The Boston Red Sox have had an embarrassment of riches when it comes to outfield prospects over the years. You could go back before Mookie Betts if you want to (technically, he was an infielder for the majority of that time), and you could even look at someone like Ryan Kalish before injuries derailed his career. Let’s stick to recent memory, though.
There was Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jhostynxon Garcia, Kristian Campbell, and more. Right now, Justin Gonzales is a top 100 prospect in all of baseball. He could be joined by another outfielder in the system if things continue to trend in the direction they’re headed.
The abundance of outfielders has been a talking point amongst Boston fans for years. Trying to figure out the logjam on the big league roster has not been fun. However, that hasn’t exactly stopped anyone from getting excited about prospects at the position. Enddy Azocar’s recent surge has gotten him a lot of love from the fan base, and it’s hard to imagine he won’t be getting national attention soon, too.
Listed at 6’2”, 170 lbs, the 19-year-old from Venezuela has the perfect frame for a long career in the outfield. Through 36 games in Single-A this season, he’s slashing .312/.363/.552 with 15 doubles, two triples, and six home runs. He’s driven in 24 runs, scored 31 more, and stolen seven bases.
Red Sox could have another top 100 prospect soon amid Enddy Azocar's breakout
Azocar leads Salem in RBI. He leads the entire organization in runs scored. He also leads the entire organization and the Carolina League in doubles.
One of the few weaknesses in his game is the walk rate, which sits at 7.1%. Meanwhile, he’s striking out at an okay 22% rate right now. His ground ball rate is 34.5%, line drive rate is 30.1%, and fly ball rate is 35.4%. Meanwhile, he’s pulling the ball 45.4% of the time, hitting it to center 25.2% of the time, and going to the opposite field 29.2% of the time. It’s hard to ask for better splits. All of that has led to Azocar’s wRC+ being a hearty 136.
Azocar is the prototypical five-tool player. He may not have an elite tool, but everything is average at worst. His power is starting to break out; he has above-average speed, a good arm, and great defense. With his ability to put the barrel on the ball showing up pretty often, he’s looked well above the competition in Single-A for a while now.
Don’t be shocked if a promotion to High-A is coming in the very near future. With it, don’t be shocked if we start to see his name popping up in some top 100 conversations. The Enddy Azocar ascension has only just begun.
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