January Notes: Bloom, Crockett appear on podcast

 Here are January's minor league notes:

• It was a big month for the SoxProspects.com podcast, releasing three episodes, including the 200th episode with Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom. Chris and Ian chatted with him about his journey in the game, his time with Tampa Bay, as well as a challenging first season in Boston. 

• On episode 199, "It's The Amuse Bouche", Chris and Ian caught up on transactions, international signings, as well as Andrew Benintendi trade rumors. They also opened up the mailbag and answered some listener questions. 

• On episode 201 of the podcast, Chris and Ian welcomed Ben Crockett, Boston's VP of Player Development. They discussed the strange 2020 season, the Alternate Training Site, and a look ahead to 2021. Chris and Ian also took a look back at the winding road to 200 episodes.

• SoxProspects.com's Director of Scouting, Ian Cundall, added some scouting updates from Fall Instructs, including reports on a pair of new arms. Update one featured Jay Groome and Aldo Ramirez, noting that Groome has added a slider to his arsenal. In the next report, updates are provided on new signing Jose Adams, who projects to start the season in Salem, as well as Frank German, a 2018 first-round pick by the Yankees who was acquired by Boston along with Adam Ottavino. 

• The Caribbean Series began on Sunday, and the series is filled with Red Sox prospects. Jarren Duran (pictured), who has been on fire, leads the group for Puerto Rico alongside teammates Jack Lopez and Jeremy Rivera. Jonathan Arauz has been playing for Panama, while Joey Meneses has been suiting up for Mexico. Since winning LBPRC Finals MVP with two doubles and two home runs, Duran has remained hot at the plate and in the field for Puerto Rico. Check out a nice sliding play he made, as well as this rocket into the gap for a triple. 

• Some extremely sad news to pass along, as former Red Sox minor league manager and first base coach Ron Johnson passed away last Tuesday. Johnson was in the Red Sox organization for 10 years, including stops in Sarasota, Trenton, Portland, and Pawtucket, as well as spending a couple years as Boston's first base coach. SoxProspects.com sends our condolences to Johnson's family and friends. 

• After playing just nine games in the past three seasons, long-time Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia officially decided to hang up his cleats. Pedroia was drafted in the second round of the 2004 draft out of Arizona State and went on to win a Rookie of the Year, an MVP, and three World Series championships for the Red Sox. On the SoxProspects.com list, Pedroia debuted as the number three prospect in the system in November of 2004. One of the most consistent hitters the Red Sox have ever had, Pedroia hit .300 for his minor league career before hitting .299 across his 14-year Major League Career. Pedroia also won four Gold Gloves at second base and finished in the top-10 MVP voting three times. He also came up big in the postseason, going 4 for 6 with a double and two home runs in two career ALCS Game 7 appearances. He finished his career with 51.6 Baseball-Reference WAR.

• In addition to acquiring German and Adames, the Red Sox also signed RHP Matt Carasiti, infielder Jack Lopez, RHP Zac Grotz, and RHP Zack Kelly to minor league deals. They also dealt shortstop C.J. Chatham to Philadelphia for a player to be named later or cash. He was drafted in the second round of 2016 and hit .298 in 110 games between Portland and Pawtucket in 2019. 

• Boston also signed 14 international free agents, including four right-handed pitchers, five shortstops, four outfielders, and a catcher. Scouting reports on their most expensive signing, outfielder Miguel Bleis, as well as catcher Enderso Lira, can be found here on Baseball America. 

• The Red Sox also had three prospects named in Baseball America's top 100 prospects list, headed by Triston Casas. 

• Outfielder Rusney Castillo, who signed a massive contract with Boston in 2014, but spent the last four years with Pawtucket, is moving on to play in Japan in 2021. Castillo hit .293 with 42 home runs in his minor league career. 

• In addition to Ben Crockett's recent promotion, the Red Sox also made several other changes and promotions in player development and the minor leagues, as Julian McWilliams highlights for The Boston Globe. 

• Bianca Smith made history, becoming the first African American female to coach in professional baseball. She played softball at Dartmouth, and will work with Sox position players in Fort Myers. Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic wrote about Smith and her journey. 

• The #SP60 has begun on Twitter. Follow the SoxProspects.com Twitter account as we count down the top 60 prospects in the system. 

• Speaking of Twitter, you may have noticed the awesome new graphics on your feed thanks to the hard work of the newest member of the SoxProspects.com team, Sean Facey. 

Photo Credit: Jarren Duran by Kelly O'Connor

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