Podcast Ep. #270: '22 in Review, pt. 4, low-minors hitting

Closing out 2022, Chris and Ian finally closed out the '22 in Review series with the low minors hitters after a slow(-ish) week of news. First, there was the matter of Nathan Eovaldi leaving and being replaced by Corey Kluber, with a look at how the 2023 pitching staff appears to have rounded out. Then we got into the minor leaguers, led by a review of what 2022 meant for the deepest part of the system. You know Marcelo Mayer, but what of Miguel Bleis and Nick Yorke? What do the guys think of the players lurking just behind them in the rankings? The answers, plus more of your emails, await! 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Lugo and Hernández continue to shine

With the regular seasons winding down and the playoffs set to begin in a few of the leagues, fewer players will be getting playing time. Mathew Lugo and Ronaldo Hernández (pictured) continued their great winters, while a new signing had a solid week in Venezuela. This article covers games from December 19 through December 25. Full statistics are also available on the Fall & Winter Leagues page. 

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Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League

With the regular season ending next Wednesday, teams are in the final playoff push. Mathew Lugo and Caguas are currently in first place, while Henry Núñez and Juan Montero are just a few games back with Ponce. Núñez and Montero did not see game action this week, partly because their team only had three games with all teams off for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Lugo went 3 for 8 over two starts with two strikeouts and a stolen base. 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Hernandez goes yard, Lugo stays hot

As the calendar reaches the end of December, the Caribbean winter leagues are beginning to reach the end of their regular seasons. The Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League stretches just into the new year, while the playoffs in the Dominican Professional Baseball League began on Sunday. Many Red Sox minor leaguers are still in the mix as they help to try and make the Caribbean Series.

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Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League

The standard-bearer for farmhand performance in Puerto Rico this week was Matthew Lugo. The infielder was 8 for 22 on the week, including a trio of multi-hit games. He also had a 3-for-5 performance, including four RBI and a home run on December 15 against Mayaguez. Juan Montero was 0 for 2 in one game with Leones, but he did score a run and draw a walk. The pitching was much less strong, as both Henry Nunez and Nate Tellier both had one appearance. Nunez surrendered three runs across his two-inning stint, while it was one run on a hit and a pair of walks in one inning for Tellier.

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Podcast Ep. #269: Much Ado About Everything

Xander Bogaerts is gone. Red Sox fans are furious. And in the week following that bombshell, the team designated Jeter Downs and Eric Hosmer for assignment and traded Hoy Park after mere weeks in the organization while the last of the big free agents came off the board. Chris and Ian tried to make sense of it all, plus actual news on what might be in store for Noah Song, public relations, Trevor Story's arm, and whether FSG should sell. 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Lugo homers, Sox sign minor league pitcher

Another week of winter ball is complete, as Matthew Lugo (pictured) and Henry Nunez put together some fine performances in the Roberto Clemente League. The Sox also signed a new arm to a minor league deal, and he has been pitching in the Venezuelan League. 

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Dominican Professional Baseball League 

Infielder Nick Sogard joined Toros Del Este this past week and made his debut. He played in five games and went 5 for 17 (.294) with five singles, a walk, and a hit by pitch. He scored twice and knocked in two. He also played some shortstop and made a nice play in the hole. No other Sox players played in the Dominican League this past week. 

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Podcast Ep. #268: Free Agents and Rule 5 and X Gon...e

We all had a hell of a week on Wednesday. First, the Red Sox reportedly came to terms with Kenley Jansen and Masataka Yoshida. Then came reports that the team was making progress with Xander Bogaerts. Then came an incredibly eventful Rule 5 Draft in which the club lost three players, including one huge surprise. Then the big one, as those earlier Bogaerts reports proved entirely incorrect and he signed with the San Diego Padres. Chris and Ian had a lot to unpack, and so they did! 

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Podcast Ep. #267: Rankings Rundown

The guys ring in the coming of the Winter Meetings with a full rundown of the official end-of-season Top 60. Chris and Ian discuss the movers and shakers and some of the debates up and down the list. Plus, the Red Sox finally did some stuff, so the guys talked Joely Rodriguez and the Hoy Park/Inmer Lobo trade. And as always, your emails! 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: German impresses, Rafaela wraps up stint in Puerto Rico

Another week of winter ball action is in the books. Down in the Dominican Republic, Victor Santos and Franklin German (pictured) impressed out of the bullpen for their respective clubs. Elsewhere, Jeter Downs was released from the Indios de Mayaguez in Puerto Rico while the Criollos de Caguas announced that Ceddanne Rafaela was done playing for them. In other bullpen-related news, Henry Nunez hurled five scoreless innings of relief for Leones de Ponce, and Darwinzon Hernandez put together two quality outings in Venezuela.

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Dominican Professional Baseball League

Victor Santos made his 11th appearance of the season for Escogido on Friday. The 22-year-old right-hander retired all three batters he faced in a scoreless seventh inning. He now owns a 1.88 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 14 1/3 innings in this year's Dominican Winter League. Franklin German, meanwhile, got into two games for Aguilas last week. The 25-year-old righty allowed one hit and struck out one over two scoreless frames. In a similar fashion to Santos, German's ERA now sits at 1.88 ERA through 14 1/3 innings of work.

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SoxProspects.com end-of-season rankings countdown: The Top Ten

From the home office in Sioux City, Iowa, here are the Top Ten Prospects in the Boston Red Sox minor league system. 

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10. Luis Perales

Preseason Rank: Unranked

2022 Stats: 13 games, 11 GS, 35 2/3 IP, 1.77 ERA, 20 H, 50 K, 20 BB, 1 HR @ FCL, Salem

"The raw stuff is great, he just needs to get healthy." It's a refrain that seemingly always applies to some mysterious arm in the low minors. Almost always, it doesn't happen. Either the pitcher never really gets healthy, or he does, and the stuff is just not what those initial glowing reports indicate. Once in a great while, however, there is a Luis Perales. Signed back in 2019 to a modest $75,000 bonus, word of Perales' talent started spreading as soon as that fall's Tricky league. A 2020 lost to COVID and a 2021 in which various injuries limited him to two innings in the DSL dropped him off of the rankings entirely. He returned to competitive action on June 10, allowing two runs in three innings for the FCL Red Sox. He would go on to make eight more appearances at that level, allowing just one earned run in total. In his July 11 start, he faced nine batters striking out eight of them. In 25 dominant innings, he surrendered only 10 hits, walked nine, and struck out 34 (36.2% of batters faced). His control wobbled some after a promotion to Salem, but he continued to miss bats and impress scouts. Developmentally, he will need to show that he can handle a starter's workload: he was understandably handled carefully, never facing more than 15 batters or going beyond three innings in any appearance. 

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SoxProspects.com end-of-season rankings countdown: 20-11

Today we move into our top 20, featuring several players who had standout seasons in 2022. Five players in this group were recognized as SoxProspects.com All-Stars, including Niko Kavadas (pictured) and Eddinson Paulino. The Salem Red Sox are also very well represented in today's edition, with seven of the ten players having played some or all of their 2022 seasons there.

If you missed the first two segments of this series, make sure to check prospects 60 to 31 from Monday, and yesterday's 30 to 21 edition. 

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20. Niko Kavadas

Preseason Rank: 46

2022 Stats: 120 games, 515, PA, .280/.443/.547, 26 HR, 102 BB, 152 K @ Salem, Greenville, and Portland

In June, Kavadas had what was probably the best offensive month in the 20-year history of this site. He hit .377/.524/.951 with 10 home runs over 19 games with Salem, earning a promotion to Greenville. Instead of an adjustment period, he proceeded to go 9 for 19 with four home runs in six games. He homered in five consecutive games and in 11 of 15 between the two levels. An August assignment to Portland was a more difficult transition. While he continued to work deep counts and draw walks, he hit just .222 with two home runs and 40 strikeouts against the more advanced competition. Some fatigue would be understandable, but continuing to hit will be key to his propsect status. As a first base-only player, Kavadas will need to rake. Given how he did so at Notre Dame and in continued to at Class A, that's certainly not out of the question.

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SoxProspects.com end-of-season rankings countdown: 30-21

Welcome to day two of our SoxProspects.com end-of-season countdown! Following yesterday's recap of prospects 31 through 60, we now move forward in groups of ten. This group features a pair of 2022 draftees, as well as two potential key 2023 bullpen pieces in Zack Kelly (pictured) and Franklin German.

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30. Brooks Brannon

Preseason Rank: NA; 2022 ninth-round pick

2022 Stats: 5 games, 15 PA, 6 for 13, 2 3B, 5 RBI @ FCL

Brannon, Boston's ninth-round pick in July, got an overslot $712,000 bonus to sign him away from a commitment to Chapel Hill. He put up video-game type numbers as a high school senior, hitting 20 home runs and driving in 91 in 34 games, posting a 1.330 slugging percentage. As he moves to the professional ranks, the question becomes whether he can stick at catcher. If he can, the power potential is obviously huge. If he can't, he'll be in a position where the offensive bar is quite a bit higher. 

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SoxProspects.com end-of-season rankings countdown: 60-31

Welcome to our official SoxProspects.com season end rankings. Our first segment details those ranked from 31 to 60. It is a group that includes several prominent prospects, including recent 40-man addition David Hamilton (pictured), international bonus baby Freili Encarnacion, and Meatball Gangster-turned-Fall Star Stephen Scott. The group also includes 13 players who were not ranked at the start of the season: two 2022 draft picks, one player acquired in a trade, and 10 previously unranked players who have played their way onto the list.

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Graduating: Connor Wong

Preseason Rank: 27

Final Rank: 11

2022 Stats: 355 PA, .288/.349/.489, 15 HR, 27 BB, 80 K at Triple-A Worcester; 56 PA, .188/.273/.313 in majors

-Wong did not reach the 130 at-bat threshold, but exceeded the service time limit for rookie eligibility. After a slow start at Worcester, Wong heated up with the weather, hitting the ball with more authority on his way to SoxProspects.com and International League Player of the Month honors in August. He also has earned a reputation as someone pitchers enjoy throwing too, a trait that puts him in the conversation as part of the major league club's catching mix in 2023.

60. Jacob Webb

Preseason Rank: 56

2022 Stats: 44 games, 56 2/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 88 K, 28 BB @ Salem, Greenville, and Portland

-The 6-foot-5 right-hander had a strong first full season after being drafted in the 14th round in 2021. Webb led the organization with 14.0 strikeouts per nine innings, earning a ticket to the Arizona Fall League.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Lugo blasts three home runs, Rafaela swipes three bases

The action continued this week, with several prospects seeing playing ttime for their clubs. A power surge from Matthew Lugo (pictured) was the highlight in Puerto Rico, while Victor Santos returned to game action in the Dominican. Darwinzon Hernandez finally had a blemish in Venezuela, and Ceddanne Rafaela used his legs to contribute offensively. 

Dominican Professional Baseball League

Victor Santos had the flu and missed almost two weeks of action. He returned on Tuesday and allowed a solo home run to Starlin Castro while striking out three over two innings. He was roughed up in his second appearance, allowing two runs on four hits in one inning. He recorded one out in his third appearance while allowing a hit and a walk. Neither runner came in to score. Franklin German appeared in two games, allowing one run over two innings with one strikeout. His ERA sits at just 2.19 over 12 1/3 innings. 

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Podcast Ep. #266: '22 in Review, pt. 3, upper-minors hitting

After a slow week (the Joely Rodriguez signing and Joy Park trade happened after we recorded...), the guys got back to the '22 in Review series, looking at the biggest stories in Triple-A and Double-A among the system's position players. There were ups and downs, and the guys had thoughts, per usual. Plus a quick check-in on the foreign winter leagues (oh hello, Darwinzon...).

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Podcast Ep. #265: Rule 5 Protection Deadline 2022

There may not be a nerdier baseball day than the Rule 5 protection deadline, and here we are again, with the Red Sox giving Chris and Ian some good fodder for discussion. Why David Hamilton? Why not Thaddeus Ward? The guys discussed that and more, plus, as always, your emails!

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Scouting Scratch: Red Sox 2022 Rule 5 Preview

By 6:00 p.m. tonight, the Red Sox must decide which prospects to add to their 40-man roster to protect them from selection in the Rule 5 Draft, which is scheduled for December 7.

Currently, the 40-man roster is at 37 players, and if necessary, players such as Caleb Hamilton, Yu Chang, and Jake Reed can be removed from the roster in order to create more space. The Red Sox also have to make non-tender decisions by Friday, so if they know they are non-tendering someone like Franchy Cordero, Ryan Brasier, or Josh Taylor, for example, they could choose to open a spot by making that move today. 

Here is a short list of players who are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft and one man's opinion regarding their likelihood of being added to the roster.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: AFL season ends, Rafaela debuts in Puerto Rico

The 2022 Arizona Fall League season came to a close over the weekend, as the Surprise Saguaros defeated the Glendale Desert Dogs by a final score of 1-0 in Saturday's championship game. The Scottsdale Scorpions, with eight Red Sox prospects on their roster, saw their season come to a close on Thursday after failing to qualify for the AFL playoffs. Elsewhere, Ceddanne Rafaela (pictured) made his Puerto Rican Winter League debut in Caguas on Sunday.

 

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Arizona Fall League

In the final week of the AFL regular season, Niko Kavadas went 1 for 7 with one RBI, one walk, and three strikeouts over two games. Wilyer Abreu and Stephen Scott each got into one game and went a combined 0 for 6 with three strikeouts and two walks between them. Nick Yorke did not appear in a game for Scottsdale. Kavadas finishes the fall with a slash line of .239/.417/.435 to go along with two home runs and six RBIs in 15 games. Abreu, meanwhile, batted just .167/.275/.204 with two doubles and 10 RBIs in 17 games. Scott and Yorke were named AFL Fall Stars last week. The former slashed .298/.394/.614 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 15 games. The latter hit .342/.424/.526 with two home runs and a league-best 18 RBIs in 19 games. 

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Podcast Ep. #264: Igniting the hot stove

The 2022 season is officially in the books, so it's time to preview what may become the defining offseason of Chaim Bloom's tenure as CBO of the Red Sox. Chris and Ian previewed all of the key dates this offseason, looked at the holes in the roster and how the team might go about filling them, who the team is likely to protect from selection in the Rule 5 Draft, and more. Plus, a brief check-in on fall/winter league action, and as always, your emails! (Note: We apologize for the delay in releasing the episode, caused by technical issues the day after we recorded.)

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Kavadas, Yorke, and Scott homer in Arizona

With the league in Puerto Rico starting this past weekend, more players are starting to see playing time. It was a full week in Arizona that included a Home Run Derby and All-Star game, while games continued in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Thad Ward returned from injury, while Tristin Casas is close to returning.

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Arizona Fall League 

Boston's contingent in the AFL put their best foot forward in the penultimate week of the season. Niko Kavadas (pictured) hit his first two home runs while going 3 for 10 with a double, walk, and five strikeouts. Nick Yorke returned to action after missing a few games with wrist discomfort. He went 6 for 15 with a home run, a double, a steal, and three RBI. Stephen Scott went 1 for 7 but did hit another home run and walked twice while driving in three runs. Wilyer Abreu saw limited action, going 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout. 

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Fall/Winter Round-up: Yorke delivers grand slam

With a litany of postponements across the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, it was a quiet week in the Fall and Winter Leagues, aside from a grand slam from Nick Yorke (pictured) on Monday for the Scorpions, while Pedro Castellanos made his debut in Venezuela and Franklin German did the same thing in the Dominican.

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Arizona Fall League 

The Arizona Fall League is entering the home stretch, as its regular season closes November 12. Thaddeus Ward did not pitch again this week after his left oblique strain, but Jacob Webb had two appearances, with a clean inning each time. He struck out three batters over the week. Aaron Perry coughed up one run and two hits over his inning of work, while Ryan Zeferjahn struggled in his start on Tuesday. In three innings, he gave up five hits and three runs, all three of which came on a three-run homer.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Yorke has big week, Scott belts two home runs

The Arizona Fall League and Dominican Professional League both continued into another week while the Venezuelan Professional League has gotten underway. The Scorpions had a nice week, winning three of their six games while also tying one. 

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Arizona Fall League 

Scottsdale scored a bunch of runs this past week, and Sox prospects were a big part of it. Nick Yorke (pictured) led the way by going 7 for 17 this past week, roping three doubles with three RBI. He also drew a couple walks and scored three times. In 66 plate appearances this fall, Yorke is batting .340 with a .911 OPS. 

Stephen Scott had yet another big week at the dish as well. The catcher made three starts and went 4 for 11 with a couple home runs, a walk, and four RBI. In nine games this fall, he is batting .400 with a 1.232 OPS. Among qualified hitters, he is leading the AFL in slugging percentage at .800. 

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Brayan Bello: 2022 SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Year

This concludes Awards Week here at SoxProspects.com. Over the past several day, we have recognized All-Star pitchers and position players, as well as Graduate, Homegrown, Ex-Prospect, Rookie, Comeback, and Breakout Players of the Year. Earlier today we announced the Player of the Year, and the week concludes with the Pitcher of the Year. 

Pitcher of the Year

Brayan Bello (pictured) earns the honor after a huge breakout season that ended with him having lots of success at the MLB level for the Red Sox. He was also named the Graduate of the Year. Bello entered the season ranked fifth overall here at SoxProspects.com, and he was the highest-ranked pitcher. Bello did nothing but live up to that, coming right out of the gate with five shutout innings and 10 strikeouts for the Sea Dogs. It only took six starts in Portland for him to be called up to Worcester. In those six starts, Bello posted a dominant 1.69 ERA across 37 1/3 innings with 48 strikeouts, 12 walks, and a 0.804 WHIP. 

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Ceddanne Rafaela: 2022 SoxProspects.com Player of the Year

Welcome to the fifth and final day of SoxProspects.com Awards Week. Throughout the week, we have recognized our All-Star pitchers and position players, our Graduate, Homegrown Player, and Ex-Prospect of the Year, and our Rookie, Comeback, and Breakout Players of the Year. Today, we start by naming the winner of the top award given out by SoxProspects.com each season, the Player of the Year.

Player of the Year

Our Breakout Player of the Year is also our overall Player of the Year. Ceddanne Rafaela burst onto the scene this season and opened the eyes of many thanks to impressive production at the plate and on the field. 

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2022 SoxProspects.com Awards: Rookie, Comeback, and Breakout players of the year

Welcome to the fourth day of SoxProspects.com Awards Week. Today, we introduce our Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and Breakout Player of the Year. All three players were recognized earlier in the week as members of the 2022 All-Star cohort. 

Rookie of the Year: Luis Perales

This pick comes after a slight change in how the site considers rookies. In previous campaigns, anyone with previous game experience was no longer considered a rookie (hence Triston Casas not winning in 2019), but with the later draft making it hard for there to be a real crop of same-season rookies, we altered our qualifications: hitters with fewer than 50 plate appearances and pitchers with fewer than 20 innings will remain eligible. 

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2022 SoxProspects.com Awards: Graduate, Homegrown and Ex-Prospect

We continue our SoxProspects.com Awards season with the 2022 Graduate of the Year, Homegrown Player of the Year, and the Ex-Prospect of the Year. The Graduate and Homegrown players of the year may be at two opposite ends of their tenures with Boston, while the Ex-Prospect of the year had another All-Star campaign out west. 

Graduate of the Year: Brayan Bello

Bello ended the 2021 season with 15 starts in Portland, and that is where he returned to start 2022. He quickly proved he needed a new challenge after pitching to a 1.69 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings. He was promoted to Worcester and made his debut on May 18. He struck out 10 batters over six innings that game and then proceeded to do the same thing in his next start. He threw 58 2/3 innings with the WooSox, going 6-2 with a 2.76 ERA. He struck out 81 as he missed even more bats in Triple-A than in Double-A. 

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2022 SoxProspects.com All-Stars: Pitchers

Following up on Monday's position player All-Stars, today brings the SoxProspects.com 2022 All-Star pitchers. While the hitters ended up weighted towards players in Class A, with none of the nine selections having played above Portland, the cohort of eight pitchers features six who pitched in Worcester, including three who made major league debuts in 2022.

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Starting Pitcher: Brayan Bello

Building upon a breakout 2022 campaign, Bello got off to a hot start and Portland, earned an early promotion to Worcester, and finished the season seemingly cementing himself with a spot on the major league squad's 2023 starting rotation. Bello set the tone for the season in his very first start, firing five scoreless innings and striking out 10 of the 21 batters he faced. He would make six starts for the Sea Dogs, going at least five innings each time and never allowing more than two runs. With a 1.60 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings, Bello made his way to Worcester. He continued his excellence, posting a 2.81 ERA in nine starts before getting the call for his major league debut on July 6 against the Rays at Fenway. After some uneven results in his early major league action, Bello stood out in September and October, firing a 2.59 ERA in 31 1/3 innings. He finished his minor league system with a 2.34 ERA, the lowest in the organization among players with at least 60 innings while striking out 129 against 36 walks in 96 innings. This marked Bello's second straight season as an end-of-year All-Star.

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2022 SoxProspects.com All-Stars: Position Players

Welcome to the 2022 SoxProspects.com Awards week! Over the next five days, we will be presenting our annual awards on the news page, recognizing the standout performers from the season. The schedule will be as follows:

Monday: All-Star position players

Tuesday: All-Star pitchers

Wednesday: Graduate of the Year; Homegrown Player of the Year; Ex-Prospect of the Year

Thursday: Rookie of the Year; Breakout Player of the Year; Comeback Player of the Year

Friday: Player of the Year; Pitcher of the Year

We kick things off with the position players selected by the SoxProspects.com staff for their All-Star performances. While we do consider factors such as age advancement and opponent quality, these awards are in recognition of the players' in-game performances rather than a commentary on any status as a prospect. However, the Red Sox also got notable production from its most highly rated prospects: eight of the nine position players selected rank among the top 22 prospects in the system. This group also represents the injection of new talent into the system, with eight of the nine appearing on the list for the first time. 

Catcher: Nathan Hickey

Often a position of weakness in recent campaigns, the Red Sox boasted several strong performances from their backstops in 2022, with Hickey's the most notable. One of four 2021 draftees who will be receiving All-Star recognition, Hickey was a fifth-round selection out of the University of Florida. Assigned to Salem out of spring training, Hickey reached safely in his first 11 games of the year and did not look back. He hit .271/.429/.507 with 12 doubles, seven homers, and as many walks as strikeouts (39) in 41 games before getting a late-June promotion to High-A Greenville. His play stayed remarkably consistent, with a .252/.397/.539 line after moving up. He finished the year ranked 20th in the system.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Casas debuts in Dominican, Ward suffers oblique strain

The second week of the 2022 Arizona Fall League season is in the books. At an even 6-6, the Scottsdale Scorpions will kick off Week 3 of AFL play by traveling to Peoria to take on the 7-5 Javelinas later Monday afternoon. Elsewhere, the Dominican Professional Baseball League got underway on Saturday.

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Arizona Fall League

Stephen Scott has remained locked in at the plate for Scottsdale. Through six games, the left-handed hitter has slashed .417/.440/.750 with one triple, two home runs, eight RBIs, nine runs scored, one stolen base, one walk, and four strikeouts over 25 trips to the plate. He currently owns the sixth-highest OPS (1.190) among qualified AFL hitters. Defensively, Scott has seen all his playing time with the Scorpions come at catcher. The 25-year-old backstop has logged 49 innings behind the plate thus far and has thrown out three of 15 base runners.

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Podcast Ep. #263: '22 in Review, pt. 2, low-minors pitching

Chris and Ian had plenty to discuss among the upper-minors pitchers last week. So, how about lower in the system? How important was the breakout of Luis Perales this season? Is there another wave of arms coming, and if so, do we even know who's in it yet? Plus, as always, your emails.

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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.

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Podcast Ep. #262: '22 in Review, Pt. 1, upper-minors pitching

With the MLB season coming to a close, it's time to look back on the year that was. Chris and Ian start their multi-part review with the arms in the system closest to MLB. We said at the beginning of the year that the organization had the most depth it had in some time... so how did it wind up turning out? Have the Red Sox finally ended their drought in developing starting pitching? The answers to that and more in this episode - plus, your emails!

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September Players of the Month: David Hamilton and Victor Santos

David Hamilton and Victor Santos have been named the SoxProspects.com Players of the Month for the month of September. Both Hamilton (pictured) and Santos ended their first full seasons in the Red Sox organization on a strong note. 

In his final 14 games with Portland, Hamilton batted a stout .429/.508/.643 (215 wRC+) with four doubles, one triple, two home runs, 10 RBIs, 15 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, nine walks, and 14 strikeouts over 67 plate appearances. On the 2022 campaign as a whole, the speedy left-handed hitter slashed .251/.338/.402 (104 wRC+) with 16 doubles, nine triples, 12 homers, 42 runs driven in, 81 runs scored, 70 stolen bases, 56 walks, and 119 strikeouts across 119 games (531 plate appearances). He set the Sea Dogs' single-season stolen base record on Sept. 10. His 70 stolen bases were tied for the third-most in all of Minor League Baseball. As a result of such feats, he was named the Red Sox' Minor League Baserunner of the Year. 

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Cup of Coffee: Worcester's season finale cancelled due to rain

9/29 Cup of Coffee: The final minor-league game of the Red Sox' season was cancelled due to unplayable field conditions in Rochester. It will not be made up. 

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Worcester Red Sox, Rochester Red Wings (WAS) (Cancelled)

Worcester's season finale against Rochester was cancelled due to unplayable field conditions at Frontier Field. The WooSox finished the 2022 campaign with a 75-73 record under first-year manager Chad Tracy. Ronaldo Hernandez led the team in batting average (.261) and slugging percentage (.451), Christin Stewart led the team in on-base percentage (.364) and home runs (19), Ryan Fitzgerald led the team in RBIs (72), and Jarren Duran and Jeter Downs finished tied for the team lead in stolen bases with 18 each.

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Cup of Coffee: Hernandez, Mieses go back-to-back in Worcester comeback

9/28 Cup of Coffee: A threatening rain passed on the penultimate day of the regular season. Worcester clinched a final record above .500 with a come-from-behind victory as Ronaldo Hernandez and Johan Mieses (pictured) went back-to-back in a decisive eighth inning.

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Rochester Red Wings (WAS) 6

The WooSox guaranteed themselves a winning season with Tuesday's back-and-forth win, moving to 75-73 with one game remaining. After falling into a 2-0 hole, a four-run fifth inning highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of Jarren Duran gave Worcester the advantage. Rochester picked up four of its own in the sixth, but the WooSox staged the comeback on the road. After a run in the seventh cut the deficit to 6-5, Ronaldo Hernandez blasted a two-run homer in the eighth to snag the lead. It was immediately followed by a Johan Mieses blast, providing an insurance run. Mieses had already doubled twice on the night. 

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Minor Notes: Red Sox announce their Players of the Year & Portland's playoff run ends

After finishing up their regular season, the Portland Sea Dogs headed to the playoffs and the Division Series to face Somerset, the affiliate of the rival New York Yankees. On Tuesday, they lost 9-4 in Game 1 and were ultimately eliminated after going down 5-6 in Game 2 on Thursday. Worcester's season also nears an end, after their full week ended on Sunday with their home finale, they head to Rochester for their final three games of the year which began on Monday. The WooSox are not playoff contenders, ending last week at an even 73-73 on the season.

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Red Sox announce their Minor League Players of the Year

On Monday, the Red Sox announced the winners of their awards for the Minor League Players of the Year. They were as follows:

• Offensive Player of the Year: Niko Kavadas (pictured, right) - The 23-year-old slugger almost got the full tour this year, playing for Salem, Greenville, and Portland, hitting .280/.443/.547 with 25 doubles and 26 home runs. He started the year ranked 46th in the system and his performance has him currently at 22.
• Defensive Player of the Year: Ceddanne Rafaela - A breakout season for Rafaela in multiple ways, with strong offensive performances at Greenville and Portland. His defense has also garnered praise as he is now a true utility standout, with the ability to impact the game defensively at multiple positions. This season alone he has seen time at second base, shortstop, and centerfield, the latter of which getting the most of his playing time.  His rankings too have jumped, from 19th to start the year up to 6th.
• Starting Pitcher of the Year: Brayan Bello - Bello seemingly now is starting to settle into the Major Leagues after dominating the minors for just over half a season. This year, he finished his 96 innings in the minors with a 2.34 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 129 strikeouts. Currently the third overall prospect in the organization and top pitcher, he is scheduled to graduate from prospect status at the end of the month.

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Cup of Coffee: Hernandez goes yard twice as rain shortens Worcester's final series opener

9/27 Cup of Coffee: Worcester began its last series of play, as a three-game set against Rochester that will complete the 2022 minor league season. The Red Sox scored five in the fourth and after the skies opened up, the final four innings of the contest were scrapped and the game was declared final.

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Worcester Red Sox 6, Rochester Red Wings (WAS) 1 (5 Innings)

The two squads traded a run each in the second inning, with the home side's run coming on a Ronaldo Hernandez (pictured) solo home run, one of two on the day, as he would drill a two-run shot in the fifth, as well. Jaylin Davis also had a two-run homer, which was his seventh of the year. The team's final run came via a double from Cole Kottam. Victor Santos pitched all five innings, surrendering four runs on one hit. He would strike out five hitters and walk one. 

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Cup of Coffee: Duran, Mieses, and Davis homer for Worcester

9/26 Cup of Coffee: Home runs were flying out of Polar Park on Sunday, but Worcester ended up on the losing end of the battle. A grand slam in the ninth inning was the winning hit for Syracuse. Jarren Duran, Johan Mieses (pictured), and Jaylin Davis were the offensive stars for the WooSox. 

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 9, Worcester Red Sox 5

The WooSox hit three home runs in their home finale, but it was not enough to topple the Mets. Jarren Duran, Johan Mieses, and Jaylin Davis all hit solo home runs, with Mieses and Davis each adding singles. Enmanuel Valdez went 3 for 5, and Deivy Grullón went 1 for 3 with a walk. 

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Cup of Coffee: Mata strikes out 10, Grullon hits walk-off homer

9/25 Cup of Coffee: It's just Worcester from here on out, and the WooSox won a thriller last night in extra innings. Bryan Mata (pictured) pitched very well, while Johan Mieses and Deivy Grullon each had clutch knocks in extra frames. 

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Worcester Red Sox 7, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 5 (11 innings)
Deivy Grullon played the hero, belting a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th. The catcher also roped a two-run double in the fourth inning, giving him four RBI. He also scored twice. Johan Mieses had a nice night as well, going 2 for 4 with a walk. He had a clutch RBI single to tie the game in the 10th inning. Jarren Duran and Pedro Castellanos each went 2 for 5 with a double. Castellanos drove in a run and scored, while Duran swiped his 18th bag. 

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Cup of Coffee: Duran steals home again, Eovaldi rehabs

9/24 Cup of Coffee: With Portland's elimination on Wednesday night, Worcester is the last affiliate remaining. It welcomed Nathan Eovaldi for a rehab start, but Jarren Duran (pictured) stole the show and a lot of bases.

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 5, Worcester Red Sox 4

Nathan Eovaldi, out since early August with shoulder inflammation, returned to the mound for a rehab start at Polar Park. It was an inauspicious start for the veteran righty, as the Mets opened with a single and a Dom Smith two-run homer to begin the game, but he settled in from there, allowing just one additional run on one hit over three innings. Overall he struck out four, walked two, and threw 57 pitches in those three frames. Josh Winckowski was charged with the loss in relief, allowing two runs on six hits in 4 2/3. He struck out and walked four apiece. 

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Cup of Coffee: Sea Dogs eliminated despite Ward's effort; Murphy shines for WooSox

9/23 Cup of Coffee: Two Red Sox teams fell in the 10th inning to a Yankees affiliate on Thursday, but only one of those games had playoff significance. While the major league club's results were secondary to the Aaron Judge watch, Portland suffered a crushing defeat to end its season at the hands of Somerset. Thaddeus Ward (pictured) turned in a strong outing in an elimination situation, but the bullpen gave up six runs to send the Sea Dogs home. Worcester was also officially eliminated from playoff contention with its loss to Syracuse.

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 4, Worcester Red Sox 2

Worcester was officially eliminated from postseason contention on Thursday with the loss to Syracuse. Chris Murphy was excellent, reversing a late-season swoon. The left-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in seven innings, striking out seven without issuing a walk. It was the most strikeouts in a start in which he didn't walk a batter this season. The Mets reached Chase Shugart for two runs on three hits and a walk in the eighth inning, saddling him with the loss. Enmanuel Valdez was the highlight at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. The double was his ninth since he was acquired for Christian Vazquez before the trade deadline and his 35th overall on the year.

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Podcast Ep. #261: Comings and goings

It's a grab bag of topics on this episode: Kevin Plawecki is out, Franklin German is in. Nick Northcut is out, Yu Chang is in. We know who's heading to the Arizona Fall League (and some guys playing in Puerto Rico and the Dominican), and there's going to be plenty to keep an eye on this offseason already. Do we care that the Red Sox are over the CBT? Plus a check in with Playoff Portland and of course, your e-mails!

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Cup of Coffee: Santos tosses 7 scoreless frames in tough-luck loss to Syracuse

9/22 Cup of Coffee: With Portland traveling to Somerset for the remainder of its playoff series, the WooSox were the only show in town on Wednesday. Despite putting together his best Triple-A start to date, Victor Santos (pictured) did not factor into the decision at Polar Park as Worcester was shut out by Syracuse. Enmanuel Valdez was the only member of the WooSox lineup to enjoy a multi-hit game.

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 5, Worcester Red Sox 0

Victor Santos, making his eighth start since being promoted from Double-A Portland in early August, kept Syracuse off the scoreboard while scattering three hits and one walk to go along with eight strikeouts over seven strong innings of work. The 22-year-old right-hander finished with a final pitch count of 92 (61 strikes) and lowered his ERA with the WooSox down to 5.35. In relief of Santos, lefty Darwinzon Hernandez yielded back-to-back run-scoring hits with two outs in the eighth and was ultimately charged with the loss. After A.J. Politi punched out the only batter he faced to end the eighth, Caleb Simpson got tagged for three runs (two earned) in the ninth. 

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Minor Notes: Sea Dogs begin playoff run, Sox sending eight to AFL

Another affiliate has completed is regular season, as the Sea Dogs wrapped up on Sunday. Their season isn't over yet, with a trip to the postseason that kicked off last night The Red Sox have also made decisions on 11 players so far on where they will be playing this upcoming fall/winter. 

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Sea Dogs begin postseason 

The Sea Dogs' regular season came to a close on Sunday, and they kicked off their Divisional playoff series yesterday at Hadlock Field with a loss to the Somerset Patriots. 

Statistical standouts for Portland in 2022 include David Hamilton, who led the Eastern League with 70 stolen bases, while nobody else had more than 44. 

Christian Koss' big year landed him on the leaderboards as well, as he finished fourth in the league with 127 hits and third in RBI with 84. He was seventh in total bases as well with 210. With 17 home runs and 16 stolen bases, he is the first Sea Dogs player with at least 15 of each in a single season since Jeremy Hazelbaker had 19 home runs and 33 stolen bases back in 2012. 

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Cup of Coffee: Sea Dogs drop playoff opener despite Koss's three hits

9/21 Cup of Coffee: Portland rolled into the Eastern League playoffs having won 17 of its final 20 games, but dropped its series opener in the best-of-five set despite a three-hit night from Christian Koss (pictured) and home runs from Niko Kavadas and Hudson Potts. Worcester beat both Syracuse and the rain, as Kyle Hart completed a six-inning victory at Polar Park.

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Worcester Red Sox 3, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 2 (6 innings)

The WooSox kicked off their series with a victory in a rain-shortened affair. Kyle Hart returned to Triple-A with a complete game victory. In his first Worcester appearances since May 7, the left-hander allowed two runs on eight hits in six innings, striking out and walking two apiece. The key hit was a two-run double in the fourth inning by Jaylin Davis that broke a scoreless tie. Johan Mieses and Ryan Fitzgerald had two hits apiece, with both coming on to score on the Davis double.

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Cup of Coffee: Dalbec mashes two homers (again!), Hamilton swipes 70th bag in finale

9/19 Cup of Coffee: For the second consecutive game, it was the Bobby Dalbec show, while the Worcester bullpen came up huge to slam the door and earn the victory. Portland closed out its regular season with a loss despite David Hamilton's 70th stolen base but now gets to prepare for the postseason against the same club the Sea Dogs just played -- and it's a Yankees affiliate, so the rivalry is alive and well in the minor leagues.

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Worcester Red Sox 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 2
Outhit but not outmatched, Worcester closed out its penultimate road trip with a 3-2 victory over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Bobby Dalbec was the star of the show, hitting two home runs for the second consecutive contest. Ryan Fitzgerald hit his 24th double of the season, scoring Ronaldo Hernandez, to put Worcester ahead for good.

Bryan Mata gave up all 9 of the hits allowed in the contest but scattered them to perfection, allowing just one earned run, walking none, and striking out seven in five innings. Jake Thompson allowed the other earned run with two walks and a sacrifice fly, but the rest of the bullpen combined to hold the RailRiders hitless for the remainder of the game. Brian Keller and Andrew Politi's four nearly perfect innings included just one walk and six punchouts.

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Cup of Coffee: Dalbec belts two home runs, Sea Dogs right back to winning

9/18 Cup of Coffee: A day after their eight-game winning streak was snapped, the Sea Dogs bounced back with a convincing win behind eight runs and 13 hits. David Hamilton had three hits and Izzy Wilson went deep. Worcester lost but hit three home runs, two of which came from Bobby Dalbec (pictured). Josh Winckowski punched out six as well. 

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 7, Worcester Red Sox 5
The Sox belted three home runs, but it wasn't enough. Bobby Dalbec led the charge by going 2 for 3 with a pair of home runs, three RBI, and a walk. Johan Mieses also hit a home run, his 10th of the season. Jarren Duran had a nice game as well in the leadoff spot, going 2 for 4 with a run scored. Josh Winckowski pitched pretty well, surrendering four runs (three earned) over six innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked just one. Darwinzon Hernandez struck out two in a scoreless seventh before Geoff Hartlieb struggled in the eighth, allowing three runs. 

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Cup of Coffee: Lugo, Cellucci join Sea Dogs

9/17 Cup of Coffee: It was a quiet night on the farm, with the two affiliates that remain in action combining for just 10 hits in a pair of losses. Matthew Lugo and Brendan Cellucci joined Portland ahead of the start of the playoffs as the Sea Dogs' winning streak was snapped. Nick Sogard (pictured) was one of the few highlights in Worcester's sloppy loss.

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 8, Worcester Red Sox 2

Defensive lapses cost Worcester during a six-run second inning that proved to be the difference. Only three of the seven runs allowed by Chris Murphy were charged as earned. The left-hander had struggles of his own, however, as he walked four and struck out one in five innings of work. Chase Shugart also surrendered an unearned run in his inning, sandwiched by striking out the side. Durbin Feltman pitched two scoreless frames and struck out three but issued four walks on the night. Nick Sogard was responsible for three of the six Scranton hits. That included the team's only extra-base hit, a third-inning RBI triple. 

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Cup of Coffee: Duran steals home, Potts homers as Portland stays hot

9/16 Cup of Coffee: With the big-league club enjoying a day off, Boston's minor-league affiliates swept the Yankees on Thursday. Victor Santos put together six solid innings while Jarren Duran stole home and drove in two runs in Worcester's win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Just over 100 miles away, Wilyer Abreu and Hudson Potts (pictured) both went deep as Portland extended its winning streak to eight straight games.

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 3

Despite falling behind by two runs early on, Worcester put an end to its four-game losing streak on Thursday. Victor Santos initially got off to a rough start, but the right-hander settled in and allowed just two runs on five hits and zero walks to go along with eight strikeouts over six innings of work. Sixty-one of the 87 pitches he threw went for strikes. In relief of Santos, Caleb Simpson gave up one run on one hit in the eighth before A.J. Politi struck out the side in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.

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Cup of Coffee: Abreu and Rafaela power Portland to postseason berth

9/15 Cup of Coffee: While Worcester may have fallen to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, Portland ensured it would be playing baseball past this weekend with another win in Somerset. Wilyer Abreu (pictured) and Ceddanne Rafaela led the red-hot Sea Dogs to a 12-7 win over the Patriots to help Portland return to the playoffs for the first time in eight years. 

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 4, Worcester Red Sox 1

Connor Seabold made his 19th start of the season for Worcester and could not get through the fifth. The 26-year-old right-hander allowed four earned runs on seven hits, one walk, and one hit batsman to go along with four strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings of work. Fifty-two of the 82 pitches he threw went for strikes as he was charged with the loss. In relief of Seabold, Geoff Hartlieb, Jake Thompson, and Frank German combined for 3 2/3 scoreless frames out of the bullpen.

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Cup of Coffee: Rafaela pushes Portland closer to playoff berth

9/14 Cup of Coffee: All three teams in the organization were playing against the Yankees, and all three games were wild, frustrating, back-and-forth encounters decided by one run. The bad news is that only one of the outcomes went in a Red Sox team's favor, but the good news is that it is the one with playoff hopes on the line. Unlike Worcester or the major league club, Portland's hot finish has it on top of the second-half standings in the Eastern League's Northeast Division. Ceddanne Rafaela (pictured) and company had an 18-hit attack to pull off the 11-inning win, Portland's sixth straight victory and 14th in its last 15.

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders (NYY) 5, Worcester Red Sox 4

Worcester jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, but Scranton chipped away to complete the comeback. Bryan Mata got the start, allowing just one hit in four innings while striking out seven, but control was an issue. The right-hander walked five batters and hit two more, getting charged for two Scranton runs. Brian Keller was solid out of the bullpen, giving up just an unearned run on one hit in his three innings of work, striking out four without walking a batter. The Railriders reached Darwinzon Hernandez for a pair of runs on three hits in the eighth, saddling the lefty with the loss. At the plate, Ronaldo Hernandez blasted his 13th home run of the season, a fifth-inning solo shot. Enmanuel Valdez doubled as part of a two-hit evening, while Jarren Duran was 2 for 4 with a walk.

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Minor Notes: Casas crushes first MLB homer, Hamilton sets record in Portland

Although the Red Sox still have 21 games remaining, the Salem Red Sox and Greenville Drive both saw their seasons come to an end on Sunday. Salem finished the year at 64-66, good for fourth place in the Carolina League North. Greenville finished the year at 52-78, good for last place in the South Atlantic League South. Neither affiliate qualified for the postseason. In the upper minors, the WooSox play until September 28 while the Sea Dogs have six regular season games remaining against the Somerset Patriots. With a second-half record of 41-22, Portland could clinch a spot in the Eastern League playoffs this week.

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Casas hits first homer

In his home state of Florida, Triston Casas hit the first home run of his major-league career at Tropicana Field last Tuesday. It came off Rays opener J.T. Chargois and was a 371-foot two-run shot that left his bat at 96.7 mph. Since making his highly anticipated debut on Sept. 4, Casas has gone just 2 for 21 (.095) with two RBIs, two runs scored, three walks, and eight strikeouts over seven games. The 22-year-old first baseman is currently regarded as the No. 2 prospect in the organization.

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