June 7, 2022 at 2:00 PM
Minor Notes: Rookie ball begins, Mata returns to action
Worcester split this past week, going 3-3, while the Sea Dogs have won two in a row after dropping their previous seven games. Greenville had a tough week, going just 1-5, but Salem has started off June by ripping of five straight wins. The big league club has also won five consecutive games.
Transactions
Duran fills in for Bradley Jr.
Jaren Duran joined the Sox in Oakland for his second stint with the big league club in 2022. It was short-lived, as he was sent right back down after Jackie Bradley Jr. returned from paternity leave, but he made the most of his two starts. Duran hit leadoff in both games, going 2 for 5 in his first game and 1 for 4 in his next game. He has been terrific with Worcester this year to the tune of a .916 OPS with 22 extra-base hits and 11 stolen bases. Overall in Boston he is 4 for 13 with a triple and an .819 OPS.
Bryan Mata Returns
Nick Yorke has also been out of action recently, as he was placed on the 7-day injured list. On the other end of the injury front, the system got back the seventh ranked prospect at SoxProspects.com, as Bryan Mata (pictured, right) returned to game action for the first time since 2019. The right-hander went two innings and struck out a pair in his return. For Salem and Portland in 2019, a 20-year old Mata posted a 3.43 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 105 innings of work.
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Rookie Ball
FCL, DSL Sox teams get underway
The Red Sox Rookie Ball teams began action yesterday, as all three team came out swinging, combining to score 25 runs in their three games. Overall in the SoxProspects.com top 60, 10 are on rookie ball teams. The highest among those 10 is 18-year old Miguel Bleis, who made his first appearance for the FCL Sox yesterday, roping a double. He had a .751 OPS with four home runs and seven stolen bases last year for the DSL Sox.
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Key Links
2022 SoxProspects.com Donation Drive
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Hunter Dobbins Debuts
After missing the 2021 season, Hunter Dobbins, who the Sox drafted last year out of Texas Tech, made his professional debut for Salem. Read more about how he did in the SoxProspects.com Cup of Coffee.
Podcast Episode 249
The next edition of the SoxProspects.com podcast is out, as there has been a lot to talk about with some key pitching promotions. Chris and Ian talk about Brandon Walter's promotion to Worcester as well as Josh Winckowski's MLB debut. They also talk about some injuries in the system, break down the new rankings, as well as answer some email questions.
The next edition of the SoxProspects.com podcast is out, as there has been a lot to talk about with some key pitching promotions. Chris and Ian talk about Brandon Walter's promotion to Worcester as well as Josh Winckowski's MLB debut. They also talk about some injuries in the system, break down the new rankings, as well as answer some email questions.
May Players of the Month
The SoxProspects.com May Players of the Month have been announced, as Devlin Granberg and Brayan Bello take the awards. Granberg stepped up to the plate 103 times for Portland in the month and hit .321 with a .971 OPS. Bello got bumped up to Worcester in the middle of the month and continued his dominance there, racking up 26 strikeouts in 17 innings.
Chad Jennings of The Athletic (subscription) also wrote a piece on the state of the Sox farm system by putting together his "All-Red Sox Minor League Team" for the month of May.
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The SoxProspects.com May Players of the Month have been announced, as Devlin Granberg and Brayan Bello take the awards. Granberg stepped up to the plate 103 times for Portland in the month and hit .321 with a .971 OPS. Bello got bumped up to Worcester in the middle of the month and continued his dominance there, racking up 26 strikeouts in 17 innings.
Chad Jennings of The Athletic (subscription) also wrote a piece on the state of the Sox farm system by putting together his "All-Red Sox Minor League Team" for the month of May.
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Players of the Week
Phillip Sikes, OF, Salem Red Sox
4 G, 7 AB, 4 H, 1 2B, 2 3B, 7 R, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 1 K, .571/.800/1.286
Sikes (pictured, left) put up one of the more interesting Player of the Week lines we've seen, as he earns the honor with just seven official at-bats. Overall, he stepped up to the plate 15 times and reached base in 12 of those plate appearances. He walked seven times in addition to being hit by a pitch. He didn't stop at just getting on though, as he did some damage on the base paths with four stolen bases and seven runs scored. He hit safely in all four games and reached base at least twice in all four games, including a game with a triple and four walks.
The 23-year old Sikes was drafted last year by the Sox in the 18th round out of TCU. After a brilliant season last year for the FCL Sox in which he hit .392 with a 1.086 OPS in 24 games, Sikes has been very solid again this year for Salem. Despite just a .239 batting average, Sikes has been extremely productive by walking a lot and hitting for power. He has 20 walks and a .379 OBP to go along with 10 doubles, three triples, and three home runs.
Victor Santos, RHP, Portland Sea Dogs
4 G, 7 AB, 4 H, 1 2B, 2 3B, 7 R, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 1 K, .571/.800/1.286
Sikes (pictured, left) put up one of the more interesting Player of the Week lines we've seen, as he earns the honor with just seven official at-bats. Overall, he stepped up to the plate 15 times and reached base in 12 of those plate appearances. He walked seven times in addition to being hit by a pitch. He didn't stop at just getting on though, as he did some damage on the base paths with four stolen bases and seven runs scored. He hit safely in all four games and reached base at least twice in all four games, including a game with a triple and four walks.
The 23-year old Sikes was drafted last year by the Sox in the 18th round out of TCU. After a brilliant season last year for the FCL Sox in which he hit .392 with a 1.086 OPS in 24 games, Sikes has been very solid again this year for Salem. Despite just a .239 batting average, Sikes has been extremely productive by walking a lot and hitting for power. He has 20 walks and a .379 OBP to go along with 10 doubles, three triples, and three home runs.
Victor Santos, RHP, Portland Sea Dogs
2 G, 1-0, 12 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 9 K
Santos bounced back from a bit of a rough May, as he tossed back-to-back great outings. In his final start of May, he went seven innings for the first time all year. He allowed just four hits and one solo home run. In his first outing of June, the right-hander added five shutout frames. These two outings pushed his season ERA from 4.71 down to 3.94.
Santos bounced back from a bit of a rough May, as he tossed back-to-back great outings. In his final start of May, he went seven innings for the first time all year. He allowed just four hits and one solo home run. In his first outing of June, the right-hander added five shutout frames. These two outings pushed his season ERA from 4.71 down to 3.94.
Santos was the final Player to be Named in the C.J. Chatham trade with the Phillies. Still just 21 years old, Santos was signed by the Phillies back in 2016 out of the Dominica Republic. He came to the Sox in the summer of 2021 and immediately pitched well, posting a 2.58 ERA in 45 1/3 innings last year for Portland. He is currently ranked 51st at SoxProspects.com, and he has pitched well at every stop of professional ball with a career ERA of 3.26 in the minor leagues. Santos was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week as well. A close second for SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week, Daniel Encarnacion, was also named the Pitcher of the Week for the Carolina League.
Photo Credit: Bryan Mata and Phillip Sikes by Kelly O'Connor