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

The Red Sox could get reinforcements from their minor league system

This season is off to a disastrous start for the Boston Red Sox. After dropping two out of three to the lowly Baltimore Orioles over the weekend, Boston has fallen to 9-14 and they already trail the New York Yankees by eight games in the AL East.

An offense that was expected to be the strength of this team has been alarmingly underperforming. The Red Sox enter the day 21st the majors with a .229 batting average and .343 slugging percentage, while ranking 26th with a .279 on-base percentage.

We know that some of the bats that have started off slowly will inevitably heat up but the bottom of the order has too many holes that inspire little confidence. You won’t score many runs when nearly half the lineup is struggling to reach the Mendoza Line.

The pitching has been better than advertised overall but there are questions about the back of the rotation and the bullpen has been shaky, aside from a few dependable arms.

The core of this roster remains strong but the Red Sox need some upgrades around the edges. Adding an above-average player at the expense or their weakest spots would be a significant improvement.

The trade deadline could offer some solutions but that’s nearly two months away. The Red Sox can’t afford to wait that long. Instead, they should look internally to prospects in their minor league system. Not all of them are necessarily ready for a call up right now but their impressive production at the minor league level should have them knocking on the door to a promotion.

Giving these prospects an opportunity could be the key to saving this season.

Red Sox utility prospect Ryan Fitzgerald

The Red Sox need depth at several positions so why not consider a player capable of covering almost any of them? Ryan Fitzgerald has already seen time at second, third, shortstop and all three outfield positions this season. He has a few games at first base under his belt from previous seasons too. His glove is at least above-average with the potential to be elite at multiple positions, making him the perfect utility option to bolster the bench.

His defensive value is certainly important but the Red Sox also need players who can produce at the plate. Fitzgerald’s bat is making a leap this season with a strong start, hitting .303 with a 1.036 OPS, six home runs and 19 RBI in 21 games in Triple-A Worcester.

The one area that the left-handed hitter has struggled in this year is facing southpaws. Fitzgerald is hitting .217 in a limited sample against lefties this season. That makes him a candidate for a platoon role at multiple positions, at least in the short term. That’s essentially the role the Red Sox envisioned for Christian Arroyo, who has been useless against lefties (.077 AVG).

Arroyo has been struggling in general this season with a .186/.200/.256 slash line. He’s capable of providing more than that but the ceiling is fairly limited. It’s hard to imagine Fitzgerald doing any worse considering how well he’s swinging the bat in Worcester. He has more pop in his bat, with as many home runs in Triple-A this year as Arroyo had in 57 games for the Red Sox last season. If nothing else, he’s an upgrade defensively who offers more flexibility with his versatility.

Red Sox relief pitcher prospect Frank German

It might seem premature to be counting on a pitcher in Double-A but it’s hard not to see what Frank German is doing in Portland and envision the right-hander being on the fast track to the big leagues.

German has been nearly flawless in his six relief appearances, allowing only one unearned run on two hits over eight innings. He has struck out 15 batters and hasn’t walked any.

German struggled in his first taste of Double-A last year but a move to the bullpen has brightened his outlook. He had trouble consistently repeating his delivery as a starter but his command has improved in a relief role. German has been able to dial up the velocity as a reliever with a fastball that sits in the 97-98 mph range and can flirt with triple-digits. His changeup is a nice compliment to the fastball and he can get by with those two pitches as a reliever in case his fringy slider isn’t reliable enough.

It’s hardly uncommon for pitchers who struggled in the rotation to thrive once they move to the bullpen. When that pitcher throws the kind of heat that German is wielding, it’s going to grab our attention. He needs a bit more time to prove it’s sustainable but if he keeps racking up the strikeouts without walking hitters, German could rise rapidly to provide reinforcements for the Boston bullpen later this season.

Red Sox pitching prospect Connor Seabold

Connor Seabold has been outstanding through four starts in Worcester, going 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in 20 2/3 innings.

His 6.5 K/9 is a bit underwhelming but Seabold has shown the ability to strike out over a batter per inning in previous seasons. His control is a strength, with only five walks this season.

His fastball isn’t going to blow big league hitters away, sitting in the low-to-mid-90s, but he commands it well. Seabold can miss bats with his slider and a deceptive change that falls off the table late. He doesn’t have a plus pitch but three above-average options provide Seabold with a solid floor as a back of the rotation starter with upside for more based on his advanced command.

Seabold made his major league debut last year with a forgettable outing, allowing two runs over three innings in a spot start. Don’t hold that tiny sample size against him though. He was much better in Triple-A and has shown improvement this year, suggesting he’s ready for another chance.

Nick Pivetta is pitching himself out of the rotation, failing to make it through five inning in each of his last four starts. His career-high 5.7 BB/9 displays a complete lack of control, resulting in an inflated 7.84 ERA. If he doesn’t turn it around soon, the Red Sox should consider other options.

If they need to dip into their minor league system, Seabold would be at the top of that list. His ability to control the strike zone and limit free passes would be a breath of fresh air. We can at least project him to make a spot start at some point this season.

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.