Boston Red Sox prospect watch: Introducing Juan Chacon
By Hunter Noll
Red Sox Triple-A (Worcester)
David Hamilton continues to be unreal in Triple-A. The left-handed hitter is slashing .338/.397/.600 with three doubles, one triple, and four home runs. He's driven in 10 runs, scored 13 more, and stolen 11 bases. Hamilton's a great defensive second baseman who can hold his own at shortstop. He's knocking on the Major League door.
Enmanuel Valdez burst through that door this week for a game. Valdez went 2-for-4 in his first MLB debut with the Red Sox before being sent back to Triple-A. The left-handed hitter is slashing .184/.298/.347 with three doubles, one triple, and one home run. He's driven in seven runs, scored five more, and stolen one base.
Wilyer Abreu is getting a little more comfortable. The left-handed hitter holds a .152/.300/.242 slash line with one home run in nine games. Abreu has three RBI, six runs scored, and one steal on the year. He missed the start of the season due to injury and made the jump from Double-A to Triple-A, so a slow start isn't worrying.
Ryan Fitzgerald is slashing .302/.380/.465 with four doubles and one home run. The left-handed hitter has driven in eight runs, scored five more, and stolen two bases. Fitzy gives you a lot of defensive versatility and has proven to be a dangerous bat.
Chris Murphy had that big start that he desperately needed. The lefty gave up two runs on five hits and two walks over six innings of work, striking out five batters. Murph saw his ERA drop to 10.45, his BAA fall to .383, and his WHIP lower to 2.52. There's still work to do, but this was a massive step in the right direction.
Bryan Mata had an encouraging start and a rough start this week. The right-handed pitcher continues to struggle with his command, leading to issues. He has a 6.91 ERA, .273 BAA, and 2.09 WHIP with 15 strikeouts compared to 15 walks in 14 1/3 innings.
Brandon Walter had two solid starts this week. The left-handed pitcher threw 10 innings in those two games. He gave up four earned runs on 10 hits and four walks while striking out seven batters. Walter hasn't looked as sharp this year, but he's still very early into his Triple-A career. Don't forget he's coming off an injury. There's a lot to like.