We’re onto September, which means we’ve arrived at the final monthly prospect awards of the season (we’ll have yearly awards as well, don't you worry).
The Boston Red Sox have had a fun season in the minor leagues. However, one of the biggest (and only) rules is really starting to hurt the monthly awards. To be eligible for a monthly award, you can’t have any time in the Majors.
That immediately eliminates two names that have been in the middle of award races all year. Jhostynxon Garcia was promoted (briefly) to the Majors and got his first Major League hit. Payton Tolle made his debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates and looked fantastic. He might be done with the minor leagues completely.
There are still plenty of deserving names to pick from, though. We even get one of the most exciting fast-rising pitchers and one of the best fast-rising hitters winning awards this month.
Dedgar Jimenez Award (starting pitcher of the month)
Winner: Yhoiker Fajardo
Runner-ups: John Holobetz, Dalton Rogers, Hayden Mullins
There were some great pitching performances from starters this month, but it wasn’t really a competition. Yhoiker Fajardo made six starts this month. One of those was only one inning due to the game being postponed, but the numbers were still great.
The right-handed pitcher posted a 1.14 ERA, .159 BAA, and 0.89 WHIP in 23 2/3 innings. He struck out 36 batters and only walked eight.
Fajardo has risen up the ranks quickly, and with performances like this, things are only going to speed up even more. His ability to miss bats and (usually) limit walks has been incredibly impressive for an 18-year-old. With Tolle now in the Majors, Fajardo might be the most “must-watch” pitching prospect in the system at the moment.
Joan Martinez Award (relief pitcher of the month)
Winner: Yovanny Cruz
Runner-ups: Reidis Sena, Cooper Adams, Nicholas De La Cruz, Joe Vogatsky, Jonathan Brand
There were a few possible winners here. Yovanny Cruz didn’t have the best ERA or WHIP amongst them. However, his fantastic strikeout numbers give him a leg up on others.
The right-handed pitcher posted a 2.30 ERA, .176 BAA, and 1.09 WHIP in eight appearances. He struck out 22 batters compared to eight walks in 15 2/3 innings.
Cruz had one rough outing (three runs over two innings), but only surrendered one in 13 2/3 innings the rest of the month. His stuff is intriguing and features a fastball that pretty regularly goes over 100 MPH on the radar. August was easily his best month since April, and he’s a fun candidate for a late-season promotion.
Chih-Hsien Chiang Award (offensive player of the month)
Winner: Justin Gonzales
Runner-ups: Brooks Brannon, Tyler Miller, Juan Chacon, Johanfran Garcia
The offense wasn’t crazy this month, but there were a few standout performers. Johanfran Garcia hit five home runs, Juan Chacon and Tyler Miller corrected their seasons, and Brooks Brannon’s looking more comfortable in Double-A.
Justin Gonzales dominated Single-A on his way to a promotion, though. He struggled in his first week in High-A, but that’s not shocking for an 18-year-old. It certainly didn’t bring his numbers down enough to take the award away from him.
The right-handed hitting outfielder slashed .304/.363/.451 with nine doubles and two home runs. He drove in nine runs, scored 11 more, and stole two bases.
Gonzales has only had one real problem this year, and that’s the fact that he’s hitting the ball on the ground too often. However, he hits the ball extremely hard and has a fantastic eye. He’s likely going to win a lot of awards next year, and don’t be surprised if he flies through the minor leagues (so he’d better rack up those awards while he can).
Deiner Lopez Award (defensive player of the month)
Winner: Nelly Taylor
Runner-ups: Ahbram Liendo, Skylar King, Franklin Arias
Ahbram Liendo seems to make a great play every other game, Franklin Arias is so smooth at shortstop, and Skylar King has been ridiculously impressive in the outfield since being drafted.
However, Nelly Taylor continues to be the standard-bearer for this award. He has been making a lot of diving plays recently, but it’s not just that. It’s all the stuff I feel like I’ve mentioned every time he’s won. Taylor is so smart in the outfield. He gets good jumps, runs good routes, and is so sure with his glove. He also possesses a strong arm to limit baserunners. With all the great defense in the system this year, Taylor almost always finds a way to stand on top.
Danny Mars Award (baserunner of the month)
Winner: Ahbram Liendo
Runner-ups: Starlyn Nunez, Max Ferguson, Miguel Bleis, Allan Castro
Ahbram Liendo went 12-for-13 in stolen base attempts in July. No one else really had a chance (despite some good performances).
Last month, when Liendo won, I said as long as he was getting on base, he’d be the front-runner. Well, Liendo was fantastic in August (.247 average and a .351 OBP). My math checked out, as he won the award for the third time this year (the first three-time winner).
Liendo also hit a personal milestone on Aug. 31. The 21-year-old stole his 40th base of the season. That’s the first time he reached that benchmark. His previous high was 31 (in 2023).
Liendo’s elite defense and fantastic baserunning make him an intriguing prospect, even if the bat isn’t going to ever scare anyone. 2024 has been a fantastic season for him, and he ends it as the only three-time winner of an award (he also won defensive player of the month once).