Trade Analysis: Scouting the prospects dealt for Eduardo Nunez

While the Red Sox were in the late innings of their West Coast game against Seattle, the team announced their first move of the trade deadline acquiring utility player Eduardo Nunez from the San Francisco Giants for right-handed pitchers Shaun Anderson (pictured) and Gregory Santos. Anderson is the number seventeen pitcher in the SoxProspects rankings while the 17-year-old Santos was unranked.

Nunez has played in 76 games for San Francisco this year hitting .308/.334/.417 with four home runs and 18 stolen bases. He rarely strikes out or walks and lacks power. His average is driven largely by BABIP and inflated by his speed. Defensively, Nunez has played primarily third base but has spent some time in left field, right field and at shortstop. Nunez doesn’t grade out very well on the advanced metrics with negative defensive runs saved at every position he’s played this year and -2.0 defensive WAR according to Fangraphs. While Nunez doesn’t seem like a major upgrade offensively or defensively, his speed does bring a new dimension to the Red Sox bench that they haven’t had in a while. Nunez stole 40 bases last year and his 18 this year would lead the team, one ahead of Mookie Betts.

Another motivation in acquiring Nunez was likely his salary. Of the rental players available his salary is relatively low, with the Red Sox on the hook for just $1.5 million for the rest of the year, which leaves them with room to make more deals while staying under the luxury tax. Nunez did come at a cost, however, as Anderson had established himself as one of the more intriguing pitchers in the second tier of the system's arms and Santos represents a lottery ticket with solid statistics in the DSL.

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2017 Annual Donation Drive - Help Keep SoxProspects Up & Running!

Dear readers,

We're asking for your help to raise $10,000 to keep SoxProspects.com up and running for another year. We have kept the site 100% free for almost 14 years now, and we hope to do so for the foreseeable future. As we scout dozens of games first-hand each year, travel costs pile up. Our other costs to run the site often go up on an annual basis as well, and our ad revenue only covers a portion of those costs. So we're reaching out to the community for donations to help us keep the site going. Donations help cover site costs in two primary areas: (1) first-hand coverage travel costs for scouting and player columns; and (2) general IT costs (hardware, software, internet costs, hosting fees, etc.).

Your donations help us travel to Fort Myers in March to cover spring training and in the fall to cover the Instructional League each year, which are vital to get “one-stop shopping” for prospects across the system at levels we can’t see regularly. They also help cover the costs of travelling to affiliate games for regular first-hand coverage. We anticipate that our total costs could approach $20,000 in 2017. While we may cover roughly half that from online advertising revenue, your donations help us ensure we can cover those costs in order to keep the site going.

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Cup of Coffee: Chavis homers, Mata impresses in losses

7/26 Cup of Coffee: Michael Chavis continued his recent hot streak, but it was not enough to carry Portland in a back-and-forth affair. Mike Miller had a big game for Pawtucket in the ninth spot in the order. Brian Mata was solid again for Greenville, but took a tough-luck loss.

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Pawtucket Red Sox 5, Toledo Mud Hens (DET) 3

The PawSox rallied late to grab the win thanks to an RBI single by Aneury Tavarez and Mike Miller scoring on a double play in the seventh. Miller had a great night out of the nine hole, going 3 for 3 with a double, a walk, two runs scored and two stolen bases. He was credited with a steal of home when Rusney Castillo was caught in a rundown. Matt Dominguez hit his eighth homer of the season, going 2 for 5 with two RBI on the night. Kyle Kendrick struck out seven in five innings of work, but Edgar Olmos picked up the win in relief. It was his seventh of the year.

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SoxProspects Featured Video: Rafael Devers

Occasionally, we will be featuring videos here from the SoxProspects YouTube page. Today's video is of new Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers. The video features seven at-bats, from early July, against the Reading Fightin Phils. For more on Devers' promotion to the major leagues, check out Transaction Analysis: Breaking down the Rafael Devers call-up from early this week.

We plan to incorporate more video this year to supplement our regular scouting material, so check back here and on the YouTube page.

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Cup of Coffee: Hart strikes out 10 in Salem debut

7/25 Cup of Coffee: There were several solid pitching performances on Monday, led by Kyle Hart (pictured), who was dominant in his debut with Salem. Hector Velazquez and Hildemaro Requena also had strong outings, while Tyler Hill, Bobby Dalbec, and Isaias Lucena all went deep for Greenville. 

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Toledo Mud Hens (DET) 3, Pawtucket Red Sox 0

The PawSox managed only five hits in a shutout loss to the Mud Hens. Matt Dominguez went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk, but the rest of the team went only 3 for 29. Rusney Castillo returned from a brief stint on the disabled list and went 1 for 3 with a walk, extending his hitting streak to six games. Hector Velazquez was the tough-luck loser as he allowed only two runs over seven innings. While he has struggled in Boston this year, Velazquez has been dominant with the PawSox, as his ERA now sits at 1.58 after 74 innings. 

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Transaction Analysis: Breaking down the Rafael Devers call-up

Following another loss on Sunday in which the offense struggled to score runs, Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski announced that the team was calling up the farm system’s top prospect, third baseman Rafael Devers. Devers will join the team in Seattle on Monday and make his first start on Tuesday (against Felix Hernandez). Indications are that he will be the club’s primary third baseman against right-handed pitchers, with Deven Marrero continuing to man the position against left-handers.

The move comes just one week after the 20-year-old Devers was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket—a move that many had clamored for much sooner. The promotion evoked reactions across the spectrum: The Red Sox are making the move to kick-start the offense, or perhaps they’re getting a look at Devers in the majors before making a move for another third baseman by the deadline. 

Third base has been a black hole for the Red Sox this year with the seven players who have played there putting up a combined line of .227/.280/.320 and -1.9 bWAR, 28th in baseball at the position. For context, the AL average at third base is .252/.321/.438 and MLB average is .257/.330/.445. The Red Sox are hoping that Devers can give them a much-needed boost, but the move is aggressive—Devers will become the youngest active player in the majors by just short of eight months—and Devers could struggle out of the gates, especially defensively.

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Minor Notes: Devers promoted to the majors

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• Red Sox top prospect Rafael Devers (pictured, right) is getting his first call-up to the majors. The Red Sox have gotten woeful production from their third basemen this year, including from Pablo Sandoval who was released earlier this week. 20-year-old Devers' minor league production this year has been anything but woeful. Devers hit .300/.369/.575 with 18 home runs for Portland before being promoted to Pawtucket where over a brief nine game stretch he hit .400/.447/.600 with two more home runs. SoxProspects.com Director of Scouting Ian Cundall and Executive Editor Chris Hatfield were all over the news and offered a detailed analysis of the transaction including some video of Devers. Devers is expected to join the team in Seattle today before making his debut tomorrow.

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Cup of Coffee: Olt and Chavis lead the way in Portland rout

7/24 Cup of Coffee: The PawSox were held scoreless in a loss to Norfolk despite a three-hit day by Rafael Devers and a strong start by Brian Johnson. Led by Mike Olt (pictured), Michael Chavis, and Jeremy Barfield, the Portland bats exploded en route to a blowout win. Roniel Raudes and Stephen Nogosek struggled on the mound in Salem, though Jordan Betts and Jose Sermo clubbed two home runs each. Greenville received a strong start from Jhonathan Diaz but fell in a shutout loss. 

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Norfolk Tides (BAL) 3, Pawtucket Red Sox 0

The PawSox lineup was unable to generate any offense to support a quality start by Brian Johnson. The lefty threw 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five. Noe Ramirez and Robby Scott provided scoreless relief. Third baseman Rafael Devers was the standout for Pawtucket's bats, going 3 for 4.

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Cup of Coffee: Lovullo rips clutch home run for Salem

7/23 Cup of Coffee: It was a very quiet night for the bats as Salem was the only affiliate to pick up a win. Nick Lovullo blasted a clutch two-run homer in the ninth inning to put it away for Salem. Shaun Anderson (pictured) pitched very well, Jay Groome struggled, and Tanner Houck made his second start of the year. Bryce Brentz belted another home run for Pawtucket.

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Norfolk Tides (BAL) 6, Pawtucket Red Sox 4

The PawSox took a 4-2 lead into the ninth, but Austin Maddox blew the save and allowed four runs. Shawn Haviland started and pitched well, allowing just one run in 6 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and one walk. Bryce Brentz went 2 for 4 with his 21st long ball of the season. Aneury Tavarez and Dan Butler also went 2 for 4. Rafael Devers was 1 for 4 with a single and two strikeouts.

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Cup of Coffee: Dalbec, Ockimey homer in wins

7/22 Cup of Coffee: Darwinzon Hernandez and Mike Shawaryn each pitched very well again in wins for Greenville and Salem. Jeremy Rivera (pictured) had a monster day at the plate with four hits, including a home run. Bobby Dalbec and Josh Ockimey also belted homers. 

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Norfolk Tides (BAL) 9, Pawtucket Red Sox 5

Despite another solid night overall for Rafael Devers, he couldn't come through in the end as he struck out with the bases loaded to end the game. He still collected a pair of opposite field singles. Steve Selsky was 2 for 4 with three RBI and Tzu Wei-Lin reached three times with a pair of singles and a walk. Marcus Walden was roughed up for six runs on 10 hits in just 5 1/3 innings. Robby Scott pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in his second game back with the PawSox, and Noe Ramirez struck out the side in the ninth. 

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