5 Boston Red Sox prospects to watch in Worcester

Five Boston Red Sox prospects to watch in Triple-A

The minor league baseball season is right around the corner. So it only feels right to go through each team in the Boston Red Sox system and highlight five players to watch out for in 2023.

We're going to start with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox today. And there will be a special rule for them.

The minor leagues are a little more unpredictable. You can never be sure if a player will spend all year in one level. He could end up in multiple or even climb to the Majors. So we'll go off where the players project to start.

For Worcester, though, there's a special rule. We're going to skip a few big names here. Bryan Mata, Chris Murphy, Brandon Walter, Ryan Fitzgerald, Ronaldo Hernandez, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Enmanuel Valdez won't find themselves on this list.

They are all already firmly in the public eye. Quite a few of them have a legitimate chance to make impacts in the Majors this year, too. With all that in mind, it feels unnecessary to tell you to keep an eye out for the top pitching prospect in the organization that could also be making his MLB debut before the All-Star break.

Admittedly, Rafaela could start the year in Double-A. That unsure positioning is another reason to exclude him. No need to make myself look stupid. I'm good enough at that already without piling on more reasons.

For every other level, though, it will be more of a free-for-all. There will be no exclusions due to prospect rankings or fan knowledge. So hey, fun, we're kicking off the series with different rules because who doesn't love a complicated system?

Boston Red Sox outfield prospect Devlin Granberg

Because of his age (27), Devlin Granberg gets written off more than he should. However, the right-handed hitter has done nothing but rake since joining the Boston Red Sox organization in 2018.

Granberg posted a .279/.375/.417 slash line between Double-A and Triple-A in 2022. He only hit four home runs but managed 21 doubles and tied a career-high with five triples. It's also important to note that Granberg mashed 17 home runs (and a .515 slugging percentage) in 2021. There is power in his bat.

Granberg spent most of his time in 2022 patrolling the outfield. He has experience at first base as well, though. Maybe he's not a gold glover at either position, but he's reliable and will make the plays.

An underrated part of his game is his speed. While Granberg isn't fast, he's not slow. He can leg out extra bases and even sneak in a few steals. It might not seem like much, but it adds another dimension to his game.

However, the biggest reason to watch out for Granberg in 2023 is a pattern. In 2019, he performed great in Full-A before having some growing pains in High-A after a promotion. 2021 was the same story. He dominated High-A and saw his numbers dip a bit in Double-A as he got accustomed to it (although he was still playing great).

Guess what happened in 2022. Granberg looked leagues better than his competition in Double-A (.304/.427/.467), leading to a promotion. He managed solid numbers in Triple-A but clearly was learning on the job.

Now, will we see Granberg light up Triple-A pitching for the first few months and force the Boston Red Sox into a Major League call-up? He's not seen as a top prospect, but he continuously produces. Don't be shocked if he hits his way into conversations by the end of April.

Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Victor Santos

The starting pitchers in Triple-A have Boston Red Sox fans excited. A trio of Bryan Mata, Chris Murphy, and Brandon Walter is understandably creating buzz. But they aren't the only intriguing starting pitchers on the Worcester Red Sox roster.

Victor Santos joined the Red Sox organization midway through the 2021 season. He immediately made an impact in Double-A. In 2022, the right-handed pitcher made 25 starts (28 total appearances) between Double-A and Triple-A.

Santos posted a 4.97 ERA, .265 BAA, and 1.27 WHIP over 145 innings. He struck out 126 batters compared to 34 walks in that time. The numbers weren't great overall. But there is something to remember, Santos is only 22. He doesn't turn 23 until July 12.

That's extremely young for someone with Triple-A experience. It's understandable for someone that young to struggle a bit in Triple-A. And before 2022, Santos consistently put up great numbers in the minor leagues.

2023 will see Santos enter it with 43 2/3 innings of experience in Triple-A. Still young but no longer inexperienced. A low-90s fastball might not excite fans much, but he limits the walks and has a solid pairing of a changeup and slider to go with it. If he can limit the home runs (allowed 23 in 2022), Santos will turn heads.

The Boston Red Sox starting trio of pitching prospects in Triple-A is taking most of the attention this spring. That doesn't mean there aren't other pitchers to watch out for, and Victor Santos is right near the top of that list.

Boston Red Sox utility prospect Nick Sogard

When you look at the numbers, Nick Sogard is nowhere close to the most exciting Red Sox prospect. The switch-hitter slashed .254/.359/.349 in 401 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A last season. He hit 22 doubles, two triples, and just four home runs.

There's so much more than just those numbers, though. Sogard's run production was okay. He drove in 43 runs and scored 59 more over 125 games, managing 18 steals. Sogard also limited the strikeouts. He recorded 88 Ks with a solid 61 walks to counter that number.

Sogard's also a solid defender who added to his versatility last season. The 25-year-old has appeared at second base, shortstop, and third base plenty in his career. 2022 saw him log innings in all three outfield spots as well. That extra versatility will keep Sogard on the field more often and make him a more valuable asset.

The new versatility on defense isn't what makes Sogard so interesting heading into 2023, though. Sogard has only appeared in 268 MiLB games. He still has under 1,000 at-bats (912). Making it to Triple-A that quickly, you wouldn't be surprised if someone struggled. Instead, Sogard has held his own and has yet to look overmatched.

Entering 2023, he now has 201 at-bats in Triple-A. So while he's still pretty new to the minor leagues, there's plenty of experience at this level. Sogard has a good contact bat with a little more power than he showed in 2022. He'll give you good defense at multiple positions and solid speed on the basepaths.

And we still may not have seen the best of Nick Sogard. He's not a top prospect in the Boston Red Sox system, and at 25, some might see him as older. But with such little experience but good numbers to show for it, you can't help but be intrigued by what Sogard might do next.

Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Chase Shugart

Chase Shugart joined the Boston Red Sox organization via the 12th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. At the time, he was considered an interesting starting pitching prospect who had the potential to fly through the minor leagues.

There have been some ups and downs over the last few years, but Shugart made his way to Triple-A last season.

The right-handed pitcher actually made the switch to the bullpen in 2022. And starting the year in Double-A (the highest level he had ever been at), Shugart posted phenomenal numbers. It seemed the move to reliever made a difference.

Things didn't go as well for him after the move to Triple-A midway through the year. Before 2022 though, Shugart had never pitched past High-A. So struggles at this level should have been expected.

Entering 2023, Shugart now has 31 2/3 innings of work in Triple-A. Not all that much, but it's a start. It will be interesting to see if he can build off 2022 and continue improving as a reliever.

Shugart possesses a good fastball and curveball combination with an okay slider and changeup. The move to the bullpen means Shugart doesn't need such a deep mix of pitches. This allows him to focus more on his fastball and curveball, which should give him more success against hitters.

The numbers aren't going to jump out at you, but Shugart made improvements in 2022. He might not rack up the strikeouts, but he keeps the walks to a minimum and doesn't get bit by too many home runs. The transition to reliever went smoothly and could help him find his way. 2023 will be an important year for Shugart, though.