Minor Notes: Dalbec tops the Hot Sheet, Duran's average hits .406

Here are Thursday's minor league notes:

• The Red Sox might soon be able to field an entire infield of power-hitting third basemen, with Rafael Devers and Michael Chavis thriving in the majors, and Bobby Dalbec (pictured, right) dismantling Eastern League pitching. Dalbec earned the top spot on Baseball America's Prospects Hot Sheet after hitting .500/.556/1.438 with four home runs last week. Dalbec has been a streaky hitter in the past, and right now he is in the midst of one of his trademark hot streaks. 

• Coming in at ninth on the Prospects Hot Sheet is Jarren Duran, who hit .529/.588/.556. It is a pretty good week in the system when a guy hits .500 and only finishes second in batting average. Duran has been consistently great all year, and last week helped push his season line up to .406/.468/.536. 

• Josh Ockimey is doing his best to make the Hot Sheet next week, as so far he is only 2 for 3 over two games, but both hits were home runs and he has also walked five times. Ockimey is leading the system with 10 home runs, and his .604 slugging percentage is also by far the best for a player with over 50 plate appearances.

• A sleeper prospect to keep an eye on is Thaddeus Ward. Ward, a fifth-round pick in 2018, is currently dominating in Greenville, and on Monday he tossed 7 1/3 shutout innings with seven strikeouts. The scouting report on him heading into the season was that his fastball sat between 90-93, but SoxProspects.com Executive Editor Chris Hatfield got a report that Ward was sitting 94 on Monday. With a couple more good starts to close out the month, you can expect to see Ward rise from his current ranking of 30th in the system. 

• There was more movement on the rehab front, with the biggest news relating to Dustin Pedroia being recalled from his rehab assignment without being activated. It sounds like it was just some mild discomfort and that he will be back soon, but it was still another setback for the former MVP. 

• Brian Johnson and Brock Holt each started rehab assignments on Wednesday with Pawtucket. Johnson was scheduled to go two innings, but he only made it through 1 2/3 innings as he allowed two runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. Holt went 0 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts while serving as the designated hitter.

• Marco Hernandez has been in Salem as he works his way back from multiple shoulder surgeries that caused him to miss the entire 2018 season. He started off 1 for 10 as he shook off the rust, but since then he has looked healthy, hitting .367/.420/.483 with only seven strikeouts in only 60 at-bats. He has been playing mostly shortstop and second base in Salem where he has committed five errors in 19 games. 

Photo Credit: Bobby Dalbec by Kelly O'Connor

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