Fall/Winter League Roundup: Regular seasons wrapping up

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period from December 18 to December 25.

Dominican Baseball League

Red Sox did not see much action in the Dominican's final week of the regular season. Estrellas outfielder Aneury Tavarez was 3 for 8 with a double in three games, while his teammate, Chris Madera, was 1 for 3.

The league begins its four-team, round-robin semifinal playoff round this week. Roenis Elias (Aguilas) will be the only Red Sox player on a roster in the playoff's first week, at least, and likely going forward after the Estrellas missed the playoffs.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Velazquez debuts, Elias roughed up

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period from December 11 - December 17.

Dominican Baseball League

Roenis Elias was roughed up in his only start, allowing four runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings, with a three-run home run accounting for most of the damage. 

It was a light week for the offense, with Aneury Tavarez going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, and Chris Madera going 0 for 1 in his only plate appearance.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Boston finishes Venezuelan Development regular season on top

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period from December 4 - December 10.

Dominican Baseball League

As he has been all season long thus far, lefty Roenis Elias (pictured) was excellent. He started on Tuesday against Escogido and threw 6 2/3 innings striking out an impressive 8 while allowing 1 earned run on 5 hits and 1 walk. That outing lowered his season ERA to 1.89 and his WHIP to 1.05.

For Estrellas, Aneury Tavarez led off all 4 games this week and was solid. Overall, he was 5-for-18 with a double, triple, 2 runs, and an RBI. Chris Madera also pinch-hit in a couple games, going 1-for-3.

Venezuelan Professional Baseball League

Josh Smith was the only pitcher to see action this week in the VPBL. He had two appearances for Aragua - one good (2/3 innings with 1 hit) and one bad (1/3 inning, 1 walk, 1 earned run).

For the hitters, shortstop Deiner Lopez was the only hitter to start a game, appearing in 3 total, starting 1 and going 1-for-5 with a walk and 2 runs.

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Minor Notes: Post-season awards and roster retooling

It's been an unusual start to the offseason, with the hot stove barely smoldering through December's first week. After a brief autumn slumber, the SoxProspects.com Minor Notes returns with a recap of the events of the offseason thus far. 

• While the Houston Astros were dispatching the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Fall Classic, the fall and winter league schedules began to pick up. Our Fall & Winter League page gives the full rundown of the Red Sox scattered around the world tuning up for 2018, and the weekly Roundup delivers in-depth coverage and highlights. Some notable happenings:

• Michael Chavis continued his 2017 breakthrough campaign with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. The 2014 first-round pick was named a Fall Star, and also spent a good deal of time getting experience at first base, a position he had not previously played as a professional.

• Ty Buttrey also had a solid showing in Arizona, likely factoring strongly in the decision to add him to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft. 

• Chandler Shepherd (pictured), exclusively a reliever since being taken in the 2014 draft, has gotten work as a starter in the Mexican Pacific League. Like Buttrey, his winter league success likely was part of the consideration as he was added to the 40-man roster. 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: McGrath debuts, Jerez pitches well

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period from November 27 - December 3.

Dominican Baseball League

After debuting last week, Anuery Tavarez appeared in just two games this week. Without an official at-bat, Tavarez walked and scored a run. Chris Madera also saw limited action, appearing in three games and going 0 for 1. 

Roenis Elias was roughed up in his only start of the week, allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks in just 2 2/3 innings. Williams Jerez (pictured) had a better week, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless frames spanning three different appearances. He struck out two and walked one. 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Tavarez debuts, Elias pitches a gem

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period from November 20 - November 26.

Dominican Baseball League

Aneury Tavarez (pictured), who was re-signed to a minor league deal in October, made his debut for the Estrellas last week, going 0 for 6 over two games with two walks and three strikeouts. Chris Madera went 0 for 2 with a strikeout, and he now has only two hits over his last 14 at-bats. 

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Podcast Ep. #132: The cat is looking at me skeptically

Throughout the year, we get questions about who the Red Sox will protect from the Rule 5 Draft in the coming offseason. This week, we learned who those players are, so what better time to discuss? Why did the Red Sox protect Jalen Beeks, Ty Buttrey, and Chandler Shepherd? Listen and find out! Plus, the Arizona Fall League is over, so we recapped the fall campaigns of Michael Chavis, Henry Owens, and their compatriots on the league champion Peoria Javelinas. Finally, we mused about how Blake Swihart and Marco Hernandez might fit on the 2018 Red Sox roster.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Chavis helps Peoria to AFL Title

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period from November 13 - November 19.

Arizona Fall League

The breakout 2017 for Michael Chavis ended on a high note. The 2013 first-round pick got the start at first base and went 2 for 5 with a triple as Peoria took the Arizona Fall League championship in Saturday's final. Chavis played a key role in the final push. In the November 14th contest, Chavis raced to an inside-the-park homer when a pair of outfielders collided. He followed that up with a more traditional eighth-inning round tripper that took the defense out of equation. Chad De La Guerra went 3 for 10 with a pair of RBI in the final week, and Josh Tobias went 1 for 4 in a start last Monday. Neither De La Guerra or Tobias appeared in the championship.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Down fall week for Sox prospects

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period from November 6 - November 13.

Arizona Fall League

It was a tough week for Red Sox prospects in Arizona. Michael Chavis played in four games, getting time in at third base, first base, and DH. He only had three hits in 14 at-bats with a home run, three RBI, three walks, and six strikeouts. However, his numbers still remain solid on the season with a .263/.341/.447 line. Though unspectacular, that was the best hitting performance of the week as Chad De La Guerra managed two singles in eight at-bats and Josh Tobias went hitless in seven at-bats.

Bobby Poyner (pictured, right) was the lone pitching bright spot on the week, throwing a scoreless inning but allowing two hits. That was far better than Henry Owens, who gave up four earned runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 inning, taking the loss. Ty Buttrey gave up an earned run on three hits in an inning. Finally, Kevin McAvoy was the only pitcher to pitch in multiple games with a scoreless inning in the first outing but allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk over two innings while striking out a batter.

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Podcast Ep. #131.5: #Addendum

We recorded a podcast. Then the Red Sox went and did things that made the podcast old news before we even released it. So here is an addendum to our last episode, talking about the additions of Bryce Brentz and Williams Jerez to the 40-man roster; why Rusney Castillo might never see the majors under his current contract; and the Red Sox making some MLB coaching hires, including a few with ties to the farm system. Chris also opened the show with a few words about the passing of 17-year-old Daniel Flores.

Listen In!

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SoxProspects.com mourns the passing of Daniel Flores

The owners and staff here at SoxProspects.com were deeply saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Daniel Flores today due to complications during treatment for cancer. We send our sincere condolences to Daniel's family and those in the Red Sox organization who had the opportunity to get to know this 17-year-old young man.

We here at SoxProspects contribute to the website because we love what we do. Getting to follow the journeys of the players who enter the system as they strive to become major leaguers is one of the best parts of the job. Flores, a catcher signed this past July out of Nueva Esparta, Venezuela, certainly held great promise on the field based on reports—as much as any addition to the farm system in recent memory. We eagerly looked forward to seeing him play for the first time this spring. However, on-field prowess is beside the point in a situation such as this—the tragedy of a young life cut short much too soon puts the game on the field into perspective.

Rest in peace, Daniel.

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Fall/Winter Roundup: Travis, Marrero injured, Chavis appears in AFL all-star game

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period from October 30-November 5.

Arizona Fall League

Michael Chavis appeared in the AFL Fall Stars game, batting third and playing third base for the West, who lost the game 4-2. Chavis went 0 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts and a walk. In three other games for Peoria last week, Chavis went 3 for 10 with a double, a triple, two RBI, two runs, and just one strikeout. After debuting at first base a couple weeks ago, Chavis continued to play there, starting back-to-back games at first on Wednesday and Thursday. In two games, Chad De La Guerra went just 1 for 9 and Josh Tobias went 2 for 7 with three RBI, three runs, two walks, and one strikeout.

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Podcast Ep. #131: #BlameHatfield

Chris and Ian are back to wrap up the 2017 season and look ahead to 2018. In news, the club signed some minor league free agents and the major league club got a new manager. How might those events trickle down to other players and coaches in the system? Is Bryce Brentz coming back? Is Carlos Febles moving up to the majors? (As it turned out, the answer to both was "yes.") Plus, the fall and winter leagues are up and running, so we're due for an update. Wrapping up the 2017 season, the guys discussed some season-end awards and the site's official season-end rankings.

Listen In!

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Fall/Winter Roundup: Chavis named Fall Star; Brentz mashes

This continues our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period of October 23-29.

Arizona Fall League

Michael Chavis continued to make hard contact, delivering a solo home run as part of Peoria's 17-hit barrage on the 23rd. More important than his 3-for-17 offensive week was his spot on the field. The 2014 first-round pick got the first two starts of his career at first base. Chavis played first on both Monday and Thursday, making an error there in the latter contest. The continued strong play has earned Chavis a spot in the league's Fall Star game when rosters were announced Monday afternoon. Unlike most regular season leagues, the AFL takes prospect status into account when selecting its All-Star teams. Chavis hit .282/.347/.563 between High A Salem and Double-A Portland, blasting 31 homers on the year.

Peoria also got boosts from Josh Tobias (4 for 8) and Chad De La Guerra (3 for 7).

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Fall/Winter Roundup: Chavis and Swihart start off strong

This is the first in our series of weekly roundups of the Fall/Winter Leagues. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period of October 9-22.

Arizona Fall League

With 10 games in the books, the Peoria Javelinas are in first place in the Arizona Fall League West division with a 6-4 record. Michael Chavis (pictured) is the highest ranked player of the seven Red Sox prospects that are on the team, and he has impressed over the first two weeks. Chavis is currently batting .314/.351/.429 over 35 at-bats, with two walks and six strikeouts. Daren Willman, the Director of Baseball Research & Development for MLB, tweeted that Chavis has recorded two of the four highest exit velocities so far in Arizona, with his hardest hit coming in at 113.5 mph. 

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2017 SoxProspects.com All-Stars

As the Red Sox look back on clinching a playoff berth for the second consecutive season, the roster is a clear indication of the value the franchise has gotten from its farm system in recent years. Eight of the nine regular starters in the lineup made their major league debuts with Boston, and its top two starters were both acquired in 2016 in deals included a trio of top prospects. Highlighted by current major league third baseman and graduated top prospect Rafael Devers, we present the 2017 SoxProspects.com All-Star selections:

Catcher: Roldani Baldwin

A year after struggling with an aggressive placement at Greenville in 2017, the 21-year-old returned to the South Atlantic League to have a breakthrough season. Baldwin tied for the organization lead with 35 doubles, and he blasted 14 homers after totaling only 11 in his first three pro seasons. The Dominican product also spent the season as a full-time backstop after previously splitting times between catcher and third base, throwing out 33% of potential base stealers. Baldwin also earned recognition as South Atlantic League All-Star for his .274/.310/.489 campaign.

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SoxProspects.com 2017 season-end award winners

After having arguably the top farm system in baseball in 2016, a combination of trades and graduations has the Red Sox sitting more in the middle of the pack for 2017. With Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers contributing to Boston's American League East title, the top two prospects entering the season did their part, but a few of the other players who started the year in the top 10 saw their season get derailed by injuries. There were several bright spots on the farm this year, with none being brighter than Breakout Player of the Year Michael Chavis.

Player of the Year: Rafael Devers
Devers entered the year ranked second in the system behind Andrew Benintendi, and the 20-year-old phenom did nothing but impress as he worked his way up to the big leagues. Starting the year in Portland, where he was the youngest player in the Eastern League, Devers mashed to the tune of .300/.369/.575 over 77 games. He was called up to Pawtucket, and after going 14 for 35 with two home runs, he was called up to Boston to fix the big issues Boston was having at third base. Devers proved to be exactly what Boston needed, batting .268/.319/.449 in 52 games. His strikeout rate was a tad high and his walk rate was a bit low, but very few, if any, people his age can come up to the major leagues and provide above-average offense. The one area that remained a weak spot for Devers is his defense, as he committed 12 errors in only 58 games in Boston after committing 16 in 86 games in the minors.

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Minor Notes: Chavis, Beeks, others nab year-end honors

Here are this week's minor league notes:

• The Red Sox announced their year-end minor league award winners. Michael Chavis (pictured) was named the system's minor league offensive player of the year, backed by his 31 home runs on the season. Between Salem and Portland, Chavis bounced back in a big way from last season, finishing with a .282/.347/.563 slash line. Jalen Beeks was named Red Sox minor league pitcher of the year, finishing with a record of 11-8 with a 3.29 ERA between Portland and Pawtucket. In 145 IP, Beeks struck out 155 and walked 55.
• In other categories, Austin Rei was named the defensive player of the year. Tate Matheny was named the system's baserunner of the year. Keibert Petit was named the Latin Program offensive player of the year, while Luis Rivero was named that program's pitcher of the year.

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Minor Notes: Greenville wins SAL championship

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• The Greenville Drive took home their first ever South Atlantic League championship on Thursday night, defeating the Kannapolis Intimidators three games to one. Brett Netzer(pictured) had a huge series, going 7 for 15 with three doubles, three walks, and seven RBI. Jhonathan Diaz delivered the best start of the series in game two, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings in a 2-0 Drive victory. 
• Kate Bramson of the Providence Journal details a lengthy first hearing on the potential new PawSox stadium. The Senate Finance Committee has six hearings scheduled, including presentations by the state and city leaders.
  

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Cup of Coffee: Drive capture South Atlantic League title

9/16 Cup of Coffee: Brett Netzer and a lights-out effort from the bullpen guided Greenville to a South Atlantic League Championship. They took the series from Kannapolis three games to one to win their first SAL title.

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Greenville Drive 8, Kannapolis Intimidators (CWS) 3

The Drive capitalized on a key error in the first inning to put up a crooked number right away. After consecutive singles from Brett Netzer and Roldani Baldwin, Bobby Dalbec roped an RBI double to right. With two down, Tyler Hill reached on an error that cost Kannapolis two more runs. The Intimidators chipped away at Greenville starter Hildemaro Requena, who allowed three runs on nine hits, including two solo shots, in 4 2/3 innings. In the sixth, Greenville pulled away and never looked back. Netzer delivered the nail in the coffin with a two-out, three-run double to make the score 8-3. Jagger Rusconi also had an RBI knock in the frame.

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Cup of Coffee: Mata starts strong before dropping game three

9/15 Cup of Coffee: Things were looking up early in Greenville's attempt to sweep its way to its first ever South Atlantic League Title. Unfortunately, a tough fifth inning helped knock off the Drive, whose series lead was cut to two games to one.

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Kannapolis Intimidators (CWS) 5, Greenville Drive 4

It was a disappointing result for the Drive, who had the sweep and the South Atlantic League title clearly in their sights after right fielder Ryan Scott blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, giving them a 2-1 lead. Bryan Mata, the 18-year-old phenom had been very strong up to that point, allowing only one run in four innings, striking out four against one walk. However, things turned on Mata and the Drive in the fifth. After the first batter was retired, three hits and an ill-advised throw on a fielder's choice gave the Intimidators a lead they would not relinquish, knocking Mata out of the game.

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Minor Notes: Playoffs, Otani, and winter leagues

Here are Thursday's minor league notes:

• The minor league seasons are winding down, but SoxProspects.com's coverage is not. Director of Scouting Ian Cundall was busy with two new editions of Scouting Scratch. The first covered some quick hitters from Lowell. His write-up featured four 2017 draft picks including two hitters in third baseman Michael Osinski and outfielder Marino Campana and two pitchers with lefty Dominic LoBrutto and righty Taylor Ahearn.
• 
  Continuing the trend of 2017 picks, Ian's second Scouting Scratch covered the Red Sox's first round pick, Lowell right hander Tanner Houck (pictured, right). Ian has now had the chance to see Houck three times, and his update after his penultimate start of the season was promising.
• The podcast team took to the air earlier this week to discuss the minor league playoff teams, September rankings, and major and minor league call-ups. Within the episode, Chris gets fired up about outfielder Bryce Brentz. Listen to find out why.

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Scouting Scratch: Tanner Houck

First-round pick Tanner Houck had an up and down first pro season with Lowell. He threw 22 1/3 innings, allowing 21 hits and walking eight while striking out 25, good for a 3.63 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. I had the chance to see Houck three times earlier in the season and wrote about it in an earlier Scouting Scratch. Recently, I caught his penultimate start. In that two-inning outing, in the first inning he showed the potential premium stuff that led the Red Sox to take him 24th overall before running into trouble in his second inning, albeit as a result of some poor defense. 

Houck hasn’t altered his delivery since he entered the organization, starting on the first base side before stepping towards the third base dugout and coming across his body. While the delivery isn’t what you look for in a starter, he repeats it well and more importantly is comfortable with it. It is off-putting, especially for right-handed hitters. When he’s keeping the ball down, he will generate a lot of weak contact on the ground. 

In the first inning of this start, he showed all three of his pitches and showed a much-improved changeup compared to earlier in the season to compliment his fastball and slider. His low arm slot does give left-handers a good look at the ball, making development of his changeup a key for him to stick as a starter long term.

In the first inning, Houck sat 93-94 mph with his fastball. The pitch showed life and sink and elicited two swinging strikes, one against a righty and one against a lefty. He threw seven of his eight fastballs for strikes and commanded the offering down in the zone, overwhelming the Staten Island hitters. 

Houck mixed in both his secondary pitches as well, both to great effect. His threw his slider 80-82 mph, slower than earlier in the year, but it had more depth and tilt. The pitch was still sweepy and at times later in the outing he got on the side of it, but it flashed above-average potential. 

The improvement on his changeup was most encouraging, as he showed more feel than earlier in the season. He had rarely mixed the pitch in early in the year, but on this occasion he showed confidence in the pitch and threw it with deceptive arm speed. It was especially effective against left-handed hitters, eliciting a pair of swinging strikes on changeups that showed late fade, falling off the table down and out of the zone, away from the hitter’s swing path. 

While Houck dominated in the first inning, flashing three above-average pitches and the ability to control all of them and locate down in the zone, he ran into trouble in the second and his stuff wasn’t as crisp. The inning was lengthened by two defensive misplays, most notably an error by the third baseman on a potential double play ball that could have ended the inning, but Houck’s fastball velocity took a slight tick down to 91-93 mph, and it lacked the finish it had in the first inning. He struggled to locate the pitch and left a few up in the zone, where the pitch flattened out. 

Houck’s secondary pitches also came and went more in the second inning. He threw a few average-to-better ones, but also some below-average ones, including getting on the side of his slider. 

Even though the second inning wasn’t as good as the first, this was still the best Houck’s stuff had looked overall. In other outings, his velocity was higher, but on this day he showed the ability to locate his fastball at 93-94 mph with sink, and if he can comfortably pitch at that velocity it will give hitters a lot of trouble. Similarly, if he can continue to refine his changeup and improve his consistency with both his secondary offerings, it will go a long way to alleviating concerns that he is a potential bullpen arm long-term.

Photo credit: Tanner Houck by Kelly O'Connor

Ian Cundall is Director of Scouting for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @IanCundall.

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Cup of Coffee: Diaz and Smith combine on a three-hit shutout

9/14 Cup of Coffee: Another tremendous pitching performance, this time led by Jhonathan Diaz, moved the Drive to within one win of their first South Atlantic League title in team history. 

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Greenville Drive 2, Kannapolis Intimidators (CWS) 0 (Game 2, Best of 5)

Jhonathan Diaz pitched the Drive to a 2-0 series lead with 6 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits, both singles, and walked one while striking out seven. Hunter Smith came on in relief and allowed one hit over 2 2/3 shutout innings.

Greenville managed only six hits, with a solo home run from Roldani Baldwin (pictured) being the biggest. Brett Netzer went 2 for 4 with an RBI single, and Jerry Downs went 2 for 4 as the designated hitter. 

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Cup of Coffee: Dalbec, Espinal lift Greenville in wild Game 1 victory

9/13 Cup of Coffee: It took 13 innings, but a 17-hit attack and some clutch hitting from Bobby Dalbec (pictured) gave the Greenville Drive a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five South Atlantic League Championship Series.

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Greenville Drive 8, Kannapolis Intimidators (CWS) 7 (13 inn., Game 1)

In a wild, back-and-forth affair, Bobby Dalbec twice provided go-head hits for the Drive in the eighth and 13th innings. An error by Kannapolis provided the crucial insurance run as a wild Joan Martinez was able to survive a pair of wild pitches in the bottom of the 13th to secure the save.

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Podcast Ep. #130: Lots of stuff about error bars

September brings us minor league playoffs, September call-ups in both the majors and minors, and of course, a new set of rankings. Who's fueling the Greenville Drive's playoff run? Why is Chris so fired up about Bryce Brentz? Who did Ian try to rank much higher than the other brass members? Listen and find out!

Click through for show notes, links, and in-site player.

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Cup of Coffee: Greenville rained out, pausing title chase

9/12 Cup of Coffee: Game one of the South Atlantic League Championship Series between Greenville and the Kannapolis Intimidators (CWS) was postponed by rain. The two squads will try once again to kick off their best-of-three series in Kannapolis on Tuesday, with game two sliding into Wednesday's scheduled off day. Jhonathan Diaz remains scheduled to take the mound in the opener for the Drive. 

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Minor Notes: Regular season ends, Greenville advances in postseason

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• In the most recent Scouting Scratch, Director of Scouting Ian Cundall analyzes a couple of Boston's depth pieces in first baseman Sam Travis and right-hander Justin Haley. Travis has suffered from a lack of power this season, hitting .270/.351/.375 in Pawtucket and .306/.393/.429 in 22 games in Boston. Since returning to the Red Sox organization, Haley has pitched to a 2.66 ERA in seven starts but doesn't profile as a major league starter.

• The minor league regular season ended earlier in the week and the Greenville Drive is the only Red Sox affiliate still active. In their most recent game, the Drive shut out Charleston to win the best-of-three series. Greenville will begin a best-of-five series against Kannapolis on Monday as they compete in the South Atlantic League Finals. 

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Scouting Scratch: Quick-hitters from Lowell

Although he has struggled in the second half of his first professional experience, Michael Osinski has been one of the better hitters in the Lowell lineup. As of September 6, Osinski has hit .259/.328/.348 in 177 plate appearances (including three games in the Gulf Coast League before a quick promotion to Lowell). He came out of the gates quickly, hitting .341/.385/.427 in his first 23 professional games, but from August 5 to September 5, he scuffled to a .171/.267/.263 line in 20 games.

Osinski was selected in the 31st round in this year’s draft out of Longwood University—from where the Red Sox previously drafted outfielder Kyri Washington in 2015—and signed for a $25,000 bonus. A shortstop in college, the 6-2, 195 pound Osinski has split time between third base and shortstop since he signed, playing 18 games at third and 13 at short. Long-term, Osinski is unlikely to stick at shortstop, as he is a fringe athlete, a below-average runner, and lacks the fluidity or range to play up the middle. At third base, Osinski has a below-average arm and his footwork is poor. He has struggled with the move as a result, making eight errors and posting just a .822 fielding percentage. 

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Cup of Coffee: Requena leads Greenville to the finals

9/10 Cup of Coffee: The Drive made sure the minor league season would go a little longer for the Red Sox affiliates, winning the clinching game of their series with Charleston.

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Greenville Drive 5 Charleston RiverDogs (NYY) 0 (Game 3, Best of 3)
The Drive won the Southern Division title, beating the River Dogs in the decisive game of the best-of-three series. They now move on to play the Kannapolis Intimidators (CWS) for the South Atlantic League championship.

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Cup of Coffee: Mata pitches well in loss

9/9 Cup of Coffee: The Drive continued their playoff series with Charleston, taking the loss to force a Game three that will be played tonight. Bryan Mata (pictured) pitched very well for Greenville and Brett Netzer grabbed two hits.

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Charleston RiverDogs (NYY) 2, Greenville Drive 1

The Southern Division Championship was evened at one, as the Drive offense wasn't able to come through with runners in scoring position, going 0 for 9 with RISP. Brett Netzer and Pedro Castellanos each had two-hit nights, with Netzer ripping a double. Jerry Downs drove in the lone run with a ground out in the eighth inning that scored Netzer, who doubled to open the frame. 

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Cup of Coffee: Ahearn pitches in during Spinners split

9/8 Cup of Coffee: It was the final day of the 2017 regular season, with only the Short Season-A Lowell Spinners still in action. They closed by winning in the completion of Wednesday's rain-shortened affair, followed by dropping the regularly scheduled season finale. Greenville, the only Sox affiliate remaining in the playoffs, resumes its series against Charleston on Friday. 

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Lowell Spinners 1, Vermont Lake Monsters (OAK) 0, Game 1

The two teams matched zeroes for eight and a half innings in a contest the was halted by rain in the second inning on Wednesday. The game winning rally came with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, as Juan Barriento singled and came around to score on the rare walk-off triple by Michael Osinski. After Nick Duron went the first two innings, Taylor Ahearn (pictured) entered when play resumed Thursday. Ahearn was excellent, scattering three hits across five innings, striking out four. Ryan Oduber went the final two innings to get credit for the win.

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Scouting Scratch: Sam Travis and Justin Haley

Coming off an ACL tear that ended his 2016 season early, first baseman Sam Travis sought to reestablish himself as a potential first baseman of the future for the Red Sox this year. With the team only signing Mitch Moreland to a one-year deal, Travis could claim the first base job entering 2018 with a good, healthy season. Unfortunately, the 2017 season hasn’t gone according to plan—Travis did receive his first big league call up in May, but he has been unable to answer the biggest question mark in his game: his lack of power. 

For the season, Travis has six home runs and 14 doubles in 342 plate appearances in Pawtucket, good for a .375 slugging percentage to go along with a .270 average and .351 on-base percentage. Over his most recent stint in Pawtucket, from July 18 through the end of August, his lack of power was even more glaring, as he managed just five extra-base hits—two doubles and one home run—in 160 plate appearances, good for a .338 slugging percentage and .065 isolated power mark. 

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Cup of Coffee: Hernandez leads Greenville to series lead

9/7 Cup of Coffee: Seven strong innings from Darwinzon Hernandez (pictured), and home runs from Roldani Baldwin and Tucker Tubbs pushed the Drive past the RiverDogs in the opening game of their playoff series, while the Spinners game was suspended due to rain.

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Greenville Drive 4, Charleston RiverDogs (NYY) 1 (Game 1, Best of 3)
Darwinzon Hernandez struck out six and allowed only two hits as he tossed seven innings of one-run ball. The lone blemish was a solo home run that gave the RiverDogs the lead in the sixth, but the Drive answered with RBI singles from Tucker Tubbs and Jagger Rusconi to take the lead in the seventh. Home runs from Tubbs and Roldani Baldwin extended the lead, and Joan Martinez shut the door with two scoreless innings of relief.

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Cup of Coffee: Lozada, O'Linger carry Lowell to win

9/6 Cup of Coffee: With Greenville laying in wait for the playoffs begin, the Spinners were the only affiliate in action as the minor league season draws to a close. In his second game with Lowell, Everlouis Lozada paced the offense, while the Spinners pitching also impressed.

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Lowell Spinners 3, Hudson Valley Renegades (TB) 2

The Spinners rallied late to snatch a win to cap their second-to-last series of the season. Everlouis Loazada impressed in his second game with Lowell, going 3 for 5 with the game-tying RBI single in the seventh. Alexander Martinez drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth on an RBI groundout. Cole Brannen added an RBI triple, going 1 for 2 with a pair of walks. It had been a frustrating night at the dish until taking the lead, as the Spinners left 11 men on base and went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

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Minor Notes: Rosters expand, minor league playoffs set to begin

Here are Tuesday's minor league notes:

• With rosters expanding on September 1, the Red Sox recalled Blake Swihart (pictured, right), Sam Travis, Austin Maddox, Tzu-Wei Lin, Deven Marrero, Hector Velazquez, and Roenis Elias from Pawtucket. They now have 35 players on the active roster.

• Elias is the only player to not appear in a game for Boston already this season, as he missed the first month of the season with an intercostal strain and then missed another two months with a rib injury. 

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Cup of Coffee: Dalbec helps Greenville cap record-setting season

9/5 Cup of Coffee: Another regular season has come to an end for all of Boston's affiliates with the exception of Lowell. The only squad to qualify for the playoffs also picked up the only win on the day. Greenville was powered by Bobby Dalbec (pictured) and a lineup that ripped 15 hits in its final tuneup for the South Atlantic League playoffs. Pawtucket, Portland, and Salem limped into the offseason with losses, and Lowell continues to struggle, getting swept in a doubleheader by Hudson Valley.

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Rochester Red Wings (MIN) 10, Pawtucket Red Sox 1

A depleted PawSox roster was little match for the Red Wings. Jalen Beeks closed out his regular season by allowing four runs on six hits in 4 2/3. Brian Bogusevic picked up three hits in the loss, and Ryan Court finished the season with his 21st double.

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Cup of Coffee: Dominguez rips two homers, Kendrick dominates

9/4 Cup of Coffee: Weather hampered the last Sunday of the minor league season for Red Sox affiliates as Portland and Lowell were rained out. The PawSox handily beat Rochester thanks to a huge game by Matt Dominguez (pictured) and six shutout frames by Kyle Kendrick. Salem lost in a pitching duel despite a strong performance by Logan Boyd. Starter Jhonathan Diaz had a tough start in a loss for Greenville. 

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Pawtucket Red Sox 7, Rochester Red Wings (MIN) 2

Starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick was dealing on Sunday night, throwing six shutout innings with three hits and no walks allowed. Carson Smith threw a scoreless 1/3 of an inning then Chandler Shepherd gave up two runs in 1 2/3 frames of relief. Williams Jerez closed it out with a shutout inning, striking out one. Third baseman Matt Dominguez led the charge on offense, going 3 for 5 with two homers and three RBI. Bryce Brentz went 2 for 5 and clocked his 31st home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth. 

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Cup of Coffee: Barfield lights up Triple-A debut

9/3 Cup of Coffee: Jeremy Barfield hit the ground running after his promotion to Pawtucket with a huge night at the plate. The Sea Dogs won in dramatic fashion thanks to Mike Olt. Salem got a sparkling start from Daniel Gonzalez en route to a win.

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Pawtucket Red Sox 5, Rochester Red Wings (MIN) 3

The PawSox erased an early 3-0 deficit thanks in part to a Triple-A debut to remember from Jeremy Barfield. The 29-year-old right fielder went 4 for 5 with his first Triple-A home run and two runs scored. Dan Butler also drove in a pair on a two-run double. Edgar Olmos earned his ninth win of the season with 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed three hits, walked two and struck out four. Hector Velazquez pitched one inning to start the game in anticipation of his likely promotion back to Boston.

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Cup of Coffee: Barfield, Ball lead Portland to win

9/2 Cup of Coffee: Jeremy Barfield (pictured) produced another big night offensively, blasting a home run and a double in Portland's win.  Tzu-Wei Lin had a nice game before his call up, and Trey Ball pitched well en route to his seventh win.

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Rochester Red Wings (MIN) 6, Pawtucket Red Sox 4

Brian Johnson had a rough outing, allowing five earned runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked one during his fourth loss of the year. Kyle Martin struggled a bit with control, walking three, but limiting the damage to one run in his two innings. Brian Bogusevic had a big night, going 2 for 5 with his 12th home run and three RBI. Matt Dominguez also went 2 for 5 with his 14th home run. Tzu-Wei Lin went 1 for 3 with a pair of walks before being recalled to Boston after the game.

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Portland Sea Dogs 7, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 2

Trey Ball struck out just one batter in six innings, but still managed to allow just two runs on four hits as he picked up his seventh win. Jacob Dahlstrand tossed two scoreless innings and Trevor Kelley finished it off with a shutout frame. Jeremy Barfield led the way, belting a three-run homer, his 27th of the season, as part of a 2-for-4 night. Henry Urrutia also had a nice game, going 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Jordan Procyshen laced a two-run double as well.

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Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) @ Salem Red Sox; PPD (rain)

Salem was postponed due to rain, but Frederick won again last night, meaning Salem has fallen two-and-a-half games behind. Salem has just four games left, as the makeup game will be played as part of a doubleheader on Sunday.

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Asheville Tourists (COL) 4, Greenville Drive 2

Darwinzon Hernandez struggled, surrendering four runs on eight hits in just four innings, pushing his ERA over four. The bullpen kept the Drive in the game, as Robby Sexton and Jared Oliver each tossed two shutout innings, with Sexton punching out three. Jerry Downs went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI, and Carlos Tovar had two hits including a double out of the leadoff spot.

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Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 2, Lowell Spinners 1

The Lowell bats couldn't get anything going with runners in scoring position, going just 1 for 10 with RISP and leaving 14 runners on base. Tanner Nishioka was the highlight offensively, going 3 for 4 with a double and a stolen base. Nick Duron was solid, allowing just two runs in five innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Mitchell Osnowitz also pitched very well in relief, not allowing a run in three innings with four punch outs.

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GCL Red Sox 5, GCL Twins 4

In game one, the Sox walked off with two runs on the bottom of the ninth, with the tying run scoring on a bases-loaded walk and the winning run scoring on a wild pitch. Pedro Castellanos went 1 for 2 with a double and a walk and Eddy Reynoso went 1 for 3 with a double. Fernando Rodriguez started and threw two shutout innings. Victor Garcia got a blown save and the win, striking out seven and allowing three runs in four innings.

GCL Twins 9, GCL Red Sox 1

The Sox were blown out in game two, as Edilson Bautista allowing nine runs (five earned) on eight hits, three walks, and just one strikeout in 2 2/3 innings. Hunter Haworth was much better, firing 3 1/3 shutout frames with six strikeouts, no walks, and no hits allowed. Ricardo Cubillan had the only hit for the Sox, a single.

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Player of the Night: Jeremy Barfield homered for the third consecutive game to give him 27 on the season now. Barfield has been incredible for Portland, as his 27 long balls have come in just 92 games and 384 plate appearances. The 29-year old has been a great story this year, signing a contract with Boston in May after playing Independent ball.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Barfield by Kelly O'Connor 

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Cup of Coffee: Requena extends scoreless streak to 28 innings

9/1 Cup of Coffee: Pitching was the story on Thursday, and the highlight was the continued excellence of Hildemaro Requena (pictured). The Venezuelan right-hander likely closed the book on his regular season with by extending his shutout innings streak to 28. Justin Haley also continues his run of excellent pitching since rejoining the organization, while Durin O'Linger had a strong outing in the nightcap of the Lowell doubleheader. 

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 2

Justin Haley turned in another quality start, allowing just one run on four hits in seven inning, striking out four. Haley has quality starts in six of his seven outings since being returned from the Minnesota Twins, and he sports a 2.66 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with the PawSox. Buffalo reached rehabbing Carson Smith for three runs in the eighth inning in one of Smith's final tune-ups before returning to the major league club. At the plate, Jantzen Witte doubled twice as part of a 3-for-4 effort.

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Podcast Ep. #129: I've had a long, weird day

With the calendar turning to September and the minor league season about to wrap up, Chris and Ian discussed the news and took a bunch of your questions! The Arizona Fall League rosters have been released, and the Red Sox are sending an interesting crew into the desert in October. The news highlights included Jay Groome's season ending with an injury, the in-game debut of a 2017 draftee and the on-mound debut of another, and a few transactions of note. And finally, you came through with an 80-grade set of mailbag questions. Why doesn't raw power always actualize in games? Might Mookie Betts ever move back to second base? Where would Blake Swihart rank if he were still eligible for the site rankings? The answers to these and more await!

Click through for show notes and download links!

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Minor Notes: Chavis, six others headed to AFL

Here are Thursday's minor league notes:

• The 2017 Arizona Fall League rosters have been announced, with seven members of the Red Sox set to play for the Peoria Javelinas. They will send infielders Michael Chavis, Josh Tobias, and Chad De La Guerra, and pitchers Brian Johnson, Henry Owens, Ty Buttrey, and Bobby Poyner. Former Red Sox prospect Javier Guerra will also play with the Javelinas. 
• Alex Speier of the Boston Globe wrote more on the Sox' AFL players, including a note that Chavis will see time at first base. Johnson, who will be out of options next season, will pitch in a bullpen role, although he will be stretched out as a starter next spring.

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Cup of Coffee: Chavis hits 30th home run, Mata strikes out seven

8/31 Cup of Coffee: The DSL Red Sox season came to an end after they dropped the deciding game of a three-game series to the Dodgers. Michael Chavis launched his 30th home run of the year for the Sea Dogs. Sam Travis and Bobby Dalbec also went deep, and Tucker Tubbs (pictured) launched two home runs for the Drive. The home runs from Dalbec and Tubbs were more than enough for Bryan Mata, who was on top of his game on Wednesday. 

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Pawtucket Red Sox 7, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 5 (12 innings)
A strong night from Sam Travis powered the PawSox. Travis went 3 for 5 with a double, home run, and walk, and also added a stolen base. The first baseman entered the night with only three extra-base hits in 37 games since being optioned down to Pawtucket on July 19. Deven Marrero went 3 for 6 with a double and his first stolen base of the year, and Matt Dominguez went 2 for 5 with a walk.

Roenis Elias pitched the first inning and held the Bisons scoreless, but he did not come back out for the second. There is no word as to why he left the game. Shawn Haviland surrendered three runs in his five innings of long relief, and Chandler Shepherd earned the victory with four scoreless innings.

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Cup of Coffee: Diaz, Scott carry Greenville to dramatic win

8/30 Cup of Coffee: The Drive had a flair for the dramatic to push the team's win streak to six games thanks to stellar pitching from Jhonathan Diaz and a walk-off hit by Ryan Scott (pictured). The PawSox couldn't provide any offensive support for Jalen Beeks. Logan Boyd pitched a quality start in a loss for Salem. The DSL team staved off playoff elimination - but only thanks to Mother Nature. 

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 0

The bats fell silent for the PawSox, as they could not support Jalen Beeks. The lefty fell to 6-6 in Triple-A, giving up four runs on seven hits - including a two-run home run - in five innings of work. He also walked four, threw a pair of wild pitches and struck out four. Bryce Brentz went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts. Brian Bogusevic hit the only extra-base hit of the game for the PawSox, going 1 for 3 with a double.

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Cup of Coffee: DSL Sox fall in opener; Ockimey keeps rolling

8/29 Cup of Coffee: The post-season kicked off in the Dominican Summer League, and the DSL Red Sox defense of its 2016 championship got off to a rough start with a loss in Game One. A quartet of PawSox arms combined for that squad's second straight shutout, while Portland failed to score despite the efforts of Josh Ockimey (pictured).

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Pawtucket Red Sox 2, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 0

Kyle Kendrick and a trio of relievers held the Bisons to four hits as the PawSox completed their second straight shutout win. Kendrick went the first six frames, allowing just three hits and striking out two without walking a batter. The veteran righty got off to a tough start to the 2017 regular season after an impressive spring training, but he's been excellent in the second half, posting a 2.31 ERA since the All-Star break. Carson Smith and Ben Taylor each fired scoreless innings as part of rehab stints, and Austin Maddox finished the shutout. Ryan Court led the offense, going 3 for 4 with a double.

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Minor Notes: September call-ups, minor league playoffs loom

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• SoxProspects Director of Scouting Ian Cundall posted his latest Scouting Scratch, taking an in-depth look at a couple PawSox players that could get a cup of coffee with the big league squad when rosters expand in September: pitcher Jalen Beeks and outfielder Bryce Brentz.
• Staff Writer Nick Rabasco got a look at Trey Ball in Portland in what has been an up-and-down season for the former seventh-overall draft pick.
• The Sea Dogs announced on Friday that Jeremy Barfield and Danny Mars were named to the Eastern League Season Ending All-Star Team. The team is voted on by Eastern League managers, coaches and media personnel.

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Notes from the Field: Trey Ball

PORTLAND, Me. -- On July 19, SoxProspects.com Director of Scouting Ian Cundall wrote about what he saw from left-hander Trey Ball’s (pictured) start on July 7. Ball turned in one of the best starts of his career in that outing, allowing one run on three hits in seven innings with no walks and seven strikeouts. What stood out in Cundall’s Scouting Scratch to me was that Ball relied heavily on his slider and induced many swinging strikes with the offering. It was more of the same in Ball’s latest dominant outing, which came on August 17.

During the afternoon tilt against the Altoona Curve, Pittsburgh’s Double-A affiliate, Ball tossed seven scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and one walk with nine strikeouts. He was aggressive from the start, using his fastball to get ahead in the count. Overall, he faced 23 batters and threw a first-pitch strike to 12 of them (52%). That’s not a particularly high percentage, but the first four batters of the game looked at a fastball for strike one. Ball’s approach early in the count was a bit different than his July 7 start, when he had used his heater to get ahead. In this start, his slider was mainly used in two-strike counts.

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Cup of Coffee: Velazquez allows one hit over seven innings

8/28 Cup of Coffee: The Red Sox affiliates received some strong pitching throughout the system. Hector Velazquez (pictured) tossed seven shutout innings in a win for the PawSox. Portland and Salem were unable to pick up wins despite a solid start from Trey Ball and a dominant one by Mike Shawaryn. Enmanuel De Jesus pitched a good game for Greenville, who won in the eleventh inning. Nick Duron and Duran O'Linger allowed only one run in a win for Lowell.

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Pawtucket Red Sox 3, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 0

Hector Velazquez was masterful on Sunday afternoon, tossing seven shutout frames and allowing just a hit and a walk. Edgar Olmos was just as dominant in relief, throwing two no-hit innings with five strikeouts. All three of Pawtucket's runs came via a three-run homer by Tzu-Wei Lin in the seventh inning. Mike Miller was 2 for 3 with a double and a run.

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Cup of Coffee: Pitching dominates, DSL Red Sox clinch playoff berth

8/27 Cup of Coffee: Pitching dominated the story line again on Saturday, as Brian Johnson (pictured), Daniel Gonzalez, Darwinzon Hernandez, and Rayniel Moreno all went at least six innings and gave up a combined four runs. Portland had a big day at the plate, posting nine runs in their victory.

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 3, Pawtucket Red Sox 0

Brian Johnson put together another great outing, but the offense couldn't back him, as they got shut out on only four hits. Johnson went seven strong, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk while striking out three. Carson Smith pitched a clean inning of relief in his continued rehab assignment.

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Portland Sea Dogs 9, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 5

The Sea Dogs were locked into a tie game before pulling away with four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Danny Mars had a big day from the leadoff spot, going 3 for 4 with a double, scoring three runs and knocking one in. Josh Ockimey and Chad De La Guerra both had two doubles, with De La Guerra providing four RBI. Dedgar Jimenez provided 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs. Trevor Kelley came away with 2 2/3 scoreless innings with only one hit but did allow two inherited runners to score.

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Cup of Coffee: Houck, Reyes lead Lowell to victory

8/26 Cup of Coffee: Terrific pitching was a common theme throughout the system, highlighted by Hildemaro Requena (pictured) grabbing his 10th victory. Tanner Houck and Denyi Reyes were also tremendous in an extra-innings win for Lowell. 

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Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 3

The PawSox let a 3-0 lead slip away, as Williams Jerez lost his control in the seventh with five walks. He finished with an odd line, giving up two runs (none earned) on no hits, five walks, and two strikeouts. Justin Haley started and pitched pretty well, allowing just two runs in 5 1/3 with six strikeouts and one walk. Ben Taylor and Chandler Shepherd each tossed a scoreless frame with two strikeouts. Brian Bogusevic and Matt Dominguez each went 3 for 5, with Bogusevic roping a pair of doubles. Jake Romanski and Tzu-Wei Lin added RBI singles.

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