Minor Notes: Season winds down, full-season all-stars named

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• Be sure to check out the most recent SoxProspects.com podcast, where Chris Hatfield and Ian Cundall discuss the DSL prospects that were sent to Baltimore for Andrew Cashner. They also talk about the 2020 big league bench options, promotions, and the Lowell Spinners. 
• Ryan Fitzgerald was named a full-season all-star in the Carolina League. The 25-year old shortstop hit .275/.352/.373 with 32 extra-base hits and 11 stolen bases. 
• Bobby Dalbec and C.J. Chatham were also named full-season all-stars for the Eastern League. Chatham followed a very good 2018 with a steady 2019 in his first taste of Double-A. The 2016 second-round shortstop hit .297/.333/.403 with 26 doubles in 90 games for Portland. He has since been called up to Pawtucket, where he is hitting .273 with four doubles and two long balls in 12 games. Dalbec's power has been on display all season, with 20 home runs in 105 games for the Sea Dogs. He also showed good patience at the plate with 68 walks and a .371 OBP. He has also been called up to Triple-A, where he is hitting .295 with four doubles and five home runs in 21 games. 
• With eight games remaining on the year, the Salem Red Sox have a 2 1/2 game lead on the Potomac Nationals for the division lead. The Wilmington Blue Rocks are one game back, but they are already in the postseason as they won the first half. 
• Rob Bradford of WEEI.com got to sit down with fourth-round pick Noah Song on his podcast the Bradfo Sho. Song talks about his unique path to professional baseball and his future. Bradford also talks to Mike Rikard and Lowell pitching coach Nick Green. 
• Alex Speier of The Boston Globe threw out the first pitch at Hadlock Field on August 19 before signing copies of his new book, 'Homegrown.' Speier's book is about how the Red Sox built their 2018 historic world championship team. Pick up a copy here.

Players of the Week (August 19 through August 25)

Triston Casas, 1B, Greenville

6 G, 21 AB, 8 H, 3 3B, 1 HR, 5 R, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 2 K, .381/.500/.667

Casas (pictured) has had an up-and-down year during his first full season of professional ball. The No. 1 prospect in the system had a .648 OPS in April, but turned in on in May and June with a .977 OPS and 26 extra-base hits over those two months. He fell back in July with a .654 OPS, but has been much better again in August with a .397 OBP and an OPS of .813. The left-handed hitter is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak, with two multiple-hit efforts over the past week. All together, Casas is hitting .253/.350/.469 with 24 doubles, five triples, 18 home runs, and 76 RBI in 2019.

Andrew Politi, RHP, Salem

2 G, 9 IP, 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 0 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 10 K, 0.22 WHIP

Politi made his first two starts since the middle of July, and he did not disappoint. The right-hander did not allow a hit in either outing, and lowered his ERA from 3.99 to 3.51.

The five innings he threw on Sunday were a season-high for him, as he did not go more than two innings in his first 16 appearances of the year. Politi is a 23 year-old taken in the 15th round last year who is playing in his first season with Salem. He has posted good numbers, with 89 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings, with a 1.17 WHIP and a .197 batting average against.

Photo Credit: Triston Casas by Kelly O'Connor

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