Boston Red Sox top-30 prospect rankings after 2022 MiLB season

Ranking the top-30 prospects in the Boston Red Sox farm system

Wow, did we have an eventful year or what?

At the major-league level, the Boston Red Sox were pretty disappointing if we’re being honest. They continuously gave us glimpses of how great they could be, only to tear it away from everyone and look like a broken-down little-league team at times.

However, something good came out of this lost season: the farm system hasn’t been this loaded in years. Everywhere you look, you see talent, and it could be massive for their future. Not only are soon-to-be homegrown stars on the horizon, but there are plenty of incredible trade chips to use if needed.

What did we see in 2022? Well, a couple of big names made their MLB debut. Some prospects came out of nowhere to make names for themselves. Meanwhile, others shot up the rankings to make me look smarter than I actually am *cough* thanks Ceddanne Rafaela *cough*.

As usual, the same rules still apply. If someone has spent any time in the Majors, they are disqualified from the prospect rankings. I do this for two reasons. First of all, everyone already knows about them at that point. Second, it gives me an excuse to free up some spots. And boy, do I desperately need spots this year.

That means Triston Casas and Brayan Bello (who everyone has near the top) won’t be here. So don’t freak out later when you don’t see them.

Prospects are also off the rankings if they haven’t reached Low-A yet. I don’t feel right about giving grades without actually seeing them play a full game. I’ll see highlights and check the stats and all that fun stuff, but I can’t get the full picture without seeing them in full games. How do they make the routine plays? What did their full at-bats look like? How did they respond after a bad play/swing/pitch?

That being said, there are exceptions to that rule. We had a big one last year and have another this time (it does hurt their ratings a bit though).

Even with all of that, there are going to be a lot of prospects that don’t make the cut, and it will hurt my soul. It’s important to remember that this isn’t a list of the only prospects that I think are good. It’s just the 30 best in my opinion.

Finally, I’m a positive person. I’ll point out the flaws in their games, but I’m always looking on the bright side. We’ll be grading using the same system as the MLB does for their prospect rankings. That means the tools are graded from 20-80. Overall might not always match the mean of their grades. That’s because a few other things are going into this. We have potential, obviously (this also makes age a slight factor). Meanwhile, some grades weigh heavier than others (especially for pitchers, I’m not going to grade an elite pitch that is thrown 60% of the time and count it the same as a secondary pitch that the pitcher barely even shows).

So with all the housekeeping out of the way, who sits atop the Red Sox prospects following the 2022 MLB season? Let’s dive into the top 30.

No. 30: Red Sox second base prospect David Hamilton

David Hamilton was one of the players brought over in the Hunter Renfroe deal. And year one went pretty well for the new Sox prospect.

Things started off on the highest of high notes. Hamilton went 4-for-5 with a triple, two home runs, seven RBI, three runs scored, and one steal. This got fans excited. However, the 24-year-old slowed down considerably for a while.

In fact, his average dipped all the way down to .206 heading into June 28. Hamilton cleaned it up and had a decent line going into September. The final few weeks of the season saw him go nuclear; he slashed .429/.508/.643 over that time.

Overall, the left-handed hitter slashed .251/.338/.402 in 119 games in Double-A on the season. He hit 16 doubles, nine triples, and 12 home runs. Meanwhile, Hamilton drove in 42 runs and scored 81 more. His 56 walks showed an ability to get on base, which is great to see from a guy with his speed.

Speaking of that speed, Hamilton stole 70 bases in 78 attempts. That was more-than-enough for a Portland Sea Dogs’ record. It also makes all those other numbers look better, as they’re all secondary to his base running.

Hamilton doesn’t have an elite bat, but there’s something there. He needs to work on his consistency. Going hot for a month, then cold for the next isn’t a recipe for success. However, he does have the ability to hit .250 and get on base a solid amount. That’s all he needs to do.

If he can throw in some extra-base hits and home runs, that’s great. If not, he has other ways of getting into scoring position.

Defensively, Hamilton’s solid at second base and shortstop. The range is insane thanks to his top-tier speed. That helps him get to balls that very few players could get to. A good glove and a decent enough arm make him a talented middle infielder. He plays second base better in my opinion.

The speed is the very obvious attraction here. This is why the not-great power means absolutely nothing. As long as Hamilton can get on base, he’s an absolute problem. The Red Sox could have something special if they can work on his consistency and get him on base at even just a .333 clip.

70 steals this season in only 78 attempts should tell you how fast he is. But he’s also a great combination of aggressive and smart on the base paths. Hamilton wasn’t running into extra outs, and legged out plenty of bunts, weak hits, and extra-base hits that shouldn’t have been for extra bases.

On multiple occasions, Hamilton stole a base despite the opposing team pitching out. There was literally no way to stop him.

Hamilton has some holes in his game, but he could get 50 stolen bases in a season in his sleep. Speed never slumps, and speed translates to higher levels. Work on some of his weaknesses and see where that gets him. That speed is worth taking a chance on him.

Hit: 45

Power: 40

Run: 75

Arm: 45

Field: 50

Overall: 50

No. 29: Red Sox outfield prospect Gilberto Jimenez

Gilberto Jimenez had a down year by his standards. A few things went wrong. The switch-hitting outfielder slashed .268/.306/.366 with 18 doubles, two triples, and five home runs in 99 games in Low-A. He drove in 34 runs, scored 49 more, and stole 20 bases.

Jimenez set new career-highs in doubles, home runs, and steals. So that sounds like a positive season, right? Well, the issues outweighed the negatives sadly.

Jimenez saw his average dip below .300 in a season for the first time ever. The fact that it was so much lower stings. Meanwhile, he struck out 100 times. That’s the only time in his career that Jimenez reached triple digits in that category. But he was also at the highest level of the minors he’s ever been at, so there is that excuse right there.

Overall, Jimenez is an interesting player. He packed on some muscle before the 2021 season, with the idea of adding power to his game. That didn’t really work though. Yes, he hit a career-high five home runs this year, but that’s not exactly a major upgrade.

All that being said though, there’s still a lot to love with Jimenez. The 22-year-old plays good defense in the outfield and has a surprising arm. He’s also one of the fastest prospects I’ve ever seen. This is an area that could be graded a perfect “80”. However, Jimenez needs to work on his base running. 20 steals as a career-high for someone with his speed is wild. He doesn’t seem to get the best jumps, which is definitely something that can be worked on, so that’s good.

The run production wasn’t the best in 2022. Jimenez isn’t someone the Red Sox would ever be relying on to get them RBI though. It’s the run-scoring that could make him special. If Jimenez can improve his base-running, this is a legitimate 50-plus steals type of player.

He has the ability to hit over .300 as well. The power likely won’t ever be anything to get even remotely excited about. That’s not part of his game though, and that’s fine. Jimenez has plus potential everywhere else. Get on-base, and create havoc. That will be the name of the game for Gilberto Jimenez.

Hit: 55

Power: 30

Run: 70

Arm: 60

Field: 60

Overall: 55

No. 28: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Shane Drohan

Shane Drohan had a strong debut season in 2021 pitching in Low-A. He improved in nearly every category in 2022, despite spending the year in High-A and Double-A.

The left-handed pitcher posted a 3.89 ERA, .227 BAA, and 1.26 WHIP between the two levels. In 129 2/3 innings, he struck out 157 batters compared to 51 walks. Drohan had an issue with home runs, allowing 20. But he had a pretty low BAA and the constant strikeouts helped to limit any potential damage.

The 23-year-old has an interesting pitch mix. There’s a fastball that sits in the low-90s. Not the fastest, but there’s a ton of movement to it. He’ll show the ability to dot it as well. That, mixed with the great life, help the pitch work. If he can add a few more MPH this is going to be a dangerous pitch.

Next is a curveball with a classic break to it. Drohan seems to have a really good feel for this pitch. It has a strong break and tons of spin while sitting in the mid-to-high-70s. He doesn’t seem afraid to throw it at any time and for good reason. This might be the pitch he has the most command over. Rarely loses it, and gets a lot of bad swings.

Finally, there’s a changeup that works in the high-70s to low-80s. The issue here is consistency. At its best, the changeup shows a nice late drop to it. Combining that with the deception of the pitch looking like his fastball out of the hand causes some really ugly swings at times. However, other times the pitch seems really flat and can get smacked around. If he can work on that, this could be a great secondary pitch though.

Overall, Drohan is still a work in progress. But he’s a work in progress that already shows flashes of greatness. His ability to miss bats is impressive, especially with the curveball being the only pitch that feels complete (although it could still improve as well). It will be interesting to see where he is in the rankings next year, as there’s potential for a big jump if things go right.

Fastball: 55

Curveball: 65

Changeup: 50

Control: 50

Overall: 55

No. 27: Red Sox second base prospect Chase Meidroth

Chase Meidroth was a fourth-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. It took him absolutely no time at all to make a great first impression with the Red Sox. After a quick stint in Rookie Ball, Meidroth spent 19 games in Low-A. There, the right-handed hitter looked too mature for the level.

Meidroth posted a .309/.424/.559 slash line with five doubles and four home runs. He drove in 12 runs, scored 15 more, and stole four bases. The 21-year-old managed to walk 12 times, compared to only nine strikeouts in that time.

It was a short sample size, but Meidroth proved quite a bit in that time. Not only was he getting on-base, but the limited strikeouts showed off great bat-to-ball skills. And anyone that ever reads anything I’ve written knows how much I love when a prospect shows an eye and patience at the plate. A good eye is always going to translate as you move up in the minors. You don’t just suddenly stop taking pitches and swinging at anything. Okay, you could do that. But it’s not nearly as common as power or contact falling off the higher you get.

There is some pretty obvious pop in that bat as well. A second baseman with good power is always exciting. I’m not saying to expect 30 home runs from him, but he hits a lot of frozen-rope line drives that could lead to a lot of doubles and 15-20 home runs a year. So that boosts Meidroth a little bit.

Speaking of second base, his defense at the position was great. Doesn’t seem like he’ll be an incredibly flashy defender or anything, but good footwork and a sure glove. He didn’t make an error in 128 1/3 innings at second base this season. Meanwhile, his arm is perfectly fine for second base.

Meidroth has some speed in him as well. It’s nothing to go crazy over, but enough that he can steal a decent amount of bases each year. It will help with extra-base hits and adds a little to his range on defense.

Overall, Meidroth proved quickly that he was a savvy fourth-round pick. While there’s no massive standout tool, he doesn’t seem to have any real “weaknesses” in his game either.

Hit: 65

Power: 50

Run: 50

Arm: 50

Field: 55

Overall: 55

No. 26: Red Sox shortstop prospect Luis Ravelo

Okay, so we only got a very short taste of Luis Ravelo in Low-A this year. The 18-year-old prospect spent just seven games at the level, after 31 games in Rookie Ball. Ravelo did more than enough to earn this spot though.

The switch-hitter went 6-for-25 (.240) with a double and a home run. He drove in six runs and scored four more in that short time. Meanwhile, we saw him flash some incredible defense.

Sure, technically the stats at the plate don’t look great. But remember, this was an 18-year-old getting a very small run in Low-A after a not-all-that-much-longer time spent in Rookie Ball this year.

Luis Ravelo clearly brings excitement though. He’s very raw at the moment, but the pieces are all there. Defense and arm both look like they can be plus-level tools. His approach at the plate is decent, and he could be a good slap-hitter. Someone that gets on-base to score a ton of runs.

The power doesn’t look like it will be anything insane. There’s some pop there though. Couple that with good speed and we could see a lot of extra-base hits out of Ravelo, with some home runs sprinkled in.

That speed will help on defense too, giving him good range at shortstop. He’s got the arm for the position as well. As of right now, 15-20 stolen bases a season seems very doable. So while he may not excel at anything at the moment, he’s already showing good signs nearly everywhere.

Getting that from an 18-year-old is interesting. If Ravelo can improve on one or two of his tools, he could have a massive breakout season in 2023. He’s definitely a player to watch out for, as it will be the first time we get a full season from him.

The Red Sox have a lot of middle infield prospects at the moment. So you have to be special to stand out. The fact that Ravelo managed to hold his own in Low-A at such a young age in such a short run speaks volumes about his potential.

Hit: 50

Power: 45

Run: 55

Arm: 60

Field: 65

Overall: 55

No. 25: Red Sox outfield prospect Wilyer Abreu

Wilyer Abreu came over to the organization as part of the Christian Vazquez trade with the Houston Astros. This was a phenomenal trade for Boston. I know it was hard to lose Vaz, but wow, the return was great for a rental.

Abreu spent his time this year in the system with Portland. There, he showed off his solid all-around game that includes an insane eye.

Overall on the year, the left-handed hitter slashed .247/.399/.435 with 29 doubles and 19 home runs in 129 games between the two organizations. He drove in 73 runs, scored 106 more, and stole an impressive 31 bases in 34 attempts. That .399 OBP jumps out at you, doesn’t it? He achieved that by walking 114 times. If you didn’t know, that’s a lot.

Abreu doesn’t really grade out as someone that will hit .300. However, that eye needs to be taken into account in my opinion. Who cares if you don’t have the highest batting average if the OBP is out of this world? Yes, the discipline does get factored into the hit grade.

The 23-year-old has exciting power too. This is something he’s already shown that off nicely with his 29 doubles and 19 home runs. Gap power and legitimate home run power. And I think that’s only going to get better. A 25-plus home run season is a real possibility.

The 31 steals on just 34 attempts probably jumped out to some people. Abreu has pretty good speed. He isn’t elite in that category, but it’s definitely a plus. What really makes Abreu great in this category is his IQ on the bases. He’s aggressive but picks his spots nicely. And he does have more than enough speed to steal plenty of bases and fly around to score from first on extra-base hits.

Defensively, Abreu likely isn’t winning any awards in the outfield. He isn’t bad at all, but there’s nothing spectacular about his glove. He’ll be a solid corner outfielder. Meanwhile, his arm is a major plus. This is definitely something that could surprise some people and lead to some beautiful throws to get people trying to take an extra base.

Overall, Abreu is someone to keep an eye on. His ability to get on base will make fans love him. Patience translates. Add that to great power and good speed and you’ve got yourself a fun prospect.

Hit: 55

Power: 60

Run: 60

Arm: 60

Field: 45

Overall: 55

No. 23: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Juan Daniel Encarnacion

Juan Daniel Encarnacion spent a hefty majority of the 2022 season in Low-A. And the right-handed pitcher did a lot of good things at the level. At the end of the year, we got a small sample of him in High-A though (10 innings to be exact).

In those 10 innings, Encarnacion built on his strong Low-A numbers. He had a decent debut, then a dominant outing to end his season. It was the perfect hype machine. Put up a good season at one level, then make your debut at the next level as the year is ending, and give fans a glimpse at your potential.

Overall, he finished with pretty strong numbers. Encarnacion posted a 4.05 ERA, .239 BAA, and 1.27 WHIP between the two levels. Over 113 1/3 innings, the 21-year-old recorded 129 strikeouts compared to 42 walks. Pretty impressively, he only allowed four home runs on the season.

Encarnacion has an interesting mix of pitches. His fastball sits in the low-mid-90s. That might not be fast compared to most pitchers anymore. However, there’s some decent movement (sink) to the pitch. He also has advanced control of his fastball. So he can put it where he wants and dot up the corners.

After that, he has a pitch that some people have called a slider and others have called a curveball. That means we’re going in the middle and I’m going to claim they’re all wrong and that it’s a slurve. The slurve sits in the mid-high-70s, sometimes sneaking into the 80s. Doesn’t seem to have the best command of the pitch. It looks a lot more devastating at certain times, and not all that threatening at others. Definitely potential to be a wipeout pitch though. Can have a sharp and sweeping break.

Finally, there’s a mid-80s changeup. This one is interesting. As anyone that’s ever heard me speaking about pitches knows, the changeup is the best pitch in baseball in my opinion and you can’t change my mind on this. Encarnacion has a changeup that can absolutely disappear on hitters low in the zone. The issue is sometimes he leaves it up and loses some of the dip. Making it essentially an 85-MPH fastball down the plate. As the year went on, it felt like he was getting a better feel for the pitch though, and it got nastier and more consistent in the later months.

Overall, it was a great first season in a full level for Juan Daniel Encarnacion. The Red Sox have plenty of pitches prospects, so it’s easy for him to get buried in the headlines, but he was one of the more consistent pitchers in the minors. He’s improved already and his velocity has gone up over the years. If that continues to trend, he could skyrocket up the ranks and project as an obvious starting rotation piece.

Fastball: 55

Slurve: 55

Changeup: 55

Control: 60

Overall: 55

No. 22: Red Sox catching prospect Kole Cottam

Kole Cottam’s development at the catcher position cannot be understated. It’s something that’s definitely flown under the radar, due to the fact that he’s not the flashiest prospect. If you watch him behind the plate, it’s hard to miss though.

The right-handed hitter slashed .255/.336/.365 with 20 doubles, two triples, and two home runs in 274 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A this season. He drove in 28 runs and scored 31 more as well.

Cottam was a victim of the crowded catcher scene in the Red Sox minor league system this year. He didn’t get nearly as much playing time as I would’ve liked to see.

Overall, the numbers were really strong in Double-A. He struggled after being promoted to Triple-A though. There’s an obvious reason for this. Cottam wasn’t playing. When he was sent to Triple-A, Worcester still had Connor Wong on the roster to pair with Ronaldo Hernandez.

So for the first month of his time there, Cottam was lucky to get a game a week. You can excuse him for not finding a rhythm while barely playing at a new level. Even with that roadblock, he showed signs, especially towards the end of the year.

As for the lack of power, that had a bit to do with bad luck. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone get robbed of more hits in a single season. It didn’t just stop there, however. This also came into play with his power. Hitting balls high off the “Maine Monster” in Portland that would’ve been home runs at any other park. Then going to other parks and hitting balls to deep center that would’ve been home runs back at Portland.

The point of this is to say, the lack of home runs isn’t nearly as worrying as you might think if you’re just looking at the numbers.

Speed-wise, he’s a typical catcher. Cot is a big dude (6’3″, 235 lbs). You shouldn’t expect him to be the fastest guy on the bases. That being said, he’s not slow for the position. Just, not fast either.

Defense is where Cottam really shines. He’s the best pitch framer in the system. A good plate blocker, who seems to call a good game as well. Pitchers seem comfortable with him, and it definitely doesn’t hurt that he appears to be one of the nicest guys that a locker room could have.

He’s pretty athletic for his size, so can make some surprising plays. Then you can throw in a strong arm that will keep base runners at bay as well, just to top everything off.

Kole Cottam came into the system a few years ago as an offensive-minded catcher. Now he’s a defensive stud who can still give you plenty of production with the stick. Someone who fans won’t talk about much because there’s nothing wild that jumps out to you. But if he’s given a chance, he’ll win people over quickly.

Hit: 55

Power: 55

Run: 35

Arm: 60

Field: 70

Overall: 55

No. 21: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Thad Ward

Thad Ward is one of the organization’s comeback stories of the year. The right-handed starter made two starts in 2021, totaling eight innings of work. His year ended due to an injury that led to Ward getting Tommy John surgery.

Returning midway through the 2022 season, Ward took zero time to remind everyone why he was such an intriguing prospect before his injury.

In 51 1/3 innings between four levels (Rookie Ball, Low-A, High-A, and mainly Double-A), Ward dominated. The 25-year-old posted a 2.28 ERA, .212 BAA, and 1.15 WHIP while striking out 66 batters compared to 19 walks in that time. If there was any worry that he wouldn’t be able to bounce back from the injury, he shook that off as quickly as possible.

Ward has three good pitches. His fastball works in the low-to-mid-90s with a phenomenal sink to it. He seems to have strong control over the pitch as well. This leads to a lot of ground balls.

Next up is a cutter that sits in the high-80s. This pitch has a surprising amount of movement to it, and will definitely get some hitters reaching. This one gets a good amount of swing-and-misses. It’s a nice compliment to his sinker, which is used more to create weak contact. Another pitch with solid command, but he does have some issues with it every once in a while.

Finally, there’s an absolutely devastating slider. Easily the best pitch of his three, and that’s not an insult to the other two. This slider is simply that nasty. Ward throws it in the low-80s, and it has such a nasty break to it. He rarely leaves it flat and can put it where he wants, buckling knees for strikes, or throwing it in the dirt for an embarrassing swing.

Overall, Ward impressed heavily in his season back from Tommy John surgery. A good repertoire of pitches with a potentially elite slider doesn’t hurt his standing either.

Fastball: 50

Cutter: 55

Slider: 70

Control: 50

Overall: 55

No. 20: Red Sox shortstop prospect Christian Koss

Christian Koss has to be one of the more underrated prospects in the system. He does everything well. The right-handed hitter slashed .260/.309/.430 with 22 doubles (career-high), five triples, and 17 home runs (career-high) in 125 games in Double-A this season. He also set new career bests in RBI (84), runs scored (69), and stolen bases (16).

Koss is a solid hitter with sneaky pop. He’s got gap power, with the ability to hit 20 home runs. The only issue here is that he doesn’t really draw walks. So when he gets into a slump (and he did run into one at the end of the season), things can get ugly. However, Koss tends to be a consistent bat. And he showed a real knack for driving in runs this year.

Defensively, Koss is above-average at shortstop, third base, and second base. He even showed off some skills in the outfield this year (although he had very limited reps). His best position is probably shortstop. That gives him the most chances to show off his fantastic range and a strong arm. He has a good glove and nice instincts off the bat.

Speaking of range, Koss might be the most underrated runner in the system. I always thought Koss was fast when watching him on TV for all the games. I went to a Portland series this year though. And my guy is an absolute burner. He was flying down the first base line. It immediately made me bump up his speed grade. There are some things you can’t see on MiLB TV as much as you would like (limited camera angles and few replays). This is one of those things.

Overall, Koss might not jump out to you as this crazy prospect. The reason for that is I don’t think there’s any statistic that really lends itself to being the highlight of a conversation. But he does everything at a high level. Could be an everyday infielder that consistently produces.

He’d get you a 20/20 season at some point too, so that’s fun.

Hit: 55

Power: 55

Run: 65

Arm: 55

Field: 55

Overall: 55

No. 19: Red Sox first base prospect Niko Kavadas

Niko Kavadas is a great prospect for this list because I think he perfectly highlights the whole “you have to weigh some tools different from others in certain cases” point I made earlier.

Kavadas is a classic power-hitting first baseman. He’s going to tear the cover off baseballs and get on base. Don’t expect to see any types of speed out of him though.

What a year 2022 was for Kavadas. The left-handed hitter slashed .280/.443/.547 between Low-A, High-A, and Double-A. Getting two promotions in one year should tell you just how impressive he was. The Notre Dame product smoked 25 doubles, one triple, and 26 home runs. He drove in 86 runs, scored 71 more, and stole one base.

Kavadas also drew 102 walks. This was a combination of incredible plate discipline and a strong eye, and pitchers being terrified of him.

The bat will play. He’s going to get on base at a high level, and he has 30-plus home run potential. This will lead to a ton of runs batted in. His hit and power tools are off the charts if we’re being honest. Those are the two things that make Kavadas so intriguing.

However, the rest isn’t spectacular. Kavadas isn’t going to win any races (except maybe against Big Joe Davis). Not disastrously slow but he’s not “not slow”. However, do you really need speed as a first baseman with a monster bat?

Defensively, Kavadas isn’t taking home any awards. He’s not miserable here, but he lends himself more to a DH role. Maybe he could fill in at first base every once in a while when someone needs a day off though. Decent enough glove, he’ll make the plays he needs to make. Don’t expect many highlights though, with limited range. His arm isn’t great, but that’s not an issue at first base anyway.

Niko Kavadas has top-tier offensive potential. You can’t help but be impressed when watching him at the plate. There’s so much danger in his bat, but he’s patient and waits for the right pitch. Rarely do you see him with any panic at the plate. He’ll gladly take two strikes if they aren’t what he’s looking for. Then he’ll fight until he gets that one pitch. High average, off-the-charts OBP, and tons of power.

Everything else, well they’re there too. Who cares though? Look how far he just hit that ball.

Hit: 75

Power: 75

Run: 30

Arm: 40

Field: 40

Overall: 55

No. 18: Red Sox second base prospect Enmanuel Valdez

Enmanuel Valdez was the other prospect who came over with Wilyer Abreu in the Christian Vazquez, and I cannot stress enough how great this trade turned out for Boston.

Valdez posted a .296/.376/.542 with 35 doubles, two triples, and 28 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A this season (in two different organizations). He drove in 107 runs, scored 92 more, and stole eight bases.

It doesn’t take a baseball genius to realize how great those numbers are. The fact that he did that while spending the heavy majority of the season in Triple-A makes it even more impressive for the 23-year-old.

Valdez has a shocking amount of power in his swing for someone with a 5’9″, 191 lbs frame. In fact, he has a lot of power in his swing for anyone.

A power-hitting second baseman that shows the ability to hit for average and produce an insane amount of runs? You have to love that.

Valdez is a really fun prospect. That absurd offensive production isn’t a fluke. He might not stick around .300 in the Majors, but the power could translate. Not crazy speed, but enough to steal a couple of bases. Anything to go with the home run potential is just a bonus anyways.

Defensively, Valdez isn’t going to win any awards at second base. He’s probably not going to kill you there though. Decent enough, with solid range and an okay arm. Valdez also spent time at third base and in the corner outfield spots, with a tiny bit of first base mixed in.

Personally, I like him at second base though. The offensive production he gives you from the position could be elite. Not many other second basemen could give you 25-plus home runs in a season.

Valdez is really close to the Majors. He’ll be 24 all of next year and hasn’t just shown offensive potential, but produced at a high level. There’s a chance he makes an impact in Boston next year. With a fantastic all-around offensive game, he could become a fan favorite quickly.

Hit: 65

Power: 65

Run: 50

Arm: 45

Field: 45

Overall: 55

No. 17: Red Sox outfield prospect Roman Anthony

The Red Sox selected Roman Anthony out of high school in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft.

In Anthony, Boston got an exciting 18-year-old outfield prospect, though he’s mainly seen as a potential power bat. In 20 games between Rookie Ball and Low-A this season, he slashed .306/.373/.361 with four doubles. The left-handed hitter drove in 12 runs, scored seven more, and stole one base. Meanwhile, he walked more times (9) than he struck out (8).

The good news is, there’s no major hole in his game. Anthony won’t be the fastest player on the team. And he’s probably not going to win any Gold Gloves. But he won’t be a liability in those areas either.

Expect solid defense in the outfield, with an average arm. And while he won’t be a demon on the bases, there is more-than-enough speed there. Anthony will have solid range in the outfield, and the ability to rack up extra bases, go first to third, and steal a handful of bags every year.

Again, the real prize will be the offense. Anthony is more than just a power bat. The tools are there for him to be a great all-around hitter. Good average, great on-base percentage, and of course the pop.

It’s hard to evaluate someone when they’ve only had 83 plate appearances in the minor leagues so far. Especially when nearly half (40) came in the FCL (Florida Complex League). Anthony definitely has the type of swing that could lead to home runs in bunches.

Fans need to be patient with this kid. Anthony will be 19 next season and spending the year in Low-A. As I’ll continue to say any time I’m prompted, Salem is not a home-run-friendly ballpark. So if he doesn’t hit many home runs next season, please don’t panic.

Given time, when Roman Anthony reaches his full potential there are absolutely 30-plus home-run seasons in his future. Boston does love themselves some power-swinging lefties.

Hit: 55

Power: 65

Run: 50

Arm: 50

Field: 50

Overall: 55

No. 16: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz

Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz is one of the exciting young pitchers we got to see in Low-A for a cup of coffee at the end of the season (we’ll talk about another in a bit). The 19-year-old right-hander has already done a lot to impress.

In six innings in Low-A, he allowed just one run on three hits and three walks, while striking out six bats. Overall, Rodriguez-Cruz posted a 1.88 ERA, .214 BAA, and 1.20 WHIP between Rookie Ball and Low-A. He dropped in 42 strikeouts compared to 15 walks in 38 1/3 innings.

Rodriguez-Cruz has a mix of four pitches. A fastball that he was working in the low-to-mid-90s is his first pitch. He doesn’t have the best control over the pitch yet, but it’s a work-in-progress. That much is evident by the velocity, as he’s already added a few MPH to his fastball compared to where it was when he was drafted in 2021 (fourth-round).

Next is a curveball, which definitely fights for his best pitch. Mid-to-high-70s with a really long and sweeping break to it. He has surprisingly good command on this pitch, and seems to already be pretty comfortable with it. Will definitely buckle some knees and get some ugly swings.

A slider is next. This is mid-80s and has a much more horizontal break than the curveball. Not nearly as long either. However, could be a good fourth pitch that he breaks out on occasion to keep the hitter on their toes.

Finally, a changeup which is also in contention for his best pitch at the moment. Extremely deceptive, it looks eerily similar to his fastball out of his hand. The delivery is a little different, but if the hitter doesn’t catch it, they’ll probably end up looking stupid on the swing. Low-80s with a quick and severe drop at the end. This will disappear on people, and he already has solid command on it.

Fastball: 50

Curveball: 60

Slider: 50

Changeup: 60

Control: 55

Overall: 55

No. 15: Red Sox catching prospect Nathan Hickey

Nathan Hickey has one of the best offensive games from a catching prospect I’ve ever seen. It’s all there for him. He can hit for average and power. But he’ll also show off a great eye at the plate and draw plenty of walks. Offensively, he’s the elite of the elite.

However, there are two sides to baseball. And Hickey has question marks defensively. He does have a very strong arm. So that’s a plus. Meanwhile, I’ve seen him make quite a few good defensive plays. But overall it’s a struggle. Not a great pitch-framer or plate-blocker. He isn’t always accurate with his throws, and could improve when it comes to fielding.

So the question becomes, what is more valuable here? The answer is pretty obvious. Hickey isn’t a great defender, but he isn’t useless there. Meanwhile, the hitting could be game-changing.

The right-handed hitter slashed .263/.415/.522 with 18 doubles and 16 home runs between Low-A and High-A this season. He drove in 62 runs and scored 50 more. In 328 plate appearances, Hickey drew 63 walks. Working counts and finding a pitch to drive was something Hickey was doing on a regular basis in 2022. That’s impressive for anyone. A 22-year-old catcher (a position not always known for offense) really draws your attention though.

So far, the Red Sox seem determined to make it work at catcher with Hickey, and I love that. He’s young and learning. The defense did see some improvements as the year went on. If he can even be an average defender, he’ll be one of the best at his position. Give him a few years at catcher and see if they can figure it out with him. Switching Hickey to first base would just lower his value.

And like I said, there were improvements. And with just 516 2/3 innings behind the plate in the minor leagues, that’s great that we’re already seeing that.

Defense and running will likely never be big parts of his game. But he could limit base stealers. And offensively he has legitimate potential to post high .300s in OBP and crank 25-plus home runs in a season. Elite production at the plate.

Hit: 65

Power: 65

Run: 35

Arm: 65

Field: 35

Overall: 55

No. 14: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Wikelman Gonzalez

Wikelman Gonzalez burst into the hearts of a lot of fans at the end of the 2021 season with an impressive showing in a short Low-A stint. Suddenly, he was one of the most exciting pitching prospects in the entire Red Sox system.

2022 may not seem like it at first glance, but it was a strong season that should reinforce those beliefs for a lot of people. The right-hander posted a 4.21 ERA, .212 BAA, and 1.32 WHIP between Low-A and High-A. The ERA and WHIP aren’t great, but the BAA was phenomenal. Mainly, there was an issue with walks. In 98 1/3 innings, Gonzalez allowed 54 free passes. Although, his eye-popping 121 strikeouts helped limit the damage.

The most important takeaway from the 2022 season, is that Gonzalez posted better numbers in High-A than he did Low-A. Getting promoted near the end of the year, Wik made four starts with Greenville. He posted a 2.65 ERA, .213 BAA, 1.12 WHIP, and had 23 strikeouts compared to six walks in 17 innings at the level.

The 20-year-old has a four-pitch arsenal, that is headlined by a nasty fastball. He has a four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-90s and a two-seamer that drops into the low-90s. There’s some great movement on the two-seamer, and he seems to never really lose either pitch. The command isn’t always perfect, but it’s improving. It should also be mentioned that he was throwing his fastball in the 80s back in 2019. So there’s been a significant velocity increase. Could we see it tick up a little more even?

The curveball is somehow his worst pitch, and I say that because it’s still a solid offering. Gonzalez throws a sweeping curve pretty similar to Rodriguez-Cruz. It tends to sit in the high-70s and low-80s. Good break, that can look incredibly sharp at times, which will definitely cause hitters to flail at it. The issue here is consistency. He’ll lose the pitch at times. This causes him to leave it flat over the plate, or to have it never even look like a potential strike as it sails high or buries into the dirt. When it’s on, it’s nasty though. So if the control increases, watch out.

Finally, Gonzalez has a great changeup. Sitting in the mid-to-high-80s, it features a devastating drop. It looks just like his fastball out of his hands, but the slower speed and heavy late drop will force a lot of hitters to swing early and overtop of it. He has a pretty good feel for the pitch too. Not too many mistakes are made with it. The only real issue is sometimes his delivery looks different, telegraphing the pitch a little bit.

Fastball: 65

Curveball: 50

Changeup: 60

Control: 50

Overall: 55

No. 13: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Luis Perales

Luis Perales is filth personified. He only pitched 10 2/3 innings in Low-A, so it was a small sample size. What he did with it was incredible though. Even with just 198 pitches thrown at the level, you could see how disgusting his arm is.

The 19-year-old righty tossed 35 2/3 innings total on the year between Rookie Ball and Low-A. He posted a 1.77 ERA, .163 BAA, and 1.12 WHIP in that time. Perales also racked up 50 strikeouts compared to 20 walks.

The walks were a problem when he moved up to Low-A. Perales allowed 11 free passes in his 10 2/3 innings at the level. However, the main takeaway was just how advanced his pitches are. Some control problems in the lower levels of the minors shouldn’t surprise anyone. Especially from someone who is literally still a teenager.

Perales has three pitches. There’s a fastball that already sits in the mid-90s and he’s teased 100 plenty of times. It’s pretty live too. There’s movement to the pitch that makes it deadlier. He tends to get a little wild with the pitch, but his command of it is still pretty solid.

Next is a curveball which is just *chef’s kiss*. The break on this is pretty ridiculous, sweeping with hard spin. It’s mid-to-high-70s and it’s already making hitters look absolutely duped, bamboozled, smeckledorfed (that’s not even a word and you have to agree with me)!

Finally, there’s a changeup. Admittedly, I haven’t gotten to see it much. It seemed like he was throwing the fastball and curveball a hefty majority of the time. The changeup looks decently familiar to the fastball out of his hand though, with pretty deceptive arm movement. Sits around the mid-80s with a good late drop. Could be a great third pitch as he grows.

Overall, Perales is very raw. He has some of the nastiest pitches you’ll see though. So if the Red Sox are patient they could have something special on their hands.

Fastball: 70

Curveball: 70

Changeup: 50

Control: 50

Overall: 55

No. 12: Red Sox shortstop prospect Matthew Lugo

Matthew Lugo had a major breakout year. In 2021, he showed plenty of potential in Low-A. There was plenty of room for improvement in every area though. 2022 saw Lugo take massive steps forward everywhere.

The right-handed hitter slashed .282/.338/.492 with 26 doubles, 10 triples, and 18 home runs in 117 games between High-A and Double-A. He drove in 79 runs, scored 77 more, and stole 20 bases as well.

Lugo’s average rose from 2021, but the big leap here was his slugging percentage. He showed very little power in 2021 (slugged .364). A jump up to .492 despite the higher level was incredible. Lugo was finding gaps more, but it was the move from four home runs to 18 that made the biggest difference.

The 21-year-old hit a couple of slumps and insanely hot streaks during the year. For the most part, though, he was extremely consistent. Lugo was smoking baseballs and producing runs all season.

That power jump was encouraging, as it shows he is making the necessary tweaks and improvements to his game. And at such a young age, things could continue to get better at the plate.

Defensively, Lugo made some great steps in 2022 as well. Playing shortstop, third base, and second base, he wasn’t nearly as error-prone as he was in 2021. Solid range and a decent glove, with a strong arm. This will never be an elite area of Lugo’s game, but he’s showing that he can be a solid-enough fielder.

Meanwhile, speed is another part of his game that might not be elite, but more than gets the job done. Lugo isn’t going to terrorize opposing teams with his legs. But there’s enough there that he’s going to get plenty of extra-base hits, and could steal 15-plus bases on a yearly basis.

Overall, Lugo is very offensively inclined. He took serious steps in 2022, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he made another leap forward in 2023. If that’s the case, we could see some higher ratings and a prospect that suddenly has the fan base going crazy. Definite potential to hit for average plenty of pop, and a nice all-around game.

Hit: 65

Power: 60

Run: 60

Arm: 55

Field: 45

Overall: 55

No. 11: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Brandon Walter

2022 started out so promising for Brandon Walter. The left-handed pitcher began the year in Double-A and was basically untouchable. It took him just nine starts to get promoted to Triple-A.

That’s because his nine Double-A starts saw some wild stats. Walter posted a 2.88 ERA, .191 BAA, and astronomically-low 0.78 WHIP. In 50 innings he had 68 strikeouts compared to three walks. Let me say that again so you know it wasn’t a typo. He had 68 strikeouts compared to three walks.

Then Walter moved up to Triple-A. His first start there was rough. He allowed six runs on five hits and a walk (two strikeouts) in just 1 2/3 innings. Start two was much better though, as he quickly made adjustments. Walter gave up only one run on four hits and three walks (compared to five strikeouts), in six innings of work.

We didn’t get to see if he was going to keep building though. Walter didn’t make another appearance the rest of the year due to an injury. It was an injury that initially looked like it would not cause him to miss significant time. That ended up not being the case though. His last game was on June 8.

Even with the injury, Walter’s stock definitely rose. The 26-year-old is in a good position to find a spot in the Red Sox rotation at some point next season. It almost certainly would have happened in 2022 if it wasn’t for the injury (he probably would’ve gotten the call before Brayan Bello honestly).

The pitches are enticing. His fastball sits in the low-to-mid-90s with some decent movement. The selling point here is that he can put the pitch wherever he wants. So if he wants to bury it on a hitter’s hands, he’s going to do that. If he wants to dot you up on the outside corner, that’s happening too.

A slider that sits in the low-80s is next. There’s a strong horizontal break to it, that can really get away from hitters. This is definitely the least consistent of Walter’s pitches though. When it’s on, he’s going to get some ugly swings. But there are times when it loses some of its spin, and that can cause issues.

Finally, a changeup is his best pitch. I don’t even think anyone would argue with me on this either, it’s not my bias towards the pitch. The pitch works in the low-80s, and it looks exactly like his fastball out of his hand. Even Walter’s arm motion is identical. It takes off 10 MPH from his heater and has a great late dip to it though. This makes hitters look bad.

Fastball: 55

Slider: 55

Changeup: 60

Control: 60

Overall: 55

No. 10: Red Sox third base prospect Blaze Jordan

Blaze Jordan won over a lot of fans the second he was drafted thanks to his perfect “baseball” name and his penchant for hitting absurd nukes in High School. And in his first full season in the minors, Jordan did not disappoint.

The right-handed hitting third baseman slashed .289/.363/.445 with 30 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs between Low-A and High-A. He drove in 68 runs, scored 60 more, and stole five bases as well.

Let’s get something out of the way immediately, no you should not be worried about the low home run total. First of all, Jordan was 19. The power production he gave in Low-A and High-A as a teenager was impressive.

More importantly, though, 370 of his 463 at-bats in 2022 came in Low-A. And a majority of those Low-A at-bats came at Salem. That is the very definition of a non-home-run-friendly ballpark. Jordan was hitting plenty to the wall though, and that’s encouraging.

Give him time to grow and mature, and see a full season away from Salem. Those home run numbers will likely go up pretty significantly.

Meanwhile, the rest of his offensive game was impressive. He didn’t strike out much (94 in 521 plate appearances) and he showed off a decent eye (48 walks).

Jordan isn’t much of a speed threat, and his defense isn’t great. But he’s not miserable in either area. And he even showed off his ability to play first base, as well as third. That gives Jordan a little more flexibility in lineups.

Honestly, he looks better at first base defensively. But Jordan also has a good arm that works a whole lot better at third and would feel wasted at first.

The main attraction here is going to be the offense. So the fact that his first full season in the minors went so well should have fans excited. Jordan is a traditional power bat in all the best ways. But he looks like someone that could hit for average and limit the strikeouts as well. There is easy 30-homer potential in his bat. But a chance at some averages around .300 as well.

Blaze Jordan came into the Red Sox organization with pretty high expectations. Year one did not disappoint.

Hit: 65

Power: 70

Run: 40

Arm: 50

Field: 45

Overall: 55

No. 9: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Chris Murphy

Let’s get something out of the way immediately here. Chris Murphy absolutely dog-walked hitters in Double-A before his promotion to Triple-A. However, his numbers took a hit after the promotion. There are a few things I feel need to be pointed out here.

First of all, I don’t think there was a more unlucky pitcher in the system this year. The defense didn’t seem to put up their best performances on Murph nights. This led to a lot of innings that should have ended earlier, yielding runs.

Second (and this is the big one), this is exactly what we went through last year. Murphy struggled while adjusting to Double-A. Clearly, he got comfortable and put up numbers at the level this year though.

So there’s no reason to believe he can’t do that again next year, as he’ll be adjusted to Triple-A.

The left-handed starter posted a 4.03 ERA, .220 BAA, and 1.28 WHIP between the two levels this season. He struck out 149 batters compared to 72 walks in 152 innings pitched. Overall, those are great numbers.

Murph has four pitches. A fastball that works in the low-90s. He can reach back for 95-96 though. There are definitely some inconsistencies with the pitch, losing the location sometimes. It has good movement though, and when he has it working and is confident in it, will paint.

Next is a slider with a short but sharp break. It works in the low-80s and is definitely the least used of his pitches. Seems to have a decent feel for it, and can drop it in for a surprise strike. But there’s a reason he uses everything else more, this is pitch four.

Then there’s a curveball with a hefty sweeping break to it. Murph works this in the low-to-mid-70s and can drop it in for a strike, or bury it in the dirt to get the hitter chasing. He will lose it sometimes and leave it up. That can cause issues. For the most part, though, has a good feel for the pitch and uses it effectively.

Finally a changeup with the perfect deceptive delivery. It looks just like his fastball in both arm movement, and out of his hand. However, the pitch sits in the mid-80s and has a great late drop to it. This has been his most improved pitch over the years too, so it could still be getting better.

Murphy has a great mix of pitches, that range from the low-70s to the mid-90s and everywhere in-between. That can cause headaches for opposing hitters. He struggled with his control a bit this season, but that wasn’t really an issue in the past. It could be a mix of it being harder to nibble the corners at high levels, and the lefty working on improving different pitches.

Meanwhile, he allowed seven fewer home runs (14) this season despite pitching in more innings (152) than last season (21 in 101 1/3 innings). That shouldn’t be overlooked. Murph is improving, don’t let the deceptive numbers fool you.

Fastball: 60

Slider: 50

Curveball: 60

Changeup: 70

Control: 60

Overall: 60

No. 8: Red Sox shortstop prospect Brainer Bonaci

There’s no hiding the fact that Brainer Bonaci is one of my favorite prospects in the Boston Red Sox organization. He has a combination of elite defense and a phenomenal eye at the plate. Two of my favorite attributes.

Bones spent the 2022 season in Low-A. He slashed .262/.397/.385 with 19 doubles, six triples, and six home runs. The switch-hitter drove in 50 runs, scored 86 more, and stole 28 bases as well. His most impressive stat was the 89 walks compared to 89 strikeouts on the year.

Bonaci didn’t rack up the extra-base hits all year long, but he did show flashes of potential in that area. It’s something the 20-year-old could take a step forward with next season.

Even if that’s never a part of his game though, there’s still so much to love. He has gold glove potential at shortstop and has the ability to play third base and second base as well. Bonaci made a number of circus plays in 2022 but makes the routine ones as well. A strong arm, good footwork, and an insanely soft glove.

He’ll hit for contact, won’t strike out much, and will get on-base thanks to his top-tier eye. And an eye isn’t something that’s just going to go away. He can read pitches very well and rarely swings at something out of the zone. His good bat-to-ball skills help him to fight off tough pitches and limit the strikeouts as well.

When Bones gets on, he has plenty of speed to help him score. He can sprint around the bases when a teammate gets a hit, or he can just steal a few times to get himself into scoring position without any help. Great OBP and plenty of speed? That could lead to Bonaci being a run factory, even if he’s never an elite hitter.

A high-.300s OBP with 25 steals and around 100 runs scored could be obtainable for Bonaci in the future. And he’ll do that while winning a gold glove at shortstop.

Bones will have detractors because of his lack of power, but anyone that’s watched him play likely loves him as much as I do (okay, almost as much as I do).

Hit: 55

Power: 40

Run: 65

Arm: 70

Field: 75

Overall: 60

No. 7: Red Sox shortstop Mikey Romero

Mikey Romero was the first-round pick (24th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in the 2022 MLB Draft. It didn’t take him long to win over fans. After 10 games in Rookie Ball, Romero was moved up to Low-A to get a couple of games in there before the season ended.

The left-handed hitter slashed .349/.364/.581 with four doubles and three triples in nine games at Low-A. Romero drove in 11 runs, scored six more, and stole one base as well. He was dominating Low-A pitching while being an 18-year-old who could probably pass for a very tall middle schooler. Definition of a baby-faced assassin.

He has shown good defense at shortstop and even started getting some reps at second base. That could come into play down the line, as 2021 first-round pick Marcelo Mayer is also a shortstop.

Romero appears to have a pretty solid glove, with a good arm and nice range. He isn’t a burner, but he has enough speed to cover some ground. That speed could allow him to pick up double-digit steals every year as well.

The main attraction when it comes to Romero is his offense. There is a lot to love about his swing. He’s going to hit a lot of doubles and triples. Home runs will come, but that won’t be the biggest part of his game. Romero has the potential to hit 20-25 home runs, which is still phenomenal. But the big thing here is his legitimate .300 potential.

Mikey Romero is already showing that he has the makings of a perfect two-hitter. He’s going to get on base and has a nice mix of power and speed that makes him a threat everywhere.

2023 is going to be an interesting year. The short-stint Romero had in Low-A this season was great, but it was short. He still needs to prove his place in the organization. He’ll have a chance to do that with a full season in 2023. So we could see him jump to “superstar prospect” status next year if things go right.

Hit: 70

Power: 60

Run: 50

Arm: 55

Field: 55

Overall: 60

No. 6: Red Sox second base Nick Yorke

2022 was a down year for Nick Yorke, as the prospect was dealing with a number of injuries – mainly a wrist problem. This caused him to sporadically miss time. Even when he was in the lineup, it was clear he wasn’t at 100%.

Due to that, the numbers took a big dip. The right-handed hitter slashed .231/.303/.365 with 10 doubles, one triple, and 11 home runs in High-A. He drove in 45 runs, scored 48 more, and stole eight bases as well. Yorke could never get a lot of momentum rolling though and only appeared in 80 games.

Even with the injuries, there is a lot to love. The offense should be fine. He looked like an absolute stud in 2021 and had quite a few great stretches in 2022 as well. His lack of consistent playing time due to injury hampered his ability to get into a groove, however. Still, the pieces are there. He can hit for contact and draws a decent amount of walks. Good gap power with some pop. Could be a high-average hitter that manages 15 home runs.

Speed isn’t a huge factor in his game, but Yorke isn’t slow. He’ll leg out a lot of extra-base hits, and can get around the bases to score some runs. Stealing somewhere in the 10-to-20 range bases a year is a definite possibility as well.

The biggest surprise with Yorke has been his defense. He was definitely seen as a more offensive-minded prospect when he was first drafted in 2020. That looked to be the case when he recorded eight errors in the first 14 games (122 innings) of his career at second base.

Since then, however, Yorke has committed just two errors over his next 139 games (1,213 innings) at the position.

Yorke has shown an incredibly reliable glove. He has good footwork and soft hands. He will make all the routine plays while flashing highlight reel abilities on plenty of occasions as well. Not a crazy arm, but it’s more than strong enough for second base as well as very accurate.

The Red Sox prospect will spend the entire 2023 season as a 21-year-old. That’s also important to remember. For most of the year not only was he dealing with injuries, but with older pitchers who had more experience than him. There’s no reason to be too worried, 2023 could be a major bounce-back year for Nick Yorke.

Hit: 70

Power: 50

Run: 55

Arm: 50

Field: 70

Overall: 60

No. 5: Red Sox utility-man Eddison Paulino

Eddinson Paulino probably made the biggest waves of any “new” talent in 2022. This was his first season at a full level in the minors, and his stock rose considerably thanks to some incredible numbers.

The left-handed hitter slashed .266/.359/.469 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, and 13 home runs. He drove in 66 runs, scored 96 more, and stole 27 bases as well. Paulino did all of this while appearing at second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and center field.

The 20-year-old was a constant electric factory. He was either making a great play on defense or doing something fun on offense. That could be a diving catch, pimping a monster home run, or stealing second and third in the blink of an eye.

Paulino took the role of Ceddanne Rafaela this year. A prospect in Low-A that not only broke out but positioned himself perfectly for a monster season in High-A next year. He has pretty similar tools too.

Paulino has a good hit tool, and it’s something that could improve rapidly. He flashed some really good power as well. Not just gap power either. Okay, yes, he’s going to hit a ton of doubles and triples. But Paulino can also hit them over the wall, and as he matures could quickly start posting 20-plus home run seasons in the minors.

The speed will help him defensively, as it gives him great range. On the base paths, Paulino will be able to score on hits pretty easily and could continue his 25-plus steal seasons.

Speaking of defense, it’s tough to tell where he’s best at right now. Solid arm, but it isn’t elite, so that might play best at second base. The range is great though, so you could maybe argue that would be wasted at second. Although you still need good range to get to balls up the middle.

Could work out as a utility player, but the Red Sox would likely want to lock down a position for Paulino. Expect to see him at second and in the outfield for the most part next season.

What’s so scary about Eddinson Paulino is that he’s already shown talent in every category, and has the ability to improve in all of them. We could see someone that turns into a high average batter with 20-plus home run power and 30-plus steal speed. Exciting.

Hit: 55

Power: 60

Run: 65

Arm: 55

Field: 65

Overall: 60

No. 4: Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis

Remember back in the first slide when I said there was a player that would be an exception to the “I need to see them play” rule? That’s Miguel Bleis. And he might be even higher on this list if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m knocking him down slightly due to the limited view I’ve had of him.

The right-handed hitter slashed .301/.353/.542 with 14 doubles, four triples, and five home runs. He drove in 27 runs, scored 28 more, and stole 18 bases as well. And Bleis did all of that in just 40 games in the FCL (Florida Complex League).

I didn’t get to see any full games of Bleis yet, but there have been quite a few highlights. The issue with highlights is that you only see the very best. However, it’s pretty clear that Bleis is special.

There’s really nothing that the outfielder doesn’t have plus potential at. He’s going to hit for a good average, and give you a ton of extra-base hits. Bleis possesses elite speed that’s going to yield plenty of stolen bases. It will also help him in the outfield.

The potential for elite defense is there, and he’s going to cover a lot of ground. It helps that he has a plus arm already as well. He’s perfect for that extremely large center field at Fenway Park, and will definitely make base runners respect his arm.

It’s rare that you see an 18-year-old that shows this few holes in his game at such a young age. And at 6’3″, 170 he has a frame that screams power.

The ceiling for Miguel Bleis is insane. Being a .300 hitter is possible. Winning gold gloves could happen. Having a 30/30 season isn’t out of reach.

You always have to be careful with someone this early in their development. Their career can go so many different ways. So you don’t want to rush them through the minor leagues, but you also don’t want to keep them low for too long and waste time. The Boston Red Sox could have someone extremely special on their hands, so let’s see what route they go with him next year.

Hit: 65

Power: 65

Run: 70

Arm: 65

Field: 65

Overall: 65

No. 3: Red Sox starting pitching prospect Bryan Mata

You don’t have to go back all that far to find a time when Bryan Mata was considered one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball. He was dominating at every single level he went to, despite consistently being the youngest player (or at the very least one of the youngest) in whatever league he was in at the time.

Then came 2020 though, and Mata missed the entire year due to the MiLB season being canceled because of the pandemic. Okay, whatever. Every prospect missed out on that year, so it’s a wash. But then Mata suffered an injury in Spring Training 2021. This forced him to get Tommy John surgery, and suddenly he was out for the second year in a row.

It wouldn’t have surprised me if losing two years died down a little bit of the buzz around Mata. The fact that it seemed to kill most of the buzz is a different story though. I understand there would be questions surrounding someone who hadn’t pitched in two years but did people really forget how nasty El Idolo was?

The right-handed pitcher quickly reminded everyone of his dominance though. Mata returned in 2022, starting his journey with a short stop in Low-A. He jumped to High-A for a slightly-longer time, before moving up to Double-A for the majority of the year. Finally, Mata made his Triple-A debut to end the season – getting a few starts at the level.

The 23-year-old tossed 83 innings between those four levels. He posted a 2.49 ERA, .201 BAA, 1.28 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts in that time. Mata did walk 46 batters as well, and command has always been a bit of an issue for him. But he took a major step forward in that area in 2019. So this could just be him getting back on track. Let him get some more time in post-injury before worrying too much about that.

Fun little stat. In his final start of 2019, Mata set a career-high with nine strikeouts in a single game. History repeats itself apparently because in the final start of 2022 Mata did it again. This time he set a new career-high with 10 strikeouts in a game.

Mata has four pitches in his mix. First, there’s a fastball with elite potential. His two-seamer is a little bit slower than the four-seamer, but the movement on it is absolutely deadly. Meanwhile, the four-seamer sits in the mid-90s and can reach 100 MPH. Showed much better control in 2019, but struggled a bit in 2022 after returning from injury. Give him time.

There’s a curveball that I really love. Sitting in the high-70s, it has a great break to it that moves both horizontally and vertically. Definitely throws off timing for a lot of hitters. He doesn’t always have the best feel for the pitch, but Mata definitely seems comfortable throwing it often. Every once in a while he leaves it a little flat, but for the most part pretty devastating. He can paint with it as well.

Next is a slider in the high-80s. This is probably his most inconsistent pitch. At times it has a break to it. Really cuts with a sharp vertical, and can happen pretty late. That leaves hitters flailing. But the pitch loses some break and gets left flat, which can get him in trouble. Potential to be absolute filth if he can find more consistency though.

Finally, a changeup that I would kiss if I could. It looks exactly like his fastball out of his hand. I’m talking about the same arm movement and similar pitch movement. The changeup works in the mid-to-high-80s though, a significant difference from the fastball that can touch 100 MPH. It also has a wicked drop to it at times. Even when the pitch stays up more, it can still confuse some hitters just off the deceptive arm movement and slower speed. Good control as well.

Mata deserves a lot of credit. He came back in fantastic shape and clearly worked on his game while he was away. The control needs a little work, but he absolutely kept his potential as a top-level ace. And now we can clearly see that work ethic is a major plus as well. This is the type of player you love to have in your system.

Fastball: 70

Curveball: 65

Slider: 65

Changeup: 70

Control: 55

Overall: 65

No. 2: Red Sox shortstop prospect Marcelo Mayer

We got our first look at Marcelo Mayer in a full season in the minor leagues in 2022. Mayer wasted zero time establishing himself as one of the best prospects in baseball. Okay, most people already knew that. But 2022 was his chance to prove his status, and Mayer did just that.

The left-handed hitter slashed .280/.399/.489 with 30 doubles, two triples, and 13 home runs between Low-A and High-A this season. He drove in 53 runs, scored 61 more, and went a perfect 17-for-17 on stolen base attempts as well.

It’s a shame the High-A season ended when it did because Mayer was on an absolute roll to end the year. He ended with three-straight multi-hit games and was 14-for-31 (.452/.553/.710) in September.

That ending served as proof of just how good Mayer is. After dominating in Low-A, it took him just a few weeks to get comfortable in High-A. And he was ready to terrorize a whole new group of pitchers.

There are no weaknesses in Mayer’s game. He has a gorgeous swing and a great eye. A bunch of .300-plus seasons could be in his future. He also has the potential to hit 20-25 home runs every year, with some 30-plus seasons sprinkled in.

Mayer isn’t a burner, but he has good speed and he’s extremely smart on the base paths. He’ll steal some bases every year and might give us a couple of those Dustin Pedroia-type years where he finds his way into 20 steals while almost never being caught.

Defensively, Mayer has really shined. He looks so smooth at shortstop. Not only making the routine plays but showing off a lot of range and athleticism to make spectacular ones as well. His arm looks to be plus as well, with great strength and accuracy.

It was baffling when Marcelo Mayer fell to the Boston Red Sox with the fourth pick of the 2021 MLB Draft back when it happened. A little over a year later, it makes even less sense. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth though, I guess.

Hit: 70

Power: 65

Run: 60

Arm: 65

Field: 70

Overall: 65

No. 1: Red Sox centerfield prospect Ceddanne Rafaela

Okay, are you really that surprised? Like, really? Have I not been clear about how much I love Ceddanne Chipper Nicasio Marte Rafaela? My guy does everything at an elite level. There’s a reason I call him “your favorite prospect’s favorite prospect”.

Last year, I had him at 10 in the rankings. I felt like I should have had him even higher. But I was a coward and felt like people would already tell me I was stretching it (he wasn’t in the MLB’s top 30 for the Red Sox at this time).

Now, I don’t care. I’m learning from my past mistakes. Rafaela’s taking my top spot.

2022 was a wild one. The right-handed hitter slashed .299/.342/.538 with 32 doubles, 10 triples, and 21 home runs between High-A and Double-A. He drove in 86 runs, scored 82 more, and stole 28 bases.

I want to say that again because I feel like people might not realize how wild of a year that is. Rafaela hit .299 with 32 doubles and 10 triples. He dropped a 20/20 season with 21 home runs and 28 steals. The run production was wild too, with 86 RBI and 82 runs scored in 116 games. That’s insane.

The heavy majority of his season was spent in Double-A too. With just 45 of his 116 games coming in High-A, with the other 71 in Double-A. That sets him up to start next season in Triple-A. Or at the very least, start in Portland with the expectations of a promotion to Worcester within a month.

The only real weakness in his game has been his patience. Rafaela can be a bit of a free-swinger. But he has shown some great patience at times. Enough to make me believe that it is an area he could improve on nicely next season. Legitimate potential to hit around .300.

The power took a major step forward this year, after showing flashes at the end of 2021. A baseline of 20 home runs could be a yearly thing for him.

Meanwhile, Rafaela has great speed. He can fly down the first base line to beat out bunts and grounders in the infield. The steals will be there too, with 20-plus being a common occurrence. His base running is severely underrated. He’s aggressive on the base paths, but that doesn’t mean he’s not smart. Also stole extra-base hits multiple times when he noticed that the defense wasn’t paying attention.

Now let’s talk about that defense. Last season I listed Rafaela as a “utility-man” because he spent time in the outfield, as well as at shortstop, third base, and second base. He impressed me with the fact that he looked not only looked comfortable everywhere but had elite potential as well.

This season, we’re listing him as a centerfielder. He spent plenty of time at shortstop too though. And I can confidently say that Rafaela will win multiple Gold Gloves at either of those positions. If he ends up back at second or third, he’ll probably win one there too.

Rafaela’s instincts are incredible. Off the bat, he always seems to make the right read. His speed gives him excellent range, and he made more highlight plays than you could keep track of. It’s not just the highlight plays though. He makes difficult plays look like legitimate routine ones. I’m talking plays that other people might not make, and he’s gliding under the ball for easy grabs.

His defense might be the first “80” grade I’ve ever given.

A fantastic arm with great accuracy accompanies all of this. Just for fun. No one is going to run on him after they see his arm just a few times. It plays perfectly at both shortstop, and in the outfield.

Rafaela’s an amazing shortstop. But I think centerfield is his best position. It’s mesmerizing to watch him out there. And where he’ll likely end up if we’re being honest with ourselves.

Overall, there’s nothing bad to say about his game. Just sit back and enjoy the show.

Hit: 60

Power: 65

Run: 70

Arm: 75

Field: 80

Overall: 70