Boston Red Sox prospect watch: 2023 season has arrived

Red Sox High-A (Greenville) prospects

Marcelo Mayer is 1-for-7 to start the year, but the shortstop has regularly put a charge into the ball. The left-handed hitter has a triple, one RBI, and two walks. It's important to note that Greenville has only played two games due to a rainout.

Chase Meidroth is 3-for-5 with one run scored so far. The right-handed hitting second baseman has gotten on base at a high rate. He's struck out just one time but already managed four walks.

Blaze Jordan is off to a rough start. But again, we need to be reminded that it's been just two games. The right-handed hitting corner infielder is 0-for-9 with one RBI.

Eddinson Paulino has moved up to High-A to start the year. The right-handed hitter is 1-for-9 with one run scored. He proved last season that he could get scorching hot, though. So a bad two games isn't a death sentence for the utility player.

Nathan Hickey is 0-for-4 to start the year. However, the left-handed hitter holds a .500 OBP thanks to three walks and one HBP. The catcher has proven in the past that he can hit. There are serious questions about his defense, though. Can Hickey change the narrative in 2023?

There might not be a prospect in the Red Sox system that needs a big 2023 more than Gilberto Jimenez. The outfielder was once a top prospect, but a few down seasons with no improvements to his game have lowered expectations. It may be a make-or-break year. The switch-hitter went 1-for-4 in his first game.

Eduardo Lopez is intriguing. The 20-year-old outfielder didn't put up the best numbers in Low-A last season but showed potential as someone who can do it all. He went 0-for-3 in his first game, but the switch-hitter did draw a walk and steal a base.

Nick Decker showed potential in 2021 with a strong overall season. 2022 saw him put up a dismal .122/.275/.239 slash line. The left-handed hitting outfielder started off 2023 strong, going 1-for-3 with a walk and a home run.

Bryan Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with a walk in his first High-A game. The right-handed hitting outfielder had some serious highs and lows between Rookie Ball and Low-A last season. Can he put it together this year?

Max Ferguson drew a lot of walks and stole a lot of bases in 2022, but he hit to the tune of a .214 clip. The left-handed hitter is in the same boat this year, starting 0-for-6 with two walks and two steals.

Wikelman Gonzalez made his first start of 2023 this week. The right-handed pitcher went 3 2/3 innings, giving up one run on one hit. Gonzalez walked four batters but struck out five. The 21-year-old ended last year on a high note, and (minus the walks) begins 2023 the same way.

Aaron Perry is finally healthy and I'm absolutely here for it. The right-handed pitcher only tossed three innings last season, so some rust out of the gate wouldn't be surprising. Instead, Perry struck out two batters in one hitless inning.

Jaret Godman was a 19th-round pick in 2022. The right-handed pitcher threw two innings in Rookie Ball last year, that's it. Now starting in High-A, he's thrown one scoreless inning. Godman struck out two batters while giving up just one hit in that inning.

Joey Stock needed just 13 pitches to get through his lone inning so far this year. That may not seem that crazy, but it makes it more impressive when you learn about the inning. The righty didn't allow a baserunner while racking up three punchouts.

Casey Cobb threw 2 1/3 innings in his lone appearance this season. The right-handed reliever walked three batters but only allowed one hit and no runs in that time. He struck out three hitters as well, which helped keep the damage at bay.