Minor Notes: Cuevas gets the call, Chavis continues to mash

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• Ian Cundall, Director of Scouting for SoxProspects.com, and Chris Hatfield, Executive Editor of SoxProspects.com, caught up on our latest podcast -- despite Cundall's silent protest -- on the Ian Kinsler trade, recent promotions, our August rankings and what exactly is a prospect? Be sure to give it a listen.   
• Cundall also recently updated the scouting reports on Greenville right-hander Eduardo Bazardo, Lowell outfielders Tyler Dearden and Tyler Esplin, and Lowell infielder Andre Colon. Check them out by clicking here. 
• William Cuevas (pictured, top left) earned a quick promotion on Saturday, tossing an inning of relief in Boston's second game of a doubleheader with the Orioles. After pitching two innings of one-run ball earlier this season for the Red Sox, Cuevas walked two and struck out one in the scoreless inning of relief in the Red Sox' win on Saturday. The right-hander has a 3.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 102 strikeouts over 117 1/3 innings with Pawtucket this season and is currently the 56th ranked prospect.   
• Since his promotion to Portland, third baseman and sixth-ranked prospect Bobby Dalbec hasn't skipped a beat. Dalbec is now tied for the most home runs in the minor leagues this year with his 31st homer coming in the Sea Dogs' win over the RubberDucks on Sunday. In 33 at-bats for Portland, Dalbec is hitting .364 with five home runs and 11 RBI.
  
• Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com thinks Drew Pomeranz' roster spot with the Red Sox could be in jeopardy. Last Wednesday, Cotillo broke down the big-league roster and how Pomeranz' ineffectiveness in the rotation means his "time with the Red Sox may be getting short."  
• With Kinsler set to rejoin the Sox on Tuesday, Dave Dombrowski, according to Cotillo, says the plan is "to move to 13 position players and 12 pitchers until rosters expand on Sept. 1." Cotillo contends that leaves Dombrowski, who traded former top Sox prospect Anderson Espinoza for Pomeranz in July of 2016, with the decision of sending either Hector Valazquez or Ryan Brasier, who both have options, down to Pawtucket for two weeks or "cut bait with Pomeranz for good." 
• Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald details how Dombrowski vows to recommit to minor league development. Since trading away many top prospects in the Chris Sale and Tyler Thornburg deals, "the Red Sox haven't dealt any of their top remaining prospects, nor any of their controllable players at the major league level" writes Mastrodonato.  
• Former Sox Prospect Blake Swihart, who is on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, played in a rehab game on Sunday with the Lowell Spinners. The now/once-again catcher caught six innings and went 0 for 3 in the Spinners' extra-inning loss.   
• Lowell infielders Korby Batesole, Devlin Granberg and Xavier LeGrant, plus outfielder Dearden, will all play in Monday's New York-Penn League All-Star game. Left-handed pitcher Rio Gomez was also named an All-Star, but was promoted to Low-A Greenville, and won't compete in the contest. 

• Thanks to everyone who helped with the SoxProspects.com donation drive. With your help and donations, we can continue to provide this great content and keep the site free, just as we have done for the last 15 years.
  

Players of the Week

Michael Chavis, 1B, Portland

6 G, 25 AB, 14 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 R, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 7 K, .560/.593/1.473

Chavis (pictured, right) has teamed up this month with Dalbec, another red-hot, fellow corner infielder, to give Portland a dynamic one-two punch in the middle of the lineup. Chavis, the Red Sox top prospect, is hitting .514 in his last 10 games, and .309 now overall with Portland. The 23-year-old has five multi-hit performances in his last six games, and had a monster day at the plate last Thursday, blasting two home runs in the Sea Dogs' 10-9 win over the SeaWolves. Chavis was also named the Eastern League Player of the Week.  

Josh A. Smith, RHP, Pawtucket

2 G, 11 IP, 2-0, 1.64 ERA, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 0.73 WHIP

After a rough month of July, the change in the name on the calendar did Smith well. In one start and one relief appearance last week, the right-hander picked up two wins without issuing a walk across 11 innings of work. He scattered seven hits across seven frames in a one-run win over Louisville last Tuesday before allowing just one hit in relief during Sunday's 9-5 victory over Indianapolis. The 31 year old's record is now 4-4 on the season while his ERA has lowered to 3.96 with Pawtucket.  

Photo Credit: William Cuevas and Michael Chavis by Kelly O'Connor.

Tommy Cassell is a Contributing Editor for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter at @tommycassell44. 

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