Weekly Notes: Bradley fever grips Boston as season gets underway

Here are this week's minor league notes:

• Jackie Bradley Jr. (pictured) officially made the Red Sox Opening Day 25-man roster. After an impressive spring, Bradley continued to hold his own against the Yankees. He collected two hits in 10 at-bats, drawing three walks and adding three RBI. 
• The Boston Herald's Scott Lauber talks with Bradley's college coach, Ray Tanner, about how impressed he was with Bradley's approach and overall game during an initial college scouting trip.  
• General Manager Ben Cherrington called the Red Sox farm system "the deepest he has seen during his tenure" in an discussion with WEEI's Alex Speier.
• Speier also had a fantastic column this week highlighting the top prospects in the Red Sox system at each minor league level. The player notes are augmented by Boston's Director of Player Development, Ben Crockett. 
• In a minor move made right before the start of the season, the Red Sox signed infielder Brandon Snyder to a minor league contract. Snyder, who is cousins with Greenville's Madison Younginer, was recently released by the Rangers. Snyder homered in his first game with Pawtucket yesterday. 
• SoxProspects.com's Managing Editor, Matt Huegel, caught up with Younginer to discuss his outlook for the 2013 season. 
• The rosters for each one of the full season affiliates was set this week. Pawtucket, Portland, Salem and Greenville's rosters are all detailed in depth by the SoxProspects.com team. 
• SoxProspects.com Staff Writer, Kevin Pereira talked with Pawtucket reliever Alex Wilson about his transition to relieving full time this season. 
• SoxProspects.com's Ian Cundall and Jon Meoli checked in with a final Scouting Scratch from spring training that touched on Keury De La Cruz, Brandon Jacobs, Sean Coyle, Frank Montas and Miguel Celestino. 
• To complete our spring coverage, SoxProspects.com Director of Scouting, Chris Mellen, provided Prospect Previews on Jose Iglesias and Henry Owens as well as Garin Cecchini and Blake Swihart. 
• Iglesias discusses how former Yankee Jorge Posada's uncle worked with him this winter to change his grip and increase his bat speed with Masslive.com's Evan Drellich.
• Drellich also speaks with right-hander's Mike Augliera and Pat Light to talk about their experiences in their first spring training. 
• The Providence Journal's Brian MacPherson talks with Portland pitching coach Bob Kipper and manager Kevin Boles about working with Daniel Bard to get him back to the dominant reliever he was just a few seasons ago. 
• MacPherson also talks with Stephen Drew, who began a rehab assignment with Portland last evening, and shortstop Xander Bogaerts about their approaches at the plate. 
• SoxProspects.com has learned that the following minor league players were released at the conclusion of spring training: Kevin Brahney, Jon Bachanov, Tyler Lockwood, JD Durbin, Charle Rosario, Sergio Espinosa, Sean Henn, Luis Bastardo, Lucas LeBlanc, Matt Marquis, and Drew Hedman. 
• Additionally, pitcher Marco Duarte was loaned by the Red Sox to Diablos Rojos del Mexico of the Mexican League. 

Photo Credit: Jackie Bradley Jr. by Kelly O'Connor 

John Gray and James Dunne are Staff Writers for SoxProspects.com. Follow John on Twitter @JohnRGray and James @JamesMDunne.

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