Offseason Notes: Red Sox continue to shape roster

With the winter leagues close to wound down and spring crept closer, the Red Sox organization was busy continuing preparations for the 2015 season.

• Rosters continued to take shape as the Red Sox signed the following players to contracts in the past few weeks.

• Bryan LaHair (pictured), who is best known for his 2012 season with the Chicago Cubs, when he hit .259/.334/.450 with 16 home runs and 40 RBI in 130 games as a first baseman and was selected to the National League All-Star team. LaHair spent last season in the Cleveland organization, splitting time between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. 

• Felipe Paulino, a right-hander who has six seasons of major league experience as a starter and reliever with Houston, Colorado, Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox. Paulino made four starts for Chicago last season, going 0-2 with a 11.29 ERA.

• Luis Martinez, a 29-year-old catcher who split last season between the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees (LAA) and Sacramento River Cats (OAK). Martinez is a career .267/.353/.362 hitter across eight minor league seasons. 

• Quintin Berry, an outfielder who rejoins the Red Sox organization after spending part of 2013 with Pawtucket and Boston. Berry spent the majority of the 2014 season with Triple-A Norfolk (BAL), hitting .285/.382/.367 with 35 RBI and 25 stolen bases. 

• Humberto Quintero, a 12-year veteran who has seen major league action with San Diego, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Seattle, primarily as a backup catcher. Quintero is a career .234/.267/.327 hitter. 

• Dana Eveland, a left-handed reliever who compiled a 2.63 ERA in 30 appearances for the New York Mets last season. Eveland has also seen major league action with Milwaukee, Arizona, Oakland, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2005. 

• The Red Sox sent Anthony Ranaudo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for left-handed reliever Robbie Ross. SoxProspects.com's Katie Morrison detailed the trade and its implications. Following the trade, SoxProspects.com's Director of Scouting, Ian Cundall, posted a detailed scouting look at Ranuado. 

• Following the signing of Alexi Ogando, the Red Sox designated Drake Britton for assignment. Britton struggled last season with Pawtucket as a reliever, posting a 5.86 ERA.

• Showing the overall strength of the Red Sox system, MLB.com had 5 members of the Boston organization in its Top 100 Prospect list. Blake Swihart was ranked at #18,  Henry Owens #19, Eduardo Rodriguez #89, Rafael Devers #96, and Manuel Margot #99.

• For ESPN Insider subscribers, Keith Law released his Top 100 as well. The same five made his list in that order, at #10, #20, #29, #55 and #70. He also ranked his Top 10 Red Sox prospects while ranking the system fifth in baseball.

• SoxProspects.com's Katie Morrison was busy covering the Red Sox Rookie Development Program. Morrison chronicled the purpose of the program and the overall strength of this year's class. Morrison also spoke to Brian Johnson and Mookie Betts as they prepared for the 2015 campaign. In addition, Morrison touched base with Swihart and Henry Ramos. 

• Offseason leagues began to wind down, but we checked in with two Fall/Winter League Roundups. Jemile Weeks helped his Mayaguez squad, advance to the Puerto Rican Championship where they eventually lost to Santurce, four games to two. In the Australian Baseball League, Mike McCarthy and Jorge Marban helped Perth earn a spot in the Preliminary Final against Sydney, and last week, the Heat swept in two games. Marban picked up the save in game one on Friday, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out three. In game two on Saturday, McCarthy collected the final three outs of the game as Perth advanced to the ABL Championship Series for the fifth year in a row. They will face the Adelaide Bite starting this Friday, February 6. For any night owls (or DVR owners) who want to watch the newly signed Marban, Perth's closer, and McCarthy play in the best-of-three series, it will be broadcast live on the MLB Network... at 3 a.m.

• The Hartford Courant's Reid Walmark caught up with Xander Bogaerts and Christian Vazquez at the recent Winter Weekend the Red Sox put on at Foxwoods. Bogaerts noted he is stronger than ever after his offseason weightlifting program. Meanwhile, while John Farrell has announced that Brandon Workman will be used out of the bullpen, at least to start the year, Workman himself expressed to Kyle Brasseur of ESPN.com a desire to compete for a spot in the rotation, presumably before being told of the team's decision.

Photo Credit: Bryan LaHair, from Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America. 

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