Fort Report: Another round of cuts as Opening Day nears

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• Josh Ockimey (pictured) was a bright spot in the system during the first half of the 2016 season, but he struggled in the second half after opponents began employing a shift. Ockimey talked with SoxProspects.com's Managing Editor Matt Huegel about the adjustments he has made after his second-half slump and what he has done to prepare himself for his second full-season assignment. 

• In the most recent episode of the SoxProspects.com podcast, Executive Editor Chris Hatfield and Director of Scouting Ian Cundall talk at-length about their look at Jason Groome while also discussing many other pitchers and hitters in the low-minors. The podcast also features Hatfield's interview with Mike Myers about his experience playing with Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. 

• The Red Sox optioned Noe Ramirez, Deven Marrero, and Blake Swihart to Pawtucket, and also reassigned eight other players to minor league camp. Brian Bogusevic, Rusney Castillo, Allen Craig, Matt Dominguez, Jake DePew, Dan Butler, Sam Travis and Hector Velazquez all were sent down, leaving the Red Sox with 40 players in major league camp. 

• Castillo was having an impressive spring, batting .368/.385/.526, but as Christopher Smith of MassLive.com noted, there is not currently a need on the big league club for an outfielder. John Farrell said as much in an interview on Sunday, while also discussing Castillo's need to refine his abilities to become a more complete player. 

• Of the 40 players still in major league camp, six of them are not on the 40-man roster. This includes Jamie Callahan, Kyle Kendrick, Austin Maddox, Edgar Olmos, Chandler Shepherd, and Ben Taylor. 

• Kendrick had another strong start last week and he now holds a 3-0 record this spring with a 2.17 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 29 innings. Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald talked with Kendrick about an elaborate prank that was played on him nine years ago when he was with the Phillies, and the role Red Sox first-base coach Rubén Amaro Jr. played in it. 

• Callahan is another pitcher having an impressive spring, allowing only one run and striking out nine over nine innings. Callahan has been sitting at 95-96 mph with his fastball and complementing that with an 89 mph slider. Control has always been an issue for Callahan but so far this spring he has walked only one batter. 

• Evan Drellich of CSNNE.com offered up a good look at the mindset of Travis and how he pairs a simple approach mechanically with a more advanced approach mentally. 

• The following minor league players (not on the 40-man or a non-roster invitee to major league camp) saw action in major league games this past Thursday through Sunday: Tzu-Wei Lin, Mike Miller, Tate Matheny, Cole Sturgeon, Danny Mars, Josh Ockimey, Chad De La Guerra, Derek Miller, Jose Rosario, Shawn Haviland, Heiker Meneses, Jantzen Witte, Danny Bethea, Joseph Monge, and Tyler Hill.

Photo Credit: Josh Ockimey by Kelly O'Connor

Tweet