March 27, 2014 at 12:13 PM
ESPN Boston: Thin on corners
While the Red Sox have two very intriguing third base prospects in Garin Cecchini and Rafael Devers, the system is otherwise quite thin in terms of corner infield depth. Here’s a look at the potential starters, bench players, and other interesting first baseman and third baseman in Boston’s minor league system.
POTENTIAL MAJOR LEAGUE STARTERS
Garin Cecchini, 22, hit .322/.443/.471 with 7 home runs and 23 stolen bases between stops in High-A Salem and Double-A Portland in 2013. A fourth-round pick in 2010, Cecchini has impressive offensive tools, including a sweet left-handed swing, excellent bat speed, solid plate discipline, and slightly above-average speed. He profiles as a .300 hitter with continued development, and while his present power is below-average, he has average power potential over the long run. This will be an important season for Cecchini in terms of showing more power. There have been some concerns that he has yet to show much increased upper body strength during his three seasons in the system, and some scouts have commented that his swing can be too level. On defense, he still has some work to do on his reads and reactions, but he has the tools to develop into an average defender. If he make strides with his power and defense, he is a potential All-Star at the hot corner. He’s currently on the bubble for a roster spot between Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket, with the PawSox seemingly being more likely to be his starting point in 2014. It will be interesting to see if he gets time at any other positions this season, given the chance that he may be blocked by Will Middlebrooks and possibly Xander Bogaerts at third base in the future. Ultimately, when Cecchini does break into the majors, fans are likely to love him for his drive, baseball IQ, love for the game, and affable personality.