Boston Red Sox prospect watch: 2022 Trade deadline shakes things up
Trade deadline shakes things up for the Boston Red Sox Prospect Watch
We’ve got ourselves a little bit of a shakeup here at the Boston Red Sox Prospect Watch.
The trade deadline has come and gone. And with it, the Red Sox made some moves. They dealt away catcher Christian Vázquez. That one stung. Boston got two exciting prospects in return though, with Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu. Then they traded for outfielder Tommy Pham, giving away a “player to be named later.” That just means I need to hold my breath and wait longer to see how much it hurts my soul.
Boston sent Jake Diekman away for Reese McGuire. That didn’t have anything to do with prospects though. Finally, they traded for first baseman Eric Hosmer. The Red Sox also got cash and two prospects (Corey Rosier and Max Ferguson). Sadly, they sent Jay Groome in return though. So let’s pour one out for the homie and wish him the best with the San Diego Padres.
All this means we’ve got a lot to talk about in the minors. Meanwhile, the Major Leagues are struggling. Boston just dropped three-of-four to the Kansas City Royals. That’s ugly.
Kutter Crawford has been really good this season. He didn’t have his best game on Sunday, but for the most part he’s been phenomenal. The right-handed pitcher has a 4.30 ERA, .242 BAA, and 1.24 WHIP in 58 2/3 innings pitched in the Majors this season. Crawford has racked up 60 strikeouts compared to just 19 walks.
Josh Winckowski has now tossed 50 innings in the Majors. The righty has a 4.68 ERA, .289 BAA, and 1.50 WHIP this season. The numbers aren’t great but he’s shown a lot of potential to be a strong backend type starter. Someone that can eat innings and give you some great games.
Brayan Bello got hurt and landed on the IL this week. Why? Because Red Sox fans apparently aren’t allowed to have nice things this year.
Red Sox Triple-A (Worcester)
Triston Casas is getting hot at a great time. The left-handed hitting first baseman is rocking a four-game hitting-streak. He has five doubles, two walks, and two RBI in that stretch. Casas is slashing .246/.350/.455 with 15 doubles and eight home runs in Triple-A. He’s driven in 27 runs, scored 30 more, and walked 30 times in 51 games. We could see Casas in Boston in two weeks.
Enmanuel Valdez was one of the names brought over in a trade at the deadline. The left-handed hitting infielder wasted zero time introducing himself to the organization, blasting a homer in his first game. Valdez is 3-for-16 with two homers, four walks, six RBI, four runs scored, and a steal in five games with Worcester.
Kole Cottam got the much-deserved promotion to Triple-A after a great season in Double-A. The right-handed hitting catcher slashed .271/.350/.380 with 15 doubles, two triples, and two home runs in Double-A. He drove in 26 runs, and scored 27 more in that time. In his Triple-A debut Cot went 1-for-4 with a double and showed that great defense behind the plate.
The Pedro Castellanos hype has died down a bit in recent weeks. But he’s been insanely good in Triple-A. The right-handed hitting outfielder and first baseman is slashing .317/.346/.465 with four doubles, one triple, and three home runs with Worcester. He’s driven in 13 runs and scored 14 more in 26 games.
Ronaldo Hernandez should be in the Majors by the end of the season. The right-handed hitting catcher has been incredible in Triple-A this year. He’s slashing .275/.301/.449 with 23 doubles and 10 home runs. Hernandez has driven in 47 runs and scored 36 more. It seems like he tends to get some clutch hits and he has a really good arm behind the plate.
Devlin Granberg had his best game of the year this week, going 3-for-4 with a double and two home runs. He followed that up by hitting another double the next day. The right-handed hitting outfielder and first baseman is slashing .281/.380/.424 with 20 doubles, five triples, and four home runs on the year. He’s driven in 25 runs, scored 44 more, and stolen eight bases. And now it looks like the power is coming back.
Frank German should be in the MLB bullpen. He’s now tossed 26 1/3 innings in Triple-A. The right-handed reliever has a 2.39 ERA, .159 BAA, and 1.06 WHIP in that time. He’s also racked up 36 strikeouts compared to 14 walks. German has some nasty stuff and Boston should give him a look before the end of the year.
Zack Kelly has made two appearances this month. In that time the righty reliever has tossed two shutout innings, allowing no hits and one walk compared to three strikeouts. He’s down to a 3.21 ERA, .206 BAA, and 1.26 WHIP in Triple-A. Kelly has 60 strikeouts compared to 21 walks in 42 innings pitched.
Chris Murphy had a great start this week. The left-handed starter went seven innings, giving up just one run on six hits and four walks, striking out five batters. Murph holds a 3.93 ERA in Triple-A. Total he has a 3.00 ERA, .189 BAA, 1.12 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts over 111 innings pitched in 2022 between Double-A and Triple-A.
Brian Keller is down to a 3.30 ERA, .215 BAA, and 1.18 WHIP on the season. The right-handed pitcher has done this thanks to a pretty insane run that he’s on. Keller also has 88 strikeouts compared to 29 walks over 73 2/3 innings. He allowed one run on two hits and two walks while striking out a season-high 10 batters in his last start.
Connor Seabold might have struggled a bit in the Majors but it’s extremely important to remember how small of a sample size it’s been. In Triple-A he now holds a 2.29 ERA, .207 BAA, and 1.02 WHIP. The righty has 60 strikeouts compared to 15 walks over 59 innings pitched.
Andrew Politi is on an insanely dominant stretch. He’s gone two innings in each of his last seven outings (except one where he went 2 1/3). In that time (14 1/3 innings) the righty has allowed zero runs on five hits and six walks, while striking out 13 batters. Politi is now down to a 3.25 ERA, .219 BAA, 1.17 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts in 36 Triple-A innings.
Red Sox Double-A (Portland)
Ceddanne Chipper Nicasio Marte Rafaela is your favorite prospect’s favorite prospect for a reason. The right-handed hitting utility-man is slashing .306/.351/.556 with 28 doubles (career-high), seven triples, and 17 home runs (career-high) between High-A and Double-A. He’s driven in 61 runs (career-high), scored 68 runs, and stolen 23 bases (career-high). Rafaela continues to make insane plays. The base running is elite, the defense is elite, and obviously the offense is wild.
Stephen Scott has been ridiculous since his Double-A promotion. The left-handed hitting catcher/utility-man is slashing .267/.416/.514 with six doubles, one triple, and six home runs. He’s driven in 20 runs, scored 25 more, and stolen one base in 32 games. Scott continues to impress after call-ups.
Wilyer Abreu is another new face. He’s already making a name for himself too. Although he’s only hitting .214 (3-for-14), Abreu’s eight walks give him a .500 OBP. The left-handed hitting outfielder has one double, one steal, and three runs scored in five games with Portland.
Christian Koss is slashing .282/.326/.450 with 17 doubles, four triples, and 12 home runs. The right-handed hitting infielder has driven in 62 runs (career-high) and scored 51 more, while stealing 12 bases (career-high). Koss is solid defensively with a great bat and really good underrated speed. Quietly been one of the most consistent players in the Red Sox system this year.
Tyler Dearden is seeing his average and his slugging percentage go up. The left-handed hitting outfielder is starting to find his double and home run swing. Dearden has a .265/.373/.393 slash line with 35 RBI, and 29 runs scored. The run production isn’t close to last season, but the average and OBP are the highest they’ve ever been in a full season.
David Hamilton is slashing .222/.305/.360 with nine doubles, seven triples, and eight home runs. The left-handed hitting second baseman has driven in 30 runs, scored 50 more, and stolen 50 bases in just 54 attempts. That’s absolutely wild. If he can just get the OBP higher, imagine the steals. His speed is ridiculous, so give him a chance.
Alex Binelas may only be hitting .146 (.254) in his 31 Double-A games, but there are a few things to love. The left-handed hitting corner infielder has two doubles, one triple, and eight home runs already. He’s scored 15 runs and already has 23 RBI. So he’s bringing runs in even with the low average. On the year in total, Binelas has 12 doubles, two triples, and 22 homers. He’s driven in 66 runs, scored 56 more, walked 55 times, and is 8-for-8 on steal attempts.
Nick Northcut is 5-for-33 since his call-up to Double-A. The right-handed hitting corner infielder does have one double, and two homers in that time though. On the season in total, he has 14 doubles and 28 home runs. He’s driven in 63 runs and scored 45 more. The power is 100% legit. So you need to see if he can work on the OBP and strikeouts because it’s worth it.
Elih Marrero is slashing .211/.323/.292 with nine doubles and two home runs. The switch-hitting catcher has driven in 11 runs and scored 25 more. Marrero’s not known for that part of his game though. He’s here because he’s phenomenal defensively with a fantastic arm. Marrero’s also insanely athletic for the position, and has 13 steals this season (and that’s not even a career-high).
Bryan Mata has looked great in Double-A and fantastic overall in his road back from Tommy John surgery. The right-handed pitcher has a 3.02 ERA, .184 BAA, and 1.27 WHIP in 41 2/3 innings between three levels. He’s walked 26 batters but already has 53 strikeouts. El Idolo has shown heat on the radar gun and the breaking stuff looks great.
If I told you a year ago that outfielder Michael Gettys would be one of the best relievers in Double-A would you have believed me? No, because I wouldn’t have believed me. After a strong run in High-A led to him getting promoted, Gettys has now tossed 6 2/3 innings in Double-A. in that time the righty reliever has given up just four hits and two walks compared to two strikeouts. Oh, and he’s yet to give up a run.
Thad Ward is also working his way back from TJ like Mata. The right-handed pitcher made his first start in Double-A this week. He went 3 2/3 innings, giving up no runs on just one hit. The walks were an issue, with Ward handing out five compared to two strikeouts. However, they haven’t really been a problem up to that game. And you can excuse someone for having some command issues every once in a while, especially when they’re coming back from Tommy John.
Brian Van Belle continues to go out there and do his job. It’s not going to get him much praise, but he deserves it. The righty starter has a 4.10 ERA, .253 BAA, and 1.08 WHIP in 48 1/3 Double-A innings. He’s walked just five batters in that time, compared to 56 strikeouts. Van Belle has at least five innings in eight-of-nine Double-A appearances.
Brendan Nail struggled a bit after coming back from an injury. But he’s figured it out again recently. The left-handed reliever has allowed just one run over 4 2/3 innings in his last four appearances combined. That’s lowered his numbers to a 4.91 ERA, .237 BAA, 1.60 WHIP and 30 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings this season.
Red Sox High-A (Greenville)
Nick Yorke has struggled this year. But the right-handed hitting second baseman keeps giving us those glimpses of hope. This week it came in the form of a three-hit day that included a homer. On the year, Yorke is slashing .227/.297/.347 with six doubles, one triple, and seven home runs. He’s driven in 30 runs, scored 34 more, and stolen five bases. Two things to remember here. First, Yorke had an insane season last year. Second, he’s dealt with a lot of injuries causing some start-stop play and even him attempting to play injured.
Niko Kavadas continues to be one of the best hitters in the minors. The left-handed hitting first baseman is slashing .337/.504/.694 since his call-up to High-A. He has 22 doubles, one triple, and 24 home runs between Low-A and High-A this year. Kavadas driven in 72 runs, scored 58 more, and stolen one base. He’s also walked a ridiculous 80 times.
Nathan Hickey is on the IL now, but his last game this week was a good one, going 2-for-4 with a home run. The left-handed hitting catcher is slashing .272/.418/.503 with 17 doubles and nine home runs between Low-A and High-A this season. He’s driven in 48 runs, scored 37 more, and has 48 walks compared to 55 strikeouts.
Matthew Lugo is slashing .262/.313/.465 with a whole bunch of career-highs. His double total (19) is one of the few numbers that don’t set a new mark. Meanwhile, the right-handed hitting shortstop has career-highs in triples (9), home runs (12), and RBI (52). He’s also scored 53 runs and stolen 10 bases.
Max Ferguson is a new name in the organization. The left-handed hitting middle infielder is 4-for-16 with a double, an RBI, two runs scored, three walks, and a steal in four games with Greenville. Ferguson is only slashing .222/.365/.356 in total this season but has a ridiculous 56 steals in 61 attempts. He also has really good run production with 51 RBI and 79 runs scored.
Corey Rosier is the next new name. The left-handed hitting outfielder is 1-for-7 with a double, one RBI, one run scored, and two steals. He’s also drawn four walks. Rosier is another speedster. He’s already got 35 steals in 39 attempts this year and has driven in 38 runs while scoring 70 more.
Phillip Sikes has been so impressive in every area this season. The right-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .265/.375/.534 with 24 doubles, five triples, and 10 home runs between Low-A and High-A. He’s driven in 43 runs, scored 48 more, and stolen 15 bases in 16 attempts. Sikes is a good fielder with good speed and decent pop.
Tyler McDonough is slashing .242/.329/.375 with 19 doubles, three triples, and eight home runs. The switch-hitting outfielder and second baseman has driven in 44 runs, scored 51 more, and stolen 19 bases. McDonough gives you good defensively versatility and offers everything offensively.
Gilberto Jimenez is slashing .266/.310/.380 with 16 doubles, two triples, and five home runs. He’s driven in 27 runs and scored 40 more, while stealing 15 bases. The switch-hitting outfielder hasn’t gotten on-base like he usually does this year. And the strikeouts are up. However, he’s still just 22 and his strikeout numbers have looked much better recently. The doubles are also tied for a career-high, the homers are a new career-high, and he’s one off his old mark for steals.
Big Joe Davis is known for his power. There’s a reason for that. The right-handed hitting first baseman is slashing .255/.304/.491 with two doubles and 16 home runs on the year. He obviously doesn’t have much in the speed department but that power is wild. Davis has driven in 34 runs and scored 31 more in 58 games.
Maceo Campbell made his High-A debut this week after an up-and-down time in Low-A. He had some great stretches, but also got hit with some really rough outings. The right-handed reliever made a good first impression for Greenville though. In his lone appearance so far, Campbell tossed one scoreless inning. He gave up a walk and an HBP but didn’t allow a hit and struck out one batter.
Tyler Uberstine had another great start this week as he continues to be great since his promotion. The right-handed pitcher gave up one run on two hits and two walks over five innings, striking out four batters. Uberstine now has a 2.92 ERA, .180 BAA, and 1.05 WHIP over 24 2/3 innings pitched. He’s struck out 28 batters compared to 10 walks in that time.
Shane Drohan also put up a strong start this week. The left-handed starter allowed one run on four hits and no walks, while striking out five over 5 1/3 innings pitched. Drohan has a 4.33 ERA, .240 BAA, and 1.31 WHIP over 95 2/3 innings this season. He’s racked up an absolutely insane 123 batters in that time.
Joey Stock was posting great numbers in Low-A before his promotion. And he’s continuing to impress in High-A. The righty reliever has a 3.55 ERA, .256 BAA, and 1.42 WHIP in 12 2/3 innings pitched. He’s struck out 15 batters in that time. And combined on the year he has 68 strikeouts in 56 innings.
Jacob Webb’s numbers are deceiving since his promotion. The right-handed reliever has a 4.41 ERA, .219 BAA, and 1.35 WHIP in 16 1/3 innings pitched. Webb gave up six of his eight earned runs in one outing though. Over 2/3 of an inning he allowed six runs on six hits. Since then, he’s tossed 7 2/3 innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out 10.
Red Sox Low-A (Salem)
Marcelo Mayer has a hit in five-of-six games this month. More impressively, Mayer has a walk in 10 straight games. The left-handed hitting shortstop is slashing .286/.406/.504 with 26 doubles, one triple, and nine home runs. He’s driven in 40 runs, scored 46 more, drawn 51 walks, and is a perfect 16-for-16 on stolen base attempts. Mayer’s also been phenomenal defensively.
Blaze Jordan continues to put up big numbers at the plate. The right-handed hitting third baseman has a .286/.357/.446 slash line with 29 doubles, three triples, and eight home runs. He’s driven in 57 runs, scored 48 more, and stolen four bases. Jordan is clearly advanced when it comes to run production and the power is legit, even if you don’t see the homers yet.
Brainer Bonaci needs more love. The switch-hitting shortstop is slashing .265/.401/.377 with 17 doubles, six triples, and two home runs. He’s driven in 37 runs, scored 67 more, and stolen 21 bases. Bones is an elite defender and incredibly patient at the plate. He’s drawn 72 walks compared to 73 strikeouts.
Eddinson Paulino is slashing .244/.338/.432 with 26 doubles, 10 triples, and eight home runs. The left-handed hitting utility-man has driven in 44 runs, scored 69 more, and stolen 22 bases. Paulino plays all over the field and has made plenty of nice plays at different positions. He’s got speed for days and a sneaky amount of power. Keep an eye on him.
Bryan Gonzalez continues to look really good in Low-A. The right-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .278/.337/.367 with four doubles and one home run in 22 games. He’s driven in eight runs and scored seven more, stealing three bases. Gonzalez has come up with a few big hits lately and is clearly starting to get the hang of Low-A.
Yorberto Mejicano holds a .256/.294/.381 slash line with 10 doubles and four home runs. The right-handed hitting catcher has driven in 24 runs, scored 25 more, and stolen four bases. Meji has looked really good since gaining more playing time and is definitely an exciting player to keep an eye on as the year winds down.
Luis De La Rosa is one of the pieces from the Andrew Benintendi trade. The 20-year-old right-handed pitcher has been incredible this season. He holds a 2.12 ERA, .180 BAA, and 0.88 WHIP over 17 innings in Low-A so far. De La Rosa has managed to rack up 19 saves compared to just four walks in that time, and is 1-for-1 in save opportunities.
Luis Guerrero is on an incredible run right now. The right-handed pitcher gave up two runs in two innings on July 1. Since then, he’s tossed 12 innings without allowing an earned run. Guerrero has a 3.10 ERA, .153 BAA, and 1.18 WHIP in 20 1/3 innings in Low-A. He’s walked 13 batters in that time, but also has an impressive 30 strikeouts and is 6-for-7 in save opportunities.
Angel Bastardo had a great start this week. The righty starter tossed five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out five. He now has a 3.97 ERA, .260 BAA, and 1.52 WHIP over 70 1/3 innings this season. The 20-year-old has 71 strikeouts compared to 38 walks so far.
Hunter Dobbins is one of the more under-appreciated pitchers in the Boston Red Sox system. The right-handed starter has been really strong in his first year so far. He has a 3.86 ERA, .275 BAA, and 1.33 WHIP over 44 1/3 innings pitched in Low-A to this point. Dobbins has also managed to put up 47 strikeouts compared to 12 walks.
Adenys Bautista had a fantastic outing this week. The righty reliever tossed 2 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings. In fact, the only base runner he allowed was via an HBP. Bautista also picked up four strikeouts in that game. He now holds a 3.35 ERA, .193 BAA, 1.33 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 37 2/3 innings pitched in Low-A this season.
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