Fall/Winter Leagues: Duran has mixed week & playoffs start in some leagues

Action in the winter leagues continued in a week shortened by Christmas. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the week of December 21 through December 27.

Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico)

Outfielder and fourth-ranked prospect Jarren Duran started the week hot, going 4 for 9 with four runs, a double, and four RBI over the first two games of the week. After struggling to start the season, those two games raised his average to .289. However, Duran again struggled after his return from the two-day Christmas break, going 0 for 7 over the weekend with four strikeouts and two walks. His season average returned to .250 to start the week, but his on-base percentage remains strong at .405.

Alan Marrero continued his trend of playing in one game a week, going 0 for 2 with a strikeout on Wednesday. Henry Nunez Rijo did not pitch in a game this week and shortstop Matthew Lugo continued his rehab but has yet to be cleared to appear in games.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Duran rights the ship; Lugo may join Manati

Action in the winter leagues continue, with the Australian Baseball League being the most recent league to kick off. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the week of December 14 through December 20.

Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico)

The week started off poorly for Jarren Duran (pictured, right), as he went 1 for 8 with four strikeouts in the first two games, dropping his average to .087. He got a day off on Thursday and came back looking like his old self, finishing the week going 7 for 13 with four RBI, five runs scored, three steals, three walks, a double, and an outfield assist. The three-game surge raised his average up to .250 as he gets back on track after the slow start. 

Alan Marrero only appeared in one game but he made it count, going 3 for 4 with two doubles and a run scored. He's hitting .571 in limited action thus far. 

Shortstop Matthew Lugo, who is ranked 16th in the system, has yet to appear in Puerto Rico due to a wrist injury he suffered at Fall Instructs. His rehab is almost complete, and he hopes to get cleared to appear in games soon. 

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Podcast Ep. #198: You're throwing a curveball

It’s December, and despite the lack of major league player movement Chris and Ian had plenty to discuss. We finally know what the realignment of the minor leagues looks like and which teams that will remain a part of the Red Sox system. There have been some moves to look at as we welcome Hunter Renfroe and Garrett Whitlock to Boston. Chris and Ian take a quick trip through the winter leagues. We released new rankings and go into detail on a few of the guys who made significant moves. And finally, the guys get to your excellent questions.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Duran debuts, Pereda stays hot

The fall/winter leagues have been going on for a few weeks, but COVID-19 factors have resulted in the cancellation of the Arizona Fall League as well as several games across the various winter leagues. Coverage of the winter leagues will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the week of December 7 through December 13. 

Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico)

SoxProspects.com's fourth-ranked prospect, Jarren Duran (pictured), made his winter debut this past week. He tallied 21 plate appearances and picked up just one hit, but he did draw six walks, stole three bases, and scored five runs. He also struck out just three times, indicating some potential bad small-sample size luck. 

Dominican Professional Baseball League 

On the mound, Joel Payamps had a very solid week, appearing in two games, tossing three innings without allowing a run or a walk with four strikeouts. Raynel Espinal tossed two innings, allowing two hits and a run with two walks and a strikeout. 

Johan Mieses only got one plate appearance this past week but had the most productive outcome a hitter could have by hitting a pinch-hit grand slam for Este. Other Sox hitters did not have very eventful weeks, as Deivy Grullon went 0 for 3 with a strikeout in his only game, and the recently re-signed Cesar Puello went 1 for 4 with a single and a stolen base. 

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Scouting Report Updates: Garrett Whitlock, Tyreque Reed and Kaleb Ort

On Thursday, the Red Sox made three additions to the organization in the Rule 5 Draft. In the Major League phase, they selected right-handed pitcher Garrett Whitlock from the New York Yankees. Whitlock, who debuted at number 30 in the SoxProspects rankings, will need to stay on the major league roster for the entire 2021 season. In the Minor League phase, they selected first baseman Tyreque Reed from the Texas Rangers and Kaleb Ort from the Yankees—the third year in a row the Red Sox have taken a Yankee in the minor league phase. Reed and Ort do not have any roster restrictions going forward. Reed is likely ticketed for A-ball, while Ort will be looking to establish a role in the Triple-A Worcester bullpen.

Here are our initial reports on the trio, compiled from data and reports as well as our scouting sources across the game. Please note that these reports will be updated after we have seen these players in person.

Garrett Whitlock
Physical Description: Tall, sturdy frame. Looks the part of a prototypical starting pitcher. Little-to-no remaining projection.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the third base side of the rubber. Does not use a windup. Starts tall and gets well-above-average extension towards home plate. Really uses his size well in his delivery. Short arm action behind, hides the ball. Delivery is a little stiff, but he repeats it well.

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"Red Sox Prospectpalooza" on the Bradfo Sho

SoxProspects.com Executive Editor Chris Hatfield joined WEEI's Rob Bradford on the latest episode of the Bradfo Sho. Check it out!

"So many prospects to talk about, so little time. Fortunately we have SoxProspects.com and their executive editor Chris Hatfield to help guide us through the Red Sox farm system. Hatfield joins Rob Bradford to discuss the best and the brightest of the Sox minor-leaguers, picking through the Sox Prospects' recently-released prospect ranking. This podcast will make you smarter (and that's a good thing)."

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Reyes throws 5 more shutout frames; Pereda heats up in VZ

The fall/winter leagues have been going on for a few weeks, but COVID-19 factors have resulted in the cancellation of the Arizona Fall League as well as several games across the various winter leagues. Coverage of the winter leagues will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period up to December 6. 

Dominican Professional Baseball League

Headlining the performances this week was Denyi Reyes, who pitched five shutout innings for Escogido, allowing just two hits. He struck out two batters and now has a WHIP of 0.46 on the year while not allowing a run over three starts. Joel Payamps also did not allow a run, delivering three scoreless frames across two appearances with two hits against two strikeouts. Raynel Espinal appeared in two games, delivering 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He allowed six baserunners on three hits and three walks while striking out one batter for Gigantes. Deivy Grullon did not fare well at the plate, hitting 1 for 11 across three games with four strikeouts. Johan Mieses played in just one game for Este with an 0-for-2 contest.

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Podcast Ep. #197: The Boston Globe's Alex Speier returns

Making his seventh appearance on the podcast, Alex Speier joins Chris and Ian for an enjoyable conversation. The guys discuss his prospect rankings, the challenges of ranking players who have missed a full year of development, and how much weight to put on performance at alternate training sites. And as always, the discussion crosses into so much more. Prior to talking with Alex, Chris and Ian go over the latest offseason news, including a just-announced trade, and pop open the mailbag to answer your questions. 

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Scout Chatter: Aldo Ramirez, Brayan Bello and more from Fall Instructs

 The Red Sox recently wrapped up their 2020 Fall Instructional League, and this is the final installment of reports we received from Instructs. The data we’ve collected will be up on the News Page for your reading pleasure before we use it to update player page scouting reports, so forgive any inconsistencies until that point. Today, we focus primarily on pitchers the Red Sox signed as international free agents over the last few years. 

- 19-year-old Mexican right-hander Aldo Ramirez was the consensus top pitcher at Red Sox Fall Instructs. Though Eduard Bazardo showed more impressive stuff, long term, Ramirez projects as a more valuable player with a higher ceiling. Ramirez sat 92-95 mph, with a potential plus changeup at 85-89 mph and average curveball at 77-81 mph. His changeup is a potential weapon and could develop into a plus-to-better pitch given he already shows advanced feel for it and has a lot of confidence in it. He has a very good chance to remain a starter and has already shown solid strike-throwing ability. Ramirez was on the younger side of the arms in camp but is remarkably polished for his age and gives the Red Sox someone to dream on as a back-end starter with a chance for more given his youth and constantly improving stuff. 

- While Ramirez showed advanced feel and polish, right-hander Brayan Bello showed some of the best raw stuff at Instructs. The 21-year-old Dominican topped out at 98 mph and mostly worked 94-97 mph. His changeup was his best secondary pitch, flashing arm-side fade at 84-87 mph. Bello also showed off a slider at 84-88 mph that is a work in progress. The shape of the pitch varied and he struggled to consistently snap it off. Developing that pitch was clearly something he was focusing on, as scouts noted he used it a lot more than you would expect in some outings. Bello’s fastball-changeup combination and strike-throwing ability provide him with a solid floor as a reliever, and if he can improve his slider, he still has a chance to develop into a starting pitcher. 

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Scout Chatter: Gilberto Jimenez, Brainer Bonaci and more from Fall Instructs

This is the fourth article in our series relaying reports we received from the Fall Instructional League. The data we’ve collected will be up on the News Page for your reading pleasure before we use it to update player page scouting reports, so forgive any inconsistencies until that point. Today, we focus primarily on position players the Red Sox signed as international free agents over the last few years. 

- Multiple sources identified outfielder Gilberto Jimenez as the top prospect at Instructs, with one remarking that his pure tools are “scary.” The 20-year-old Jimenez had an excellent year with Lowell in 2019, hitting .359/.393/.470, but there were some red flags in his extremely high ground ball rate and low exit velocities. Jimenez’s swing was very slap happy, as he just looked to put the ball in play and use his speed to get on base. Things have changed now, however, as the young Dominican is now listed at 212 pounds, up significantly from where he was with Lowell. Even though he has added that much size, he still is an elite athlete and has only lost a little speed, now grading as a 70 runner rather than 80. From the left side this fall, he was timed at 3.95-4.05 while from the right-side he was timed at 4.12-4.15.

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Minor Notes: 40-man roster takes shape; scouting updates from Instructs

Here are November's minor league notes:

• With the Fall Instructional League taking place from October through early-November, scouts had a chance to view many of the prospects they missed out on seeing when the minor league baseball season was cancelled. Ian Cundall received numerous reports on how Red Sox prospects looked at Instructs, and he has documented some of these reports in his Scout Chatter series. So far there have been three installments, with the first highlighted by Jay Groome and Eduard Bazardo (pictured, right), the second by Nick Yorke and Blaze Jordan, and the third by Bradley Blalock and Durbin Feltman. 

• Cundall also joined Executive Editor Chris Hatfield on two episodes of the SoxProspects.com Podcast in November, with the first covering the recent wave of minor league free agent signings, and the second covering the Rule 5 Draft, the winter leagues, and Fall Instructs. 

• While the Arizona Fall League has been cancelled this year, other winter leagues are going on as usual. You can follow the weekly updates every Monday on the SoxProspects.com News Page, and also follow all the players and stat lines on the Fall and Winter Leagues page. 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Reyes keeps dealing, VZ starts up

The fall/winter leagues have been going on for a few weeks, but Covid-19 factors have resulted in the cancellation of the Arizona Fall League as well as several games across the various winter leagues. Coverage of the winter leagues will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period up to November 29th. 

Mexican Pacific League

Joey Meneses played in all five games this week for Culiacan and continued to see most of his playing time at third base. He has also found himself hitting either fourth or fifth in the lineup and had another solid week, hitting .277 over 18 at-bats with 2 walks and a home run.

Dominican Professional Baseball League

Denyi Reyes (pictured, above) continued his torrid start to the winter season tossing four more shutout innings for Escogido. He now has yet to allow a run over eight innings with 10 strikeouts to just one walk. Righty Joel Payamps took a loss in his only appearance after giving up an earned run on two hits with two strikeouts for Estrellas.

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Scout Chatter: Bradley Blalock, Durbin Feltman and more from Fall Instructs

This is the third article based on reports we’ve received from Fall Instructs. The data we’ve collected will be up on the News Page for your reading pleasure before we use it to update player page scouting reports, so forgive any inconsistencies until that point. Today, we focus on players the Red Sox drafted before 2020.

- Even though he was drafted in 2019, right-hander Bradley Blalock is still only 19 years old and was one of the younger pitchers at instructs. He got off to a slow start, but as camp went on, his delivery and stuff improved. By the end of camp, the reports coming back on him were very encouraging, enough so that he entered our rankings for the first time in our recent update, all the way up at number 36. At his best, Blalock sat 92-94 mph and topped out at 95 mph with a good slider that complimented his fastball well. He also mixed in a curveball and changeup, giving him a four-pitch mix with remaining projection in his frame. He pitches with the type of swagger you like to see on the mound and looks like someone who will add velocity as he matures. Blalock has a lot of development remaining to project as a starter, but his fastball/slider combination gives him a reasonable floor as a potential relief option if his other pitches do not take a step forward. 

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Scout Chatter: Nick Yorke, Blaze Jordan and more from Fall Instructs

 The Red Sox recently wrapped up their Fall Instructional League program. This is the second of several articles based on reports we received from Instructs. The data we’ve collected will be up on the News Page for your reading pleasure before we use it to update player page scouting reports, so forgive any inconsistencies until that point. Today, we focus primarily on players selected in the 2020 Draft and signed as undrafted free agents. 

- As the only member of this year’s draft class to participate at the Alternate Training Site workouts this year—albeit for about a week and a half—second baseman Nick Yorke had a leg up on the competition heading into Instructs. He had already seen what pro pitching looked like, having jumped from high school in California straight into the deep end by facing arms with significantly more experience than him, but he was still able to hold his own in a small sample size. At Fall Instructs, the 2020 first-rounder was the most impressive member of the 2020 draft/NDFA class, showing off his offensive ability, but questions about his long-term defensive profile remain an issue. Yorke got off to a strong start at the plate, but as the camp went along, he struggled to pull the ball and seemed to be just trying to push the ball to right field. Regardless of his struggles near the end of camp, scouts were consistent in saying they believe he can hit and they are high on his bat, enough so that even with a questionable defensive profile and below average speed, they still like him. 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Raudes returns to action; Grullón homers

The fall/winter leagues have been going on for a few weeks, but with the Arizona Fall League cancelled, play has been limited. The Mexican Pacific League started on October 15 and was the only league in action until mid-November when the Dominican and Nicaraguan leagues started play. With more players seeing game action, we will begin our weekly updates on the performance of Red Sox prospects. Coverage will continue every Monday into January. For the full list of Red Sox prospects participating in these leagues, check out our Fall & Winter Leagues page, which will be updated continuously through January. This week's roundup covers the period up to September 22. 

Mexican Pacific League

Joey Meneses, who was signed in February to a minor league deal and re-signed in November, already has 99 at-bats for Culiacan in 26 games. He's hitting .283 with three home runs and six doubles while playing third base. This is notable as he has mostly played first base and right field in his career.  Marcus Wilson went 0 for 4 in his first game on November 3, but after a COVID-19 outbreak shut the league down for a couple weeks, he left and is no longer on the active roster. 

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Podcast Ep. #196 That is patently false

It's mid-November, and finally... some minor league scouting updates to discuss! Ian and Chris have the goods from the Fall Instructional League in Fort Myers, where 62 of the Red Sox' top farmhands spent 5.5 weeks. We've got who impressed and who disappointed with their showings. Plus, the guys preview who might be protected on Friday from selection in the Rule 5 draft (and how that list has changed based on Fall Instructs reports), who's playing abroad this winter, and of course, your emails. 

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Scout Chatter: Jay Groome, Eduard Bazardo and more from Fall Instructs

The Red Sox recently wrapped up their Fall Instructional League program, which was slated to run from October 5 through November 12 but ended a few days early due to Hurricane Eta. The Red Sox still were able to get in plenty of work for their top farmhands, including a pair of games against Tampa Bay’s minor leaguers. Otherwise, the camp consisted of morning workouts followed by an intrasquad scrimmage that varied in length depending on how many pitchers needed work. The scrimmages had umpires and were treated like a normal game, save that innings could end early when pitchers hit their pitch count or get extended if they got through an inning too quickly. 

This will be the first of several articles based on reports we received from Instructs. The data we’ve collected will be up on the News Page for your reading pleasure before we use it to update player page scouting reports, so forgive any inconsistencies until that point. 

Today, we focus primarily on players eligible for this year’s Rule 5 Draft, given that Friday, Nov. 20, is the deadline for teams to protect players from selection by adding them to the 40-man roster.

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Podcast #195: Resetting the Roster, Pt. 2

The winter meetings are still off in the future, but baseball’s offseason is in full swing. The Sox brought back several minor league free agents. Oh, and Alex Cora is back with the club to manage. In addition, we have a run down on important upcoming dates for the offseason. The guys talk through the players who will need to be protected on the 40-man before the rule 5 draft. Ian and Chris discuss the future of the minor leagues. And we wrap it all up with another installment of the 80-grade mailbag.   

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2019 Draft Retrospective: Creativity nets strong pitching haul

Thank you for checking in on the final entry in our draft retrospective series. We recently featured a pick-by-pick rundown of 2019, while today we will dig a little deeper into a few of the more interesting and prominent draftees. For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

2019 Draft

Coming off a World Series title, nobody was complaining that the Red Sox' first draft pick was moved back 10 slots as a penalty for exceeding the third luxury tax threshold. There was a tangible result that came with that spending money, a trade the team would make every time. But in the draft itself, it did put the organization in a disadvantageous position. Having to wait until the 43rd pick would be the longest the franchise would wait to make its first pick since 2007, when the club forfeited its first pick and made its top selection at pick number 55. In addition, the loss of ten spots also cut almost $500,000 from what was already one of the lowest bonus pools in the league. As a result, the team needed to get creative to continue adding talent to a system decimated by graduations and trades. 

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October notes: Roster reshape begins; former top prospect earns ring

Here are October's minor league notes:

• The Red Sox announced on Friday that former manager Alex Cora will return as manager in the 2021 season after a one-year hiatus. He'll come on to the job with a much different team than the one he first inherited three years ago and in the midst of  notable overhaul.

• That roster rebuild was the main topic of our most recent SoxProspects.com podcast, as Chris Hatfield and Ian Cundall discussed the coming roster and the numerous moves Chaim Bloom has already made to restock and retool the upper minors. 

• The Red Sox cleared 11 spots off of the 40-man roster. Reliever Domingo Tapia was claimed by the Seattle Mariners when Boston attempted to slide him through waivers. The team outrighted eight others: pitchers Robinson Leyer, Mike Kickham, Zack Godley, Andrew Triggs, and Dylan Covey, utilityman Tzu-Wei Lin, infielder Jose Peraza, and outfielder Cesar Puello. The team declined its 2021 option on pitcher Martin Perez, and long-time center fielder Jackie Bradley declared free agency. Additionally, pitcher Collin McHugh and Rusney Castillo, neither of whom were on the current 40-man roster, became free agents. McHugh opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns after signing as a free agent last winter, while Castillo spent much of the last several years with Pawtucket after signing a lucrative contract in 2014.

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Podcast #194: Resetting the roster, pt. 1

The 2020 season has successfully drawn to a close, bringing us to an offseason that promises great change for the Red Sox. With nine players already gone from the roster, Chris and Ian went player-by-player through the remaining members of the 40-man roster in an attempt to predict who will stay, who will go, and what those who are still around will be doing next season. Plus, some questions about Jackie Bradley’s future with the club now that he’s a free agent, and more of your great questions! 

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2019 Draft Retrospective: The Picks

We welcome you to the 2019 edition of the SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series. This is the final Red Sox draft we will revisit, but make sure to check out the other parts of the series starting with the first draft of the SoxProspects.com era, 2003. This retrospective will come in two parts: The first will be a pick-by-pick recap of each selection with very brief comments, including their peak rank on the SoxProspects.com Top 60, as well as some of the notable players the team passed on to make those picks. Players who signed are in bold, those who did not are in italics. Bonus numbers are included where available. 

In the final draft of the Dave Dombrowski era, the Red Sox were coming off a World Series championship season during which they exceed the luxury tax threshold by more than $40 million. As a result, the organization's first-round draft pick moved down ten slots, technically leaving the team without a first-rounder at all. In order to bring in impact talent, Mike Rikard and the Amateur Scouting department needed to get creative, and while this class is lacking in the no-doubt first-round stud that the previous year brought into the system, that creativity did lead to a number of intriguing prospects joining the system in later rounds.

2 (43). Cameron Cannon, SS, Arizona

Bonus: $1,300,000, Slot: $1,729,800

After a junior year in which he hit .397/.498/.651 with eight home runs, the Red Sox selected Cannon with their first pick and signed him for more than $400,000 under slot, setting into motion a strategy that spread their already-decreased bonus cap money into lower rounds. Cannon was seen as somewhat of a reach at the time, ranked as the 94th-best prospect by Baseball America and a bit higher by Perfect Game, who had him at 73. Cannon’s pro debut was delayed by almost a month as a result of turf toe, and he then got off to a slow start, hitting only .200/.284/.324 in 170 at-bats across the GCL and Lowell. In-person looks matched up with his poor statistics, as he looked very off at the plate and seemed to be pressing from the beginning, including a notably aggressive plate approach in which he seemed to swing at the first pitch in every plate appearance. His poor performance at the plate could have been due to the Red Sox trying to tweak his swing mechanics, so it will be very interesting to see how he looks when he gets back on the field. 

SoxProspects.com peak rank: 12

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2018 Draft Retrospective: Casas highlights solid haul

Thank you for checking in on the newest entry in our draft retrospective series. We recently featured a pick-by-pick rundown of 2018, while today we will dig a little deeper into a few of the more interesting and prominent draftees. For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

2018 Draft

Background

By the time the 2018 draft rolled around, the major league club was riding high, sporting a winning percentage near .700 on its way to a 108-win season and World Series trophy. Unfortunately, the success at the major league level was not mirrored in the minors. Trades and graduations that built a juggernaut in the big leagues had depleted much of the system’s depth, leaving a farm system that was universally ranked at or near the worst in the game. Among those who remained, the underperformance of recent top picks and the suspension of top prospect Michael Chavis had created a vacuum, with little daily success to celebrate. With a homegrown core that would soon get expensive and force difficult decisions down the road, 2018 seemed like a particularly important year for Mike Rikard and the amateur scouting department.

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Minor Notes: Red Sox to pick fourth in 2021 draft

Here are Tuesday's minor league notes: 

• Check out the 193rd edition of the SoxProspects.com podcast where Chris and Ian take a look back at the many MLB debuts for Red Sox players in the shortened 2020 season. They also discussed the draft, what they learned from the Alternate Site, as well as a look forward to instructs. 
• Speaking of instructs, Chris wrote about some of the details as well as a look at the players Boston will be sending. A total of 62 players will be going, with those on the 40-man roster ineligible. There will be 32 pitchers, eight catchers, 12 infielders, and 10 outfielders. 
• The SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series continued with Ian recapping the 2018 draft. Obviously, the jury is still out on this draft, but Triston Casas (pictured) is the current number one prospect in the system. 
• Ian posted updated scouting reports on three players, including the second pick of that 2018 draft, Nick Decker. Cameron Cannon and Antoni Flores were also updated. 

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Podcast #193 - Speaking is hard

The sprint that was the 2020 season has drawn to a close, and while it may not seem like it, Chris and Ian had plenty to look back on. There were plenty of debuts to digest, so the guys looked back on the first taste of MLB for Bobby Dalbec, Tanner Houck, and others, plus examine what the team's (probable) positioning at number 4 in next year's draft really means. Meanwhile, what did we learn from the action at Sim City in Pawtucket? Is there anything to be gleaned from this experiment in player development? Who stood out? And baseball is not done yet - it's time for the Fall Instructional League, and we're breaking down the roster. Plus, as always, your superlative emails!

For the full Fall Instructional League roster, see our post

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Red Sox 2020 Fall Instructional Camp roster and details

The Red Sox 2020 Fall Instructional League will run from October 5 through November 12 this year, the five-and-a-half weeks representing a period roughly twice as long as that of a typical season. The minor leaguers in camp will not play games against other teams, and instead will be limited to intrasquad scrimmages beginning in mid-to-late-October.

The 62-player roster for camp contains most of the SoxProspects Top 60, excepting players who were ineligible, such as those on the 40-man roster, and other players who were likely deemed to have gotten sufficient work in at the Alternate Training Site like Jeter Downs, Jarren Duran, and Connor Seabold, although other players who were at the ATS will be present in Fort Myers. 

The camp will represent the lone chance for in-person instruction for most of the players present, although all have been working out on their own or playing independent or semi-pro ball. Unlike past years, the camp will not be open to the public, although scouts will be allowed to attend and watch from designated areas. As with the ATS, health and safety protocols will be in place for the facilities and those attending throughout the camp. 

Players are listed with how acquired and 2019 level(s), if applicable.

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2018 Draft Retrospective: The picks

We welcome you to the 2018 edition of the SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series, in which we revisit each Red Sox draft going back to the start of the SoxProspects.com era. Each retrospective will come in two parts: The first will be a pick-by-pick recap of each selection with very brief comments, including their peak rank on the SoxProspects.com Top 60, as well as some of the notable players the team passed on to make those picks. Players who signed are in bold, those who did not are in italics. Bonus numbers are included where available.

At the time of the 2018 Draft, the Red Sox farm system was decimated after numerous win-now trades in the previous year. Once again, the Red Sox had no extra picks and were selecting near the end of the first round, but after the farm system seemingly bottomed out in the month or so prior, with seemingly all of the prospects remaining after the many trades either injured or underperforming, this draft marked the beginning of what seems to be a turn-around. Three of the top ten prospects in the system right now, including its top prospect, came from this draft. While all three were selected in the top seven rounds, two received marginal bonuses. While the second full season for all of these players was disrupted, several were included in the Club Player Pool and made their mark at the Alternate Training Site. 

For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

1 (26). Triston Casas, 1B/3B, American Heritage HS (Fla.) 

Bonus: $2,552,800, Slot: $2,552,800

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Scouting Report Updates: A trio of Top-40 prospects

As the 2020 regular season comes to a close, the SoxProspects.com team continues to maintain current and accurate scouting reports for players throughout the organization. Today's update features three players rated in the Top-40 of our latest rankings. Nick Decker (drafted in 2018) and Cameron Cannon (drafted in 2019) are two recent second-round picks that offer the team valuable depth. Antoni Flores is a player that was recently considered a top-10 prospect in the system, but a lackluster 2019 has clouded his future outlook.

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

Nick Decker, Outfielder

Physical Description: Strong, athletic build. Strong lower half. Some remaining projection, but already physically developed for his age.

Hit: Starts crouched with an open stance. Long, uppercut swing. Quick hands, above-average bat speed. Does a good job utilizing his lower half. Will take what the pitcher gives him and use all fields. Needs to improve pitch recognition and cut down on swing-and-miss. Has a lot of trouble picking up breaking balls, particularly from left-handers. Had a heavy platoon split in 2019, striking out 45 percent of the time against LHP, albeit in just 31 plate appearances. Has an idea of what he wants to do at the plate, but over-aggressiveness and swing-and-miss issues hold him back. Potential below-average hit tool.

Power: Plus raw power. Shows easy power during batting practice. Swing has loft and can drive the ball with backspin. Power is most notable to the pull side. Potential to develop above-average game power at his peak.

Run: Fringe-average speed. Aggressive on the basepaths. Gets good jumps and reads.

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Minor Notes: Shortened season comes to a close

 Here are Tuesday's minor league notes:

• 
  Ian and Chris, the SoxProspects.com podcast crew, celebrated the end of the year by recording an episode covering Tanner Houck's (pictured, right) end to the year as a major leaguer, Nick Pivetta's first start with the Red Sox, new addition Jacob Wallace, and other notes from the alternate site. 

• Currently ranked 10th on the SoxProspects.com rankings, Houck made his third and final start of the season on Saturday, throwing six innings with 10 strikeouts while allowing only one run. He ends the season with a 0.53 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts over 17 innings. Julian McWilliams for the Boston Globe writes about Houck's debut season and his future in the rotation.

• The Boston Globe's Alex Speier also wrote about Houck, discussing the unconventional and bold approach the Red Sox took to the development and redevelopment of the athletic righty.

• During Houck's second start of the season, his velocity dropped and he had to switch gears and throw more two-seamers at Bill Koch writes for the Providence Journal.

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Podcast #192 - Revealing my real age

Well, the season is over. The Sox finished strong and still nabbed the fourth pick in the 2021 draft. Chris and Ian wind down the campaign with an eye to the future. Tanner Houck is looking good, and Nick Pivetta made the most of his starts with the big club. Ian shares several thoughts from the Alternate Training Site, and both Ian and Chris call out that the roster reflects Chaim Bloom’s craftsmanship, citing Nick Yorke and the many top 20 prospects acquired in trades this season. Among those guys is Sox newcomer Jacob Wallace who came over as the player to be named later from the Rockies in the Pillar trade. Wallace will go straight to Instructs, which Chris breaks down the logistics of the fall camp. Teaser, we’ll have a more in-depth preview next episode. Finally, it’s mailbag time, and you all did a great job filling the bag with some awesome questions. 

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Scouting Report Update: Jacob Wallace

Last Friday, the Red Sox announced they had acquired Jacob Wallace from Colorado as the player to be named later for Kevin Pillar. The deal now stands at Pillar and cash considerations for Wallace and international bonus slot money. Wallace was Colorado's third-round pick in 2019 out of the University of Connecticut and is set to debut in the SoxProspects.com top 20 in the coming days. This makes him the fourth prospect acquired at the trade deadline to debut in the current top 20. Here is Wallace's initial scouting report, compiled from available data and reports, as well as our scouting sources across the game. 

Physical Description: Average, proportional frame with minimal remaining projection. Above-average athlete.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. High-effort delivery. High leg kick, but gets low coming forward. Long arm action behind before he whips his arm forward.

Fastball: 93-95 mph. Tops out at 97 mph. Pitch shows life and tail. Pitch jumps on hitters. Command and control need refinement. Potential plus offering.

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Minor Notes: Houck dominates in debut; Wallace acquired for Pillar

 Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• In the most recent episode of the Podcast, Ian and Chris previewed Tanner Houck's major league debut, and also discussed MLB's decision to approve fall instructional camps. The remainder of the podcast focused on the ongoing negotiations between MLB and MiLB, and then they answered some reader mailbag questions. 

• The 2017 Draft Retrospective posted last week, with Shawn McGrath covering each pick and then going in-depth on some of the main themes of the draft. While the draft has yet to produce a top-100 prospect, the early returns on Houck at the major league level have been positive. 

• The 24-year-old Houck made his first two major league starts last week, going five shutout innings against the Marlins in his debut and then he allowed just an unearned run in six innings against the Yankees on Sunday. He struck out 11 in his 11 innings and allowed just three hits, but did walk six. He's featured a slider that batters are 0 for 8 against, mixed with a sinker that he puts down in the zone, and then a four-seam fastball that he places up in the zone. On a team bereft of pitching, Houck has been one of the few bright spots. 

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2017 Draft Retrospective: A Houck of a debut

Thank you for checking in on the newest entry in our draft retrospective series. Tuesday was a pick-by-pick rundown of 2017, while today we will dig a little deeper into a few of the more interesting and prominent draftees. For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

2017 Draft

Background

The Red Sox had come crashing back to Earth after the surprise World Series title back in 2013. After last-place finishes in both 2014 and 2015, ownership decided a change was in order. Enter Dave Dombrowski. The Red Sox improved markedly in 2016, winning the first of what would be three consecutive American League East championships, partially due to the win-now trades the former President of Baseball Operations is known for, sacrificing prospects and sometimes overpaying to get the player he felt would most improve the team. When those trades were combined with the graduation of Andrew Benintendi and impending promotion of Rafael Devers, the prospect cupboard was left pretty bare headed into the 2017 draft. Though there is a long way to go developmentally for many of these players, a situation complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, early returns on potential impact major leaguers have left much to be desired.

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2017 Draft Retrospective: The picks

We welcome you to the 2017 edition of the SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series. Over the next several weeks, we will revisit each Red Sox draft going back to the start of the SoxProspects.com era. Each retrospective will come in two parts: The first will be a pick-by-pick recap of each selection with very brief comments, including their peak rank on the SoxProspects.com Top 60, as well as some of the notable players the team passed on to make those picks. Players who signed are in bold, those who did not are in italics. Bonus numbers are included where available.

The 2017 Draft was the first completely under Dave Dombrowski's control, as General Manager Mike Hazen departed after the 2016 season to take the same position with Arizona. The major league club had just won the first of three consecutive AL East titles, but would be swept in the ALDS by Cleveland, ending the David Ortiz era in Boston. Dombrowski responded by bringing in pitchers Chris Sale and Tyler Thornburg in exchange for prospects and when combined with Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers' graduations, the system was as bare as it has been in a long time by the time the draft came around. This crop of prospects has not replenished as hoped to date, but as these players have had only two full seasons, it's early to truly judge the body of work put together by this group. The 2020 season would have been a crucial one for most of the players in this draft, as those that were 19 years old when selected are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this year and must be added to the 40-man roster or remain exposed to selection by other teams.

For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

1 (24). Tanner Houck, RHP, Missouri

Bonus: $2,614,500; Slot: $2,614,500

Houck (pictured, above) starred in the Missouri rotation for three years after choosing to attend the school rather than sign with Toronto as a 14th-round pick in 2014. The Illinois native pitched for the collegiate national team and features a strong 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame, throwing from a low three-quarters arm slot. The Red Sox attempted to overhaul his repertoire and mechanics in his first full professional season, having him focus on throwing a four-seam fastball up in the zone rather than the two-seam fastball he used low in the zone during college as well as altering the grips on both his breaking ball and changeup. However, these changes lasted merely half a season, as the vertical break on his breaking ball and four-seam grip proved less effective than the 10-to-4, sweeping slider and two-seam fastball mix, though the four-seam fastball has remained as a less prominent offering.  After an uneven start to the 2019 campaign with Portland, Houck straightened out in late May. Through a six-start stretch, he posted a 1.95 ERA, struck out 36, and waked 14 without allowing a homer in 37 innings. With the bullpen at the major league level in shambles, the team moved Houck to the pen in early July and then promoted him to the PawSox after a pair of outings to see if he could help fill that role down the stretch. He held up his end with a 3.26 ERA in International League play, but the team fell out of contention and thought better of using a 40-man spot on him a full year before he was Rule 5 eligible. Houck successfully slid back into a starting role in the Arizona Fall League, and that is the role he will occupy in his major league debut this evening. 

SoxProspects.com Peak Rank: No. 3

Notable Players Passed On: Nate Pearson (28), Jeter Downs (32)

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Podcast Ep. #191 - Tankathon Update

With the possibility of a top-five pick riding on the last few weeks of the season, we have a reason to pay attention to games as the season winds down. Ian breaks down how much of a difference a high draft pick means towards overall bonus pool. And speaking of reasons to pay attention, Tanner Houck is expected to make his big-league debut on September 15. Ian gives us a full scouting report for the righthander, who we have ranked number 10 in the system. Next up the guys discuss MLB’s approval of fall instructs. We also share an update on the negotiations between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball. And we hand the show over to you to close it out with more of your terrific emails and messages.

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Scouting Report Updates: Tanner Houck and CJ Chatham

Our newest scouting report updates include a pair of top-20 prospects who have spent time on the Red Sox taxi squad this season, RHP Tanner Houck and IF CJ Chatham. Both are on the cusp of making their major league debuts at some point soon, and reports are that the former could debut as soon as this weekend.

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

Tanner Houck, right-handed pitcher

Physical Description: Tall, athletic pitcher's frame. Type of frame you look for in a pitcher. High waist, long limbs. Minimal remaining projection.

Mechanics: Throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. Utilizes a full wind up. Starts on the first base side of the rubber. Long arm action including elbow climb in the back and high leg kick. Cross-fire delivery is very tough on right-handed hitters. Gets good extension to the plate. Very quick arm. Unique delivery with a lot of effort, but it works for him. Has worked on staying squarer to the plate with very obvious improvements. Does struggle to repeat his delivery as he works deeper into games.

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2016 Draft Retrospective: Dalbec and Groome highlight a strong draft

Thank you for checking in on the newest entry in our draft retrospective series. Tuesday was a pick-by-pick rundown of 2016, while today we will dig a little deeper into a few of the more interesting and prominent draftees. For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

2016 Draft

Background

The Red Sox were coming off a second consecutive last-place finish in 2015, a year that ended with the hiring of Dave Dombrowski and departure of Ben Cherington. The move signaled an urgency to get right back to the top, as Dombrowski had a reputation of depleting his farm systems and utilizing a win-now strategy. He certainly did that in Boston, and it all started in 2016 with the signing of David Price and the trade for Craig Kimbrel. Dombrowski had also often been criticized for his bullpen construction, and he immediately looked to fix that by shipping four prospects off for one of the top closers in the game. He came in and made it clear right away that he was not afraid to go for it and take some risks, which is a mentality that the Sox took in this draft as well. 

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2016 Draft Retrospective: The Picks

We welcome you to the 2016 edition of the SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series. Over the next several weeks, we will revisit each Red Sox draft going back to the start of the SoxProspects.com era. Each retrospective will come in two parts: The first will be a pick-by-pick recap of each selection with very brief comments, including their peak rank on the SoxProspects.com Top 60, as well as some of the notable players the team passed on to make those picks. Players who signed are in bold, those who did not are in italics. Bonus numbers are included where available. 

This is the first year of overseeing a Red Sox draft for Dave Dombrowski, although he kept the organization's amateur scouting department intact when taking over. The Red Sox were coming off their second consecutive last-place finish, but 2016 was off to a much better start, as they would eventually win the division. Dombrowski came in and made a big splash right away, signing David Price to what was at the time the richest contract ever for a pitcher. Part of what made Price so appealing was  that he was ineligible to receive a qualifying offer due to a deadline day trade from Detroit to Toronto, and the Red Sox could ink him without surrendering the 12th overall pick. Dombrowski also made his first of many impactful trades in Boston, dealing Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, Logan Allen, and Carlos Asuaje for closer Craig Kimbrel. 

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Minor Notes: Scouting report updates & 2015 draft retrospective

 Here are Tuesday's minor league notes:

• The 2015 draft was largely a disappointment, highlighted a player who has been a disappointment for the Red Sox thus far in 2020 - outfielder Andrew Benintendi (pictured, right). He was selected seventh overall in this draft class and in Part 1 of the series, SoxProspects.com senior staff writer Jim Crowell takes you through all of the 39 draft selections.

• In Part 2, Crowell lays out some themes and takeaways from the 2015 draft, the last of Ben Cherington's tenure as Red Sox GM. Some themes were focused around repercussions from the picks that were surrendered when signing free agents - that the Red Sox had a small margin for error and that they tried to take some "safe" picks that did not pan out.

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Scouting Report Update: Deivy Grullón

Just minutes ago, the Red Sox recalled their latest addition to the organization, catcher Deivy Grullon, as the 29th man in their doubleheader today against Philadelphia. Claimed off waivers from those same Phillies on September 3, Grullon immediately became the second-ranked catcher in our rankings, entering at number 29. Today, we give you his initial scouting report in time for his potential Red Sox debut.

Physical Description: Wide, stocky catcher's frame. Maxed out physically.

Hit: Starts open with his hands by his chest. Utilizes a toe-tap timing device. Swing has some length. Whips the bat through the zone. Fringe-average bat speed. Lot of swing-and-miss in his game. Strikeouts numbers are a concern, especially as he faces more advanced pitching. Has an aggressive approach, but will take a walk on occasion. Potential below-average hit tool.

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2015 Draft Retrospective: The end of the Cherington era

Thank you for checking in on the newest entry in our draft retrospective series. Tuesday was a pick-by-pick rundown of 2015, while today we will dig a little deeper into a few of the more interesting and prominent draftees. For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

2015 Draft

Background: 

Cherington had the magic touch after the 2012 season, with basically every move he made at the major league level contributing to the 2013 World Series victory. A lot of these signings were role players or undervalued regulars, and he spent about $100 million in total on Shane Victorino, Mike Napoli, Koji Uehara, Jonny Gomes, Ryan Dempster, Stephen Drew, and David Ross. With the 2014 team suffering a World Series hangover and scuffling to a 71-91 record, Cherington decided to change course. 

With a revamped farm system thanks to the 2011 draft, several talented, cost-controlled players such as Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Blake Swihart, Henry Owens, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Matt Barnes were either knocking on the door to the majors by the end of the 2014 season or were already there. This, combined with the financial flexibility from the Adrian Gonzalez trade to the Dodgers, allowed Cherington to flex Boston's financial muscle and pay a premium for established talent and high-end international professionals. $255 million later, the Red Sox had signed Pablo Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez, and Rusney Castillo, three signings that would, arguably, ultimately cost Cherington his job. 

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Podcast Ep. #190 - We're talking trade deadline today

The Red Sox wheeled and dealed at the deadline. In total, they struck four deals, including the Workman-Hembree deal talked about last episode. We don’t know who the club got for Kevin Pillar and Josh Osich, but can break down the two players the Sox got for Mitch Moreland. And both Hudson Potts and Jeisson Rosario are intriguing young players with some upside who debuted in the top 20 on our recently released rankings. Both Potts and Rosario will need to be added to the 40-man ahead of the winter’s Rule 5 draft. Who else is eligible to be selected, and which should be protected? We discuss. And with the trades, a number of Sox Prospects are playing in the bigs and the guys break them all down. And we hand the show over to you to close it out with more of your terrific emails and messages.

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Scouting Report Update: Hudson Potts

At this year's trade deadline, the Red Sox added two more top-20 prospects to the system. Today, we post our initial scouting report on the second of those players, infielder Hudson Potts. Acquired along with Jeisson Rosario from the San Diego Padres for Mitch Moreland, Potts enters the SoxProspects rankings at number 15.

Physical Description: Large, sturdy frame. Looks the part, well proportioned. Minimal remaining projection.

Hit: Starts square with his hands by his shoulders. Relaxed, loose at the plate. Utilizes a leg lift timing device. Barrel stays in the zone. Has had trouble catching up with high fastballs. Will take a walk on occasion, but approach still needs refinement. Lot of swing-and-miss in his game, especially on pitches within the zone at a high rate. Potential below-average hit tool.

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Scouting Report Update: Jeisson Rosario

At this year's trade deadline, the Red Sox added two more top-20 prospects to the system. Today, we post our initial scouting report on one of those players, outfielder Jeisson Rosario. Acquired along with Hudson Potts from the San Diego Padres for Mitch Moreland, Rosario enters the SoxProspects rankings at number 11 today.

Physical Description: Medium-sized frame. Extremely athletic. Has some remaining projection in upper half. Needs to add strength.

Hit: Starts slightly open with his hands high. Utilizes a toe-tap timing device. Quick wrists, but bat can drag due to his lack of strength. Swing could use some refinement, primarily in making it simpler. Doesn't make great quality of contact and struggles to pull the ball with any authority. Can get slap-happy at the plate, looking to push the ball in play the other way. Advanced feel for the strike zone for his age. Above-average plate discipline, has always shown a willingness to take a walk. Potential average hit tool, but has the potential to develop into more than that if he can add strength and refine his swing.

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2015 Draft Retrospective: The picks

We welcome you to the 2015 edition of the SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series. Over the next several weeks, we will revisit each Red Sox draft going back to the start of the SoxProspects.com era. Each retrospective will come in two parts: The first will be a pick-by-pick recap of each selection with very brief comments, including their peak rank on the SoxProspects.com Top 60, as well as some of the notable players the team passed on to make those picks. Players who signed are in bold, those who did not are in italics. Bonus numbers are included where available. 

After going from worst to first in the AL East from 2012 to 2013, the Red Sox were back in the basement in 2014. A lot of the heroes from the 2013 World Series squad sputtered in the subsequent season, and by 2015, the team had a completely different identity. In the middle of the 2014 season, the Red Sox traded Jon Lester to Oakland, John Lackey to St. Louis, and Jake Peavy to San Francisco. On the position player front, they signed Rusney Castillo to a $72.5 million contract in August 2014, and after the 2014 season, they splurged for Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. These notable missteps are what ultimately led to the 2015 draft being the final one that Ben Cherington would oversee as General Manager for the Red Sox. Meanwhile, Amiel Sawdaye, who had helmed the 2010-2014 drafts, moved up into a VP position with broader responsibilities, and Mike Rikard took the helm as Director of Amateur Scouting for the club.

For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

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Minor Notes: Potts and Rosario join the system; Dalbec homers in debut

Here are Monday's minor league notes:

• With the trade deadline approaching on Monday, the Red Sox traded first baseman Mitch Moreland to the San Diego Padres in exchange for prospects Hudson Potts and Jeisson Rosario. MLB Pipeline rated Potts at No. 16 and Rosario at No. 19 in a loaded San Diego farm system, while Baseball America had Potts at No. 17 and Rosario at No. 28. 

• Potts was the 24th overall pick in the 2016 Draft, and while he was drafted as a shortstop, he has primarily played third base while also getting some reps at second base. Equipped with a strong arm and plus power, the Red Sox are hoping he can continue to develop his approach at the plate, as his hit tool is the main thing holding him back from being a more valuable prospect. Fangraphs had him rated as the 126th-best prospect in baseball after the 2018 season, but after striking out in 28.6 percent of his at-bats in Double-A in 2019 and hitting only .227, he dropped off the top-100 radar. 
  

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2014 Draft Retrospective: Chavis and Kopech not yet quite in focus

Thank you for checking in on the newest entry in our draft retrospective series. Tuesday was a pick-by-pick rundown of 2014, while today we will dig a little deeper into a few of the more interesting and prominent draftees. For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

2014 Draft

Background

After an unexpected 97-win, World Series Championship 2013 season that was helped by a bunch of veteran free agent signings that all seemed to work out perfectly, the Sox fell right back to where they were after the 2012 season in 2014: last place. They started out the year by hovering right around .500 for the first month and a half, but a demoralizing 10-game losing streak that ended about two weeks before the draft sunk them from 20-19 to 20-29. The magic of 2013 had clearly worn off, and the 2014 draft was looking more and more important, as it appeared that veterans like Jon Lester, John Lackey, Mike Napoli, Koji Uehara, Shane Victorino, and Stephen Drew were not going to be a part of the next great Red Sox team.

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Podcast Ep. #189 - I think that's genius, actually

With the trade deadline coming up, Chris and Ian get back on the line to talk trades. They address the deal that sent Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree to the Phillies and brought back Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold. The guys then revisited the trade talks with the Padres, and while they don’t see Wil Myers coming to Boston, they do see the Red Sox as being in a good spot to take on salary and get decent young talent in exchange. The guys also talked who the club should and should not move. They talk through Casas joining the Alternate Training Site and who might join them. And we close out the show with more of your terrific questions.

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Scouting Report Update: Connor Seabold

Last week, the Red Sox made their first deal of what looks to be a busy 2020 trade deadline season, shipping Brandon Workman, Heath Hembree, cash, and a player to be named later or more cash in exchange for Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold. While Pivetta represents a high-risk, high-reward return with significant MLB experience, Seabold is a minor leaguer with a lower ceiling, but a high likelihood of being a useful major league pitcher in the near future, perhaps as soon as next year.

For logistical reasons, it may take a few more days to get Pivetta's and Seabold's player pages up, but in the meantime, here is Seabold's initial scouting report, compiled from available data and reports as well as from our scouting sources across the game.

Physical Description: Average, athletic frame. Minimal remaining projection.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Doesn’t use a wind-up. Medium-high leg kick. Controlled, repeatable delivery.

Fastball: 91-93 mph. Tops out at 95 mph. Above-average command and control profile. Around the plate, throws quality strikes. Really knows how to control the zone and gets a surprising number of whiffs with the pitch. Velocity has improved in pro ball. Potential average offering.

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2014 Draft Retrospective: The Picks

We welcome you to the 2014 edition of the SoxProspects.com Draft Retrospective series. Over the next several weeks, we will revisit each draft going back to the start of the SoxProspects.com era. Each retrospective will come in two parts: The first will be a pick-by-pick recap of each selection with very brief comments, including their peak rank on the SoxProspects.com Top 60, as well as some of the notable players the team passed on to make those picks. Players who signed are in bold, those who did not are in italics. Bonus numbers are included where available.

The Sox were back to picking at the back end of the first round following a surprise championship season in 2013. They received a compensation pick as well because of Jacoby Ellsbury’s free agent departure, meaning they had two of the first 33 picks. Those two picks turned out to be key pieces of Boston’s future, each in a different way. The team gambled on a couple high school kids, one an infielder and the other a right-handed pitcher. Both have worked out just fine. One of them helped land a key piece of the 2018 championship team, while the other had a nice rookie campaign for the Sox in 2019.

For a quick list and links to player pages, check out our Draft History page.

1 (26) Michael Chavis, SS, Sprayberry HS (Ga.)

Bonus: $1,870,500; Slot Value: $1,870,500

Chavis’ (pictured) road to the big leagues had several obstacles including thumb, finger, elbow, and wrist injuries that cost him significant time. He also dealt with an 80-game suspension in early 2018 for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Policy. The suspension came after Chavis broke out in 2017, hitting .282 with 31 home runs between Salem and Portland. Chavis finally made his big league debut on April 20, 2019, with a pinch-hit double in Tampa Bay off of Jose Alvarado in his first plate appearance. Chavis was on fire to start his career, giving the Red Sox a much-needed jolt. He maintained a .903 OPS through his first 34 games, hitting .279 with a .376 OBP and 10 home runs through 149 plate appearances. The Red Sox went 21-13 in those 34 games. Once the league adjusted to Chavis and started throwing him more high fastballs, he came back down to earth and struggled to the finish line in 2019 with just a .682 OPS over his final 233 plate appearances. An oblique injury kept Chavis off the field for the final month and half of 2019. 

SoxProspects.com peak rank: 1
Baseball America Top 100: #85 in 2018 MLB.com Top 100: #79 in 2018; #79 in 2019

Notable players passed on: Luke Weaver (27)

1 (33) Michael Kopech, RHP, Mount Pleasant HS (Tex.)

Bonus: $1,500,00; Slot Value: $1,678,000

This was a pick the Red Sox received as compensation for losing Jacoby Ellsbury to free agency. The tall, flame-throwing right-hander was used as a major piece along with Yoan Moncada in the deal for Chris Sale in the winter of 2016. Kopech was a strikeout machine for Salem in 2016, punching out 82 in just 52 innings. He debuted for the White Sox in 2018, making four starts before tearing his UCL and wiping out his 2019 season. He was back and ready to pitch in 2020, as he got an inning in spring training, but opted out of the season amid reports of issues in his personal life.

SoxProspects.com peak rank: 5
Baseball America Top 100: #89 in 2016; #32 in 2017; #11 in 2018; #21 in 2019; #33 in 2020 MLB.com Top 100: #16 in 2017; #10 in 2018; #18 in 2019; #20 in 2020

Notable players passed on: Jack Flaherty (34)

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