Boston Red Sox top 30 prospect rankings after 2023 season

No. 06: Red Sox second base prospect Nick Yorke

Nick Yorke needed a bounce-back season after a rough 2022 in High-A that saw a nagging wrist injury hamper his production.

Maybe that rough 2022 was why Yorke starting the year up in Double-A came as a surprise to some. It showed that the organization had confidence in one of their top prospects, though.

This decision paid off. Yorke was healthy and had a phenomenal season in Double-A despite being just 21 all year.

The right-handed hitting second baseman slashed .268/.350/.435 with 25 doubles, five triples, and 13 home runs. He drove in 61 runs, scored 74 more, and stole 18 bases.

Yorke struck out 122 times (24.1%) and walked 51 times (10.1%). While those numbers aren't fantastic, they are improved from last year. The fact that Yorke managed to take steps forward despite playing in Double-A all season is impressive.

Yorke works counts well at the top of the order and consistently makes hard contact. I've said for a while that he's an underrated defender. This year, Yorke was recognized as the best defensive second baseman in his league. He's not just underrated, but he's good.

Yorke has a good glove and an accurate arm. He also possesses more than enough athleticism to make tough plays.

The California native has decent speed with solid baserunning ability. He picked it up at the end of the year to set a new career-high in stolen bases. Yorke has enough speed to be a threat and swipe 15-20 bags a season.

Nick Yorke looks like a Major League player. Maybe he's not the most electrifying prospect, but he's consistently good at everything. Could be a legitimate .280-range bat with 15 home runs and 15 steals while playing great defense at second.

Hit: 70

Power: 50

Run: 55

Arm: 50

Field: 65

Overall: 55