October 10, 2022 at 7:00 AM
Fall/Winter League Roundup: Arizona Fall League begins; Yorke and Ward impress
Now that the minor league season has been completed, the fall and winter league campaigns have begun. Follow the Red Sox prospects through these weekly roundups and our Fall and Winter Leagues page. Eight players have already seen action in the Arizona Fall League, while the other leagues will start in the coming weeks. A list of those leagues and the players expected to participate is included below.
Arizona Fall League
The top prospect for the Red Sox in Arizona is Nick Yorke. After struggling through injuries for most of the 2022 season, Yorke looks back in form in the first week of action. He is hitting .368/.480/.526 with five walks and three strikeouts over five games. He has three doubles and seven runs scored. Stephen Scott (pictured) is one of the few players out-hitting Yorke, with a line of .385/.385/.769. He has one home run and four RBI over three games.
While Yorke and Scott have come out hot, Niko Kavadas and Wilyer Abreu are still finding their footing. Kavadas has shown good plate discipline drawing four walks but is 1 for 5 with a single. Abreu has the lowest OPS on the team, with a line of .091/.250/.091.
On the mound, Thad Ward is the only player to make a start from the Red Sox contingent. He went 4 2/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out seven. Jacob Webb has tossed two scoreless innings, while Ryan Zeferjahn and Aaron Perry struggled. Zeferjahn has given up three runs over 3 1/3, and Perry gave up five runs and walked seven in only two innings.
Dominican Professional Baseball League
Triston Casas is the headliner in the Dominican, and he will be joined by Franklin German, Chase Shugart, Jonathan Diaz, Gilberto Jimenez, and Enmanuel Valdez. The regular season begins on October 15.
Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico)
This season does not begin until November 11, but it will be one to watch. Ceddanne Rafaela, Jeter Downs, and Christian Koss will be seeing action.
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
A pair of pitchers on the 40-man roster bubble will get a chance to prove they belong. Eduard Bazardo and Darwinzon Hernandez will be joined by Brainer Bonaci.
Several other leagues are kicking off soon, but no Red Sox prospects are slated to play. It is common for a name to pop up unexpectedly in these leagues, and our pages will be updated as soon as the information is available.
Photo Credit: Stephen Scott by Kelly O'Connor