Why isn’t anyone talking about Red Sox prospect Eddinson Paulino?
The Boston Red Sox have a lot of exciting prospects in their minor league system right now. Eddinson Paulino is one of the most electric. He’s also ranked 19th overall in their organization by MLB. So why isn’t anyone really talking about him right now?
Okay let’s get this out of the way right now. People are probably going to say “well if no one is talking about him, it probably means he isn’t doing anything worth talking about.” And that’s far off from the truth.
Paulino is listed as a shortstop, but he’s spent time at a lot of positions this season. Listed at 5’10”, 155 lbs – he’s appeared at short, second base, third base, left field and center field so far this year. Kind of reminds you of another Red Sox prospect that I can’t shut up about (Ceddanne Rafaela), doesn’t it?
The left-handed hitter came into 2022 with barely 200 career at-bats, all in Rookie Ball. At just 19, it’s understandable to expect him to struggle at bit at first in Low-A.
However, 34 games into the year and Paulino’s not exactly struggling. Through 139 at bats he’s holding a slash line of .259/.338/.446 with 10 doubles, five triples, and two home runs. He has surprising pop for his size. And with really good speed those extra base hits can come in bunches.
There are a few numbers that really impress though. Paulino’s been incredible with the run production. He’s driven in 17 runs, scored 27 more, and stolen three bases in three attempts. Meanwhile, he’s already drawn 15 walks.
Outside of the runs scored none of those numbers are going to blow you away. But consider the source. For a 19-year-old in his first 34 games in Low-A, how can you not be impressed?
Paulino is dynamite. He grades out nicely in every category. A solid defender who can play multiple positions. Going to get on-base and can tally a decent amount of homers. Throw in solid speed and there’s really no weakness in his game at the moment.
It should be really fun watching Paulino grow as a player over the next few years. He’s already decently highly regarded, but the buzz isn’t there yet. It’s easy to be overshadowed with all the talent in the Boston Red Sox farm system. But with the way he’s played so far in 2022, Eddinson Paulino’s name could start getting thrown around a bit more – soon.