Which Red Sox prospects should be “untouchable” in trades this year?
The Boston Red Sox are in a really weird spot right now. They got off to an absolutely miserable start to the season. However, they’ve now won four straight series and there is more than enough talent on their roster for them to still make the playoffs.
So what happens when they get to the trade deadline is a pretty big question. Will they decide that they’re too far out of contention and sell off some big pieces at the end of their contracts (I don’t want this to happen but with the way J.D. Martinez is hitting, imagine the return they could get for him)? Or will they feel like they can make a run and sell off some prospects to get veteran help down the stretch?
That second question is where I come in. Because if you’ve been around long enough, you know that I get attached to prospects. The thing I love the most about baseball is that “homegrown talent”. Drafting someone and building them up through the minors, then they reward you with a great career. Nothing’s more romantic in baseball than those lifers. The dude that spent his whole career with one team. It’s just a special connection. Dustin Pedroia is the most recent to do it for Boston.
So when the Red Sox trade off prospects that I’ve been watching grow in the minors for a few years, it always stings a bit. And I’m here to give a list of prospects that it would be devastating to see go this year.
There will be some rules. Because if not, I’d be here forever just listing every single player in the system (I have a problem, leave me alone).
They have to be in MLB Pipeline’s Top-30 for Boston. Yes there are players I think it would be stupid to move that aren’t on that list. So I needed to create a cut-off.
It also needs to be said that this doesn’t mean I think the other prospects aren’t good. This isn’t just a “who I don’t want to see traded” list. It’s a list of players I think should actually be untouchable. So if there’s no clear path for them, sure it would make sense that they’re available in trade talks.
You have to be realistic. If Boston is making trades, a lot of people will be available. Matthew Lugo is having an insane season at age 20 and I’d love to see what he could do. But as a shortstop, he’s blocked by a few people (most notably Marcelo Mayer). That makes him more expendable as he doesn’t have a clear path to the Majors.
These are also in order of where they are ranked in the Red Sox system. Not in any sort of “more or less untouchable” rankings. You guys would’ve figured that out yourselves but better safe than sorry.