Boston Red Sox prospect watch: Marcelo Mayer leads pack of promotions
Marcelo Mayer leads pack of promotions in this week's Boston Red Sox prospect watch
This week's Boston Red Sox prospect watch featured another crop of promotions throughout the minor league levels.
There was a notable name in that pack of promotions, too. The system's top prospect Marcelo Mayer was bumped up to Double-A. We saw plenty of other players move up. However, if I named all of them right here, this slide would be too long. We'll talk about each when we get to their appropriate level.
Let's jump right into the Major Leagues, though. How did the Red Sox do this week?
Brayan Bello didn't have his best stuff this week, and he still managed to give the Red Sox a decent start. That's pretty solid proof that things have started to go right for Bello. The right-handed pitcher tossed four one-run innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out four batters. Bello has a 3.89 ERA, .280 BAA, and 1.47 WHIP in 39 1/3 innings. He's struck out 41 batters compared to 14 walks.
Josh Winckowski has a 2.27 ERA, .235 BAA, and 1.09 WHIP over 21 appearances out of the bullpen. The right-handed reliever has struck out 27 batters while only walking seven in 35 2/3 innings. His ability to eat a few innings if needed has been extremely valuable for Boston.
Masataka Yoshida is slashing .318/.396/.505 with 14 doubles, one triple, and seven home runs. The left-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 33 runs, scored 33 more, and stolen three bases. He's still walked more times (23) than he's struck out (22). Yoshida is tied for ninth in the Majors in OBP.
Triston Casas has a .191/.314/.363 slash line with seven doubles, one triple, and six home runs. The left-handed hitting first baseman has driven in 17 runs and scored 23 more. Casas continues to give enough where you can feel the breakout coming.
Connor Wong is slashing .236/.299/.472 with 11 doubles and six home runs. The right-handed hitting catcher has driven in 15 runs, scored 22 more, and stolen one base. Wong's teasing being one of the better all-around catchers in all of baseball.
Enmanuel Valdez has slumped recently but did blast another home run this week. The left-handed hitting catcher has a .244/.292/.422 slash line with four doubles and four home runs. He's driven in 11 runs, scored nine more, and stolen three bases.
Red Sox Triple-A (Worcester)
Rio Gomez was promoted to Triple-A on Saturday and promptly made his Triple-A debut. Getting the start, the left-handed pitcher looked strong in his first outing for Worcester. He allowed one run on three hits over 4 1/3 innings. Gomez walked three batters but struck out three as well. He's one of the easiest players to root for. I love this for him.
Shane Drohan had a much better week. The left-handed pitcher made two starts, combining to allow three earned runs over 11 innings. He walked 10 but only gave up eight hits and struck out eight batters. Drohan has needed to adjust to Triple-A, but it looks like he's starting to come around.
Theo Denlinger was promoted to Triple-A and allowed five runs over 3 2/3 innings. The righty reliever walked five batters, which caused most of his problems. Denlinger dominated in Double-A, so a rough first two outings shouldn't cause any worry.
Chris Murphy was moved to the bullpen and immediately showed out. The left-handed pitcher tossed three shutout innings. Murph only surrendered one hit. He also had his first outing of a year without walking anyone and still managed to strike out three. His pitch mix might work perfectly in the bullpen.
Christian Koss got bumped up to Triple-A after starting to heat up in Double-A. The right-handed hitting shortstop is 3-for-14 with a walk and two doubles. Koss drove in a run and scored two more.
Ryan Fitzgerald hasn't stopped mashing in Triple-A this season. The left-handed hitting utility is slashing .310/.385/.563 with 14 doubles, one triple, and eight home runs. He's driven in 38 runs, scored 26 more, and stolen five bases. Fitzy is such an incredible depth piece for the Red Sox. Sadly, though, he probably won't get used by Boston.
Red Sox Double-A (Portland)
Marcelo Mayer was promoted to Double-A at the start of the week. The right-handed hitting shortstop went hitless in his first four games, but there were plenty of positives. He was producing good at-bats, missed a home run by a foot, and was making all the plays on defense. Then on the final game of the week, Mayer went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI, and two stolen bases.
Ceddanne Rafaela's riding a 10-game hitting streak. The right-handed hitting centerfielder is slashing .274/.313/.403 with 12 doubles and four home runs. He's driven in 31 runs, scored 31 more, and stolen 22 bases. Rafaela made several fantastic plays in the field this week, including lasering a guy at first base and robbing a home run.
Nick Yorke consistently puts good wood on the baseball. The right-handed hitting second baseman is slashing .292/.408/.476 with seven doubles, three triples, and six home runs. He's driven in 19 runs, scored 38 more, and stolen six bases. Yorke's an underrated defender, and his bat is back to being elite.
Elih Marrero returned after nearly a month off. In his first game back, the catcher threw out three-of-four baserunners. It should've been all four, but the ump made a questionable call (which led to a Yorke ejection). Marrero is slashing .229/.426/.314 with three doubles. He's driven in one run, scored five more, and stolen three bases. Marrero's the best defensive catcher in the system, and his athleticism makes him intriguing.
Nathan Hickey went 3-for-4 in his lone game this week. The catcher was abused by foul balls in that game, and I'm assuming that's what ended up landing him on the IL. Hickey is slashing .293/.380/.553 with nine doubles, one triple, and seven home runs between High-A and Double-A. The left-handed hitter has driven in 19 runs and scored 20 more.
Niko Kavadas is slashing .230/.406/.453 with four doubles and nine home runs. The left-handed hitting first baseman has driven in 28 runs, scored 20 more, and stolen one base. Kavadas has had strikeout issues, but he draws walks, and when he connects, the ball tends to never land.
Corey Rosier holds a .307/.371/.441 slash line with seven doubles, two triples, and two home runs. The left-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 14 runs, scored 24 more, and stolen 23 bases. Rosier also robbed a home run this week, showcasing his defensive talents.
Phillip Sikes is on a short three-game hitting streak and has a hit in six-of-his-last-seven games. The right-handed hitting outfielder has a .238/.319/.356 slash line with 11 doubles, one triple, and two home runs. He's driven in 17 runs, scored 26 more, and stolen 20 bases.
Chase Meidroth continues to get on base. The right-handed hitting third baseman/second baseman is slashing .314/.463/.423 with six doubles and three home runs between High-A and Double-A. Meidroth has driven in 23 runs, scored 27 more, and stolen six bases. He's walked more times (34) than he's struck out (32).
Brian Van Belle gave up four runs on five hits in his lone start this week. He did manage seven innings, though. Van Belle will always give his team a chance to win. This week he did it by only walking one batter while striking out three. The right-handed pitcher has a 3.12 ERA, .229 BAA, and 1.15 WHIP in 52 innings. BVB has 41 strikeouts compared to 17 walks.
CJ Liu gave up two early home runs and labored in his only outing. However, the righty ended up giving up just two runs over four innings of work. Liu has a 3.97 ERA, .238 BAA, and 1.36 WHIP in 47 2/3 innings. He's struck out 54 batters compared to 24 walks.
Sterling Sharp hasn't gotten to pitch much over the last month. He made only his third appearance since the start of May. The right-handed pitcher tossed five shutout innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out three. Sharp has a 3.12 ERA, .230 BAA, and 1.18 WHIP in 34 2/3 innings. He's only struck out 19 batters but has limited the walks to 12.
Grant Gambrell made two starts this week. The right-handed pitcher allowed three runs (two earned) over 11 innings. He has a 1.66 ERA, .145 BAA, and 0.92 WHIP in 21 2/3 innings in Double-A. Gambrell has struck out 18 batters and walked nine in that time.
Ryan Fernandez sure can throw some disgusting stuff. The righty reliever has a 1.93 ERA, .197 BAA, and 1.02 WHIP in 18 2/3 innings between Single-A and Double-A. Fernandez has struck out 23 batters compared to six walks.
Seeing Luis Guerrero live is a different beast. He struggles with command, but his pitches are MOVING. I'm shocked he doesn't pick up more strikeouts. The right-handed reliever tossed three shutout innings over two appearances, picking up two saves. Guerrero has a 1.19 ERA, .137 BAA, and 1.15 WHIP over 22 2/3 innings. He's struck out 14 batters and walked 16.
Brendan Nail had an incredible performance this week. After a rough stretch that saw Portland's starter get taken out in the first inning, Nail gave them a chance to win. The left-handed pitcher tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one run and no walks while striking out three batters. Nail has a 0.99 ERA, .161 BAA, and 0.91 WHIP over 27 1/3 innings. He's struck out 26 batters compared to 10 walks.
Jacob Webb threw four shutout innings over two appearances this week. The righty reliever has a 3.42 ERA, .183 BAA, and 1.10 WHIP in 26 1/3 innings. He's struck out 25 batters and walked 12. Webb has five holds and an impressive 6-1 record.
Christopher Troye was promoted to Double-A with Mayer. The right-handed reliever allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings over two appearances. He walked five batters, which was the main issue. Troye dominated High-A, and Double-A is a big adjustment. Give him time to figure things out, and he'll be fine.
Joe Jones has allowed one run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings in Double-A. the righty reliever has a 3.60 ERA, .250 BAA, and 1.30 WHIP in 20 innings between High-A and Double-A. He's struck out 24 batters and walked seven.
Red Sox High-A (Greenville)
Blaze Jordan had his 12-game hitting streak snapped on Sunday. The right-handed hitting third baseman is dominating this season, though. He has a .314/.356/.516 slash line with 15 doubles, one triple, and seven home runs. Jordan's driven in 36 runs, scored 28 more and stolen one base.
Brainer Bonaci is slashing .340/.398/.524 with eight doubles, one triple, and three home runs. The switch-hitting shortstop has driven in 19 runs, scored 14 more, and stolen four bases. Bonaci was pulled from the game on Friday and missed the last two games of the series. Hopefully, he'll be back soon.
Eduardo Lopez enjoyed some big games to boost his season numbers this week. The switch-hitting outfielder is slashing .281/.362/.412 with seven doubles, one triple, and two home runs. He's driven in 23 runs, scored 26 more, and stolen 10 bases.
Ronald Rosario had one of the better weeks in the system, picking up a hit in all four games he appeared in. That included a 4-for-4 performance on Sunday. The right-handed hitting catcher is slashing .267/.382/.426 with eight doubles, one triple, and two home runs between Single-A and High-A. He's driven in 17 runs and scored 22 more.
Eddinson Paulino is slashing .239/.320/.386 with nine doubles, four triples, and three home runs. The left-handed hitting utility has driven in 21 runs, scored 32 more, and stolen 12 bases (in 12 attempts). Paulino has seemed frustrating close to a full-blown breakout for the last few weeks.
Max Ferguson has a .250/.376/.360 slash line with nine doubles and one home run. The left-handed hitting outfielder/second baseman has driven in 17 runs, scored 34 more, and stolen 23 bases.
Tyler Miller has a six-game hitting streak going for him at the moment. The left-handed hitting corner infielder/outfielder is slashing .252/.298/.466 with 10 doubles, one triple, and four home runs. He'd driven in 19 runs, scored 14 more, and stolen four bases. Despite having 327 fewer at-bats, Miller has already tied his doubles total from last season.
Bryan Gonzalez is slashing .229/.302/.424 with three doubles, five triples, and five home runs. The right-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 24 runs, scored 24 more, and stolen three bases.
Something you have to love seeing from Wikelman Gonzalez lately has been his ability to give the team innings even when he's not dominating. The right-handed pitcher allowed four runs on three hits and four walks in his lone start this week. He managed to strike out seven and give Greenville five innings, though. Gonzalez has a 6.32 ERA, .223 BAA, and 1.70 WHIP over 37 innings. He's struck out 61 batters and walked 32. I say this a lot but don't worry about the numbers. It's more the fact that he's consistently improving that matters.
Isaac Coffey is on the type of run that makes you wonder when his promotion is coming. The right-handed pitcher has now had three straight outings of six shutout innings. Coffey holds a 2.54 ERA, .205 BAA, and 0.93 WHIP in 49 2/3 innings. He's struck out 69 batters compared to eight walks. The 10 home runs seem like an issue, but at least he hasn't given one up in his last three starts.
Hunter Dobbins had another great start this week. The right-handed pitcher allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits over six innings. He struck out seven batters without walking any. Dobbins has a 3.21 ERA, .223 BAA, and 0.96 WHIP over 28 innings. He's struck out 28 batters and only walked four.
Angel Bastardo made a pair of solid starts this week. He combined to allow six runs (four earned) over 9 2/3 innings. The right-handed pitcher has a 4.34 ERA, .209 BAA, and 1.30 WHIP. He's struck out 64 batters compared to 25 walks in 47 2/3 innings.
Dalton Rogers had some issues in his second High-A start, but that's to be expected after a promotion. The right-handed pitcher has a 3.56 ERA, .155 BAA, and 1.29 WHIP over 30 1/3 innings between Single-A and High-A. He's struck out 50 batters and walked 22.
Jordan DiValerio had a phenomenal week. The righty reliever tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings over two appearances. DiValerio has a 2.88 ERA, .217 BAA, and 1.16 WHIP in 25 innings. He's struck out 22 batters and walked nine.
Nate Tellier also had a scoreless week. The right-handed reliever didn't allow a run in three innings over two outings. Tellier has a 2.76 ERA, .175 BAA, and 1.29 WHIP in 16 1/3 innings. The Boston native has 20 strikeouts compared to 11 walks.
Red Sox Single-A (Salem)
Luis Perales struggled this week. That's okay, though. He had put together a nice string of strong starts. The 20-year-old is allowed to make a bad start every once in a while. He's bounced back nicely from a terrible start, so this shouldn't worry anyone. The right-handed pitcher has a 5.74 ERA, .283 BAA, and 1.88 WHIP. He's struck out 35 batters and walked 20 in 26 2/3 innings.
Noah Dean had his best start of the season this week. The left-handed pitcher tossed five scoreless innings on just three hits. Crucially, he didn't walk anyone for the first time this year. Dean also struck out a career-high seven batters. He has a 5.40 ERA, .222 BAA, and 1.76 WHIP with 34 strikeouts compared to 23 walks in 23 1/3 innings.
Jose Ramirez had three more scoreless innings this week. The right-handed pitcher has a 1.19 ERA, .159 BAA, and 0.93 WHIP in 37 2/3 innings. He's struck out 34 batters compared to 15 walks. Ramirez has been one of the most consistent pitchers in Boston's system.
We saw the best start of Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz's career this week. The right-handed pitcher tossed a career-high six innings. He didn't allow a run on three hits and one walk while striking out six batters. ERC has a 2.16 ERA, .231 BAA, and 1.38 WHIP. He's struck out 29 batters and walked 18 in 33 1/3 innings.
Bradley Blalock has made two strong starts to begin his season. The righty has allowed two runs on four hits and three walks over eight innings of work. He's struck out 10 batters over those two starts.
Jedixson Paez set a career-high with five innings this week. The right-handed pitcher has made back-to-back strong starts. Paez has a 5.70 ERA, .245 BAA, and 1.18 WHIP in 23 2/3 innings. He's struck out 22 batters and only walked five.
Felix Cepeda made two appearances this week, combining for two runs (one earned) over four innings. Most importantly, he has now made three straight outings without allowing a walk. Cepeda has a 1.69 ERA, .205 BAA, and 1.50 WHIP over 21 1/3 innings. He's struck out 23 batters and walked 16.
Roman Anthony holds a .239/.398/.341 with nine doubles, one triple, and one home run. The left-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 18 runs, scored 26 more, and stolen 11 bases. Anthony has an impressive 37 walks compared to just 30 strikeouts.
Luis Ravelo is slashing .269/.368/.378 with eight doubles and three home runs. The switch-hitting shortstop has driven in 25 runs, scored 23 more, and stolen six bases.
Allan Castro has gotten back on track in recent weeks. The switch-hitting outfielder is slashing .223/.348/.337 with 11 doubles, one triple, and two home runs. Castro's driven in 19 runs, scored 27 more and stolen 12 bases.
Jhostynxon Garcia (pronounced Yos-TIN-son) was promoted to Single-A after Miguel Bleis landed on the IL. The right-handed hitting outfielder is 3-for-13 with one walk in four games. He's driven in two runs and scored one more.
Juan Chacon holds a .282/.421/.397 with five doubles and five triples. The right-handed hitting outfielder has driven in 11 runs, scored 17 more, and stolen 17 bases. Chacon has a four-game hitting streak but hasn't played since June 1.
Ahbram Liendo is slashing .179/.357/.246 with four doubles, one triple, and one home run. The switch-hitting second baseman has driven in 13 runs, scored 26 more, and stolen 24 bases. Liendo's a great defender, and even with the low average, the 19-year-old manages to get on base and steal plenty of bags.
Yorberto Mejicano holds a .293/.368/.427 slash line with five doubles, one triple, and one home run. The right-handed hitting catcher/first baseman has driven in eight runs, scored 12 more, and stolen three bases. Mejicano has slumped a bit but is still managing to produce well.
Cutter Coffey is slashing .191/.343/.257 with seven doubles and one triple. The right-handed hitting shortstop has driven in 14 runs, scored 20 more, and stolen 11 bases. Coffey keeps showing signs of breaking out, including going 1-for-3 with two walks and a triple on Sunday.
Enderso Lira's bat continues to be one of the best surprises this season. The right-handed hitting catcher is slashing .313/.340/.354 with two doubles. He's driven in eight runs and scored two more. Lira's a defensive-minded catcher, so signs of offensive potential shining through are a major positive.
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