Minor Notes: Sox finish up 2019 draft signings

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

•  Check out the 162nd episode of the SoxProspects.com podcast, where Chris and Ian discuss the Red Sox final push to sign amateur talent, Bryan Mata, Darwinzon Hernandez and Tanner Houck's move to the bullpen, and more.
• We're almost there! Help keep SoxProspects.com free by donating to our donation drive. We are about 92% of the way to reaching our goal of raising $7,000. As always, thank you to all of our readers and supporters. 
• The Red Sox finished up the MLB draft signing period by signing four more draft picks, as 12th-rounder Brendan Cellucci, 25th-rounder Karson Simas, 31st-rounder Feleipe Franks, and 32nd-rounder Bradley Blalock. 
• Cellucci will play for Lowell, while Simas and Blalock will head to the GCL. Franks is the current starting quarterback for Florida and intends to continue playing football. A breakdown of the 30 players the Red Sox signed post-draft can be found here. For a more in-depth look at the 2019 draft and past drafts for the Red Sox, check out the Draft History page at SoxProspects.com 
• Chris Hatfield got a chance to see the Salem Red Sox this weekend and had some notes on his Twitter page.  He liked what he saw from Thaddeus Ward, whose fastball touched 95 mph to go along with an impressive cutter and slider.
• Gilberto Jimenez is off to a terrific start for Lowell this year, and Christopher Smith of MassLive.com spoke with assistant GM Eddie Romero about the 19-year old. Romero calls him a potential five-tool player and is happy to see the start Jimenez has had. He is hitting .364 with an .862 OPS in 22 games so far this year. 
• Smith also wrote about 10th-round pick Stephen Scott and how excited David Price was to see the Sox take a Vanderbilt kid. Price applauds Scott for being able to put together great seasons as a junior and senior after struggling during his first two years as a Commodore. 
• According to the City of Worcester, they hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for Polar Park, the future home of the Worcester Red Sox. The park will have a capacity of 10,000 and will be opened in 2021. 
• Marcus Wilson was called back up to Portland. The outfielder struggled mightily for the Sea Dogs earlier this season, but put up monster numbers for Salem to the tune of a 1.016 OPS in 45 games. 

Players of the Week (July 8 through July 14)

Grant Williams, SS, Greenville

5 G, 19 AB, 9 H, 3 2B, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, .474/.524/.789

Williams (pictured, above), a 2018 fifth-round pick, had at least one hit in every game this past week, including three multi-hit games. He is having a very similar season to his debut season last year with Lowell, as he hit .265 with a .671 OPS in 50 games for the Spinners in 2018 and has hit .266 with a .686 OPS in 83 games for Greenivlle this year. The 23-year old played four years at Kennesaw State and was also very consistent there, hitting between .294 and .305 in each of his four seasons there.

Brayan Bello, RHP, Greenville

1 G, 6 IP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 13 K, 0.83 WHIP

Bello (pictured, left) has struggled this year during his first season with Greenville, but he turned in one of the best outings the system has seen all year this past week. He got 18 outs, 13 via the strikeout. He is just 20 years old and was signed as an international free agent in 2017. The right-hander posted a 1.60 ERA in 67 1/3 innings last year between the DSL and GCL.




Photo Credit: Grant Williams and Brayan Bello by Kelly O'Connor

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