Boston Red Sox Prospect Watch: another season winding down
The Boston Red Sox propsect watch is back for nearly the final time of the 2023 season. Luckily, we've got a lot of action to go out on.
Another Boston Red Sox prospect watch is coming to a close
The Boston Red Sox had another one of those weeks. A week where they managed to make the fans lose all hope just to give them the tiniest glimmer of hope back. It's not a healthy relationship.
Triston Casas continues to be a bright spot, at the very least. The left-handed hitting first baseman is riding a seven-game hitting streak. He's up to a .265/.367/.495 slash line with 20 doubles, two triples, and 22 home runs. Casas has driven in 55 runs and scored 61 more.
Ceddanne Rafaela is in the Majors and is already impressing. The right-handed hitting centerfielder/shortstop is 3-for-8 with a double. He's driven in one run and scored one run. We might see a lot of Rafaela soon, especially if the Red Sox officially get eliminated from the playoffs.
Wilyer Abreu is slashing .333/.429/.611 with two doubles and one home run in seven games. The left-handed hitting outfielder has driven in five runs and scored three more. He's walked three times compared to five strikeouts.
Connor Wong is slashing .248/.302/.406 with 24 doubles, one triple, and eight home runs. The right-handed hitting catcher has driven in 33 runs, scored 51 more, and stolen six bases. Wong has solidified himself as a legitimate MLB catcher.
Emmanuel Valdez is back in the Majors and could get some decent playing time. The left-handed hitting second baseman is slashing .235/.284/.392 with four doubles and four home runs. He's driven in 13 runs, scored 10 more, and stolen four bases.
This is the longest season of Masataka Yoshida's career. So it's no surprise that the left-handed hitting outfielder slowed down. Yoshida is warming up again, though. He's slashing .296/.350/.462 with 29 doubles, three triples, and 14 home runs. Yoshida has drove in 66 runs, scored 66 more, and stolen eight bases.
Brayan Bello turning into a top-tier starter gives the Red Sox a base to build off of for their future pitching rotation. The right-handed pitcher has a 3.57 ERA, .260 BAA, and 1.28 WHIP in 131 innings. He's struck out 106 batters and walked 36.
Red Sox Triple-A (Worcester)
David Hamilton is having a phenomenal season in Triple-A. The left-handed hitting middle infielder is slashing .250/.366/.463 with 15 doubles, four triples, and 17 home runs (career-high). He's driven in 51 runs (career-high), scored 68 more, and stolen 53 bases (a Red Sox Triple-A record).
Ronaldo Hernandez is slashing .248/.342/.476 with 14 doubles and 17 home runs. He's driven in 63 runs, scored 44 more, and stolen one base. Hernandez has 37 walks this season. That's six more than his previous career-high and four more than his last two seasons combined.
Stephen Scott is slashing .254/.367/.502 with 14 doubles, two triples, and 18 home runs (career-high) between Double-A and Triple-A. The left-handed hitting catcher has driven in 63 runs, scored 55 more, and stolen six bases. Scott's positioning himself as a legitimate prospect, especially if he can continue to improve defensively.
Christian Koss is back for the first time since June 23. The right-handed hitting shortstop is already working on a three-game hitting streak. Koss is slashing .236/.282/.356 with 14 doubles, two triples, and three home runs between Double-A and Triple-A (and a few games in Rookie Ball while rehabbing). He's driven in 21 runs, scored 31 more, and stolen 14 bases.
Grant Gambrell made another strong start in his second outing in Triple-A. The right-handed pitcher allowed two runs on five hits over five innings. He walked one batter and struck out nine. Gambrell's been fantastic in his first 10 2/3 innings with Worcester.
Brian Van Belle had one of his best Triple-A starts on Sunday. The righty allowed two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three batters and walked three more. BVB has a 4.37 ERA, .262 BAA, and 1.34 WHIP between Double-A and Triple-A. He's struck out 116 batters compared to 43 walks in 127 2/3 innings.
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.
Red Sox High-A (Greenville)
Yordanny Monegro and his electric show are in High-A now. The right-handed pitcher dazzled in his first start with Greenville. He tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and one walk. We had plenty of chances to see Monegro's swag, too. He struck out eight batters.
Luis Perales allowed five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. The righty struck out seven batters and walked two. He has a 3.83 ERA, .225 BAA, and 1.41 WHIP between Single-A and High-A. Perales has struck out 112 batters compared to 48 walks in 84 2/3 innings.
Zach Penrod allowed two hits over six scoreless innings this week. He struck out eight batters and walked two. The left-handed pitcher was in Independent Ball a few weeks ago. Now he's tossed 17 shutout innings in High-A. He has allowed nine hits and seven walks while striking out 17 batters.
Noah Song made two starts this week. The righty allowed four runs on six hits over 10 innings. He struck out seven batters and walked four. Song has a 3.86 ERA, .228 BAA, and 1.24 WHIP with Greenville. He's struck out 14 batters compared to eight walked in 21 innings.
Roman Anthony had a strong week, and his slash line is back up to .294/.412/.569 with 14 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs in High-A. The left-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 38 runs, scored 41 more, and stolen two bases in 54 games.
Kyle Teel has some amazing plate appearances. The left-handed hitting catcher is slashing .377/.485/.938 with four doubles in High-A. He's driven in nine runs, scored 10 more, and stolen one base. Teel has as many walks (11) as strikeouts (11).
Kristian Campbell has taken to High-A quickly. The right-handed hitting utility is slashing .318/.483/.545 with one triple and one home run in eight games. He's driven in one run, scored four more, and stolen one base.
Eddinson Paulino is on fire at the plate. The left-handed hitting utility has four straight two-hit games. He's slashing .260/.342/.425 with 28 doubles, four triples, and 11 home runs. Pauli's driven in 57 runs, scored 66 more and stolen 25 bases.
Allan Castro is slashing .303/.374/.483 with 10 doubles, two triples, and four home runs in High-A. The switch-hitting outfielder has driven in 17 runs, scored 21 more, and stolen three bases in 38 games. Castro's up to 30 doubles on the season between Single-A and High-A.
Nick Decker continues to see his numbers slowly climb. The left-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .224/.329/.439 with 13 doubles, four triples, and seven home runs. He's driven in 22 runs, scored 35 more, and stolen eight bases.
Gilberto Jimenez is slashing .220/.248/.370 with seven doubles, one triple, and two home runs in High-A. The switch-hitting outfielder has driven in 15 runs, scored 17 more, and stolen six bases in 26 games.
Bryan Gonzalez has been a fantastic run producer this season. The right-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .254/.317/.404 with 14 doubles, seven triples, and 10 home runs. He's driven in 53 runs, scored 64 more, and stolen 11 bases.
Red Sox Single-A (Salem)
Jedixson Paez made a rare appearance out of the bullpen this week but didn't let that change his dominance. The right-handed pitcher tossed four scoreless innings on Sunday, allowing just two hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out six batters. Paez has a 3.31 ERA, .230 BAA, and 1.01 WHIP in 84 1/3 innings. He's struck out 73 batters and only walked 12.
Railin Perez started the year off poorly but has dominated since June. The righty reliever had a 2.08 ERA in June, a 1.46 ERA in July, and a 0.75 ERA in August. He tossed a scoreless inning already in September. Perez has a 3.50 ERA, .218 BAA, and 1.44 WHIP in 54 innings. He's struck out 67 batters and walked 33.
Luis De La Rosa tossed three more scoreless innings this week. The right-handed pitcher has a 3.03 ERA, .204 BAA, and 1.30 WHIP in 68 1/3 innings. He's struck out 86 batters and walked 39.
2023 18th-round pick Zach Fogell made his Single-A debut this week. The lefty allowed no runs on one hit over two innings. He struck out three batters and didn't walk any.
Johnfrank Salazar has been Salem's best hitter for a little while now. The right-handed hitting infielder is slashing .239/.308/.404 with three doubles and five home runs in Single-A. He's driven in 17 runs and scored 13 more. Salazar is 18-for-55 (.327) since August 15.
Johanfran Garcia had a massive game on Sunday and could be heating up in Single-A. The right-handed hitting catcher is slashing .180/.236/.300 with three doubles and a home run with Salem. He's driven in four runs, scored six more, and stolen two bases.
Jhostynxon Garcia has been hot since before his younger brother joined him in Salem. The right-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .228/.330/.362 with 14 doubles, four triples, and four home runs. He's driven in 23 runs, scored 45 more, and stolen eight bases.
Marvin Alcantara is showing signs of life in Single-A. The right-handed hitting infielder is slashing .194/.282/.258 with one double and one home run with Salem. He's driven in six runs, scored seven more, and stolen five bases in 18 games.
Yorberto Mejicano has gotten hot, including going 3-for-4 in his last game. The right-handed hitting catcher/first baseman is slashing .267/.349/.417 with nine doubles, two triples, and five home runs. He's driven in 25 runs, scored 34 more, and stolen five bases. Mejicano continues to be one of the most underrated bats in Single-A.
Albert Feliz had a two-homer game this week, one of those being an absolute monster shot. The right-handed hitting first baseman is slashing .240/.314/.408 with 16 doubles, one triple, and 10 home runs. He's driven in 43 runs and scored 38 more.
2023 19th-round pick Stanley Tucker has made his way to Single-A. The right-handed hitting outfielder is 2-for-15 with a home run. He's driven in three runs and scored two more in four games.
Albertson Asigen was cooling off but quickly broke back the heat. The right-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .308/.438/.385 with two doubles, two triples, and one home run in Single-A. He's driven in 10 runs, scored 20 more, and stolen 12 bases in 39 games.