Boston Red Sox prospects with a solid chance
Now that we’ve gone over those players with a slight chance, let’s look at some more realistic ones. That last group might have had a few names that fans felt were weird to see included here. I can’t imagine anyone would argue with one of these though.
Nick Yorke is already extremely close to the top 100. Rafaela is the third-ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization, and he comes in at number 96 overall. Yorke is the fourth-ranked prospect for Boston. So logic would tell you he’s not too far off.
The second baseman has surprised quite a few people with his fantastic defense. He made just one error over 593.1 innings at the position in 2022. However, the offense took a step back last season.
There’s a simple explanation for that. Yorke suffered a wrist injury early on, and it was very clearly bothering him throughout the year. The right-handed hitter slashed just .231/.303/.365 with 10 doubles, one triple, and 11 home runs in 2022. He drove in 45 runs, scored 48 more, and stole eight bases in 80 games.
There are three main points to remember here, however. First of all, Yorke ended the season strong (slashing .320/.414/.480 in September). Second, he had a frankly absurd 2021, so it’s easier to forgive a down year. Finally, Yorke will be just 21 for all of the 2023 season. Every single one of his plate appearances in 2022 came against pitchers older than him. Think about that for a second.
If Yorke had a good year in 2022, he’d already be in the top 100. A strong 2023 will get him back there.
Mikey Romero was the Red Sox first-round pick in 2022. The shortstop already has all the tools to be great, and even gave Boston fans a glimpse of that in Low-A to end the season. He managed a .349/.364/.581 slash line with four doubles and three triples in nine games with Salem.
The left-handed hitter drove in 11 runs, scored six more, and stole one base in that time as well. Romero will be 19 for all of 2023. So if he continues to dominate like that, it will impossible for anyone to ignore.
Roman Anthony wasn’t far behind Romero in the 2022 draft, going in the second round. The outfielder also got some time in Low-A to end the season but didn’t put up the same numbers as the shortstop.
Anthony is still a fun prospect, though. The left-handed hitter should hit for contact with solid speed and good defense. But what sets him apart is his power potential. He’s still only 18 until May 13, so the home runs might not show up yet. You can excuse teenagers for not having their full complement of power against professional pitchers.
If Anthony manages to showcase that power, the national media is going to love him.
Eddinson Paulino fits right into that Rafaela mold for me. He had an extremely similar season to Rafaela’s 2021 performance (which is what made him stand out to me so much). Paulino might not be as gifted defensively, but he plays tons of positions (like Rafaela). He also managed a better offensive year than Rafaela did in 2021.
The left-handed hitting utility man slashed .266/.359/.469 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, and 13 home runs. He drove in 66 runs and scored 96 more, stealing 27 bases as well. There was a solid eye too, with Paulino drawing 64 walks.
Rafaela managed to take a massive leap from “not even ranked in the top 30 Red Sox prospects” (although I was trying to tell you all to pay attention to him) to “top 100 in all of baseball in one year.” Paulino’s already 13th in the organization, so it’s a much smaller step for him.