Weekly Notes: Taylor impresses in Boston, Devers homers in first at-bat

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• Minor league games are officially underway. In case you missed it, check out Thursday's notes column from Staff Writer Will Woodward for more on how you can stay up to date with all things Red Sox minor leagues.
• The 115th episode of the SoxProspects.com podcast was released this past Thursday as well. Executive Editor Chris Hatfield and Director of Scouting Ian Cundall talk about the upcoming season, including discussion on each affiliate's rosters.
• The Cup of Coffee is back with recaps and notes on the previous night's games. Check out the Cup on the SoxProspects.com news page. You should also be sure to follow Cundall and Assistant Director of Scouting Chaz Fiorino on Twitter, who have been able to provide in-depth scouting details and analysis on the Portland Sea Dogs first series of the year.
• Some top prospects are already off to hot starts this season, including the SoxProspects.com's second-ranked prospect, Rafael Devers (pictured) who homered in his first Double-A plate appearance. Fifth-ranked prospect Bobby Dalbec is batting .438/.500/.625 through his first four games of the year. Aneury Tavarez, Josh Ockimey, and newly acquired Josh Tobias are also locked in so far at the plate. On the mound, Henry Owens, Jalen Beeks, Darwinzon Hernandez, and Travis Lakins are off to nice starts. Third-ranked prospect Jason Groome is scheduled to make his much-anticipated 2017 debut for the Greenville Drive tonight.
• Ben Taylor, a 2015 seventh-round pick out of South Alabama, has made an impact at the big-league level already this season. So far, the right-hander has thrown 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball without allowing a hit. He has four strikeouts and two walks. Taylor is somebody that Cundall identified early as someone who could rise quickly to Fenway Park as a reliever.
• Brandon Workman is back on the mound for the PawSox and throwing well. He has thrown 2 2/3 innings without allowing a run, and as Brendan McGair notes in The Pawtucket Times, Workman is just happy to have made it through spring training healthy.
• Kevin Thomas of The Portland Press Herald writes about Beeks and how he is making himself known to the Red Sox. Beeks, a former college teammate of Andrew Benintendi, was very impressive during his first outing of the 2017 season.
• Travis Lakins also had an impressive start, and he spoke after the game about some of the nerves he felt. Lakins also told Andrew Battifarano of MiLB.com that he relied heavily on his fastball and slider in his first start, almost abandoning his curve and changeup completely.
• Alex Speier of the Boston Globe has his minor league notebook back, and in his latest addition, he notes that Dave Dombrowski does not shy away from his willingness to deal top prospects to acquire big-league talent.
• Lastly, we at SoxProspects.com would like to wish Matt Huegel the best of luck in his future, as he has decided to step away from writing at SoxProspects.com after seven terrific years.

Players of the Week: 4/6-4/10

Ryan Scott, OF, Greenville Drive
4 G, 15 AB, 5 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K, .333/.412/.933

Scott has been an extra-base hit machine to start the 2017 campaign. The 23 year-old, who was drafted last year in the seventh round as a senior from Arkansas-Little Rock, led the nation for Division I hitters in 2016 with a .435 batting average.

He also showed some pop last year in Lowell with a .787 OPS and 11 doubles, three triples, and four home runs in 49 games. He has been playing both left and right field so far this year.

Travis Lakins, RHP, Salem Red Sox
1 start, 5 1/3 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 4 H, 0 BB, 9 K

Lakins was dominant during his first outing of 2017. The 2015 sixth-round pick was roughed up in Salem in 2016 to the tune of a 5.93 ERA. He is already off to a much better start this year and is ranked 12th here at SoxProspects.com. On the most recent podcast, Ian Cundall and Chris Hatfield discussed Lakins and his injury from last year that may have contributed to his struggles.

Photo Credit: Rafael Devers by Kelly O'Connor

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