Following a stellar
debut, 22-year-old starting pitcher Eduardo
Rodriguez has Boston Red Sox fans justifiably licking their chops about who
else looms on the horizon of the team’s farm system. There’s good reason for
such optimism, as the organization was recently tabbed by Baseball America as having the
second-most talent of any other in the game. Like other more typical produce
found on farms, this time of year can be a little early for prospects to be
ready. Irregardless, there’s a lot to be excited about in the minors for
Boston, so let’s take a look at some of the early highlights, level by level,
of some of the more intriguing kids.
Triple-A Pawtucket:
Outfielder Jackie
Bradley, Jr. has been unable to find a groove in the majors over parts of
the past three seasons, hitting a combined .192 in 170 games. However, he is
still just 25, plays some of the best defense in the game, and is raking thus
far during his time in the minors—to the tune of a .339 clip with a .865 OPS.
Although it’s possible he will be included in a trade later this year, it’s not
out of the question that he eventually finds his way back to Boston and finally
lives up to his substantial potential.
Brian
Johnson is another southpaw starter who may be right on the heels of
Rodriguez in jumping to Boston if an opportunity arises. The 24-year-old, who
was a 2012 first-round pick, has dominated at every level during his young career
despite not
having overpowering stuff. Triple-A has been no exception, as he is 6-3
with a 2.60 ERA in 10 starts, including 57 strikeouts in 55.1 innings. His last
start, on May 29th, was a thing of beauty, as he went six perfect innings,
whiffing nine batters.
Speaking of lefty pitching, let’s not forget about Henry
Owens, who is the most coveted in the entire Boston system. Although he’s
had control issues in his first nine starts (35 walks in 54.1 innings), he
still has a 3.15 ERA, 42 strikeouts and 37 hits allowed. Just 22, it looks like
he has just a little fine tuning left before being ready to contribute at the
big league level.
Double-A Portland:
He doesn’t get a lot of press but Carlos
Asuaje produces. After combining for a .310 batting average, 15 home runs
and 101 RBIs last year between two levels, the 23-year-old has continued his
surge after being bumped up yet another level. Just 5’9”, he is hitting .265
with three home runs and 25 RBIs in 45 games, chipping in a .374 OBP and
versatility in the field, as he has played second, third and in the outfield so
far during the young season.
Despite being a 2012 first rounder, lanky right-hander Pat
Light sputtered during his first three professional seasons. After
exclusively operating as a starter, he has converted to bullpen duty this year
and seems to have taken a liking to it. He has appeared in 17 games, posting a
2.45 ERA with 32 strikeouts and just 15 hits allowed in 25.2 innings. With a reputation for a
live arm that can generate mid-90s fastballs when he is on, relieving may allow
Boston to get the most out of his skill set now that he is 24 and reached the
crossroads of his career.
High Single-A Salem:
Quietly, outfielder Manuel
Margot has become one of the most highly regarded prospects in Boston’s
system. Despite hitting .293 with 12 home runs and 42 steals last year, he
didn’t get the kind of attention one might expect for such a showing. Speed is
his calling card but he can also do a lot of other baseball things well. In 28
games in 2015, he’s hitting .257 with a home run, 8 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. He
has just returned from an injury that kept him out of action for three weeks
this month, so look for him to heat up even more now that he is once again
healthy.
He may be hitting a modest .254 with a .286 OBP in 32 games
but there is still plenty to like about second baseman Wendell
Rijo. First, the right-handed hitter is just 19 (won’t turn 20 until after
the season) and already has two home runs, a triple and 15 doubles (after 27, 6
and 9 last year). Such pop from someone so young is a very positive sign, as
that’s often one of the final aspects of a prospect’s game to come around.
Left-handed pitcher Daniel
McGrath was signed as a project out
of Australia in 2012. Still just 20, he’s flashed real growth after mixed
results during his first two seasons. Although he is currently on the disabled
list, he previously made six starts, going 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA. Lacking top-end
stuff, he has shown an ability to get batters out, punching out 31 batters in
30 innings, while walking 18 and permitting 12 base hits. If he can continue
his upward trend upon his return, the Red Sox may have another intriguing
southpaw on their hands.
Single-A Greenville:
One of the most talked about prospects in baseball is Cuban
sensation Yoan
Moncada. Signed to a mammoth
contract just a few months ago, the 20-year-old switch-hitting second
baseman is only nine games into his professional American career. He has hit
the ground running, with a .257 average, a home run and five RBIs to his name.
A number of baseball insiders believe
he’s talented enough that he would have been in the running to be the first
overall pick of this year’s draft if he had been eligible, so it should be
fascinating to see what he’s able to accomplish over the course of a full
season.
Rafael
Devers is proof positive that the Boston farm system is a current
embarrassment of riches. The 18-year-old third baseman is already in his third
professional season and has developed at a rapid pace. This should be even more
celebrated given his youth and the fact he plays a premium position. Even so,
there are a number of other young players in the system that are mentioned
before him. A left-handed hitter, he has scorched the Sally League so far in
2015, to the tune of .340 with 13 doubles, two home runs and 20 RBIs in 40
games. With a .328 career average so far in his minor league career, the sky
seems to be the limit in terms of what the youngster may ultimately become.
Last year’s first-rounder, right-handed pitcher Michael
Kopech, is looking like a sound selection in his first full professional
season. The 19-year-old came directly from high school and is being eased along,
but his potential has come across loud and clear. In eight starts (32.2
innings), he is 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA and 38 strikeouts. With a big fastball and
the potential
for other plus offerings, there’s a very good chance he will be part of the
next wave of top pitching prospects to appear on the horizon of the high minors
in the near future.
Statistics via http://www.milb.com/index.jsp
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