Weekly Notes: April 27th

This week's minor league notes:

• Long-time prospect Michael Bowden was traded to the Chicago Cubs this week along with a player to be named later in exchange for outfielder Marlon Byrd. Bowden, a supplemental first round pick in 2005, ended his Red Sox minor league career with a 42-32 record with a 3.19 ERA in 690.1 innings pitched. 



Rich Hill (Kelly O'Connor)

• Assistant General Manager Mike Hazen talked with the Providence Journal's Brian MacPherson about Bowden's development in the Red Sox system and his belief that the right-hander still possess major league stuff. 
• A bit of good news for the weary Red Sox bullpen, left-hander Rich Hill is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket this weekend after completing his rehab assignment. Hill has appeared in 8 games with Low-A Greenville, High-A Salem and Pawtucket, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 18 in 9.0 innings pitched.  
• Reliever Mark Melancon made his Pawtucket debut this week, appearing in 3 contests, not allowing a run in 3.1 innings pitched while striking out 6 and picking up a save. Melancon spoke to the Boston Herald about his early season struggles. 
• Will Middlebrooks continued to make noise with his hot start, hitting .395/.477/.947 with 6 home runs and 18 RBI in his last ten games. While the Red Sox top prospect has impressed at the plate, he caught up with Pawtucket broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith to discuss his defensive prowess. 
• Middlebrooks' stellar performance thus far has some fans wondering why the third baseman has yet to receive a call up to Boston. WEEI's Alex Speier discusses why Middlebrooks spending time in Pawtucket is for the best. 
• Daisuke Matsuzaka, returning from Tommy John surgery, tossed 4.0 innings for the Salem on Monday, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 3. Matsuzaka will make his next rehab start tomorrow afternoon for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. 
• SoxProspects Senior Editor Matt Huegel and Special Contributor Elizabeth Dreeson checked in with news and notes on the Pawtucket Red Sox. Huegel and Dreeson catch up with Alex Wilson, who discusses his recent move to the bullpen as well as Pedro Ciraco and Alex Hassan. 
• Huegel also talked with right-hander Aaron Cook about his stellar start to the 2012 season and his impending opt-out deadline. 



Alex Wilson (Kelly O'Connor)

• SoxProspects Director of Scouting Chris Mellen gives the scouting take from Wilson's first relief appearance as a professional. 
• In what was perhaps the most publicized minor league game of the week, top prospects Matt Barnes and Dylan Bundy squared off against each other in a Tuesday night match-up between Low-A Greenville and Delmarva (BAL). SoxProspects Senior Columnist Jon Meoli took in the action and chronicled the evening. 
• Meoli also talked with left-hander Henry Owens, who is making his professional debut in 2012 after being drafted in the supplemental first round of the 2011 amateur draft. 
• Right-hander Luis Diaz was placed on the 7-day disabled list for Greenville. SoxProspects Digital Correspondent Jonathan Singer reports that Diaz underwent an MRI on his pitching elbow.  
• Pawtucket's nine-game winning streak was snapped Wednesday night in a loss to Scranton Wilkes-Barre (NYY). The winning streak included the first time in team history that the PawSox have swept back-to-back four-game series. The team sits at 15-6, 2 games ahead of second place Lehigh Valley (PHI). 
• Pawtucket's reignited offense is due in part to first baseman Mauro Gomez. In his first season with the Red Sox organization, Gomez has hit .347/.398/.720 with 7 home runs and 20 RBI. 
• Earlier this week the Red Sox signed catcher Mike Rivera to a minor league deal. Rivera, 35, spent 2011 as a member of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds (MIL), hitting .238/.315/.399 with 7 home runs and 31 RBI. In 15 minor league seasons, Rivera is a career .262/.319/.465 hitter. 

John Gray is a Senior Writer for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @JohnRGray

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