Boston Red Sox: 5 Greenville Drive storylines to follow in 2024

The Greenville Drive were the most successful team in the Boston Red Sox organization in 2023. And that includes the major league squad (although that's not the highest of bars if we're being honest).

The High-A affiliate held up its end of the bargain, though. A strong start helped them massively because they ended up limping into the playoffs after a rough second half.

Things looked even more bleak for the Drive when star players Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel were promoted to Double-A right before the postseason began.

Throughout the year, they had lost Marcelo Mayer, Blaze Jordan, Wikelman Gonzalez, and more. Now, throw in two of the team's top prospects, and it felt like we'd see Greenville knocked out of the playoffs in short order. Instead, they won the whole thing. The Drive became South Atlantic League champions off the backs of some unsung heroes.

Kristian Campbell looked incredible at the plate and hit a three-run homer in the final game to give Greenville a comfortable lead. Not long before that, Ronald Rosario gave them the lead with a solo shot of his own. Allan Castro continued to thrive, Eddinson Paulino was a spark plug, and Nick Decker and Tyler Miller had big moments. Everyone was contributing, and it was amazing to watch.

On the pitching side, Zach Penrod was elite. Yordanny Monegro brought his swagger and got the other team so upset that someone had to be restrained as they yelled at Greenville's dugout. Dalton Rogers was great, Felix Cepeda shut the door, and Luis Perales was nearly unhittable.

Greenville winning the championship led to a lot of incredible moments. It also gives us a lot to talk about as we see returning stars, new ones building, and a chance at a repeat.

5 High-A storylines for Boston Red Sox fans to follow in 2024

Can a healthy Mikey Romero get back on track?

Romero was the first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2022. Drafted 24th overall, Boston took him a little earlier than some expected. Due to this, they were able to sign him under slot value and freed up more money for later picks (such as Roman Anthony).

Romero didn't take long to endear himself to Red Sox Nation, though. The left-handed hitting shortstop hit .349/.364/.581 with four doubles and three triples in nine games for the Single-A Salem Red Sox that year. He drove in 11 runs, scored nine more, and stole one base.

However, Romero suffered an injury that would lead to the start of his 2023 season being delayed. Originally, he wasn't expected to miss too much time. Things didn't go according to plan, though. The days turned into weeks, which turned into months.

Romero didn't make his 2023 Single-A debut until July 7. He was hot and cold at the level for 23 games (.217/.288/.304) before being promoted to High-A in August.

Romero went 1-for-10 in his first three games with the Greenville Drive. Sadly, that's all we got to see.

The 19-year-old suffered a scary injury. After a play that appeared like a routine grounder to shortstop, Romero walked over to the pitcher's mound. His teammates surrounded him, but it appeared he would try to shake off whatever was wrong. Moments later, he would need to be carried off the field by the training staff.

We'd later find out it was a back injury, which is something that hampered him earlier in the year.

Overall, it felt like a lost season for the 2022 first-round draft pick. Romero only appeared in 34 games between Rookie Ball, Single-A, and High-A. He struggled at the plate and never got a chance to get into a rhythm, especially with Greenville.

Set to be 20 for the entirety of the season, High-A feels like a place he could spend all of (or at least the heavy majority of) the year. Can Romero start and finish the 2024 season healthy? Will he return to his dominant 2022 form?

Does Allan Castro's stock continue to sky rocket?

Castro entered the 2023 season barely on the radar. He was there but had a long way to climb. A raw power prospect, it was unclear what Castro would bring to the table.

When the season started, and Castro was assigned to the Single-A Salem Red Sox, MiLB's transaction page called the outfielder a second baseman. That should tell you where his standing was at the time.

Castro started the year in Single-A as part of a loaded outfield. It was hard to get regular and consistent playing time with Roman Anthony, Miguel Bleis, Juan Chacon, and others on the roster.

Castro made an immediate impact, though. The switch-hitter started the year with a four-game hitting streak that included a grand slam. A massive cold spell brought Castro down to earth, and soon he had to start trying to build himself back up.

Even through the struggles, Castro kept drawing walks and getting on base. In July, he was promoted to High-A despite not fully digging himself out, akin to what Roman Anthony was doing.

With Greenville, Castro thrived. He became one of the best bats in the lineup, showcasing fantastic plate discipline and plenty of pop. The switch-hitter finished the season hitting .261/.368/.405 with 31 doubles, four triples, and seven home runs between Single-A and High-A. He drove in 46 runs, scored 62 more, and stole 19 bases in 112 games (492 plate appearances).

Castro will start the year as a 20-year-old in High-A with 43 games (186 plate appearances) at the level under his belt.

In 2023, he went from barely on the radar to a guy in MLB's top 30 prospects for the Red Sox, SoxProspect's number 14, and my number 11. What will Castro have in store for 2024?

Does he continue to dominate in High-A? Will he be promoted to Double-A by the end of the season? Do we see Castro climb the prospect rankings even higher? Don't be surprised if he becomes one of the more talked about talents in the system for the Boston Red Sox.

Did Jedixson Paez add some velocity?

Jedixson Paez might be the most intriguing pitching prospect in the system for the Boston Red Sox. He's not as dominant as Luis Perales or Wikelman Gonzalez, and he's certainly not as electric as Yordanny Monegro.

What Paez is, however, is Bob Ross in pitching form. He's advanced at painting corners and putting the ball exactly where he wants. This type of control is rare for pitchers, let alone a teenager in the minor leagues.

The right-handed pitcher posted a 3.31 ERA, .230 BAA, and 1.01 WHIP in 18 appearances (16 starts) for Single-A in 2024. He struck out 73 batters in 84 1/3 innings. That isn't a ton of strikeouts. And it could have to do with his fastball sitting around 90 MPH. That's not exactly striking fear in hitters. He does have a solid off-speed combo with a changeup and a curveball.

More importantly, though, is the command. Sure, he isn't overpowering hitters, but Paez is never causing trouble for himself. That's impressive for anyone, but it's next level for a 19-year-old.

Paez's elite control helped him dominate in his first season with the Salem Red Sox. However, there is a clear question about how he will handle higher competition. Pinpoint command of his pitches is enough to overcome low velocity in Single-A. Will that be the case in High-A and above, though?

We've seen pitchers be effective without throwing hard. Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks is a perfect example of someone still doing it now. That being said, adding some velocity wouldn't hurt Paez's chances of making it to the Major Leagues. And the good news is that a jump in MPH is expected. We've already seen his fastball tick up in previous years. As he matures, the fastball should improve.

That begs the question, did Paez add some extra velocity this offseason? Or will we need to wait a little longer to see another boost? If there was an uptick, does it hurt his control, or does he continue to paint by numbers?

With all the fantastic prospects in the Boston Red Sox system, Paez might be the most intriguing question entering the 2024 season. And it all centers around how fast he's throwing.

Can the Greenville Drive repeat as champions?

Winning the first half of the season guaranteed the Boston Red Sox High-A affiliate a spot in the playoffs. However, the second half of the regular season was much different.

A lot of the star players were gone. Marcelo Mayer and Blaze Jordan were promoted early in the season, as was Nathan Hickey. They no longer had ace Wikelman Gonzalez, who was also in Double-A. Hunter Dobbins, Isaac Coffey, Angel Bastardo, Grant Gambrell, and Christopher Troye were all promoted as well.

They added Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel in the second half, but both got the call to Portland a week before the playoffs. Mikey Romero was promoted to High-A but got hurt before the postseason. It felt like Greenville would have a short playoff run.

Technically, they did have a short playoff run. Not because they got bounced quickly, but because they never lost a game. Greenville swept both opponents, going 4-0 in the postseason.

In those four games, we saw a lot of wild stuff. There was a Luis Perales masterclass of a start, and Yordanny Monegro showed off his swagger. Zach Penrod dominated, Dalton Rogers looked great, and Felix Cepeda led the bullpen with a few saves.

On offense, everyone contributed. Kristian Campbell was rarely not on base. Ronald Rosario had a clutch home run. Eddinson Paulino drove in a ton of runs, Tyler Miller was in the middle of things, and Allan Castro continued to look great.

Even without many "star" prospects, Greenville ran away with the championship. Can they repeat in 2024?

Well, let's look at a few things. Castro will be back to start the year. Romero should be healthy and spend the season with Greenville. Campbell is looking like a breakout star, and Cutter Coffey could bounce back nicely.

On the pitching end, Luis Perales and Yordanny Mongero should get a decent amount of innings in High-A in 2024. Jedixson Paez and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz could join them.

Speaking of players that could make their way to High-A, we could see Miguel Bleis there by the end of the season. Maybe Johanfran Garcia, Brooks Brannon, Nazzan Zanetello, and other young Single-A studs could be in Greenville for a playoff push.

The Red Sox have more than enough talent in the lower levels of the minor leagues to put together a highly competitive High-A team in 2024. Don't be surprised if they make another run at SAL gold this season.