coming back, that’s some bad defensive combos.

So with that in mind, you look to the minors. And the issue there is that there aren’t many players close to the minors that you could count on immediately. Devlin Granberg comes to mind though.

After proving to be a consistently good at-bat in the past, the right-handed hitter had a phenomenal 2021. Now not only is he a reliable bat, but he’s legitimately dangerous at the plate if you ask me.

Granberg slashed .297/.355/.515 between High-A and Double-A. He smashed 23 doubles and two triples with five steals – while posting career-highs in home runs (17), RBI (74), and runs scored (69).

Granberg isn’t very fast. His defense in the outfield isn’t going to hurt you though. He doesn’t have great range but everything else is very solid. Most importantly, Granberg also plays first base. And he does that very well.

2022 will probably start with the 26-year-old in Double-A. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he found his way to Triple-A pretty quickly. He didn’t look out-of-place at all when he was moved up to Portland last year so he might not need much more time there. Boston might want to have him in Worcester as soon as possible, because he might be a solid option if needed.

The issue with Granberg is that the Red Sox might not have the most defensively inclined outfield, but they have a lot of names. At first base you’ve got Bobby Dalbec, and Triston Casas isn’t far away. Meanwhile, the outfield currently holds Kiké Hernandez, Alex Verdugo, J.D. Martinez, and Jackie Bradley Jr. (I don’t know what the plan is with him though). Jarren Duran can be thrown in there too. That’s five right there.

And that’s with the Red Sox making no other moves at the positions this offseason, which doesn’t seem very likely.

For Granberg it’s going to have to be a combination of stellar play that makes them notice you more, and maybe an injury or two. It’s not impossible, but the meter isn’t really moving for the Dallas Baptist product, sitting on room temperature.

Red Sox catching prospect Ronaldo Hernandez

The catching situation for the Red Sox is sort of up-in-the-air right now. Christian Vazquez didn’t have a great year offensively. Even worse, his defense took a major step backwards. However, he had a strong showing the postseason.

Kevin Plawecki however was phenomenal offensively during the regular season, but struggled (in very limited reps to be fair) in the postseason. Defensively, he was even worse than Vazquez though.

So there’s a pretty clear issue with this position. A lack of defense. That’s where Ronaldo Hernandez comes in to play. The catcher had a massive year in 2021. In Double-A, the right-handed hitter slashed .280/.319/.506 in 336 at-bats. Then in 27 at-bats in Triple-A, Hernandez posted an incredible .333/.400/.444.

The now-24-year-old finished with one triple, 16 home runs, 58 RBI, 45 runs scored, and a career-high 29 doubles. Most importantly though, he’s gifted defensively. That includes a cannon for an arm that should help Boston limit steals a little bit.

With Hernandez getting a little bit of work in Triple-A, it’s safe to assume that’s where he’ll be starting in 2022. However, there is another issue here and it comes in the form of Connor Wong.

Wong picked it up a lot as the year went on, fixing his Triple-A numbers. Meanwhile, he looked great in the very limited reps he got in the Majors. Wong will be 26 in the 2022 season, so he’s seen as a potential future option at the position as well. His athleticism gives him the ability to play a few other positions, but it feels like Boston wants to at least give him a chance behind the dish.

Those are the four catchers on the 40-man roster right now though. So Hernandez is absolutely on the short-list. And it doesn’t feel like the front office has the most confidence in their current MLB catchers (Vaz and Plawecki). There were rumors that Boston tried to trade for Jacob Stallings from the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Miami Marlins made a bigger offer.

So Wong and Hernandez might not be far away. And with Ronaldo Hernandez’s defensive gifts, it feels like the Red Sox might want to give him a try at some point. Thanks to that, the temperature is “warm” on the catcher.

Red Sox shortstop prospect Ryan Fitzgerald

Boston has Xander Bogaerts at shortstop. You aren’t going to hear me say many bad things about him. I find it hilarious that some fans aren’t all-in on him. He’s easily the best shortstop Boston has had since the legendary Nomar Garciaparra. Side note, I have a MLB 07: The Show franchise with “aging” Nomar as my shortstop/two-hitter and through 11 games he’s hitting .425 with four homers. I also have Rocco Baldelli, Julio Lugo, Pedro Martinez, and Ken Griffey Jr. on the squad. Streaming a lot of the games on Twitch (give the kid a follow @IrishAnchor).

The only thing I’ll say is that the defense isn’t good. And at some times, that can hurt the Red Sox.

With that in mind, it’s not a bad idea to have someone that can play gold glove defense behind him. And when you’re getting a backup for a star player, it’s smart to not be breaking the bank for him.

Oh, look at that – they have a player in the minors that has shown he can play incredible defense already. He has a good bat and added some extra power to his swing this year too. I’ve already talked about how much I like Ryan Fitzgerald in the past and how he deserves a chance.

The right-handed hitter slashed .270/.350/.512 with four triples, 58 RBI, 55 runs scored, and four steals. He also posted career-highs in doubles (32) and home runs (16). Most impressively, he did that between Double-A and Triple-A. Before 2021, he had never played at either level before.

Fitz is insane defensively too. Good range, and that’s about the worst thing I’ll say about him on that side of the ball. He gets great positioning, has a soft glove, and a strong and accurate arm.

There are going to be people that talk about the fact that the Creighton product is undrafted, or that he’s 27 and will turn 28 during the year, or that he isn’t a ranked prospect and gets little fanfare. But I’m here to say, who cares? Fitzgerald has played at a high-level since joining the system. He’s proven himself and has earned an opportunity.

Fitzgerald won’t make the team out of Spring Training. But he’ll be in Triple-A to start the year, and should be on the short-list when injuries occur. When given the chance, I think a lot of fans will love him too.

It also helps that he can play a lot of other positions, having seen time everywhere last year except catcher and pitcher. Shortstop is his bread-and-butter though. And in 2022 the temperate on a Ryan Fitzgerald debut feels pretty warm. Might even call it “hot”.

Red Sox starting pitching prospect Victor Santos

Boston’s already made a few additions this offseason when it comes to pitching. Michael Wacha was brought on to fight for a spot. James Paxton and Rich Hill were added and should play big roles.

That being said, Paxton is trying to come back from an injury and Hill will be 42 next year. He’s been winning the battle against Father Time when it comes to stats. But he also hasn’t pitched much in a few of his most recent seasons. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before not only does that become an issue, but the numbers start to sour.

So what happens if the Red Sox find themselves in trouble with injuries and poor play from the pitching staff midway through the season? Of course they can make trades. But with injuries it tends to be call-ups more than anything. So a few pitchers could get a shot in 2022.

A newer face to Boston is Victor Santos. He was traded to the team last season as the “player to be named later” in the C.J. Chatham deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

I love Chatham and think he has a lot of potential to be a good Major League player, especially offensively. But getting Santos as a PTBNL in the deal was pretty wild and unexpected.

In 45 1/3 innings pitched for Portland (Double-A), Santos posted a 2.58 ERA. The right-handed pitcher had a .240 BAA and 1.08 WHIP as well. Most impressively, he struck out 45 batters in that time while only walking six.

The craziest part is that Santos is only 21. And counting his time with Philadelphia, he had 66 innings pitched in Double-A last season. He’ll likely start the year there, but with a chance to get a promotion to Triple-A pretty quickly.

Once in Triple-A, it will feel like Santos is just an injury away from being called to the show. In fact, he could get promoted from Double-A. But as he’s not exactly considered an “elite” prospect, it feels unlikely that Boston will want to rush him.

This won’t be an early-season thing. He’ll be given at least a month in Double-A. From there they’ll want to test him out in Triple-A before even considering a move up again. With all that being said though, Victor Santos definitely has a chance to make his Major League debut in 2022. He’ll need to prove himself first though, which severely lowers the chance. So for now, the pitcher is just getting a “room temperature” rating.

Red Sox starting pitching prospect Jay Groome

You’ve got to love an elite left-handed starting pitcher. Jon Lester, Chris Sale, Felix Doubront (right, am I right people?). As I just said in the last slide, Boston might need some starting pitching help in 2022. So why not consider one of their best pitching prospects in left-hander Jay Groome?

Groome has had an upsetting number of injuries to start his career. It’s really hindered the beginning of his professional career. 2021 was a resurgence though, and it really put him back on the map.

The 23-year-old started the year off poorly, with some implosion outings right out of the gate. As the year went on though, he became more and more untouchable. Groome ended up posting a 4.81 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and .239 BAA in 21 starts between High-A and Double-A. In 97 1/3 innings he struck out an incredible 134 batters, showing just how nasty his pitches are.

Most importantly, he dominated in Double-A to end the year. In three starts for Portland, Groome recorded a 2.30 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and .211 BAA. He also struck out 26 batters in 15 2/3 innings.

This is a tough one. As the year went on Groome only got better and managed to make his way to Double-A. However, it was only for a short amount of time. So obviously he’ll be starting the 2022 season in Portland. And the Red Sox will likely want to give him a decent amount of time there.

That’s where it gets tricky though. Due to injuries, Groome doesn’t have all that much experience (163 1/3 career innings). As a starter, that’s not exactly great. So they might not want to rush anything still. If Groome absolutely dominates, yes he’ll get the call-up. But that’s the only way it’s happening. Boston has enough depth and other prospects that can go to the Majors if they just need someone to get a spot-start or something.

This year feels like it will be for letting Groome get more footing and getting a chance to pitch in Triple-A by the end of the year. Barring utter dominance (which isn’t out of the question to be fair), I don’t see him making his way to Boston in 2022 though. Due to that, the temperate meter is sadly going to be “cold”. Not impossible, but it feels pretty far off – even with him being on the 40-man roster.

Red Sox relief pitching Joan Martinez

Boston’s relievers in 2021 had a bit of an issue with walks. That was the main problem for Joan Martinez too. Or at least it was for the beginning of the season. As the year went on the command got better and better.

In the first month (6 2/3 innings) he walked seven batters. The next month (8 2/3 innings) he walked another seven batters. Next month Martinez walked just three batters in seven innings. The following month saw him walk just two batters in 10 1/3 innings. Finally, he walked just one batter in 3 2/3 innings in his final month.

Overall, Martinez walked 20 batters in 36 1/3 innings. Overall the numbers don’t look great, but once you see how much he improved over the year it makes such a big difference. The right-handed pitcher struck out 51 batters in that time. He also posted a 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and insane .180 BAA. What’s even crazier, Martinez didn’t allow a home run in 2021.

Martinez wasn’t giving up hits. And it’s not just a fluke either, he has a .208 BAA throughout his entire career. The 25-year-old recorded six holds and was a perfect 5-for-5 in save opportunities as well. This helps to prove that even with the early walk problems, he was a consistently reliable bullpen arm.

All this being said, the walks have been a problem for Martinez his entire career. With that in mind, Boston might want to see that he can keep the walks down like he did at the end of the year before making any big moves.

That being said, Martinez spent the entire 2021 season in Double-A. So it’s not crazy to think he’ll start 2022 in Triple-A. Or at the very least in Double-A with a promotion to Triple-A being expected in the near-future.

Either way, that puts Martinez extremely close to the Majors. And if he does manage to keep those walks down, Boston could come calling for his services pretty quickly. We’ve already seen that he can rack up the strikeouts and is terribly hard to make solid contact off of. All that sounds like a recipe for an elite reliever.

Boston’s bullpen still hasn’t been solved. And the temperature on Joan Martinez feels pretty “hot”.

Red Sox outfield prospect Pedro Castellanos

Boston is short on outfielders in the minors that could help right now. Pedro Castellanos is definitely right near the top of the list though. What’s great is, he can play first base too. In fact, that was his primary position before the 2021 season. But in 2021, Castellanos spent the entire year in the outfield. While he’s mainly a left fielder, he spent some time in right field and managed a few innings in center field as well.

When Castellanos first came into the Red Sox system, he was considered one of their top prospects. In that time, the right-handed hitter was seen as someone with untapped power potential. In 2016, he hit three home runs in 236 at-bats in Rookie Ball. Then he hit two home runs in 195 at-bats between Rookie Ball and Full-A in 2017. 2018 saw Castellanos hit just one home run in 344 at-bats in Full-A.

Then the power started to show itself a bit. Castellanos managed nine home runs in 446 at-bats in Advanced-A in 2019. Finally came 2021. Last year he set a new career-high with 13 home runs, and he did so in just 325 at-bats. Clearly he’s started to find the power.

It hasn’t hurt the rest of his game either. Castellanos still hit .289 in 2021 (.300 in his career), and posted a .364 OBP (.471 slugging percentage). He’s finally becoming that all-around hitter with serious power potential.

Despite that, the 24-year-old (just turned 24 on December 11) has sort of fallen off the radar. But clearly Castellanos could be an asset. He’s a professional bat that would probably fit really well in the Red Sox lineup and would fall in love with the Green Monster. The defense isn’t great but he proved last season that he can play the outfield. It certainly wouldn’t help Boston defense issues there. At first base he’d be solid though.

Pedro Castellanos could start 2022 in Triple-A. He should be pretty close to the Majors. And if the Red Sox run into any sort of injury problems in the outfield or first base he could be one of the first to get called up. It might depend on how he plays, but nothing in his past suggests that Castellanos won’t rake. So he’s getting a “very warm” rating.

Red Sox starting pitching prospect Josh Winckowski

Josh Winckowski was traded to the Red Sox from the New York Mets as part of the trade that sent Andrew Benintendi to the Kansas City Royals. That sounds confusing, but it all tracks.

Winckowski comes with his strengths and weaknesses. He isn’t much of a strikeout pitcher (101 strikeouts in 112 innings last season). The 33 walks showed decent enough command though. The right-handed pitcher works to contact, and posted a .241 BAA and 1.23 WHIP in 2021. However, he was able to keep a solid ERA of 3.94 between Double-A and Triple-A.

It was just two starts (12 innings), but Winckowski’s numbers in Triple-A were promising. He lowered his season numbers thanks to a 2.25 ERA, .122 BAA, and 0.67 WHIP.

The 23-year-old (turns 24 on June 28) already has a lot of experience, with five seasons in the minors. In that time, he’s thrown 375 innings and has a strong 3.53 ERA.

There are some concerns with him when it comes to the Majors. His fastball can sit in the mid-90s but doesn’t miss a lot of bats. Luckily he has good command on the pitch though, and that helps him to keep contact pretty weak. But without that swing-and-miss ability there’s always the fear that he will run into trouble in the Majors.

The good news here is that Winckowski also has a slider and a changeup and both have more strikeout potential. Still nothing crazy, but he has enough to keep hitters guessing and make outs when needed.

The biggest thing when it comes to Winckowski is that he’s on the 40-man roster already. It makes sense too. He’s a proven talent. Always producing in the minors, even without the strikeout working for him. That shows just how smart of a pitcher he is – and that will always translate to any level.

With him already on the 40-man it just feels like a matter of time. Maybe he won’t start the year with Boston (remember only 12 innings in Triple-A), but he’s not far off. They’ll let him work in Worcester for a bit. Then whenever they need a spot start or even someone that they can throw in their bullpen for a bit to eat a chunk of innings, they’ll call him up.

Expect 2022 to be a season where you see Winckowski get the promotion/demotion treatment quite a bit. It’s not a bad thing. I’m not saying he’ll get demoted because he’s pitching bad. But once he gets some extra work in Triple-A, they’ll probably start using him as a swingman. Someone that can fill in when needed, then take the trip back to Worcester to wait in the wings once again.

With that in mind, Josh Winckowski’s temperature rating is absolutely “burning hot”. He’ll be in Boston in 2022, it’s just a matter of when (and for how long and how many times)?

Red Sox starting pitching prospect Brandon Walter

The Red Sox MiLB pitcher of the year in 2021 wasn’t some flashy 20-year-old prospect. He wasn’t someone that’s a household name either, or a top-five prospect. It was someone that in just his second season in the minors proved to be a dominant force though and absolutely earned his way in to many people’s knowledge of the system. Brandon Walter had an impressive 2021 season, and it has to make you wonder what’s next in 2022.

Now, Walter is pretty far off still when you consider he spent 2021 between Low-A and High-A. However, in that time he was utterly dominant. The left-handed pitcher combined for 89 1/3 innings between the two levels. In that time he posted a 2.92 ERA, .199 BAA, and 0.97 WHIP. He went 5-4 (made 14 starts in 25 appearances), had two holds, and went 2-for-2 in save opportunities. Oh, and he struck out 132 batters compared to just 20 walks. The stuff is nasty.

Still though, he spent time in Low-A and High-A. So how is he even on this list, you ask? There are a few reasons actually.

First of all, Walter might have split time between the two, but he spent most of his time in High-A (58 1/3 innings). With that in mind, there’s a decent chance he starts 2022 in Double-A. Second, this is a 25-year-old (turned 25 at the end of last season) with College experience. He’s already more polished than a lot of pitching prospects. So even if he is starting in Double-A (with no previous experience at the level) in 2022, it still isn’t all that far off from the Majors.

Walter will need to continue proving he can dominate in the minors. Boston will likely slow their roll on him if he’s just pitching “okay”. But if he keeps putting up numbers like he has been (also had a 2.30 ERA, .208 BAA, and 1.02 WHIP in 33 1/3 innings in 2019), we could see him in the Majors this season.

This is a frustrating one. If the 2020 MiLB season happened, I feel like Walter would be a much bigger name in baseball. He’d either already be in the Majors or he would be getting talked about as a serious pitching prospect. But because of the year off he’s suddenly a 25-year-old with 122 2/3 innings pitched in the minors. And that cools the talks a little bit.

Still though, if he gets called up this year (or even next) you could absolutely get at least a decade out of him. That’s nothing to be upset about.

Overall though if we’re being honest, the chances of Brandon Walter getting called up in 2022 still don’t feel like a definite or anything. But it’s not unlikely, if that makes any sense. It’s sort of in that sweet-spot right in the middle of it all. And because of that, his temperature rating is sitting at “room-temp”.

Red Sox shortstop prospect Cameron Cannon

Cameron Cannon has all the offensive tools to be a star. The shortstop has solid speed, good pop, and can put the barrel on the ball at a heavy clip.

Cannon slashed .284/.331/.440 with 30 doubles and 11 home runs in 405 at-bats combined between High-A and Double-A. The right-handed hitter drove in 53 runs and scored 61 more, stealing nine bases. So right off the bat, he showed the versatility that he brings. Cannon has the ability to rack up the doubles and hit for a great average. But there’s also a chance he could hit 20-plus home runs and steal 15-plus bases.

The issue here is that Cannon plays shortstop. And Bogaerts is already holding that spot down. Even more than that, Fitzgerald is probably on the list ahead of him when it comes to call-ups.

Cannon can also play second base though. And while Jeter Downs is ahead of him at that position, the flexibility doesn’t hurt. His middle infield status gives Boston some options. If there are injuries or poor play at either of the two positions, suddenly Cannon is moving up on the totem pole.

The 24-year-old isn’t an elite defender, but he’s pretty underrated there. Decent range and quick feet, with a good glove. Solid arm too, as he can make the throws from shortstop and would look even better at second base.

However, Cannon’s going to start the season in Double-A. He still has just 24 games (94 at-bats) at that level. So the Red Sox are going to want him to keep improving there. Especially considering his slash line (.223/.263/383) left a little to be desired. Of course, it’s not surprising that someone struggled a bit in a short amount of time after a call-up. There tends to be an adjustment period.

But they’ll still want Cannon to find his footing there. It’s likely that he gets a couple months there before any other move is mad (barring just an absolutely blazing streak). After that though, Cannon could be on the short-list to get called up if something is to happen.

Still, there are a few players ahead of him and the Red Sox will definitely want to see him keep improving before making any moves. A great prospect, but there are too many moving parts at the moment. Due to that, Cameron Cannon’s 2022 MLB debut temperature meter sits at “cool”.

Red Sox first base prospect Triston Casas

Triston Casas is a superstar. Anyone that’s seen him play even once can see that. The first baseman will be 22 the entire 2022 season. And he’s done nothing but impress so far. He took it to a new level in 2021, when he showed off his skills on a worldwide stage in the Olympics.

Despite having a broken 2021 due to all the time off he had to take for the Olympics, he put up some phenomenal numbers. In 86 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Casas slashed .279/.394/.484 with 15 doubles, three triples, and 14 home runs. He drove in 59 runs and scored 63 more, stealing seven bases.

What might have impressed me the most though was the fact that while he struck out 71 times, Casas drew 57 walks. To do that at such a young age at two levels you’ve never been to before is incredible. He has such patience and such a developed eye it’s incredible. I love to point out the fact that he chokes up pretty heavily too. That’s so cool to see because he’s still a slugger. Casas will choke up hard on the bat, then take you 440 feet deep, it’s almost disrespectful.

The left-handed hitter feels like such a sure-thing. He just does so many things right. Even his defense is really good. When he played third base there were a few questions about that side of the ball. The move to first base worked though. He has good footwork, a good glove, great instincts, and a very strong arm for the position.

This feels like the easiest one to answer. There’s a solid chance Casas is on the Major League roster coming out of Spring Training. If not though, he’ll start the year in Triple-A with the expectations that he will be promoted pretty quickly. It’s another reason I don’t really want Schwarber back. Dalbec is at first, and when Casas comes you don’t want three people trying to figure out playing time. It would be too much of a logjam.

Casas is the next great superstar for Boston. And that era will be starting in 2022. His call-up temperature meter is off the charts with a “scorching hot”.

Red Sox starting pitching prospect Brayan Bello

There are quite a few pitching prospects in the Boston system. However, it’s hard to think of many (if any) that have the type of filth in their pitch repertoire that Brayan Bello has.

The right-handed pitcher has a lot going for him. And it helped him rack up 132 strikeouts in just 95 1/3 innings pitched between High-A and Double-A.

In 21 starts on the season, Bello posted a 7-3 record. The 22-year-old (will be 23 for the 2022 season) managed a 3.87 ERA, .251 BAA, and 1.28 WHIP. The BAA and WHIP could use some work, as he sometimes let games get away from him, especially in Double-A. However, there is just so much to love about his game when watching him on the mound.

With that in mind, it’s no wonder the Red Sox are so high on Bello. His status for 2022 is a little tricky though.

Bello did make his last 15 starts of the season all in Double-A. However, he was struggling a bit there. He posted a 4.66 ERA, .266 BAA, and 1.41 WHIP. The strikeouts were still coming in bunches though. And that makes you feel like he has the stuff, it’s just a matter of getting acclimated to the new level.

So Bello will 100% be starting the year in Double-A. He might not be there for all that long though. I mean you can just look at 2021 as a perfect example of this. Bello started the year in High-A, but only started six games there before being promoted to the next level. The reason for that was simple, he was dominating at the level. And it was a level he had never even pitched at before.

Due to that, it’s reasonable to assume that Bello might not need much time in Double-A in 2022 before getting the same treatment and moving up to Triple-A.

Still though, Boston has a lot of talent when it comes to pitchers. And Bello came into 2021 seen as more of a “raw” talent. So they might want to make sure he really has Triple-A down before moving him to the Majors.

Thanks to that, Bello’s temperature meter is a little altered. He still definitely has a chance to dominate and earn the MLB debut in 2022. But Boston’s likely going to want to be sure he’s ready, there’s no reason to rush him. That would make me put him at “room temperature”. One quick think though, Bello is on the 40-man roster. That puts him a little higher in the peaking order. Let’s bump him up to “warm”.

Red Sox starting pitching prospect Chris Murphy

Chris Murphy and Brayan Bello followed each other around in 2021. Both started the season in High-A, before being moved up to Double-A to end the year.

Murphy’s numbers don’t tell the full story here. In 101 1/3 innings between the two levels, he had a fantastic 128 strikeouts. However he also had a 4.62 ERA, .241 BAA, and 1.26 WHIP. Those aren’t the best numbers, but Murph is sort of the perfect example of stats not being the only indicator of a prospect.

The left-handed pitcher ran into two problems on the year. He gave up 36 walks, which isn’t terrible at all. But it felt like whenever he did run into an issue in that department, it led to runs. It was some bad luck there.

Meanwhile, he also had a problem with the longball. Murphy gave up 21 home runs, and that certainly can run you into some trouble quickly.

We also got to see the elite side of the pitcher though. There were a lot of starts where it looked like no batter could find the ball against him. It led to some absolutely dominant outings where he racked up the strikeouts and limited baserunners to bare minimums.

It’s no secret that I’m all-in on Murph. To put it in wrestling terms, he’s sort of like Jeff Hardy. You’re going to get something really exciting anytime he steps in the ring and he’ll win the crowd over immediately. Murphy does that on the mound thanks to some insanely nasty pitches. If he can get command over them it’s hard to touch his fastball/curveball/slider/changeup combo. All three breaking balls are unfair when he has it going.

Oh, and they both have phenomenal hair. All I ask is for Murph to walk to the mound with Jeff Hardy’s “No More Words” playing and do the arm swings that he does. He does that, guaranteed perfect game incoming.

The 23-year-old (will be 24 in the 2022 season) has all the tools to be a superstar. And with his College experience, he could move up the ladder quickly. However, he still has just 134 2/3 innings pitched in the minors. Boston will want to start him in Double-A and let him go from there.

Murphy faces an uphill battle when it comes to making his MLB debut in 2022. He isn’t on the 40-man roster and a few other top pitching prospects are. It’s not impossible though thanks to that College experience. He could fly up quickly if he comes out of the gates strong. Still though, for now I think we’re going to sadly go with “cool” on the temperature meter.

When he does make it to the show, he’ll be ready though.

Red Sox catching prospect Kole Cottam

Boston had a lot of prospects take leaps forward in 2021. And catcher Kole Cottam was already a great prospect before the season. So why does am I putting him at the top? That’s for another article if we’re being honest. But I’ll just sum it up really quickly – defense.

Cottam is a great hitter, but was “eh” defensively. He took such a massive step forward in that category in 2021 though. His game-calling, ability to block pitches, arm, everything improved.

Last season, the right-handed hitter slashed a strong .278/.371/.500 in 71 games (234 at-bats) between High-A and Double-A. That’s right, he was attached to the hip of Bello and Murphy as well. Sort of works out that they had the battery going for most of the season.

The best part about that slash line is that Cottam played better when he was promoted to Double-A. The average improved slightly and the slugging percentage took a big leap forward thanks to five doubles, one triple, and four home runs in just 78 at-bats.

Cottam isn’t on the 40-man roster though. So best case scenario there are four catchers ahead of him right now. Two being prospects themselves in Connor Wong and Ronaldo Hernandez (who we already talked about). This makes it really tough for Cottam.

There is something big going for him though. At times last season, we saw Cottam playing first base. I don’t think there are any plans to have him switch positions (especially after he improved so much behind the dish). But it shows how desperate they were to keep him in the lineup at times. When he gets hot, it’s impressive to watch – we see more barrels than the Hangar level in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 (that might be the best reference I’ve ever made).

Cottam’s defensive improvements make this hard to rate. Because clearly he’s showing how hard of a worker he is. So if he takes another leap forward in 2022, it will be hard to ignore him. Boston has four catchers ahead of him though. Even with the two in the Majors having their weaknesses, there is a ton to love about Wong and Hernandez. So they will get their chance to prove themselves.

For Cottam he will either need to be putting up just ridiculous numbers, or there will need to be a lot of injuries at the position if the 24-year-old (will be 25 for the 2022 season) is going to make his Major League debut in 2022. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities, but he’s getting a “cool” temp as well.

Red Sox second base prospect Nick Yorke

I heavily considered not putting Nick Yorke on this list. He spent the heavy majority of his 2021 season in Low-A. However, Yorke did get some work in at High-A and absolutely crushed it there.

Overall between the two levels, Yorke slashed .325/.412/.516 with 20 doubles, five triples, and 14 home runs. The right-handed hitter drove in 62 runs and scored 76 more, stealing 13 bases. Even the defense was phenomenal. After committing eight errors in the first month of the season, he had just one more the rest of the year, finish with nine.

The reason this one seems odd is because Yorke has just the 2021 season under his belt. He’s going to be 20 for the entire 2022 season and has 97 games (378 at-bats) in the minors. That’s not a lot of experience. And with only 21 games in High-A, most would assume he’s going to be starting there.

Then I thought about it though. Yes, Yorke could definitely start in High-A. I could also see them throwing him into the Double-A fire immediately though. And even if he does start in High-A, it took take less than a full month of hot hitting before he gets moved up.

From there, Yorke is suddenly a step away. He’s not on the 40-man roster but there aren’t that many people that could be ahead of him on the list.

And yes, you could say that Boston doesn’t want to rush him. Which could absolutely be their strategy in this scenario. However, you could also look at it the other way. They need a second baseman, and Yorke was one of the best hitters in the entire minors last season – no matter what team we’re talking about. If he keeps doing that, why not give him a chance?

It still feels very unlikely. But I couldn’t ignore him because I do honestly think that there’s a chance we see Nick Yorke in the Majors in 2022. Is it a very outside chance? Yes, absolutely. But it’s still a shot. With that in mind, he gets a “cold” temperature rating – but hey, he’s still getting a rating.

Red Sox starting pitching prospect Bryan Mata

It’s no secret that I’ve always loved Bryan Mata. However, most people did to be fair. But it feels like the buzz around the right-handed pitcher has cooled down a bit. The reason for this is an injury that caused him to have to get Tommy John surgery.

Mata has had injury problems his entire career. But this was the big one. Honestly, I think it could end up working out for him. Maybe this surgery will help him get and remain healthy for a while. When he is on the mound, Mata is an ace.

He’s 22 right now (will be 23 for the 2022 season) and has dominated basically his entire run in the minors. In 2019, he posted a 3.43 ERA between High-A and Double-A. That year saw him set new marks in innings pitched (105) and strikeouts (111).

Mata’s big issue outside of injuries has been command. In 2018 he walked 58 batters in just 72 innings. However, it looked like he was improving in 2019. That year he lowered the walks to 42 despite throwing 105 innings this time.

Outside of that though, everything else is pretty strong. He creates weak contact, racks up strikeouts, and has some devastating pitches. And we’ve seen a lot of pitchers add some velocity after Tommy John, so we might get an even better version of Mata moving forward.

Now, there are some reasons to think he won’t be making his Major League debut in 2022. Mata got injured in Spring Training last season. So he might not miss all that much time next season (depending on a number of factors though as it’s always tricky to judge these things and sometimes players could miss even two seasons).

That being said, he still has just 11 career starts (53 2/3 innings) in Double-A. And the Red Sox will likely want to ease him back into everything. So even if he does start back at that level, don’t expect them to go hard with him for a while.

What’s frustrating though is that literally the last time we saw him there it was proof of just how good he could be. Mata’s last start in Double-A saw him set a new career-high with seven innings pitched. He did walk five batters in that game but gave up just one hit and no runs, while setting another new career-high with nine strikeouts.

That’s the type of dominance you tend to see from him a lot. And it’s exciting to think he’ll be back on the mound next season.

Even with Mata being considered one of the best pitching prospects in the system (and not long ago being considered one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball), it’s still hard to see him making it to the Majors this year.

The Red Sox are going to be very cautious with him. Barring a bunch of stars aligning (Mata starting the year healthy, staying healthy, pitching great, going deeper into games, and other pitchers ahead of him/in the Majors struggling or getting hurt), it’s not happening. So sadly I have to give Bryan Mata an “ice-cold” rating on the 2022 MLB debut temperature meter.

He’s going to be an ace in Boston, I just don’t think we’ll see him next season.