Boston Red Sox Prospect Watch: another season winding down
By Hunter Noll
Red Sox Double-A (Portland)
Wikelman Gonzalez flirted with another no-hitter this week. The left-handed pitcher tossed six scoreless innings in his lone start. He surrendered just one hit and one walk while striking out five batters. Gonzalez is down to a 2.45 ERA, .147 BAA, and 1.04 WHIP in Double-A. He's struck out 52 batters compared to 22 walks in 40 1/3 innings.
Angel Bastardo allowed four runs on four hits in five innings this week. The righty struck out three batters and walked two. Bastardo has looked solid in his first two Double-A starts. He's not dominating, but it's a good beginning to his time in Portland, especially considering it's a big jump from High-A to Double-A.
Hunter Dobbins made two starts this week. The right-handed pitcher allowed five runs on 14 hits over 11 1/3 innings. Dobbins struck out eight batters and walked three. He has a 3.77 ERA, .248 BAA, and 1.24 WHIP between High-A and Double-A. Dobbins has struck out 108 batters and walked 29 in 102 2/3 innings.
Luis Guerrero allowed two runs over 2 1/3 innings this week but also struck out five batters. The righty reliever has a 1.81 ERA, .150 BAA, and 1.13 WHIP in 49 2/3 innings. He's struck out 59 batters and walked 30. Guerrero is 18-for-22 in save opportunities.
Christopher Troye allowed one run over two innings but struck out three more batters. The right-handed reliever has a 3.53 ERA, .188 BAA, and 1.41 WHIP between High-A and Double-A. He's struck out 76 batters and walked 31 more in 43 1/3 innings.
Alex Hoppe struck out four batters over two perfect innings in his lone appearance this week. The righty reliever has a 4.37 ERA, .272 BAA, and 1.46 WHIP between High-A and Double-A. He has 60 strikeouts and 17 walks in 45 1/3 innings.
Nick Yorke is slashing .275/.354/.455 with 24 doubles, five triples, and 13 home runs. The right-handed hitting second baseman has driven in 61 runs, scored 67 more, and stolen 12 bases. Yorke has been a consistent bat at the top of the Portland lineup all year.
Nathan Hickey hit another home run on Sunday. The left-handed hitting catcher is slashing .271/.363/.511 with 20 doubles, one triple, and 19 home runs between High-A and Double-A. He's driven in 56 runs, scored 53 more, and stolen three bases.
Matthew Lugo has a real shot at finishing the season with impressive numbers. The right-handed hitting utility is slashing .250/.303/.397 with 23 doubles, one triple, and five home runs. He's driven in 36 runs, scored 37 more, and stolen eight bases.
Tyler Dearden had a big Sunday and is now slashing .260/.353/.390 with 10 doubles, one triple, and six home runs. The left-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 33 runs and scored 28 more. Dearden's getting more consistent playing time and capitalizing.
Alex Erro hit his first Double-A home run this week. The switch-hitting catcher/first baseman is slashing .246/.323/.364 with 10 doubles and six home runs between High-A and Double-A. He's driven in 35 runs, scored 36 more, and stolen seven bases. Erro's an athlete behind the plate who severely limits strikeouts.
Blaze Jordan is slashing .293/.349/.483 with 28 doubles, one triple, and 18 home runs between High-A and Double-A. The right-handed hitting corner infielder has driven in 82 runs, scored 62 more, and stolen two bases.
Tyler Esplin has been getting some playing time at first base, as well as in the outfield. The left-handed hitter is slashing .213/.250/.328 with five doubles and one home run in 19 games. He's driven in 11 runs and scored six more.
Chase Meidroth is slashing .264/.395/.387 with 19 doubles, one triple, and eight home runs between High-A and Double-A. The right-handed hitting infielder has driven in 54 runs, scored 67 more, and stolen 12 bases.
Corey Rosier is slashing .292/.354/.451 with 22 doubles, six triples, and seven home runs in Double-A. The left-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 39 runs, scored 63 more, and stolen 48 bases. He'll need to get hot, but Rosier has a chance at hitting .300 with 50-plus steals.
Tyler McDonough continues to shine under the radar. The switch-hitting utility is slashing .248/.319/.374 with 14 doubles, four triples, and five home runs in Double-A. He's driven in 35 runs, scored 45 more, and stolen 21 bases.
Alex Binelas is on a four-game hitting streak. The left-handed hitting corner infielder is slashing .225/.288/.461 with 17 doubles, two triples, and 15 home runs. He's driven in 47 runs, scored 42 more, and stolen 12 bases.
Phillip Sikes is slashing .221/.306/.353 with 18 doubles, three triples, and nine home runs. The right-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 40 runs, scored 65 more, and stolen 37 bases.