Scouting Report Updates: Pereda, Allie, Meneses, Mieses, Puello, Jones

Our latest scouting report update for the 2020 season includes six new faces to the Red Sox organization. The front office has been aggressive in adding depth to a minor league system that is undergoing a strategic shift with a new Chief Baseball Officer at the helm. This set of updates is headlined by Jhonny Pereda, a catcher traded to the Red Sox in exchange for Travis Lakins, as well as Stetson Allie, a former top prospect for the Pittsburgh Pirates who can still touch triple digits with his fastball.

SoxProspects.com scouting reports are written by our scouting report team, led by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Jhonny Pereda, catcher

Physical Description: Solid catcher's frame. No remaining projection.

Hit: Starts square and utilizes a leg kick timing device. Hands start around his chest, but end up in a good hitting position. Solid bat-to-ball skills. Puts the ball in play consistently, understands the strike zone. Does a good job taking what the pitcher gives him and not expanding the strike zone.

Power: Minimal power projection. Currently has below-average raw power and projects for well-below average game power at best. Doesn’t lift the ball with authority. Not a part of his game.

Run: Not a part of his game. Bottom-of-the-scale speed.

Field: Receiving and framing need work. Framing is inconsistent, has varied between above-average to below-average from year-to-year. Receiving can get a little loose and needs to tighten up those skills. Potential average defender.

Arm: Plus arm. Quick release. Does a good job controlling the running game.


Career Notes: Won 2019 MiLB Gold Glove Award as top defensive catcher in the minor leagues, although advanced metrics did not necessarily square with that assessment. Spent four years in Rookie ball, and was set to repeat Low A in 2018 before Myrtle Beach (and former PawSox) manager Buddy Bailey requested Pereda to be his starting catcher in High A, where he had a strong campaign.

Summation: Projects as an up-and-down, defense-first catcher. Arm is his carrying tool. Still has work to do on receiving and framing. Offense lags behind defensive tools. Has a good eye and contact skills, but his bat lacks the punch to project as a consistent major league contributor. Strong makeup reports.

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Joey Meneses, first baseman/outfielder

Strong, filled-out frame with broad shoulders. No remaining projection. Quiet approach with a subtle toe tap. Uppercut swing path. Quick wrists. Overall average hit tool with solid plate discipline. Does not strike out a lot. Has shown solid-average raw power which has only translated to fringey in-game power. Fringe-average speed, but runs well for his size and position. Can take an extra base. Solid fielder at first base. A work-in-progress in the outfield with potential for improvement with better reads. Above-average arm. Pitched for the Mexican national team before signing with the Braves in 2011. Completely retooled his approach upon joining the Phillies organization in 2018. Was able to pull the ball more and get it into the air, increasing his fly ball rate considerably. Resulted in an International League MVP season in 2018. Signed with Orix Blue Wave of Nippon Professional Baseball for 2019 season. Received one-year suspension from NPB for testing positive for anabolic steroids after playing in 29 games for Orix. Profiles as emergency high-minors depth.

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Stetson Allie, pitcher

Large-framed, fully filled-out right-hander. Weight may need monitoring. High-effort delivery, electric arm. Starts on the third base side of the rubber. Hands held high, high leg kick. Utilizes his lower half well. Throws from three-quarters arm slot. Struggles with command and control – more of a thrower. Arsenal includes a 98-100 mph four-seam fastball and a 91-93 mph slider with 12-to-6 movement. Misses a lot of bats but will also walk far too many batters. Former Pirates second-round pick. Was a top-100 prospect on the mound briefly, but major control issues led to his conversion to an infielder in 2012. In 2016, after failing to get past Double-A as a 26-year-old, the Dodgers moved him back to the mound. High upside talent if he could hone his control, but he has been unable to do that, walking nearly a batter an inning in his career. Profiles as a low-risk, low-likelihood, high-reward lottery ticket if the organization can get his control to an acceptable level.

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Johan Mieses, outfielder

Powerful, athletic frame with no remaining projection. Thick lower half. Boom-or-bust skill set. Below-average hit tool; struggles to make contact but hits the ball hard when contact is made. Aggressive approach at the plate. Above-average power. Moves well and is an average base runner. Inconsistent defender in the corner outfield, but has shown promise. Will make spectacular plays but will struggle with routine ones. Has a very strong arm, but some of its value is lost due to questionable decision-making. Signed as an international free agent by the Dodgers in 2012. Traded to the Cardinals organization in April 2018 for infielder Breyvic Valera. Likely profiles as high-minors depth.

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Cesar Puello, outfielder

Journeyman outfielder with a large, filled-out frame. Medium toe tap timing device. Very quick wrists. Keeps bat high in the box. Uppercut swing path. Good looking swing, but can get long on occasion. Average hit tool.  Impatient approach; swings at a lot of pitches outside the zone. Struggles against advanced breaking stuff, especially against right-handers.  Plus raw power, has yet to translate in-game to anything beyond average power. Average speed, but not a stolen base threat. Capable of playing all three outfield positions adequately. Strong arm. Was involved in Biogenesis scandal in August 2013 and received a 50-game suspension. Has already played for 8 different organizations. Profiles as emergency Triple-A depth who could serve as a fourth outfielder at the major league level for a stretch.

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Ryder Jones, third baseman/first baseman

Corner infielder with a medium frame. Has some room to fill out but is already in his mid-20s. Below-average hit tool. Decent approach; works the count, but strikes out too much. Gap power, won’t hit many home runs. Below-average base runner, not a part of his game. On defense, has stiff hands and does not move well laterally. Plus arm. Son of former Appalachian State head baseball coach. Spent seven seasons in Giants organization, including brief big league call ups in 2017 and 2018. Minor league depth. 

Photo Credit: Joey Meneses and Johan Mieses by Kelly O'Connor.

Mark Hanoian is the Scouting Report Manager for SoxProspects.com.

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