Six Red Sox prospects named postseason All-Stars in banner year

Six Red Sox minor leaguers are receiving recognition as postseason All-Stars after strong seasons. Most notably, SoxProspects.com top-ranked prospect Yoan Moncada and third-ranked Rafael Devers (pictured) were named to the Carolina League roster. Joining them in receiving all-star honors were first baseman/outfielder Chris Marrero in the International League, outfielder Aneury Tavarez in the Eastern League, and outfielders Luis Alexander Basabe and Tate Matheny in the South Atlantic League.

To have six postseason All-Stars is quite an accomplishment to the Red Sox farm system, as players who receive midseason promotions are unlikely to receive consideration (though Moncada still made the Carolina League's team). In 2015, the Red Sox affiliates had only one postseason All-Star, with Moncada representing the South Atlantic League. The last time Red Sox affiliates had as many as six postseason All-Stars was 2012 when they had nine, including Jose Iglesias, Ryan Lavarnway, and Mauro Gomez for Pawtucket; Christian Vazquez, Xander Bogaerts, Michael Almanzar, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Travis Shaw for Salem; and Keury De La Cruz for Greenville.

It took Moncada a while to get going during his first professional baseball season in 2015 but there were no such growing pains this season. Moncada raked his way to a .307/.427/.496 line in Salem before a promotion to Portland, where he proceeded to slash .285/.388/.547 for the Sea Dogs. The 21-year-old's dominant season has placed him among the truly elite prospects in all of baseball as he ranks first in Baseball America's midseason top 100 and second per MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus.

Devers, on the other hand, struggled significantly in the first half but rode an excellent second half to a postseason All-Star berth. The third baseman hit just .233/.300/.335 in the first half but improved to .333/.375/.562 in the second half, averaging out to .285/.338/.452 on the season. Worth noting is that Devers accomplished this at just 19 years old in a league where the average player is 22.

Marrero, who signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox in August 2015, enjoyed a great deal of success in his first full season in Pawtucket. The 28-year-old slashed an impressive .285/.342/.497 with 27 doubles and 23 home runs, leading the International League in extra-base hits and total bases. The 24-year-old Tavarez rode a phenomenal second half, in which he hit .370/.405/.568, to the Eastern League postseason All-Star team. On the whole, the Portland outfielder slashed .330/.377/.492 and led the Eastern League in batting average.

Basabe entered the season looking like a breakout candidate after a promising 2015 season in Lowell. Though he scuffled in the first half, Basabe emerged in the second half and hit .298/.361/.502 to bring his season line to .261/.328/.451, hitting 12 home runs and stealing 25 bases. Matheny, the other Greenville outfielder to make the South Atlantic League's postseason list, produced a season after being drafted in the fourth round in 2015. In 100 games for the Drive, Matheny hit .288/.333/.397 with 20 stolen bases.

Photo Credit: Rafael Devers by Kelly O'Connor

 

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