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July 31, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Cannon blast powers Drive; Yorke keeps streaking


7/31 Cup of Coffee
: Friday was a good one down on the farm, with affiliated winning eight out of nine contests on some strong individual performances. Jeter Downs seemed to break out of an extended slump in Worcester's win, while Cameron Cannon (pictured) turned in a monster evening to lead Greenville. Nick Yorke was again a catalyst for Salem, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Portland was saddled with the only loss on the day despite a solid effort by Josh Winckowski. The FCL Sox won on a wild comeback walkoff, while the DSL teams both swept doubleheaders with two one-run wins apiece. 

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A big day for Jeter Downs powered Worcester on deadline day. Downs, who entered the day on a brutal 3-for-47 skid, blasted a two-run homer in the first inning and followed that up with a two-run double in the fourth inning. Yairo Munoz doubled as part of his two-hit evening, extending his hitting streak to 22 games. Raynel Espinal earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings, striking out six, and walking three. A quartet of WooSox relievers combined for four scoreless innings. Zack Kelly struck out four and allowed just one hit in two innings in his Triple-A debut, and Jose Adames was unscored upon for his seventh straight outing since his promotion from Portland.
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July 30, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Northcut, Rafaela lead charge for Salem; Greenville belts seven home runs


7/30 Cup of Coffee: There were tons of standout offensive performances yesterday, mostly from Greenville and Salem. Nick Northcut (pictured) and Cedanne Rafaela combined for six extra-base hits for Salem, while Joe Davis, Cameron Cannon, and Dominic D'Alessandro put up huge numbers for Greenville. Connor Seabold showed some nice flashes for Worcester, who split a doubleheader with Buffalo. The Sea Dogs were rained out for the second time in the past three days. 

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Jett Bandy led the way in game one with two home runs and four RBI. They were the first two home runs of the year for the veteran backstop. Tate Matheny also had a big game, roping two doubles and stealing third. Yairo Munoz also extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a two-bagger. The Sox went with a bullpen game in this one, as Austin Brice started it off with a clean inning, giving way to Marcus Walden, who tossed three scoreless frames with three strikeouts. John Schreiber added two scoreless innings of his own with two strikeouts, and Kaleb Ort struck out the side in the seventh. 
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at 12:08 AM

Trade Analysis: Scouting the Aldo Ramirez for Kyle Schwarber deal


After the Yankees and Rays made substantial moves ahead of the Trade Deadline, it was only a matter of time before the Red Sox made a deal to improve their team. Late Thursday night, the Red Sox announced they had acquired outfielder Kyle Schwarber from the Washington Nationals for right-handed pitcher Aldo Ramirez

Schwarber has been very good this year in Washington, hitting .253/.340/.570 with 25 home runs in 303 plate appearances. That season line is driven by a remarkable month of June during which he hit .280/.362/.760 with 16 home runs in 116 plate appearances. Prior to that, he was hitting .230/.319/.447 with 9 home runs in 182 plate appearances. In early July, however, Schwarber suffered a right hamstring strain and he has been on the injured list since then. He is due back at some point in early August, at which point he should provide a big boost to a Red Sox lineup that is only averaging 4.3 runs since the All-Star break. Schwarber has exclusively played outfield this year and there isn't a clear spot for him in the current Red Sox lineup. I suspect the Red Sox will try him at first base, where they have a substantial need as they have got among the worst production in all of baseball from that position. He also will likely play some outfield and at designated hitter in order to keep his bat in the lineup. Schwarber has an $11.5 million mutual option for next year and a $3 million buyout. If he picks up the option the calculus changes some, but for now, we will operate under the impression he will decline it. 
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July 29, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Greenville starters Walter, Van Belle shine in doubleheader


7/29 Cup of Coffee:
A rainy Tuesday added a pair of doubleheaders to the Wednesday slate. Greenville starting pitchers Brandon Walter (pictured) and Brian Van Belle were the highlight, combining for 21 strikeouts, three walks, and zero earned runs in 11 innings. Brayan Bello also turned in a strong start, striking out 10 for Portland, and Bradley Blalock spun five scoreless for Salem. Kutter Crawford had a quality debut for Worcester following a Hirokazu Sawamura rehab outing. Nick Yorke and Yairo Munoz kept their streaks alive at the plate.  

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It was a tough night at the plate for Worcester hitter as a quartet of Bison hurlers took a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Tate Matheny halted the bid with a single with one out, and Yairo Munoz added one later in the inning to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. Hirokazu Sawamura took the ball first on a rehab assignment, striking out one in a perfect inning. Kutter Crawford had a solid Triple-A debut out of the bullpen. Crawford surrendered nine hits in six innings but limited the damage to just three runs as he struck out five and walked one. Durbin Feltman added a scoreless eighth inning, giving up one hit. 
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at 12:30 AM

Podcast Ep. #219: Deadlines ahoy!


It's late July, which means both the MLB trade deadline and the draft signing deadline are approaching? Will the Red Sox trade for a first baseman? Will they sign Jud Fabian? Will we be able to keep the two deadlines straight? It's always a question as things get hectic on the player acquisition front! Chris and Ian talked about both pending deadlines as well as (finally) the AAA debut of Connor Seabold, another round of promotions led by Kutter Crawford, and your emails!
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July 28, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Drohan perfect for Salem as Miller homers twice; Bleis debuts in DSL


7/28 Cup of Coffee: A full slate was scheduled for Tuesday, but Mother Nature intervened in four of the seven contests. The three remaining games were all frustrating losses, none by more than two runs. Shane Drohan was perfect over five innings as the Salem starter before things went sideways despite a herculean effort at the plate by Dean Miller (pictured). The day's biggest news was the debut of Miguel Bleis down in the DSL, the first game action for the highly-touted outfielder. 

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Worcester Red Sox vs. Buffalo Bisons (TOR), postponed
Yairo Munoz will have to wait to try to extend his hitting streak to 20 games, and Kutter Crawford will wait another day for his Triple-A debut. They will try for a doubleheader at Polar Park on Friday.
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July 27, 2021 at 1:00 PM

Minor Notes: Draftees continue to sign; trade deadline approaches


Here are this week's minor notes:
  • The trade deadline is on Friday afternoon, so SoxProspects.com's own Ian Cundall highlighted potential areas from which the Red Sox could trade to bolster the big league club for the stretch run.
  • Cundall and Chris Hatfield also recorded Episode No. 218 of the SoxProspects.com Podcast, which featured a draft discussion with MLBPipeline's Jim Callis.
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at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Jordan doubles three times, homers to lead FCL Sox sweep


7/27 Cup of Coffee: Blaze Jordan, the third pick in last June's draft, is mirroring the debut of his draftmate Nick Yorke. After a sputtering start to his professional career, Jordan has been lighting up the box scores. He led his FCL team to a sweep on Monday afternoon. Both DSL teams prevailed as well, with Lyonell James leading the way for the DSL Blue and the Red team riding the arm of Francis Hernandez.

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Things got started on the completion of the second game of the season in the top of the fifth inning.  Blaze Jordan got things going in the bottom of that frame with an RBI double to score Brainer Bonaci. Jordan had two of the three Red Sox hits in the contest. Luis De Le Rosa threw three shutout frames back in June, followed by Blake Loubier firing a scoreless fourth. Jose Larez took over when it resumed and he got credit for the win, allowing two runs (one earned) in three innings, striking out five without issuing a walk.
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July 26, 2021 at 12:00 PM

Red Sox Trade Deadline Primer


Trade chips likely to come from 40-man jam, complexes as deadline approaches

For the first time since Chaim Bloom became Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox, they are in the position to be buyers at the trade deadline. The Red Sox and Rays are going to be fighting for the division down the stretch, with the Yankees also not to be counted out. With the Rays already adding Nelson Cruz, there will be even more pressure on the Red Sox to make a move and address some of their weaknesses. 

The three areas that the Red Sox seem most likely to target for improvement are first base, a utility bench spot and pitching. At first base, they could use a left-handed hitter to complement the right-handed hitting options they have there.  For the bench, neither Marwin Gonzalez nor Danny Santana has established themselves in the super utility bench role, as both have struggled at the plate. Lastly, every team needs pitching depth, and the Red Sox are no different. They could use a reliever to help ease the burden on some of their late-inning arms, as Matt Barnes, Adam Ottavino, Garrett Whitlock and Josh Taylor are all pushing towards career highs in innings pitched. 

The Red Sox also could look outside of those three areas, as Bloom has shown he is always looking for ways to upgrade the roster both in the short-term and long-term. If they made a move for the long-term, all bets are off as to who would be on the table. If they choose to focus on smaller deals and rentals, however, there are three types of prospects they will likely look to deal from: 
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at 6:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Sale strikes out nine, Rodriguez stifles Fredericksburg


7/26 Cup of Coffee:
Chris Sale inched closer to his return to Boston as he struck out nine batters in Portland's walk-off win over Harrisburg. One day after Tyreque Reed hit a walk-off home run for the Sea Dogs, Devlin Granberg hit a walk-off single. Reed homered again on Sunday, while Ryan Fitzgerald continued to have the best month of his career. It was a rough outing for Grant Gambrell in Greenville, while Jorge Rodriguez (pictured) and Ceddanne Rafaela led the way for Salem. 

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Enmanuel De Jesus made his Triple-A debut on Sunday, and the 24-year-old left-hander allowed two runs over five innings, walking one and striking out three. Jose Adames added another scoreless inning, and he has yet to allow a run over in his first six appearances for the WooSox. The offense was not able to do anything to pick them up as they only had two hits. Yairo Muñoz led off the game with a single, and Jeremy Rivera added a single in the fifth. 
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July 25, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Reed walks it off for Portland; Winckowski goes seven strong


7/25 Cup of Coffee
: While not all the results were pretty, as only Portland and the FCL squad came out with victories, there were plenty of strong individual performances to be had in the Red Sox system Saturday. Jeremy Rivera had a 3-for-3 performance in Game 1 of Worcester's doubleheader, and Yairo Munoz had half of his team's hits in the evening session of the twin bill. Josh Winckowski gave his team seven two-run innings, before Tyreque Reed (pictured, left) drilled his first Double-A home run to walk off with the win. Joining the three-hit parade was Alex Erro, though Salem was served a beatdown by Fredericksburg. Juan Daniel Encarnacion also delivered five innings of shutout ball for the FCL squad, while pitching was the name of the game in the now-weekly DSL inter-squad game.

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July 24, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Wu-Yelland perfect for Salem; Seabold joins WooSox


7/24 Cup of Coffee:
It was a big day down on the farm even before games were underway with a string of promotions throughout the system. It was a tough day for the two top-10 hurlers on the mound as Connor Seabold (pictured) showed he still has some rust to shake off in Worcester while Brayan Bello only got through one inning for Portland before Mother Nature intervened. Jhonny Pereda led the Portland comeback rally after they returned to the field, and Kole Cottam delivered the key hit in Greenville's walk-off win. Salem pitchers took a no-hitter into the seventh, with Jeremy Wu-Yelland getting things started with four perfect frames. A Blaze Jordan homer got the FCL Sox on their way to a blowout, with the two DSL squads split on the day

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Two hurlers struggled in their highly-anticipated debuts for the WooSox. Connor Seabold, acquired last summer in the deal for Brandon Workman and out for the first 10 weeks of the season with right elbow inflammation, was activated before the game after a pair of rehab starts in the FCL. The organization's sixth-ranked prospect allowed six runs (three earned) on three hits in 3 1/3 innings, taking the loss. Though the Worcester defense let him down with four errors, Seabold did himself no favors with his control as he walked four batters while striking out one. Durbin Feltman also made his first appearance out of the Worcester bullpen after his promotion from Portland earlier in the day. The 2018 third-round pick surrendered three runs on four hits, including a two-run homer, in his two innings of work. At the plate, Tate Matheny blasted a three-run homer in the eighth inning to give the WooSox a crooked number. Connor Wong and Chad De Le Guerra both doubled as part of 2-for-5 nights.
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July 23, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Munoz lifts Worcester to a win



7/23 Cup of Coffee: There was a good amount of offense last night, as Yairo Munoz, Kole Cottam (pictured), and Will Dalton had huge games for Worcester and Greenville, respectively. Portland dropped a tough one despite a great outing for Frank German, while Matthew Kent and Bradley Blalock were solid for Worcester and Salem. The DSL Sox Blue team was also on fire with the bats, scoring 17 runs

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Yairo Munoz' huge game propelled the Sox to a win in this one. The leadoff hitter went 3 for 5 with a double, his fifth home run, and three runs scored. Chris Hermann also belted a two-run shot, his sixth of the year. Josh Ockimey added a pair of hits as well. Matthew Kent was solid, surrendering two runs in five innings with four strikeouts, two walks, and five hits allowed. Jose Adames and Kaleb Ort each tossed a scoreless frame to close it out, with Ort picking up save number 10. 
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July 22, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Arauz powers WooSox amidst hug watch false alarms


7/22 Cup of Coffee:
The affiliates swept on Wednesday, but the performances of those on the diamond were overshadowed by four prominent exits from it. Just 10 days before the trading deadline, a confluence of events led to two players on the 40-man roster, another hot prospect who faces Rule 5 eligibility this winter, and a former top draft selection all to be lifted from their games within a couple hours, igniting trade speculation. It all appears to have been coincidental, however. WooSox outfielder Marcus Wilson left the game with a hamstring injury, while Franchy Cordero exited in the ninth to likely take the spot of Danny Santana, who is expected to be placed on the Injured List. Cameron Cannon, the 43rd overall pick in 2019, was hurt running out his 21st double of the season. The reasons, if any, for the removal of Pedro Castellanos from the Portland game have yet to be reported, but no reports of a trade have come through.

Rampant rumors didn't slow down Portland, winning its 15th in a row largely on the contributions of Ryan Fitzgerald and Kutter Crawford. Jonathan Arauz (pictured) keyed the Worcester victory, while Christian Koss launched a solo homer in support of Brian Van Belle. Nick Yorke continued streaking for Salem in the Sox victory.
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July 21, 2021 at 9:29 PM

Podcast Ep. #218: Draft and farm with MLB.com's Jim Callis


With another draft in the books, the guys brought back MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis for his regular visit to the show! He discussed the Red Sox' draft, including where Marcelo Mayer is going to rank on his list, which players might (or might not) need overslot deals to sign, and more! Before our esteemed guest, the guys checked in for the first three games of the Jarren Duran era, then crowed a bit about calling the recall of Tanner Houck. Then Chris ate some crow for saying that the Red Sox wouldn't acquire anyone for CJ Chatham, as Victor Santos has become the newest Sox prospect. After our normal transactions check-in, we got to more of your terrific emails!
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at 10:00 AM

Scouting Scratch: Brayan Bello, Jose Adames and Zack Kelly


Over the past few weeks, I have traveled to see Portland and Worcester in person. This is the first of several scouting notebooks breaking down what I’m seeing and hearing about Red Sox prospects, starting with the Portland pitchers.

Right-handed pitcher Brayan Bello is one of the Red Sox prospects whose stock has risen the most this season. Coming out of Fall Instructs, we reported that Bello was showing some of the best raw stuff of any pitcher that threw there. He has continued his ascension, building upon that impressive look, with raw stuff that has ticked up even more this year. In a recent start, Bello sat 95-97 mph and flashed a plus changeup and above-average slider. Even though he is not the biggest pitcher, he generates easy velocity. He is a good athlete with a lightning-quick arm that is so fast it can easily get out of sync with the rest of his delivery. His changeup is the more advanced of his two secondary pitches, working in the 85-88 mph range with late, diving movement. He can really pull the string on it and throws it with the same arm speed as his fastball. It is a potential plus pitch, one that could miss bats at the highest level. His slider lags behind some, but still has improved to the point where it will flash at least above-average potential. He throws it in the mid-80s with the pitch showing two-plane movement and solid depth. Bello has many of the ingredients teams look for in a starting pitching prospect. He has the potential for three at least average pitches, with one of his secondaries already looking like a major league-quality out pitch. His stock is on the rise both within the SoxProspects ranks and nationally. We currently have him as the third-ranked pitching prospect in the system, but he is pushing to move higher on that list. As several industry sources have asked me, “are we sure Bello isn’t the top pitching prospect in the system already?”
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at 6:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Sale strikes out six; Scott hits walk-off single in Salem


7/21 Cup of Coffee:
Chris Sale looked as good as Red Sox fans could hope in his second rehab appearance, holding Harrisburg hitless and striking out six in 3 2/3 innings. Elsewhere on the farm, Nick Yorke had another great game while Stephen Scott (pictured) hit a walk-off single for Salem. In the FCL, the Red Sox had what will likely be one of their best offensive performances of the year, but they still lost by a touchdown plus an extra point. Brainer BonaciEduardo Vaughan, and Bryan Gonzalez all broke out of mini-slumps to start the season. 

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It was not Worcester's night with only Kaleb Ort able to keep the IronPigs off the board. Kyle Hart started but only went 1 2/3 innings while allowing three runs. Both John Schreiber and Matt Hall allowed five runs as Lehigh Valley plated 13 runs through the first six innings. Playing left field, Franchy Cordero went 1 for 5 with a strikeout. Connor Wong went 2 for 3 with two walks, Yairo Muñoz went 1 for 3 with a double and two walks, and Chris Herrmann went 1 for 5 with a double. 
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July 20, 2021 at 8:00 AM

Minor Notes: Jarren Duran called up to the majors


Here are this week's minor league notes:


  • The biggest news came on Wednesday when news broke that centerfielder and SoxProspects.com's second-ranked prospect, Jarren Duran (pictured, right), was being called up to the majors. He started the season in Worcester, hitting .270/.365/.561 with 15 home runs over 46 games, showing off the newfound power that accompanied a 2020 swing change. 
  • His debut would have to wait a couple of nights after the Thursday night Red Sox vs Yankees game was canceled due to a Covid outbreak in the Yankees organization and Duran sat against a lefty starter on Friday. Duran started in center on Saturday, batting sixth, and went 1-for-2 with a walk while singling on the very first pitch he saw in the majors and going on to score. On Sunday, he batted seventh while going hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts. On Monday, he accomplished another first -- his first big-league homer -- in a 1-for-6 effort.
  • Followers of the site likely are familiar with Duran, but if not, the SoxProspects.com scouting department also updated their scouting report of the 6-foot-2, 24-year-old.
  • Obviously, the signal immediately went out to the SoxProspects.com team that a podcast would be needed to cover this big news. In episode #217, they cover the Duran call-up and its effects, recap the draft, talk about the Futures game and upcoming Olympics, and some other roster moves.
  • Executive Editor Chris Hatfield was so excited that he couldn't be limited to just one podcast, so he joined Matthew Kory on his podcast, The Sox Outsider Podcast, to discuss the Duran promotion. the draft, and other Red Sox prospect-related items.
  • Duran wasn't the only one excited about the promotion -- his family had waited years in hopes of getting this news and Alex Speier of The Boston Globe spoke to Jarren's father Octavio about the whirlwind experience getting everyone to New York in time to see his son's major league debut. 
  • Duran has been impressed with what the big league club has done over the first half of the season, telling The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham that he thinks he hopes to provide "a little boost of energy."
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at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Leadoff hitters Bonaci, Chacon key sweep in Rookie Leagues


7/20 Cup of Coffee:
While the full-season teams enjoyed their weekly Monday repose, the Rookie-level teams did anything but relax. Brainer Bonaci (pictured) reached base three more times and Wilkelman Gonzalez struck out nine for the second straight outing as the FCL Sox won their eighth straight. Juan Chacon was a similar sparkplug at the top of the DSL Red Sox Blue's 16-run outburst, while Axel James continued to rake for the Red Sox Red. 

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The streaking FCL Sox squad won its eighth straight game, running over a reeling Orioles team that has now lost eight straight and 13 of 14 on the year. Wilkelman Gonzalez turned in another strong effort, allowing two runs on four hits in five innings, striking out nine without issuing a walk. The effort gave Gonzalez the first win of his professional career. Joey Stock and Merfy Andrew pitched two hitless innings apiece out of the bullpen. Brainer Bonaci paced the offense out of the leadoff spot with a double, two walks, and a run scored. Blaze Jordan added a double, the first two-bagger of the 2020 third-round pick's career. Miguel Ugueto has been the team's hottest hitter and continued that on Monday, going 2 for 3 with a stolen base and a run scored.
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July 19, 2021 at 6:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Sea Dogs hit four home runs to extend winning streak


7/19 Cup of Coffee: 
The Sea Dogs have won 13 straight and are now 14-1 in July after a shellacking of Reading on Sunday. Portland was the beneficiary of home runs from Devlin Granberg (pictured), Hudson Potts, Jeisson Rosario, and Pedro Castellanos, which was more than enough to support Josh Winckowski. Worcester was rained out while Greenville was only able to finish one of two scheduled games. In Salem, Chih-Jung Liu and Matthew Lugo led the way. 

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders @ Worcester Red Sox, PPD (rain)
Both Saturday's suspended game and Sunday's regularly scheduled game were not played due to rain. Both games will be played when the RailRiders return to Worcester from August 17-22. 

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The Sea Dogs made it 13 in a row with a dominant offensive performance. The top six hitters in the order combined to go 17 for 29, led by Devlin Granberg who went 4 for 6 with a home run. The most damage came on a Hudson Potts grand slam, and he finished the day 3 for 5. Jeisson Rosario also homered while going 2 for 4 with a walk and stolen base, and Pedro Castellanos went 3 for 6 with a double and a home run. Castellanos now has an OPS over 1.000 since the start of June. 
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July 18, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Bonaci hits grand slam, weather shortens night everywhere


7/18 Cup of Coffee:
There was weather all around on Saturday, leaving just one full-season contest to be completed in its entirety in Salem's game against Fayetteville, which went to extra innings. Portland and Reading played an eight-inning contest, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Worcester were only able to complete one inning at Polar Park, while Greenville and Asheville couldn't even get going. However, the FCL Red Sox teed off on the Twins, while the two DSL squads were matched up against each other. Brainer Bonaci (pictured) hit a grand slam for the FCL team, while Juan Daniel Encarnacion was outstanding in relief after Connor Seabold's rehab start. Devlin Granberg also went yard in Portland's shortened game.

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 0, Worcester Red Sox 0
Due to the rain storm in the area, this game was suspended in the top of the second and will be completed July 18. Marcus Walden is on the mound, while Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has runners on first and second with nobody out. Max McDowell is at the plate. Yairo Munoz has the only hit for Worcester.
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July 17, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: German, Scherff lead Sea Dogs to 11th straight


7/17 Cup of Coffee:
Friday brought a full slate of games, with all seven teams plus the major league club in action, unencumbered by off-days, rainouts, or pandemics. Portland continues to be a system highlight, extending its winning streak on the strong arms of Frank German and Alex Scherff (pictured) and a pair of home runs. Surging leadoff hitters Christian Koss and Nick Yorke continue to key the Greenville and Salem offenses, with the Drive coming away with the victory. The FCL Red Sox won their fifth straight, while both DSL clubs came away victorious.

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Worcester fell to Scranton for a second straight game despite a big night from Franchy Cordero. The leftfielder went 2 for 3 with a  double, two walks, stolen base, RBI, and a run scored. Yairo Munoz had three hits and swiped a pair of bases, Danny Santana started his rehab stint, going 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. Scranton connected for three home runs off of starter Steven Gonsalves. Overall he allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits in six innings, striking out nine. Jose Adames was a bright spot out of the Worcester bullpen, striking out one in a perfect ninth. Adams has not yet allowed a run in four appearances since hit promotion from Portland.
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July 16, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Sale strikes out five in first rehab start


7/16 Cup of Coffee: Chris Sale was the story yesterday, as he made his first rehab appearance for the FCL Red Sox, and all indications are that things went very well. The system saw some other great pitching performances as well, most notably from Kutter Crawford and Brian Van Belle. Hudson Potts (pictured) hit a massive home run to give Portland a win, and Tyreque Reed and Joe Davis continued to mash. 

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Worcester starter Kevin McCarthy was roughed up for seven runs in just 2 1/3 innings. Matthew Kent didn't fare much better out of the bullpen, allowing three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Seth Blair was the bright spot for the pitching staff, tossing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Yairo Munoz went 1 for 4 with the lone Sox extra-base hit of the night, his fourth triple of the year. Jonathan Arauz went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Josh Ockimey and Jack Lopez each went 1 for 3 with a walk. 
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July 15, 2021 at 5:38 PM

Podcast Ep. #217 - Draft Recap… and Duran to the Bigs!


The 2021 draft is in the books and Chris and Ian are back to cover the entire slate of selections… BUT FIRST, AN EMERGENCY ADDENDUM! Jarren Duran received the call to New York to join the Red Sox for his first MLB call-up. Chris and Ian hopped back on to discuss what they expect from the system’s second-ranked prospect, what other moves might be coming, and what this means for the Red Sox lineup. That out of the way, they review the latest round of promotions and other news from the system. They break down the extension Matt Barnes signed and talk about Connor Seabold’s eagerly anticipated system debut. The guys also talk about which other players have been tabbed to play in the Olympics and their impressions from the Futures Game. Then Chris and Ian talk through all the day 2 and 3 picks the Red Sox made. Finally, they get to a lot of terrific questions in a Mega Mailbag!Thanks for writing in and make sure to send your questions to podcast@soxprospects.com

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at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Ockimey powers WooSox; Koss rips four hits


7/15 Cup of Coffee:
It was an excellent night down on the farm even after the news of the coming promotion of Jarren Duran. Josh Ockimey (pictured) had a big evening for Worcester, hitting a pair of homers and driving in three runs in the WooSox doubleheader split. Triston Casas went deep for Portland, while Christian Koss and Grant Gambrell starred in a Greenville shutout. Salem also emerged victorious as a returning Nick Yorke and a streaking Gilberto Jimenez led the way from the top of the lineup. 

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Worcester went shorthanded into its doubleheader with first-place Scranton following the news that Jarren Duran would be promoted to the major league squad. Josh Ockimey did his part to pick up the slack, blasting a pair of solo homers off top Yankee pitching prospect Deivi Garcia. Yairo Munoz added a pair of hits. Despite taking the loss, Kyle Hart went the distance for the (seven-inning) complete game. Hart allowed four runs 10 hits, striking out eight, and walking three. 
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July 14, 2021 at 6:56 PM

Scouting Report Update: Jarren Duran gets The Call


Early Wednesday evening, Joe McDonald from the Worcester Telegram and Gazette broke that Jarren Duran wasn't in the lineup for the Worcester Red Sox because he was on his way to New York to make his Major League debut. Duran is in the midst of the best season of his professional career, hitting .270/.365/.561 with 15 home runs and 13 steals in 219 plate appearances in Triple-A. He also spent a few weeks with Team USA helping them qualify for the Olympics, and was one of the standout performers at the Qualifier. 

Duran's promotion comes with the Red Sox entering a pivotal stretch as they look to secure their position at the top of the American League East. The Red Sox have received inconsistent play from their third outfielder this year and the team will look to Duran to take an everyday spot, likely pushing Kiké Hernández into the infield primarily. The Red Sox will need to make room on the 40-man roster for Duran as well as the active roster, with the designation for assignment of a member of the bullpen the most likely move.

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at 12:00 PM

Minor Notes: Draft and Futures Game recap; DSL season begins


Here are this week's minor league notes:
  • With the MLB Draft now in the rearview mirror, fans can learn about the system's newest prospects on the SoxProspects.com News Page as well as the Draft History page. In-depth reports have been written on the picks in the first 10 rounds, including Marcelo Mayer and Jud Fabian, as well as higher-level overviews of the picks in rounds 11-15 and 16-20. To see how each picked ranked with the national publications, check out our Rankings post. 
  • SoxProspects.com Editor-in-Chief Mike Andrews has all the details on the Draft Signing Period which runs through August 1. Also included in the post is a link to his initial projections on who will or will not sign. At first glance the longest odds to sign looks to be 15th rounder Payton Green
  • Chris and Ian recorded a podcast on Sunday night recapping the Mayer pick while discussing where he ranks in the system. Between Mayer, Triston Casas, and Jarren Duran, opinion on who is the system's number one prospect depends on what you value the most in a player. 
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at 6:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Scott drives in eight; Casas ends home run drought


7/14 Cup of Coffee: An eight-RBI game from Stephen Scott (pictured) in Salem highlighted an up-and-down day on the farm. The strikeout bug bit Worcester's stars and spoiled a strong start from Raynel Espinal. Fans are hoping that Tuesday's home run can snap Triston Casas out of his recent slump, while his teammates Pedro Castellanos and Joey Meneses continue to prey on Double-A pitching. Greenville continued to get production from both Christian Koss and Brandon Howlett who have both been hot lately, and Luis Perales made his much-anticipated debut in the DSL. 

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The WooSox had only four hits and struck out 10 times in the loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Raynel Espinal, who spent parts of two seasons with the RailRiders, left with the lead after firing five scoreless innings with six strikeouts. He lowered his ERA to 3.49 but could not secure his career-high eighth win. Brandon Brennan was tagged for two runs, and Matt Hall gave up two runs after walking three in only 2/3 of an inning. 
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July 13, 2021 at 8:00 PM

2021 Draft Recap: How Boston's picks ranked


Of Boston's 20 selections in the 2021 Draft, 11 were ranked in the Baseball America Top 500, 10 in the Perfect Game Top 612, and seven in the MLB Pipeline Top 250 list. 12 Red Sox selections appeared on at least one of the lists.

See below for a listing of the 2021 Red Sox draftees who were ranked by BA, PG, or MLB.com. The full list of this year's draft selections can be found over at the SoxProspects.com Draft History page.

Round-Pick: Player, Position (Rank)

1-4: Marcelo Mayer, SS (BA: 2; MLB: 1; PG: 1) 
2-40: Jud Fabian, OF (BA: 27; MLB: 23; PG: 37) 
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at 7:00 PM

Welcome to the Draft Signing Period!


Now that the 2021 First-Year Player Draft is in the books, the signing period is upon us. This year's signing deadline is 5:00 pm ET on August 1, 2021. As most of our readers know, each team's spending on draft pick bonuses is capped. The bonus cap is determined by the number and placement of each team's selections. 


The bonus cap sets an aggregate limit for a team to spend on its selections in the first ten rounds, and also limits teams from spending over $125,000 on players taken after the 10th round (the excess on any late-round bonuses will count against the bonus pool). Boston's cap is $11,359,600 this year. If the club exceeds its pool: (1) by 0-5%, it will be charged a 75% tax on the excess; (2) by 5-10%, it will pay the same tax and will also lose its first-round pick next season; (3) by 10-15%, it will be charged a 100% tax on the excess and lose its first- and second-round picks next season; and (4) by more than 15%, 100% tax on the excess and lose its next two first-round picks.


These are obviously harsh penalties, making it highly unlikely that the Red Sox will go more than 5% over the pool limit in any year. However, the team has shown that it is willing to pay the requisite tax and go up to 5% over the cap, which would place the team's spending limit (not counting the first $125,000 given to any pick after the 10th round) at about $11,927,580. One other wrinkle to remember is that if Boston fails to sign any of its picks from the first 10 rounds, the team's pool will be reduced by the slot amount for the unsigned player's draft position. Here are the bonus slots for each of Boston's top picks:
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at 6:20 PM

Draft Day 3 Recap Part 2: Rounds 16-20


Thank you for following along with SoxProspects.com for our draft coverage. Here are brief overviews of the players Boston selected with picks 16 though 20:

16. BJ Vela, 2B, Reedley JC (Calif.)
Vela put up gaudy stats on the JuCo circuit, hitting .481/.560/.821 in 27 games. The .481 average paced the California Community College Athletic Association, where he also ranked third in RBI with 35 and fifth in home runs with seven.

17. Luis Guerrero, RHP, Chipola College
Like Vela, Guerrero starred on the JuCo circuit, playing for one of the most notable two-year programs in the country (followers of the draft will recall that Jay Groome was lined up to attend Chipola after his commitment to Vanderbilt fell through). The 6-foot righthander made 14 appearances, posting a 3.72 ERA and .198 batting average against. He struck out 95 in 58 innings while walking 34. Per Mike Rosenbaum at Prep Baseball Report, Guerrero's fastball runs 93 to 96, which he's been able to maintain deep into his starts. He complements that with an above-average splitter which is a "swing-and-miss offering at 82-84 mph that he throws with late vertical drop" and a curveball. 
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at 3:38 PM

Draft Day 3 Recap Part 1: Rounds 11-15


The third day of the draft has returned after a hiatus in the 2020 edition. However, instead of picks 11 through 40 as it was from 2012 through 2019, the draft has been shortened to 20 rounds. So instead of a mass of 30 selections coming through on Tuesday, the Red Sox made 10 picks. The team signed 17 of 30 day three picks in 2019.

Here are brief recaps of selections 11 through 15:

11. Niko Kavadas, 1B, Notre Dame
After going undrafted in the 2020 draft despite his status as a Top 200 prospect, Kavadas returned to South Bend where he continued to rake. The left-handed hitting slugger finished second in the nation with 22 home runs, setting the Notre Dame single season record. Overall on the year he hit fo a.302/.473/.767 slash line. Despite his senior status and first-base only profile, Kavadas was ranked the #158 prospect in the draft by Baseball America, #135 by MLB Pipeline, and #150 by Perfect Game USA. 
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at 8:15 AM

MLB Draft Day Three


The first two days of the MLB draft are in the books. Boston will have ten more picks today during Day Three of the draft, starting with pick number 316 at the start of the eleventh round. If history is any indicator, the Red Sox could o pop a few high-bonus potential prep prospects among the first few picks of the day, particularly in the eleventh round. One might think the club worked the phones last night to line up a deal with one of those players in advance. Here's a look at some of the best players available according to Baseball America (BA), MLB Pipeline (MLB), and Perfect Game (PG).  While these are among the best players available, they very well could be out of Boston's bonus pool range and/or already decided to attend college in the Fall.

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at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: DSL kicks off; Seabold rehabs in Fort Myers


7/13 Cup of Coffee: With most eyes on the second day of the 2021 entry draft, there were a pair of very eventful contests on Monday. The Dominican Summer League season made its long-awaited return, with the top signee in the 2019-20 class starting the season with a triple in the DSL Blue squad's victory. The DSL Red Sox Red were rained out and will attempt to get their season underway on Tuesday. Meanwhile, it was a wild win in the FCL featuring a rehabbing Connor Seabold (pictured), a perfect Wilkelman Gonzalez, and a walk-off homer by Blaze Jordan.

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It was a rare contest under the lights for the FCL Sox, and the on-field events were worthy of the event. Connor Seabold, out since the start of the season with right elbow inflammation, took the mound in a rehab start against fellow rehabbing hurler Chris Archer. Seabold, currently ranked 6th in the system, went 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on one hit. Seven of the eight outs he recorded were via strikeout. Seabold also walked three and hit a batter. A trio of relievers followed, with Wilkelman Gonzalez the most impressive. Gonzalez was perfect over five innings, striking out nine batters. 
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July 12, 2021 at 5:33 PM

Red Sox select Matt Litwicki with 10th-round pick


With its 10th-round pick in the 2021 draft, Boston has selected Matt Litwicki, a right-handed pitcher out of Indiana University. Litwicki made just 10 relief appearances this year and threw only 12 innings, but he struck out 17 and walked only two while showing impressive stuff. He is ranked #213 by Baseball America and #412 by Perfect Game USA.

Litwicki graduated from high school in 2017 and underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after arriving at Indiana. He has thrown only 31 1/3 innings over three seasons with the Hoosiers, but he was an Academic All-Big Ten in all three seasons. Listed at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, the soon-to-be 23-year-old traded in his two-seam fastball for a four-seam fastball this season, and both Baseball America and MLB.com report that it was routinely 96-97 while touching 98 and 99. He also features a low-80s slider with impressive spin rates. He recorded four saves this season after opening the year as the closer. 
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at 5:08 PM

Red Sox select Tyler Miller with ninth-round pick


With its ninth-round pick in the 2021 draft, Boston has selected Tyler Miller, a third baseman from Auburn University. He was ranked #231 by MLB Pipeline, #338 by Perfect Game USA, and #397 by Baseball America.

Now a junior at Auburn, Miller was drafted as a shortstop by the Pirates in the 23rd round in 2018. Miller stayed at short during his freshman year at East Mississippi Community College before transferring to Auburn. After suiting up in the outfield during his sophomore year in 2020, he saw time at shortstop, third base, and first base in 2021.
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at 4:44 PM

Red Sox select Hunter Dobbins with eighth-round pick


With its eighth-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft, Boston has selected Hunter Dobbins, a right-handed pitcher from Texas Tech University. A midweek starter for the Red Raiders in 2020, Dobbins appeared in six games, pitching 20 innings with a 1.35 ERA. Dobbins tore his UCL prior to the 2021 season and elected to undergo Tommy John surgery.

The soon-to-be 22-year-old Dobbins is 6-foot-2, with a well-built frame. Prior to surgery, his fastball reached 98 mph. The Bryan, Texas native also mixes in a slider and a changeup. He was projected to be a weekend starter in 2021 but was hurt in an intrasquad scrimmage two weeks prior to the start of the season.

Photo Credit: Hunter Dobbins by Texas Tech Red Raiders



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at 4:19 PM

Red Sox select Wyatt Olds with seventh-round pick


With its seventh-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Boston has selected Wyatt Olds, a pitcher out of the University of Oklahoma. He is ranked No. 422 by Baseball America and No. 519 by Perfect Game USA.

A third-year sophomore, Olds was the No. 2 high school player out of Oklahoma in the Class of 2018, according to Perfect Game, and was also listed as a middle infielder, though he appeared exclusively as a pitcher in college. He bats and throws right-handed.
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at 3:52 PM

Red Sox select Daniel McElveny with sixth-round pick


With its sixth-round pick in the 2021 draft, Boston has selected Daniel McElveny, a utility player out of Bonita Vista High School (CA). McElveny's high school is less than 10 minutes away from first-round pick Marcelo Mayer's Eastlake High School.

MLB.com initially listed McElveny as a shortstop, though the Red Sox announced him as a utility player. Perfect Game USA lists him as both a shortstop and an outfielder and notes that he has good bat speed, a strong arm, and is an above-average runner. Though he was not ranked by any of the major publications, McElveny hit .435 with a .580 on-base percentage and five home runs in his senior season. 
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at 3:17 PM

Red Sox select Nathan Hickey with fifth-round pick



With its fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft, Boston has selected Nathan Hickey, a catcher out of the University of Florida. He is ranked #132 by Baseball America, #141 by MLB Pipeline, and #84 by Perfect Game USA.

Hickey, a draft-eligible sophomore, went undrafted out of Providence High School in Jacksonville, Fla. He joined second-round pick Jud Fabian in Gainesville and went on a tear to start the 2020 season, hitting .311/.439/.622 in that abbreviated campaign. He continued to mash upon his return to campus, hitting .317/.435/.522 in 2021 with 15 doubles, nine homers, 42 walks, and just 40 strikeouts. 
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at 2:56 PM

Red Sox select Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz with fourth-round pick


With its fourth-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Boston has selected Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, a right-handed pitcher out of Leadership Christian Academy in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. He is ranked No. 302 by Perfect Game USA and is not ranked by either Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. Rodriguez-Cruz was viewed by Perfect Game USA as a top-60 recruit in the Class of 2021, and is committed to the University of Oregon.

Standing 6-foot-4 and 165 pounds, the skinny-framed right-handed pitcher has significant room for projection on his frame. Lean and lanky, Rodriguez-Cruz has long levers and offers plus extension. His fastball currently sits in the low-90s, and he has a solid curveball, while also mixing in a slider and changeup. The Trujillo Alto native has continued to add strength, helping him to maintain his velocity while continuing to throw strikes.

This selection further cements Boston as one of the more active teams in finding talent in Puerto Rico, as this is the third consecutive year that a player from the country was drafted or signed by the Red Sox (Juan Montero and Henry Nunez (UDFAs, 2020), Matthew Lugo (Round 2, 2019).

Photo Credit: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz by Perfect Game USA.


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at 2:13 PM

Red Sox select Tyler McDonough with third-round pick


With its third-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Boston has selected Tyler McDonough, a second baseman out of NC State. He is ranked No. 88 by Perfect Game USA, No. 112 by MLBPipeline and No. 127 by Baseball America.

McDonough had a strong freshman season in 2019, earning ACC All-Freshman and all-conference second team honors, while he was named a freshman All-American by both Baseball America and Perfect Game. He was eligible for the shortened 2020 MLB Draft, but he was not selected and returned to school for his third season in Raleigh. He throws right-handed and is a switch-hitter.
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at 1:12 PM

Red Sox select Jud Fabian with second-round pick



With its second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Boston has selected Jud Fabian, an outfielder out of the University of Florida. He is ranked 27th by Baseball America, 23rd by MLB Pipeline, and 32nd by Perfect Game USA.

Fabian would have been a top prospect coming out of high school in 2019, but enrolled early at the University of Florida. Because of that early enrollment, Fabian is one of the youngest college players eligible at only 20 years, 9 months. He is a right-handed hitter who throws left-handed.
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at 12:43 PM

Patreon Draft Special: Marcelo Mayer Edition


Patreon supporters were given access to Chris and Ian's first take reactions to Boston's selection of shortstop Marcelo Mayer with the fourth-overall pick on Sunday night. For the rest of our listeners, we now post to our general feed the guys' thoughts on Mayer's selection, the events of draft night, and other pressing questions!

To get perks such as early access to the podcast, access to the Patreon Game Updates, and more, support us on Patreon.com/soxprospects!

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at 9:21 AM

MLB Draft Day Two


The first day of the MLB first-year player draft wrapped last night, and the Red Sox selected Marcelo Mayer with the fourth overall pickBoston will have nine picks on Monday during Day Two of the draft, starting with pick number 40 at the start of the second round followed by picks 75 and 105. Here's a look at some of the best players available according to Baseball America (BA), MLB Pipeline (MLB), and Perfect Game (PG).


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at 6:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Bello and Downs play in Futures Game; Jimenez steals home


7/12 Cup of Coffee:
Between the regularly scheduled minor league games, the All-Star Futures Game, and the MLB Draft, Sunday was like Christmas to minor league baseball fans. Jarren Duran was the lone bright spot in Worcester, Ryan Fitzgerald and Triston Casas led a comeback for Portland, and Gilberto Jimenez (pictured) stole home for Salem. On the pitching front, Josh Winckowski was not especially sharp, but Jeremy Wu-Yelland fired four hitless innings. 

In the 2021 All-Star Futures Game Brayan Bello allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning, and Jeter Downs hit a two-run double. Bello gave up a double to Nolan Gorman, and after a wild pitch, Gorman scored on a sacrifice fly. Bello hit 98 mph with his fastball and also showed off his slider and changeup. Downs struck out in his first at-bat but hit a 108-mph double in his second. The National League team came out on top with an 8-3 victory. 

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The normally potent Worcester offense managed just three hits in Sunday's loss. Jarren Duran did his best to carry the team by going 1 for 2 with a double, walk, and two steals while scoring the only run. Franchy Cordero hit an RBI double to account for the only RBI. Stephen Gonsalves really struggled with his control, walking five and throwing just 39 of his 79 pitches for strikes. In all, he gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings. The bullpen had more luck as Marcus Walden struck out the side and Jose Adames struck out two in his second WooSox appearance. 
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July 11, 2021 at 10:23 PM

2021 MLB First Year Player Draft Picks No. 1-29


The 2021 MLB First Year Player Draft is underway from a new location and date. Formerly hosted at MLB Network's studios in Seacaucus, NJ during mid-June, the draft is now at the site of the MLB All-Star Game in Denver and is now a month later as part of the all-star festivities, with fans invited to attend for the first time. It also has its third different format in the past three years, though 2020's draft was shortened to five rounds due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. This year's edition will feature 20 rounds over three days, rather than the traditional 40-round format seen in 2019 and years prior. As scouts were more easily able to see players this year, the top picks were more evenly distributed between high school and college selections, with five college players and five prep talents taken in the top 10, including Boston's Marcelo Mayer, who was selected No. 4 overall out of Eastlake HS in California.
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at 7:33 PM

Red Sox Select Marcelo Mayer with the fourth overall pick


With the 4th-overall pick in the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Red Sox selected Marcelo Mayer, a shortstop from Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, Calif.. Mayer is ranked 2nd in the draft class by Baseball America, and 1st by MLB.com and Perfect Game USA.

Mayer was projected by many mock drafts to go first-overall to Pittsburgh in the weeks leading up to the draft, but the late shake-up of Henry Davis of Louisville going first overall set off a chain of events allowing the Red Sox to select the young shortstop with the fourth pick. As a result, the Red Sox selected their second California high school infielder in the first round in as many years after taking Nick Yorke out of San Jose-area Archbishop Mitty last year.

Mayer comes from one of the top high school programs in the country, which also produced former Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco of the Twins. On teams' radars since sharing an infield with Cavaco, he has been viewed as a top-ten draft prospect for the entirety of the draft cycle, ranking in that range as far back as last fall thanks to a coveted combination of performance and potential. 
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at 11:33 AM

Follow the MLB Draft on SoxProspects.com


The MLB Draft is just a few hours away! You can follow along with the draft this evening at SoxProspects.com, where we'll bring you up-to-the-minute coverage of the first round. Look for a preview of the best players available on Day Two tomorrow . Similar coverage will continue through Day Three as well.

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at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Hernandez records 5 RBI, Cottam notches 3 hits


7/11 Cup of Coffee:
It was a mixed bag down on the farm, as big losses by Greenville and Worcester were offset by a doubleheader sweep by Portland and a come-from-behind win for the FCL Red Sox. Ronaldo Hernandez (pictured, left) headlined the system at the plate, going 3 for 6 across the doubleheader with a grand slam and five RBI in the early game alone. In the second game, Joey Meneses and Tanner Nishioka each hit home runs for Portland. Despite the big loss for the Drive, Kole Cottam recorded a three-hit performance. On the mound, Tanner Houck had a tough start, though Kutter Crawford turned in a quality start for Portland, while Juan Daniel Encarnacion pitched four shutout innings for the FCL squad.
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Worcester scored first on a Johan Mieses single, but that was all for the visitors as Lehigh Valley pushed across a pair in the bottom of the third and an additional four in the fourth on the way to a dominant win. Franchy Cordero, who is continuing to gain reps at first base, was 2 for 3, but he had 40 percent of his team's hits. Tanner Houck was on the mound and he had control issues, walking four batters. Those free passes combined with three hits led to five runs, four of which were earned, scoring under his 3 1/3 innings of work. Kevin McCarthy didn't fare much better, surrendering another two runs in 1 2/3 frames, while two more runs went against Matt Hall in one inning.
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July 10, 2021 at 6:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Wilson and Mieses lead Worcester; Jimenez homers


7/10 Cup of Coffee:
It was a strong night for the offense with the affiliates, combining to hit 12 home runs even with Portland getting postponed. Marcus Wilson had another tremendous game, and Dominic D'Alessandro hit one of the longest home runs of the year in Greenville. Gilberto Jimenez and Ceddanne Rafaela had homers and stolen bases for Salem, while the FCL won again as they break out of an early-season slump. 

Every player had at least one hit for Worcester, led by Marcus Wilson, who went 3 for 3 with a double, home run and a walk. His OPS rose to .933 as the 24-year-old continues to pick up where he left off in 2019. Josh Ockimey and Johan Mieses also homered, and Connor Wong doubled in his first game back with the WooSox. The win went to Daniel Gossett as he went the first five and allowed just one run on a solo home run. He struck out five, walked one and surrendered just two hits. 
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July 9, 2021 at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Granberg goes off for Portland


7/9 Cup of Coffee: The star of the night was Devlin Granberg (pictured), who had three extra-base hits for Portland in their win. Rain was an issue throughout the system, as Worcester and Salem were postponed. Brian Van Belle pitched a great game for Greenville, who need just one run to win. 

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Worcester Red Sox @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI), PPD (rain)
The Sox were rained out in Pennsylvania last night. A makeup date and time has yet to be determined. 
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July 8, 2021 at 9:30 AM

2021 Red Sox Draft Preview


It’s that time of year again! The MLB Draft gets underway Sunday evening at 7:00 pm ET. Day One will include the first and supplemental rounds. Day Two will be Monday, July 12, at 1:00 pm, covering rounds two through 10, and Day Three will be Wednesday, July 13 at noon, covering rounds 11 through 20.

This year, the Red Sox will have its pick of one of a handful of elite draft prospects at the #4 overall pick. Our predictions for that pick are below. The club will also have the fourth pick in each subsequent round, adding some more draft excitement than usual for the Boston fan base. Additionally, Boston’s bonus pool cap is $11,359,60 this year, which is more than double what the team had for last year's cap, and is the sixth-highest pool in the league.
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at 7:00 AM

Cup of Coffee: Groome Ks nine; Castellanos keeps hitting


7/8 Cup of Coffee:
Portland came away with the only win on Wednesday, despite an (intentionally) abbreviated outing by Brayan Bello. A red-hot Pedro Castellanos and the Sea Dogs bullpen stepped up to secure the win. The other top-ten prospect on the docket was outstanding, as Jay Groome (pictured) gave up just one hit while striking out nine in the Greenville loss. Worcester couldn't solve a returning former top prospect, while Salem's three-game winning streak was snapped.

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The normally potent WooSox lineup was stymied by former top draft choice Mark Appel, attempting a comeback after three years away from the game. Appel held the Worcester lineup hitless through 4 1/3 until Josh Ockimey recorded a base hit. Raynel Espinal ran into trouble as Lehigh Valley scored four runs in the fifth inning. He allowed five runs overall (four earned) on six hits in 4 1/3 innings, getting tagged with the loss. Jose Adames made his Triple-A debut, walking one in a hitless seventh inning. Austin Brice had another scoreless effort, his 11th time in 12 appearances since being sent to Worcester. Tate Matheny came off the bench after Marcus Wilson was ejected and notched a pair of hits, and Yairo Munoz delivered a solo homer in the ninth. Perhaps the biggest news was that Franchy Cordero got his first start at first base after reports of him taking grounders at the position a week ago. With the team possibly in the market for a left-handed-hitting first baseman, Cordero taking quickly to first would be an enticing internal option.
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July 7, 2021 at 2:03 PM

Minor Notes: Futures Game, MLB draft on tap this weekend


 
Here are this week's minor league notes: 

  • It was a busy week for the SoxProspects.com podcast, as Chris and Ian discussed some things that Ian saw in his trip to Portland to see the Sea Dogs on episode 215. They also talk about Connor Wong making his MLB debut, the issues Boston is having with Garrett Richards, injury updates, the Florida Complex League, and some questions. 
  • In the 216th episode, Chris and Ian welcome ESPN Insider Kiley McDaniel to the show to discuss the upcoming draft and who McDaniel sees as fits for the Sox at pick number four. Chris and Ian also talk about Jarren Duran not being on the roster for the Olympic team, some transactions, as well as the July ranking update. 
  • Speaking of the Olympics, Triston Casas and Jack Lopez will represent the USA, while Joey Meneses will represent Mexico.
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