Former Red Sox prospect signs minor-league deal with his hometown team

Former Boston Red Sox prospect Josh Ockimey is going home

A popular prospect from the Boston Red Sox farm system has found a new home, one that will feel familiar for the Philadelphia native. Josh Ockimey announced on Twitter that he has signed a minor-league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ockimey was a fifth-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2014 draft. He spent parts of seven seasons in the Red Sox organization, reaching the Triple-A level in 2018 where he established himself as a fan favorite in Pawtucket. When the Red Sox affiliate moved to Worcester last year, Ockimey was a staple in the lineup during the inaugural WooSox season.

The first baseman rose through the minor league system while displaying impressive power. He blasted 25 home runs with a .459 slugging percentage in 2019. The cancelled minor league season in 2020 stalled his development but Ockimey still managed to tally 15 homers in only 98 games last year.

A low batting average has always plagued Ockimey. He hit a meager .214 over his three seasons at the Triple-A level. Ockimey will struggle to improve in that department unless he drastically reduces his massive strikeout rate, which reached 32.5% last season. His strong 17.2 BB% resulted in an encouraging .358 on-base percentage that partially offset his dreadful batting average but his habit of swinging and missing has limited his potential.

The 26-year-old has been on the radar for a big league call-up for the last few years but the promotion never came. It’s telling that the Red Sox never gave Ockimey a shot when they were desperately seeking an upgrade at first base as last year’s trade deadline approached.

With Bobby Dalbec’s second-half surge earning him the opportunity to cover the position heading into the 2022 season and the arrival of top prospect Triston Casas on the horizon, there wasn’t going to be room for Ockimey to be given a chance anytime soon.

He may find that opportunity with the Phillies, especially if the expected implementation of the universal DH opens more paths to playing time in Philadelphia.

Ockimey was drafted a year before Dave Dombrowski came to Boston but he watched the first baseman’s development throughout his tenure at the helm of the Red Sox front office. The former Detroit Tigers GM brought several of his former players to Boston, including J.D. Martinez, David Price and Rick Porcello. It’s no surprise to see the current Phillies president of baseball operations brining one of his former prospects into his system.

One of his former WooSox teammates may end up joining Ockimey in Philly. Yairo Muñoz, who set a Red Sox organizational record with his 35-game hitting streak during the 2021 MiLB season, also signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies.

There’s some untapped potential in Ockimey’s bat but his ceiling was capped by a combination of his frustrating strikeout rate and the organization’s depth at his position creating a roadblock on his path to the majors. The Red Sox never gave him a chance at the big league level but hopefully he’ll find that in Philadelphia. He was a fan favorite during his time in the Red Sox farm system and he’ll undoubtedly be embraced by his hometown organization.