Boston Red Sox: 5 Portland Sea Dogs storylines to follow in 2024
The minor leagues are always filled with intriguing storylines to follow as prospects try to make their way to the Majors. Here are a few you should keep up with for the Boston Red Sox Double-A team in Portland.
Our next stop on the storyline train lands us in Double-A. The Portland Sea Dogs are the affiliates in that league for the Boston Red Sox. And it's in Portland that saw all kinds of craziness happen in 2023.
We saw nearly all of the team's top prospects play for the team at some point last season. I got to watch Marcelo Mayer's Double-A debut live, as well as the Double-A debuts of Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel.
There were also two no-hitters for Portland. CJ Liu tossed a seven-inning no-no in May. Then, there was a combined no-hitter in July. Wikelman Gonzalez, Brendan Cellucci, and Luis Guerrero worked together for the effort.
If you want to go back to 2022, we can add some more fun. Brayan Bello tossed a seven-inning no-hitter. Oh, and there was that massive brawl between the team and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. It's hard to forget Tyreque Reed throwing absolute haymakers.
Needless to say, there has been plenty of high drama surrounding the Portland Sea Dogs over the last few seasons.
What will we see in 2024? Once again, nearly all the top prospects will spend some time in Double-A. Will there be another no-hitter? Who is going to break out? Could we see more punches thrown (probably not, but who knows)?
We don't know what the Boston Red Sox will be doing in 2024. But we do know that the minor leagues will be full of intrigue and exhilarating storylines. What will we see from their Double-A affiliates, the Portland Sea Dogs, this season?
5 Double-A storylines for Boston Red Sox fans to follow in 2024
How will Luis Perales respond to Double-A hitting?
Luis Perales started the 2023 season in Single-A. The right-handed pitcher struggled for a few starts before finding a rhythm and dominating the level. His dominance led to a midseason promotion to High-A.
While things weren't perfect, we saw Perales put together some great outings and flash his potential in High-A.
Overall, the righty finished with a 3.91 ERA, .230 BAA, and 1.42 WHIP between the two levels. He struck out 115 batters compared to 50 walks in 89 2/3 innings.
It's safe to assume the soon-to-be-20-year-old will start the 2024 season with the High-A Greenville Drive. However, it also feels like a safe bet that he'll find his way to Double-A Portland soon enough.
How will that adjustment go? It's often stated that the jump from High-A to Double-A is the biggest. And for a pitcher like Perales, that could cause some problems.
The Venezuela native has a phenomenal fastball and great secondary pitches. He can rack up the strikeouts but also has issues with his command at times. Walks have gotten him in trouble in the past, and if he doesn't get his command under control, Double-A is a level that we could see him falter at.
However, this is the same point that could've been made when Wikelman Gonzalez was promoted to Portland last season. Instead of falling apart, Gonzalez flourished. The right-handed pitcher posted a 2.42 ERA, .162 BAA, and 1.14 WHIP in 10 starts with the Sea Dogs. He struck out 63 batters compared to 28 walks in 48 1/3 innings.
The walks could still benefit from dropping, but Gonzalez proved he was ready for Double-A. Is that what we'll see from Luis Perales? With what we've seen from the talented Red Sox prospect so far, it's impossible to bet against him.
Marcelo Mayer's return from injury for Red Sox in 2024
Marcelo Mayer entered the 2023 season with incredible hype as the top prospect for the Red Sox. He fed into the hype by dominating High-A for the first two months of the season. That led to a promotion to Double-A at the end of May.
As luck would have it, I saw Marcelo Mayer's debut in Somerset. The shortstop started slow, hitting the ball hard a few times but not finding any luck. In the fifth game, things started falling. Mayer collected three hits, and the fever was right back to burning hot.
Mayer then hit a prolonged cold spell. Suddenly, he was striking out at a high rate, and some fans were questioning if something was wrong or if he had just hit a wall.
We soon found out something was wrong. Mayer went on the IL with a shoulder injury at the beginning of August and didn't play another game the rest of the season.
Then, we learned something during an interview with Rob Bradford after the season that confirmed something we were guessing. Mayer hurt his shoulder towards the end of his High-A tenure (which caused him to miss some time), and it never actually recovered. His entire time in Double-A was hampered by a bad shoulder.
Mayer hit .236/.306/.433 with 19 doubles, two triples, and 13 home runs between High-A and Double-A. The left-handed hitter drove in 54 runs, scored 43 more, and stole nine bases. Mayer drew 54 walks (15.3%) in 354 plate appearances and struck out 86 times (24.3%).
The walk rate is fantastic, and while the strikeout rate is high, a lot of that can be attributed to the end of his season when the shoulder was very clearly hurting his production.
Mayer now has some Double-A time under his belt and presumably should start the 2024 season healthy. Will he return to the dominance we saw before the injury and remind everyone why he's one of the top prospects in all of baseball?
It seems downright stupid to bet against him. Marcelo Mayer has impressed every step of the way in his minor league career, and the 21-year-old is poised for big things in 2024.
How will Blaze Jordan's weight loss improve his game?
Blaze Jordan is going on a weight loss journey this offseason. It's something we've talked to him about in the past. The Red Sox prospect has been a source of nonstop offensive production since being drafted. What will the weight loss do for his game?
Jordan has mashed since he first joined the organization. The right-handed hitter slashed .296/.350/.481 with 32 doubles, one triple, and 18 home runs between High-A and Double-A in 2023. He drove in 86 runs, scored 67 runs, and stole two bases in 122 games. He only drew 40 walks in 525 plate appearances (7.6%) but also struck out just 75 times (14.3%).
The low strikeout rate is impressive for anyone. Considering Jordan is a young power hitter in Double-A, it's impossible not to see that as a massive positive.
Despite putting up fantastic numbers as a 20-year-old in High-A and Double-A, Jordan doesn't get much recognition. However, fans have started to talk about him more recently, and Jordan is working hard to improve.
The corner infielder has been working on losing weight. He finished the season at 226 pounds. As of Dec. 30, Jordan's down to 204 pounds.
What will this mean for him in 2024? Now 21, he'll start the year in Double-A. Jordan will enter the season with 49 games at the level already under his belt. He's shown good contact abilities and plenty of power. His defense at first base is severely underrated, and his arm is perfect for third base.
We've already seen a great version of Jordan. Now over 20 pounds lighter and potentially in the best shape of his life, how does he improve?
Does he start legging out more extra-base hits? Will this help his footwork on defense? Could it improve his swing? It's hard to imagine getting in better shape won't make him a better player. So, what will we see from the Red Sox prospect in 2024?
Wikelman Gonzalez and a group of dominant pitchers at Portland
In 2023, the Portland Sea Dogs boasted an incredible bullpen. It was so good that it overshadowed what was a strong rotation. However, 2024 has a chance to flip the script, and it all starts with Wikelman Gonzalez.
Gonzalez started 2023 in High-A and looked lost in April. He might have been the most dominant pitcher in the system after that first month, though.
Gonzalez was promoted to Double-A in July and promptly mowed down hitters in Portland. That included being part of a combined no-hitter and flirting with another towards the end of the season.
The right-handed pitcher finished with a 3.96 ERA, .190 BAA, and 1.31 WHIP between High-A and Double-A. He struck out 168 batters compared to 70 walks in 111 1/3 innings. Gonzalez dominated with Portland, posting a 2.42 ERA.
Gonzalez already has 10 starts (48 1/3 innings) under his belt in Double-A. So, the 21-year-old (soon to be 22) will start 2024 with Portland, but don't expect him to spend all year at the level.
The good news for Portland is that Gonzalez isn't the only exciting pitcher on the roster.
Hunter Dobbins might not be there much longer, either. While he is, though, Dobbins is a workhorse who will give them plenty of quality innings.
Isaac Coffey was getting hurt by home runs last season, but that's the only time hitters were taking advantage. The righty had 155 strikeouts compared to 33 walks in 117 2/3 innings.
Angel Bastardo made three starts with the Sea Dogs at the end of the year. The right-handed pitching prospect jumped up a lot of rankings with a strong showing in High-A that featured nasty pitches and plenty of strikeouts.
Luis Perales should be in Double-A by the middle of the season. Maybe we'll even see Yordanny Monegro at some point.
Portland was bullpen heaven in 2023. The rotation could carry the load in 2024, though.
Does Yordanny Monegro bring his swagger to Portland?
Speaking of Yordanny Monegro, do we see the electric pitcher find his way to Double-A?
It feels like a given that Luis Perales will be in Portland at some point in 2024. The righty already has eight starts (36 1/3 innings) in High-A, and he made 17 starts (64 innings) in Single-A. That puts him in line nicely for a midseason promotion.
Monegro was possibly the most exciting pitcher to watch in Boston's system last season. Due to that, some fans might not realize how little he pitched.
The right-handed pitcher made three starts (15 innings) in the FCL, nine starts (40 2/3 innings) in Single-A, and two appearances (10 innings) in High-A.
Monegro was incredible in that time. He posted a 2.06 ERA, .194 BAA, and 1.10 WHIP between the three levels. Pikachu struck out 93 batters compared to 26 walks in 65 2/3 innings.
That's the thing, though. 65 2/3 innings isn't all that much time. Perales nearly threw that many innings in High-A alone in 2023. So, expecting Monegro to be right behind him just because they both finished the season in Greenville feels misguided.
Monegro is extremely entertaining, too. He has a good fastball and a devastatingly elite curveball. However, there's still a lot the Red Sox will want to work on with him. Forcing the pitcher through the minor leagues rapidly won't do him any favors.
The Red Sox might want him to work on other pitches or find more consistency with his fastball. Maybe they want to see him work on his command. Whatever it is, at least we know Monegro will make it fun to watch.
For my money, I would guess that Monegro will make it to Double-A before the end of the season. But it shouldn't be considered a failure if he stays in High-A all year.
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