Weekly Notes: Roster shake-up, two DSL teams highlight past week

This week's minor league notes:

• Struggles in Boston have led to some major roster changes for the Red Sox and PawSox. On Friday, first baseman Travis Shaw was called up to make his Major League debut. Shaw was sent back down the following day after going 0 for 2 with a walk in Friday's loss in Toronto. Matt Barnes was also called up Saturday. On Sunday, Allen Craig and Robbie Ross Jr. were optioned to Pawtucket, and Jackie Bradley Jr. (pictured, right) and Stephen Wright were brought up to the big club.
• Shane Victorino was also sent on a rehab assignment to Portland on Friday. He has played in two games and gone 0 for 6. Victorino can come off the DL on Monday, and Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe tweets that he and Bradley Jr. will split time in right field, even though it may not be a strict platoon.
• Ryan P. Morrison of Baseball Prospectus Boston took a look at Steven Wright four days prior to his call up. Red Sox fans know how inconsistent a knuckleballer can with after watching Tim Wakefield, but if Steven Wright is on, he can be very successful.
• Number one prospect Blake Swihart has struggled at the plate early for Boston, going 2 for 22 with 10 strike outs. However, Swihart has had a lot to handle, and Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald writes that the Red Sox threw a lot at him early on.
• MassLive.com's Jen McCaffrey also looked at Swihart, stating how impressive he has been in working with the pitching staff, guiding Rick Porcello through a great start despite never working with him.
• SoxProspects.com's Chaz Fiorino detailed Eduardo Rodriguez's start on May 2 against the Durham Bulls. Rodriguez earned the win allowing one run in six innings. He showed a nice mix with an above average fastball and an average change-up and slider. All three pitches have the potential to improve. Fiorino believes Rodriguez is the top pitching prospect the Red Sox have.
• SoxProspects.com Director of Scouting Ian Cundall detailed an April 29 start for Henry Owens. Owens has struggled with command this season. The 6-foot-6 lefty has trouble repeating his delivery, causing some of the wildness. Owens fastball sits around 89-92 MPH and introduced a new pitch, a slider, which he threw twice in the game. Hitters seemed to make pretty solid contact against Owens in that outing.
• Marc Normandin writes at Over the Monster that Michael Kopech is showing promise early on. He also takes a look at Deven Marrero, Pat Light, and Ty Buttrey.
• The 2015 Dominican Summer League schedule has been released, and for the first time since 2003, the Red Sox will field two teams in the DSL. The Red Sox have splurged in the most recent international signing period, as the went over their bonus and singed 26 international amateurs since July 2, 2014. Internally, the Red Sox will call them the "Red" and "Blue" teams, but MiLB.com will list them as "Red Sox 1" and Red Sox 2." Rosters have yet to be announced for the two teams, but coaching staffs are listed. More details can be found from SoxProspects.com's James Dunne.
• SoxProspects.com's Chris Hatfield saw the Greenville Drive in action on May 3 and detailed some of the performances. Rafael Devers put on a show, highlighting the day's action by going 5 for 6 with two home runs and two doubles.
• Red Sox organizational minor league awards for April were also announced this past week. They are as follows:
• Hitter: Manuel Margot
• Starting Pitcher: Ty Buttrey
• Reliever: Joe Gunkel
• Defensive: Jackie Bradley Jr.
• Base Runner: Derek Miller
• Base Stealer: Manuel Margot
• SoxProspects.com also announced our April Players of the Month. Manuel Margot and Eduardo Rodriguez received the honors. Margot batted .324/.377/.515 with nine stolen bases, four doubles, three triples, a home run, and just one strikeout. Rodriguez went 2-0 in three April starts, posting a 1.93 ERA. He gave up just 12 hits and one walk in his 18 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 16 and held opponents to a .182 average.

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Players of the Week 5/4/15 - 5/10/15

Ty Buttrey, SP, Salem Red Sox
1 G, 1-0, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Buttrey (pictured, right) has continued his hot start in Greenville right into Salem. On Friday, in his only start of the week, the Red Sox scored a single run in the second inning, and that would be all Buttrey needed. He proceeded to toss seven shutout innings, earning his second win with Salem. He allowed just three hits and did not walk a batter while punching out six.

Season Stats (with Greenville and Salem): 6 G, 3-0, 34.0 IP, 2.38 ERA, 26 H, 9 ER, 9 BB, 31 K

Rafael Devers, 3B/DH, Greenville Drive
5 G, 21 PA, 3 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 5 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 0 SB, 7 K, .381/.381/.619
Devers capped his 5 for 6 with two home runs and two doubles performance last week by earning himself Player of the Week honors. While playing DH and third base, Devers has been on fire with the bat during the month of May. Extra-base hits have been the key for Devers, with half of his hits last week going for extra bases.

Season Stats: 24 G, 97 PA, 33 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 14 R, 12 RBI, 2 BB, 18 K, 0 SB, .340/.356/.505

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

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