June 20, 2013 at 11:44 AM
Garin Cecchini promoted to Double-A Portland
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Third baseman Garin Cecchini has received a promotion to Double-A Portland, reports Alex Speier of WEEI.com. The promotion comes after a half season of dominating the High A Carolina League, earning All-Star recognition while hitting .350/.469/.547 in 63 games.
Cecchini, 22, has risen steadily through the Red Sox system since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2010 draft out of Alfred M. Barbe High School in Lake Charles, La. Showing an advanced approach from the start, he has been an All-Star at every level. In 2011, he got off to a .298/.398/.500 start at Lowell before suffering a season-ending wrist injury. Cecchini came back strong from that setback in 2012, hitting .305/.394/.433 with 38 doubles and 51 stolen bases for Greenville.
Entering the season with high expectations as the seventh-ranked prospect in the system according to SoxProspects.com, Cecchini exceeded all hopes with an outstanding first half. The third baseman graduates from Single-A leading the Carolina League in batting average , on-base percentage and walks, and ranking in the top five in slugging percentage (third), hits (T-fifth), runs (fifth), doubles (T-fourth), triples (T-third), and total bases (fifth). The breakout performance has moved him up to fourth in the SoxProspects.com rankings and earned him recognition as a Top-25 prospect by Keith Law of ESPN.com.
SoxProspects.com Senior Columnist Jon Meoli featured Cecchini in an early-May piece for ESPN.com. In the interview, Cecchini attributed his breakout to work on his pitch selection and swinging at more hittable pitches, resulting in an increase in power.
Per Speier, Cecchini is expected to join the Sea Dogs on Friday, when they begin a three-game series in Trenton, and would be on track to make his Hadlock Field debut the following Monday.
Cecchini is Rule 5 eligible after the 2013 season, making him a virtual lock to be added to the 40-man roster before the November deadline.
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Elsewhere in the system, outfielder Cody Koback was promoted from the Greenville Drive to Salem. Koback, a 2011 10th-round draft pick out of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, was hitting .282/.357/.348 with 10 steals in 16 attempts. After starting a bit slow, Koback had hit .325/.387/.411 from April 25 to June 12 before a slight 1 for 15 skid in the Drive's final series of the first half at Savannah.
To make room for Koback, Felix Sanchez was sent from Salem to Greenville. In other Thursday moves, pitcher Jeremy Kehrt was promoted from Portland to Pawtucket. He, along with Clayton Mortensen, who was assigned to Pawtucket on a rehab assignment, will temporarily help a beleaguered Pawtucket bullpen, which has been shorthanded in recent days. Mike McCarthy was promoted from Salem to Portland to help fill the hole left by Kehrt.
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Elsewhere in the system, outfielder Cody Koback was promoted from the Greenville Drive to Salem. Koback, a 2011 10th-round draft pick out of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, was hitting .282/.357/.348 with 10 steals in 16 attempts. After starting a bit slow, Koback had hit .325/.387/.411 from April 25 to June 12 before a slight 1 for 15 skid in the Drive's final series of the first half at Savannah.
To make room for Koback, Felix Sanchez was sent from Salem to Greenville. In other Thursday moves, pitcher Jeremy Kehrt was promoted from Portland to Pawtucket. He, along with Clayton Mortensen, who was assigned to Pawtucket on a rehab assignment, will temporarily help a beleaguered Pawtucket bullpen, which has been shorthanded in recent days. Mike McCarthy was promoted from Salem to Portland to help fill the hole left by Kehrt.
Photo Credit: Garin Cecchini by Kelly O'Connor