Boston Red Sox prospect watch: Double-A Portland shining in a bright farm system

The Boston Red Sox prospect watch is back, and we might be seeing a lot of moving parts in the coming weeks.

Portland leads the way in a stacked week for the Boston farm system. What's going on in the Majors, though?

The Red Sox have had dreadful injury luck this season, and it got even worse when Triston Casas went down with rib pain on April 20. It could be a long-term injury, and with basically the entire infield, an outfielder, and multiple pitchers on the sidelines, they have run into a 40-man roster problem.

We could see DFAs, signings, and prospects getting the 40-man call over the next few days. For now, the Major League roster still has a lot of the same suspects, though.

The Red Sox are surprisingly 13-10, and the young guys are making big contributions.

Justin Slaten has been a revelation. The right-handed reliever has already thrown 14 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He's posted a 0.63 ERA, .130 BBA, and 0.56 WHIP. Slaten's 1-0 with three holds and a save. He's struck out 11 batters compared to just two walks.

Wilyer Abreu is on a four-game hitting streak that includes two three-hit games. The left-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .280/.390/.440 with five doubles and one home run. He's driven in seven runs, scored nine more, and stolen four bases. Abreu could quickly become one of the best bats in the lineup, especially with Casas out of the mix.

Ceddanne Rafaela has been getting more time at shortstop, and that should help clean up Boston's infield defense a lot. The right-handed hitter is slashing .162/.210/.284 with two doubles, two triples, and one home run. He's driven in eight runs, scored 10 of his own, and stolen two bases. Rafaela's had some hits taken away but has shown signs of an impending breakout.

David Hamilton is slashing .182/.250/.303 with one double and one home run, he's driven in one run, scored three, and stolen two bases. Hamilton hasn't played in a few days and will need to take advantage of any opportunity in the future.

Enmanuel Valdez is slashing .159/.203/.286 with two doubles and two home runs. The left-handed hitting second baseman has driven in nine runs and scored seven more. Although the numbers aren't great, Valdez has had a few big hits this season.

Portland's ridiculous lineup headlines this week's Boston Red Sox prospect watch

Red Sox Triple-A (Worcester)

Chase Meidroth reached base in all five games in which he appeared this week. That included three two-hit games and his first Triple-A home run. The right-handed hitting infielder is hitting .255/.463/.340 with one double and one home run. He's driven in eight runs, scored 10, and stolen four bases. Meidroth's strikeout-to-walk ratio is impressive — he has 16 walks compared to seven strikeouts.

Niko Kavadas had a monster week, including a two-homer game. The lefty is batting .286/.446/.643 with three doubles, four homers, 10 RBI and 13 runs scored.

Nathan Hickey had a slow week, going 3-for-22 with three walks. The left-handed hitting catcher is slashing .219/.324/.375 with one double and three home runs. He's driven in seven runs and scored seven more. Hickey also played first base for the first time in his MiLB career this week.

Nick Sogard is on an eight-game hitting streak. The switch-hitting utility player is batting .240/.333/.333 with four doubles, one homer, 10 RBI, 12 runs scored, and stolen two bases.

Tyler McDonough is 4-for-14 with one double in Triple-A. The switch-hitter has driven in four runs and scored two more. McDonough hasn't gotten a ton of opportunities, but he's made the most of them.

Richard Fitts made his best start of the season this week, allowing just one run over six innings. The righty has a 2.35 ERA, .267 BAA, and 1.17 WHIP in three starts. He's struck out 13 batters compared to two walks in 15 1/3 innings.

Grant Gambrell has a 5.21 ERA, .270 BAA, and 1.42 WHIP over four starts. The righty has struck out 20 batters compared to seven walks. Gambrell allowed 17 home runs in 126 1/3 innings last year but has surrendered just one in 19 innings in 2024.

Jorge Benitez has been nothing short of phenomenal. The left-handed reliever has a 0.82 ERA, .083 BAA, and 0.91 WHIP in six appearances. He's struck out 13 batters and walked seven in 11 innings.

Luis Guerrero has allowed two runs on three hits in 5 2/3 innings. The lefty reliever has struck out five batters and walked two. With control being an issue last season, it's great to see Guerrero limit the free passes early on. He's also picked up a hold.

Zack Kelly has been nearly unhittable. The right-handed reliever has allowed just one hit over nine shutout innings. He's struck out 10 batters compared to eight walks. Kelly has one hold and one save (in one attempt).

Red Sox Double-A (Portland)

Matthew Lugo was the best player in a loaded Portland lineup this week. The right-handed hitting utility player is working on a six-game hitting streak. He has three doubles, one triple, and two homers in that time. Lugo is slashing .357/.471/.857 with three doubles, one triple, and three homers, 12 RBI and five runs scored.

Marcelo Mayer's10-game hitting streak ended on April 20, but hopefully, he started a new one on Sunday. The left-handed hitting shortstop is batting .314/.333/.451 with four doubles and one home run. He's driven in seven runs, scored eight, and he's stolen two bags.

Roman Anthony was bitten by the strikeout bug this week but he still produced. The lefty is slashing .250/.333/.438 with three doubles and two home runs, four RBI, six runs with three stolen bases.

Kyle Teel crushed his second home run of the year this week. The left-handed hitting catcher is batting .256/.326/.436 with one double and two home runs. He's driven in six runs, scored seven more, and stolen one base.

Eddinson Paulino is slashing .231/.333/.513 with two doubles and three home runs. The lefty infielder has driven in eight runs, scored five more, and stolen one base. Paulino has played impressive defense at second base, third base, and shortstop this season.

Mickey Gasper might not be long for Double-A. The switch-hitting catcher/first baseman is batting .321/.500/.536 with three doubles, one homer, an RBI and nine runs scored. Gasper has more walks (seven) than strikeouts (five).

Nick Yorke is slashing .255/.327/.383 with three doubles and one home run. The righty has driven in six runs, scored six more, and stolen three bases. Yorke's already up to 29 1/3 innings in left field, so that appears to be a serious move.

Phillip Sikes is on a four-game hitting streak. The left-handed hitting outfielder is hitting .256/.310/.308 with two doubles. He's driven in four runs, scored six, and stolen two bases.

Alex Binelas is slashing .250/.375/.300 with one double. The left-handed hitting corner infielder has driven in five runs, scored three more, and stolen one base. Binelas is having a strong start to the year and the home runs haven't even started to roll in yet.

Blaze Jordan's bad luck may be turning around. The right-handed hitting corner infielder is slashing .146/.234/.195 with two doubles. He's driven in five runs and scored five more. Jordan's numbers aren't great, but he's putting the ball in play (only five strikeouts).

Zach Penrod also might not be long for Double-A. The left-handed starter has yet to allow a run over two starts. He has a 0.00 ERA, .091 BAA, and 0.58 WHIP this season. Penrod has fanned 14 batters compared to three walks (and three hits) in 10 1/3 innings.

Hunter Dobbins had a strong bounce-back start this week and he allowed just one run in six innings. The righty has a 1.80 ERA, .206 BAA, and 1.30 WHIP in two starts. He's struck out two batters compared to six strikeouts in 10 frames.

Wikelman Gonzalez had his best outing of the year on April 22, allowing just one hit and one walk over three scoreless innings (four strikeouts). The right-handed pitcher has six strikeouts and nine walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Angel Bastardo has severely limited hits this season, but the control is hurting him. The righty has a 4.26 ERA, .095 BAA, and 1.03 WHIP in three starts. He's struck out nine batters and allowed nine walks in 12 2/3 innings.

Isaac Coffey had a strong start this week, allowing two runs over five innings. The right-hander has a 4.66 ERA, .243 BAA, and 1.14 WHIP in two starts with 13 strikeouts and two walks in 9 2/3 innings.

Christopher Troye has looked great this season. The righty reliever has a 2.25 ERA, .091 BAA, and 1.00 WHIP in three appearances with six strikeouts and three walks in four innings.

Felix Cepeda has been racking up saves in Double-A. The righty has posted a 3.86 ERA, .250 BAA, and 1.29 WHIP in four appearances. He's struck out three batters and walked one in 4 2/3 innings. Cepeda is already 3-for-3 in save opportunities.

Ryan Zeferjahn is already up to 7 2/3 scoreless innings this season. The right-handed reliever has a .179 BAA and 0.78 WHIP as well. He's struck out 11 batters compared to one walk in four appearances. Zeferjahn is 1-0 with two saves in two opportunities.

Brendan Cellucci has had a few high-leverage situations this year, and he keeps converting them. The lefty has logged a 2.84 ERA, .208 BAA, and 1.26 WHIP, 10 strikeouts and three walks in 6 1/3 innings.

Red Sox High-A (Greenville)

Connelly Early is locked in early. The lefty has a 2.13 ERA, .191 BAA, 0.87 WHIP, 18 strikeouts and two walks in 12 2/3 innings across three starts.

David Sandlin improved in his second start of the year, allowing three runs over four innings. The righty has logged an 8.10 ERA, .250 BAA, and 1.95 WHIP in two starts. He's struck out nine batters compared to six walks in 6 2/3 innings.

Dalton Rogers also looked much improved in his second start. The left-handed pitcher has a 5.40 ERA, .133 BAA, and 1.32 WHIP in two starts. He's fanned 11 batters and walked seven in 8 1/3 innings.

Jonathan Brand only made one appearance this week, but kept his 0.00 ERA intact. The righty reliever has a .189 BAA, and 0.90 WHIP, 15 strikeouts and two walks in 10 innings.

Caleb Bolden is doing very similar things to Brand. The right-handed reliever has a 0.00 ERA, .108 BAA, and 0.91 WHIP in six appearances. He's struck out 16 batters compared to six walks in 11 innings. Bolden is 2-0 with two saves (in two opportunities).

Max Carlson has already been promoted to High-A. The righty has logged a 5.40 ERA, .250 BAA, and a 1.60 WHIP in four appearances between Single-A and High-A. He's posted 15 strikeouts and six walks in 10 innings.

Cooper Adams has made three appearances this season (one start). The righty has a 3.38 ERA, .167 BAA, and 0.94 WHIP. He's struck out 10 batters and walked four in 10 2/3 innings.

Luis Ravelo has a short three-game hitting streak going. The switch-hitting shortstop is slashing .250/.298/.477 with four doubles, two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored.

Bryan Gonzalez is a home run machine and he hit another one this week. The right-handed hitting first baseman/outfielder is batting .231/.286/.564 with one double and four home runs. He's driven in 10 runs, scored seven more, and stolen two bases.

Juan Chacon has gotten hot and has an eight-game hitting streak. The outfielder is slashing .263/.356/.368 with two doubles, one triple, two RBI, eight runs and four steals.

Eduardo Lopez is slashing .214/.395/.250 with one double. The switch-hitting outfielder/first baseman has driven in two runs, scored three more, and stolen two bases. Lopez has nine walks compared to just four strikeouts.

Cutter Coffey is heating up. The righty infielder is hitting .209/.261/.279 with three doubles, eight runs, four RBI and three stolen bags.

Tyler Miller is batting .220/.273/.366 with three doubles and one home run. The left-handed hitting corner infielder/outfielder has driven in three runs and scored seven more.

Allan Castro is slashing .158/.370/.263 with two doubles and one triple. The switch-hitting outfielder has driven in five runs, scored six more, and stolen two bases. Castro's struck out 16 times, but also has 14 walks.

Ahbram Liendo is batting .200/.267/.275 with one double and one triple. The switch-hitter has driven in three runs, scored one more, and stolen five bases. Liendo cooled off a bit, but he always makes an impact with his defense.

Caden Rose is batting .182/.270/.424 with one triple and two home runs. The righty outfielder has driven in six runs and scored five of his own. Rose only has six hits this year, but he's making them count with three going for extra bases.

Red Sox Single-A (Salem)

Both Garcia brothers left games this week with apparent injuries. However, neither is on the IL so hopefully, they'll be back next week.

Jhostynxon Garcia is becoming a star. The right-handed hitting outfielder is slashing .325/.426/.575 with four doubles and two home runs, 11 RBI, 10 runs and stolen 10 bags (in 10 attempts).

Johanfran Garcia is batting .333/.404/.571 with four doubles and two home runs. The righty catcher has driven in four runs and scored five more. Garcia's caught six runners stealing on 23 attempts.

Natanael Yuten is the hottest hitter on the Salem roster. The left-handed hitting outfielder is hitting .300/.417/.440 with two doubles, one triple, one homer, eight RBI, seven runs, and two steals.

Miguel Bleis is slashing .200/.313/.309 with four doubles and one triple. The outfielder has driven in eight runs, scored eight more, and stolen seven bases. Bleis already has more doubles than he had last season.

Andy Lugo is batting .308/.413/.359 with two doubles, four RBI, eight runs and four steals. Lugo's been one of the most impressive prospects this season.

Stanley Tucker is slashing .240/.321/.360 with one double and one triple. The right-handed hitting utility player has driven in two runs, scored one, and stolen two bases. Tucker's only played in seven games this season and has already started games at second base, third base, and left field.

Juan Montero is batting .273/.484/.318 with one double. The right-handed hitting catcher has driven in one run, scored three, and stolen a bag. Montero is making the most of his opportunities despite Johanfran Garcia being the star at the position.

Marvin Alcantara woke up this week with three multi-hit games. The right-handed hitting shortstop is slashing .180/.281/.220 with two doubles. He's driven in six runs and scored nine more.

Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz had a phenomenal start this week. He struck out nine batters in four innings and reached 98 MPH on the radar gun. The right-handed starter has a 4.09 ERA, .238 BAA, and 1.64 WHIP in three starts. ERC has 20 strikeouts compared to eight walks in 11 innings.

Jedixson Paez is striking batters out at a much higher rate this year. The righty has a 4.00 ERA, .359 BAA, 1.78 WHIP, 12 strikeouts and two walks over nine innings. Paez had just 73 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings last year.

Blake Wehunt tossed three scoreless innings in his lone appearance this week. The right-handed starter has a 3.18 ERA, .200 BAA, and 1.94 WHIP in two starts. He's struck out seven batters and walked an additional seven in 5 2/3 innings.

Trennor O'Donnell has a 0.00 ERA, .111 BAA, and 0.80 WHIP in two appearances out of the bullpen. The right-handed reliever has seven strikeouts compared to two walks in five innings.

Isaac Stebens is getting a lot of work early in the season. The righty reliever has a 0.82 ERA, .179 BAA, 1.00 WHIP, 14 strikeouts and four walks in 11 innings. Stebens has converted 3-of-4 save opportunities.

Jojo Ingrassia has been phenomenal early on this season. The left-handed reliever has a 0.00 ERA, .222 BAA, and 0.95 WHIP in four appearances. He's struck out 13 batters compared to just one walk in 7 1/3 innings.