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5 prospects who can help the Red Sox recover from a terrible start

By Sean Penney

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - AUGUST 04: Triston Casas #26 of Team United States hits a two-run home run against Team Dominican Republic in the first inning during the knockout stage of men's baseball on day twelve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 04, 2021 in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - AUGUST 04: Triston Casas #26 of Team United States hits a two-run home run against Team Dominican Republic in the first inning during the knockout stage of men's baseball on day twelve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 04, 2021 in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images) /
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Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran
BOSTON, MA – JULY 28: Jarren Duran #40 of the Boston Red Sox follows watches a hit against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of game two of a doubleheader at Fenway Park on July 28, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) /

Red Sox outfield prospect Jarren Duran

Jarren Duran came into last season with plenty of hype but his momentum was stalled by a brief stint in the majors in which the young outfielder seemed completely overwhelmed. Duran hit a meager .215 with a .578 OPS in 33 games.

We can’t overlook that Duran only had a few months above the Double-A level under his belt when he made his major league debut. He clearly needed more time and ended the season strong in Worcester. Now he’s off to an even stronger start this year, hitting .360 with a 1.018 OPS.

Duran showcased a noteworthy power spike at the alternate site during the cancelled 2020 MiLB season, leading to his rapid rise in prospect rankings. He hit 16 homers in only 60 games in Triple-A last year but swinging for the fences also made him more prone to strikeouts, a weakness that was exposed by major league pitchers. Duran’s 35.7 K% would have been the worst in the majors if he had enough plate appearances to qualify.

So far this season, Duran is showing improved plate discipline, cutting his strikeout rate to a manageable 22.0%. He drew only four walks in 112 plate appearances in the majors last year but Duran has already walked nine times in 59 plate appearances in Triple-A this year.

Duran only has one home run but he’s still hitting the ball hard for extra bases, tallying three doubles and legging out a pair of triples. His .560 SLG is easily a career-high despite hitting fewer homers. Duran has focused on hitting line drives while allowing his speed to get him on base and stretch hits for extra bases. When he settles for a single, Duran is always a threat to swipe a bag. He already has seven steals in eight attempts this season.

Jackie Bradley Jr. is an outstanding defensive player but his anemic bat prevents him from being a viable everyday option. The Red Sox desperately need an upgrade in right field who will relegate JBJ to a defensive replacement role. The reason why the Red Sox didn’t spend at the position in free agency is because they needed to buy time for Duran to prove himself. His scorching start to this season shows Duran should still be considered a bright spot for the future of this outfield and JBJ won’t be holding his spot warm for much longer.

The Red Sox rushed a bit by promoting Duran last year and they’ll be cautious about making that mistake again. He still only has 73 career games at the Triple-A level so a little more time to polish his skills wouldn’t hurt. If he keeps swinging the bat this well though, the team can’t keep him out of Boston for long.

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