Fort Report: Jiménez homers off Rays ace McClanahan as part of busy week

The last full week of spring training is upon us, which means the penultimate Fort Report of the year is here. With a record of 12-8-4, the Red Sox have just eight Grapefruit League games remaining on their schedule before Opening Day arrives on March 30. Here is a rundown of things that have happened over the last seven or so days:

 

Rodriguez strains right oblique

On Monday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced that left-hander Joely Rodriguez had ben diagnosed with a Grade 2 right oblique strain. Rodriguez injured his right side in Saturday's game against the Orioles and will now start the season on the injured list. If Boston looks externally for another left-handed bullpen option to pair with Richard Bleier, Cora identified Oddanier Mosqueda and Ryan Sherriff as two possibilities.

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Podcast Ep. #276: Rankings Jamboree with Jim Callis and Alex Speier

Yeah, you read that right. Two guests. Four people. One podcast. Because YOU DEMANDED IT (or at least you would have if you'd thought of it). We got MLB.com's Jim Callis and the Boston Globe's Alex Speier on the show at the same time for a roundtable discussion on the state of the system, our respective rankings, how that process has changed over the years, and more!

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Marcelo Mayer

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#1 Marcelo Mayer, SS 

2022 Teams: Salem and Greenville

Final Stats: 424 PA, .280/.399/.489, 30 2B, 13 HR, 16 BB%, 25.2 K%

2023 Projected Level: Greenville

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Tall, athletic frame. Loose and projectable with room to add strength as he physically matures. Likely to add good weight upon being introduced to a professional strength and conditioning program. Looks the part.

Hit: Starts open and vertical with his hands high. Quiet load with a very short leg lift. Fluid swing with strong feel for hit. Quick hands. Plus bat speed. Very impressive bat control. Ball jumps off his bat and has already shown the ability to turn on velocity. Knows the strike zone and has strong bat-to-ball skills. Advanced approach for a high school hitter. Will use all fields and does not try to do too much at the plate. Potential plus hit tool.

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Fort Report: Mayer and Bleis debut; SoxProspects heads south

It was another exciting week down in Fort Myers with a few top prospects seeing MLB action for the first time. Both Marcelo Mayer and Miguel Bleis (pictured) gave fans a glimpse of their talent, while Eddinson Paulino did his best to put his name on the map. 

Staff arriving in Fort Myers

A SoxProspects.com contingent will be arriving in Fort Myers on Tuesday (weather permitting) and will stay through Monday. They will be providing frequent updates on Twitter throughout the week. Those without Twitter can follow along on the Twitter List on the right side of the home page. 

Chris and Ian released a podcast late last week to go over their early thoughts on MLB camp. One of the key players discussed was Jarren Duran who has looked good in limited action this spring. 

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Miguel Bleis and Triston Casas

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#3 Miguel Bleis, OF 

2022 Teams: FCL

Final Stats: 167 PA, .301/.353/.542, 14 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 6 BB%, 26.9 K%

2023 Projected Level: Salem

Scouting Report 

Physical Description: Tall, athletic frame with lots of remaining projection. Looks the part, has the room to add strength without impacting his athleticism.

Hit: Starts slightly open with his hands high. Some pre-pitch hand movement, but consistently ends up in a good hitting position. Utilizes a toe-tap timing device. Good separation in his swing. Quick hands, plus bat speed. Fluid swing. Makes a lot of contact on pitches in the zone and has had no problems with velocity early in his career. Will work counts and has some feel for the strike zone, but still in the early stages of developing his approach. Does expand the zone against quality offspeed pitches, but has shown a willingness to take a walk. When he gets ahead in the count, is aggressive, hunting fastballs he can hit. Ball makes a different sound when he squares it up. Will go to all fields and hits the ball extremely hard for someone his age and is already producing major league-quality exit velocities as a teenager. Still has a ways to go in developing his approach, but shows the raw tools to develop an above-average hit tool.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Nick Yorke and Ceddanne Rafaela

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#5 Nick Yorke, 2B 

2022 Teams: Greenville

Final Stats: 373 PA, .231/.303/.365, 10 2B, 11 HR, 8.8 BB%, 25.2 K%

2023 Projected Level: Portland

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Sturdy frame. Filled out for his age. Thick lower half. Lost 25 pounds between his draft year and first full pro season. Some remaining projection, mainly in his upper body, and could stand to add some strength.

Hit: Typically has started open with his hands by his chest. In 2022 Arizona Fall League, experimented with starting with his hands up and bat pointed behind him before getting to the same load position. Utilizes a slight leg lift timing device. Advanced hit tool. Strong feel for hit. Has bat speed and a very fluid, compact swing. Two-handed finish. Good barrel control. Advanced approach for his age. Willing to use all fields, but did get pull happy in 2022 at times as he tinkered with his mechanics. Good separation in his swing. Makes good swing decisions and rarely expands the zone. Consistently makes solid contact. Has shown the ability to turn on velocity up in the zone already. Potential plus hit tool.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Mikey Romero and Bryan Mata

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#7 Mikey Romero, SS 
2022 Teams: FCL and Salem
Final Stats: 87 PA, .304/.368/.506, 11 XBH, 9.2 BB%, 17.2 K%
2023 Projected Level: Salem

Scouting Report 

Physical Description: Athletic frame with some remaining projection. Not overly physical and could stand to add strength and fill out.

Hit: Starts slightly open with his hands high. Very smooth and controlled swing. Has bat speed. Limited stride. Really good hands. Seen as one of the most advanced high school hitters in the draft class. Good pitch recognition and advanced approach for his age. Makes a lot of contact and hits the ball hard. Potential above-average hit tool.

Power: Wide range of opinions on his power ability. Needs to add strength and swing right now is designed more for hard line drives than over-the-fence power. Potential fringe-average game power.

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Podcast Ep. #275: Early MLB camp thoughts

With about two weeks of MLB spring training games in the books, Chris and Ian had plenty to discuss. Is Jarren Duran really really turning it around this time? Is Triston Casas going to... lead off? How good do some of the young arms look? Who will has the inside shot at the last few roster spots? They answered these questions and more. Plus, the guys discussed Baseball America ranking the Sox system 10th in the game, bid adieu to Kole Cottam, and of course, responded to your emails!

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Roman Anthony and Brandon Walter

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#9 Roman Anthony, OF 

2022 Teams: FCL and Salem

Final Stats: 83 PA, .306/.374/.361, 4 2B, 10.8 BB%, 9.6 K%

2023 Projected Level: Salem

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Tall, projectable frame. Looks the part. Has the frame to support added muscle as he physically matures.

Hit: Starts open with his hands high. Uses an abbreviated leg kick that he gets down early. Good separation in his swing. Smooth uppercut bat path with a two-hand finish. Good bat speed, makes very hard contact. Utilizes his lower half efficiently and really rotates through the hips. Pitch recognition and ability to hit velocity are question marks right now. In the early stages of developing an approach.

Power: Plus-to-better raw power. Very impressive raw power. Has a swing designed to drive the ball with loft and backspin and has shown the ability to hit the ball 400-plus feet. Plus power potential.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Eddinson Paulino and Luis Perales

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#11 Eddinson Paulino, IF 

2022 Teams: Salem 

Final Stats: 539 PA, .266/.359/.469, 35 2B, 10 3B, 13 HR, 11.9 BB%, 19.5 K%

2023 Projected Level: Greenville

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Undersized and skinny at present. Solid athlete with good hand-eye coordination. Frame has room to support added strength, but will never be overly physical.

Hit: Swing mechanics work. Contact-oriented swing with a level bat path. Average bat speed at present and good bat control. Covers the plate well and has a decent approach for his age. Does not miss much in zone, but will expand, especially against secondary pitches. Advanced bat control leads him to make a lot of weak contact on pitches that he struggles to drive. Shows substantial platoon splits already. Potential average hit tool against right-handed pitchers and below-average against left-handers.

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Fort Report: Casas, prospects, lead Sox to 7-0 spring start

The Fort Report continues this week, as the first full week of games has come to an end. The Red Sox are off to a hot start with seven wins and no losses, with many youngsters making positive contributions. 

Casas leading the way

SoxProspects.com's second-ranked prospect, Triston Casas (pictured), has jumped out to a fantastic start this spring, going 6 for 15 (.400) with two home runs and a 1.238 OPS. Both of his home runs have come off of left-handed pitchers, which is a great sign. Casas struggled against lefties in 2022 at both the minor and major league levels, with OPS' of .619 and .611, respectively, with no home runs. 

Other top prospects showing off their talent

Wilyer Abreu and Enmanuel Valdez, the two prospects acquired last summer in the Christian Vazquez trade, have both hit the ball well over this first week. Abreu is 4 for 12 with a double, a home run, and a pair of walks, while Valdez has just three hits but a long home run is included. Jarren Duran is also swinging a great bat, with three hits in six at-bats, including two doubles and a home run. He is using the opposite field very well, as all of his hits have gone to left field. Ceddanne Rafaela also has four hits and three RBI on the young season, while catcher Caleb Hamilton is 4 for 6 with a double and a homer so far. 

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Chris Murphy and Wikelman Gonzalez

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#13 Chris Murphy, LHP 

2022 Teams: Portland and Worcester

Final Stats: 152 IP, 4.03 ERA, 1.283 WHIP, 149 K, 72 BB, 11% swinging strike rate

2023 Projected Level: Worcester

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Athletic frame with minimal remaining projection. Looks bigger than listed height and weight. Average lower half, medium build.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot, starting on the third base side of the rubber. Takes two small steps before a medium leg kick. Drives towards the plate with a big stride and gets good extension. Left leg kicks up on follow-through. Can tend to fall off towards third base post-delivery. Quick, compact arm action. Slight arm hook with some effort behind. Does not consistently finish delivery and can lose release point at times.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Blaze Jordan and Matthew Lugo

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#15 Blaze Jordan, CIF 

2022 Teams: Salem and Greenville

Final Stats: 521 PA, .289/.363/.445, 30 2B, 12 HR, 9.2 BB%, 18 K%

2023 Projected Level: Greenville

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Thick, physically mature frame. Minimal remaining projection. Will have to watch his body as he gets older. Lost weight and did a much better job maintaining his conditioning as he got older in high school.

Hit: Starts square and utilizes a quick leg kick timing device. Mature approach for his age. Has bat speed. Takes a second to get going, but has quick hands and really whips his hips through during his swing. Natural feel for hit and will make pitchers pay when they make a mistake. Approach is a work in progress. Chases too often, especially against changeups. Has had trouble making contact against better pitching and against velocity, especially when up in the zone. Will always have swing-and-miss in his game. Has struggled with velocity in the mid-90s and higher as far back as the 2020 Fall Instructional League, but showed some improvement against velocity after 2022 promotion to Greenville. Potential average hit tool.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 20-16

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#20 Niko Kavadas, 1B 

2022 Teams: Salem, Greenville and Portland

Final Stats: 524 PA, .276/.437/.545, 25 2B, 27 HR, 19.5 BB%, 30.2 K%

2023 Projected Level: Portland

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Thick, sturdy frame. Well built, strong. Minimal remaining projection.

Hit: Starts square with his hands high towards the middle of his body. Big leg kick timing device and brings hands down below his back shoulder before coming back up and toward the ball. Strength-based, uppercut swing designed to put the ball in the air. Average bat speed. Produces excellent exit velocities. Advanced approach. Knows the strike zone and will take a walk. Has swing-and-miss in his game within the strike zone. Struggles against left-handed pitchers and has had notable platoon splits early in his career. How he controls swing-and-miss will go a long way to determining the level to which his hit tool develops. Potential fringe-average hit tool.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 25-21

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#25: Brooks Brannon, C 

2022 Teams: FCL Red Sox

Final Stats: 15 PA, .462/.533/.846, 3 XBH, 13.3 BB%, 33.3 K%, 105.2 mph 90th percentile exit velocity

2023 Projected Level: Salem

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Stocky, thick frame. Catcher's build with a sturdy lower half. Pretty close to maxed out physically.

Hit: Starts square with his hands high. Brief leg lift timing device. Gets his whole body into his swing. Swing has some length. Approach and pitch recognition need work. There are questions about how he will handle premium velocity as he was not exposed to it much as an amateur. When he makes contact, hits the ball very hard and has recorded high exit velocities.

Power: Plus raw power. Has shown the ability to hit the ball a long way, especially to the pull side.

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Fort Report: Singing a Song of spring

 

After two years of COVID-interrupted spring training followed by the 2022 lockout, 2023 has been the first traditional spring training in four years. The SoxProspects.com team is back with the weekly notes edition, kicking off with the spring training Fort Report. Games got started on Friday with a matchup against Northeastern University, and will continue throughout the month of March.

The one who got away (but might come back)

The biggest news of the past several days has been from outside of Red Sox camp. Rule 5 pick Noah Song (pictured) was transferred from his Navy commitment, freeing him to join camp with the Philadelphia Phillies. Chris Hatfield and Ian Cundall went into depth on the situation on the most recent SoxProspects.com podcast, but a brief review: Song impressed at Lowell after the Red Sox drafted him in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, but his petition for a waiver from his previous commitment to flight school was denied, putting his baseball career on hold. The right-hander, having not thrown a pitch in over 3 years, was taken by the Phillies in the major league Rule 5 draft in December. The Red Sox would have had the option of adding Song to the 40-man roster and then placing him on the Military List, freeing up that spot, but upon his return he would have had only a 15-day rehab assignment before the team would have needed to start using that spot on a player who is several years removed from pitching and had not even reached full-season ball. 

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 30-26

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#30: Tyler McDonough, 2B/OF 

2022 Teams: Greenville

Final Stats: 517 PA, .230/.311/.357, 36 XBH, 21 SB, 9.3 BB%, 31.3 K%

2023 Projected Level: Portland

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Small frame with minimal remaining projection. Surprisingly strong for his size. Above-average athlete.

Hit: Switch hitter. Starts open with his hands high. Utilizes a leg kick timing device. Quick hands, has bat speed. Swing can get long and out of sync. Average zone contact and chase rates. Has a decent amount of swing-and-miss in his game, mainly against breaking balls down and fastballs with good velocity up. Needs to improve his quality of contact and improve his approach. Bat will be tested against more advanced pitching. Potential below-average hit tool.

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Podcast Ep. #274: The Same Old Song

Surprise, surprise: Noah Song has returned to baseball. Never mind that he's technically a Philadelphia Phillie now, as the news lit up our timelines and required a deep dive into the likelihood Song sticks, returns to the Red Sox, or perhaps winds up elsewhere was necessary. Plus, Fangraphs dropped its Top 100 list with a noteworthy placement of Miguel Bleis, the Sox made some smaller signings, and there were some news and notes from camp. Plus, your emails!

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 35-31

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#35: Alex Binelas, 1B/3B 

2022 Teams: Greenville and Portland

Final Stats: 500 PA, .206/.307/.438, 20 2B, 25 HR, 12.6 BB%, 29.4 K%

2023 Projected Level: Portland

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Filled-out, sturdy frame. Strong. Minimal remaining projection.

Hit: Starts square with a slight toe tap timing device. Quiet swing mechanics. Swing is more strength-based. Swing can get long and has considerable swing-and-miss in his game. Will take a walk. Solid plate discipline. Misses a lot of pitches in the zone, especially elevated fastballs at 94+ mph. Development of his hit tool will be key in determining future success. Potential well below-average hit tool.

Power: Natural loft in swing. Can drive the ball with authority to all fields. Hits the ball very hard and produces impressive exit velocities. Plus-to-better raw power. In-game power potential is tied to hit tool development.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 40-36

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#40: Stephen Scott, C 

2022 Teams: Greenville and Portland

Final Stats: 410 PA, .219/.346/.377, 19 2B, 10 HR, 16.1 BB%, 19 K%

2023 Projected Level: Portland

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Short, sturdy frame. Very strong, stocky build. No remaining projection.

Hit: Starts square and utilizes a short, leg lift timing device. Average bat speed, smooth swing. Direct to the ball, keeps the barrel in the zone a long time. Has swing-and-miss in his game, but also will take a walk. Knows the strike zone and has some feel for recognizing spin. Potential fringe-average hit tool.

Power: Above-average raw power. Average game power. Can lift the ball and drive it with some authority, especially to the pull side.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 45-41

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp. 

#45: Luis Ravelo, SS 

2022 Teams: FCL and Salem

Final Stats: 153 PA, .197/.303/.265, 12.4 BB%, 25.5 K%

2023 Projected Level: Salem

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Athletic frame with lots of projection. Has developed physically after signing, but still needs to add considerable strength

Hit: Starts open with a leg kick timing device. Bat drags due to lack of strength. Hands need to get quicker and needs to shorten swing, Swing is more fluid from the left side. Rough approach, has a long way to go, especially against off-speed pitches. Really struggles to recognize them and is often caught out in front.

Power: Lacks the ability to impact the baseball right now. Has the frame that could grow into power as he matures.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 50-46

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp.  

#50: Eduardo Lopez, OF 

2022 Teams: Salem

Final Stats: 332 PA, .234/.325/.332 with 4 HR, 9 SB, 10.8% BB, 23.5% K

2023 Projected Level: Greenville

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Medium, athletic build. Lots of projection remaining. Needs to add strength.

Hit: Switch hitter. Small toe tap timing device. From the left side, wrists start at chin level, coming down on approach. Wrists start lower from the right side. Swing can be inconsistent at times, but at its best is smooth with a good weight transfer from back to front. Solid approach for his age. Knows the strike zone and is selective. Will take a walk, but can get overly passive at times. Struggles with velocity right now due to lack of strength. Has struggled from the right side early in his pro career. Potential average hit tool.

Power: Below-average present in-game power. Swing is more geared towards hard line drives in the gap. Shows some pop in batting practice. Potential fringe-average in-game power if he fills out his frame.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 55-51

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is here! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp.  

#55: Hunter Dobbins, RHP 

2022 Teams: Salem

Final Stats: 69 IP, 5.22 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 68 K, 22 BB, 11% swinging strike rate

2023 Projected Level: Greenville 

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Medium, athletic frame with projection remaining.

Mechanics: Throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the first base side of the rubber. Medium-to-high leg left. High-effort delivery. Arm is short behind and quick forward. Hides the ball well behind. Falls off hard toward first base.

Fastball: 91-94 mph. Tops out at 96 mph. Velocity increased to where he was touching 98 mph in fall 2020 and February 2021 before getting injured during preseason scrimmages. During 2020 season, sat in the low-90s, topping out at 94. Sometimes pitch will show natural cut. Potential average pitch.

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2023 Countdown to Spring Training: 60-56

We've made it through the bulk of the offseason and spring training is near! To celebrate the return of baseball, we'll be counting down by posting our scouting reports for the players on our Top 60 three times a week from February 13 until March 15—not coincidentally, the same day the SoxProspects brass arrive in Fort Myers for the start of games in minor league camp.  

#60: Victor Santos, RHP

Age: 22

2022 Teams: Portland and Worcester

2022 Stats: 145 IP, 4.97 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 126 K, 34 BB, 11% swinging strike rate

2023 Projected Level: Worcester

Scouting Report

Physical Description: Thick pitcher's frame. Filled out; no remaining projection.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the first base side of the rubber. Quick, medium-height leg kick with a long arm swing behind. Some effort in delivery. Repeats delivery well.

Fastball: 90-92 mph. Tops out at 93 mph. Primarily throws sinkers, but will mix in four-seamers also. Fastball velocity ticked up slightly early in 2021, but returned back to the 90-92 mph range as the season went on. Above-average control. Potential for above-average command. Lacks bat-missing ability, more designed to pitch to contact. Potential below-average offering.

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Podcast Ep. #273: The one where we talk about a blacksmith

Camp is close. The guys can smell it. But in the meantime, the Red Sox made some more deals, sending Matt Barnes and Franklin German off and getting Richard Bleier and Theo Denlinger in return. Plus, Kiley McDaniel and Keith Law released their Top 100 lists and organizational rankings, a new crop of NRIs was announced, we made some tweaks to our own rankings, and of course, your emails!

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Gudino, Padron-Artiles set to play in Caribbean Series

Another winter ball season is effectively in the books, which means the 2023 Caribbean Series is almost upon us. The Red Sox will be well represented in the international tournament, as recently signed infielder Edwin Diaz will play for Puerto Rico, Norwith Gudino will play for Venezuela, and Yusniel Padron-Artiles (pictured) will play for Panama.

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Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League

After signing a minor-league deal with the Red Sox two weeks ago, infielder Edwin Diaz has been added to Puerto Rico's roster for the upcoming Caribbean Series in Venezuela. The right-handed hitting 27-year-old was named LBPRC MVP after batting .229/375/.418 with eight homers and 29 RBI over 48 games (192 plate appearances) for the Criollos de Caguas this winter. Former Red Sox minor leaguers Alan Marrero and Jeremy Rivera are also on Puerto Rico's roster. 

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Podcast Ep. #272: Team taking shape

After much uncertainty, it seems that the Red Sox 2023 roster is finally starting to take shape. Justin Turner, Corey Kluber, Adalberto Mondesi, Adam Duvall... Meanwhile, three more former top ten prospects, including a former top prospect in the #SP60 and a former #2, have been designated for assignment. Meanwhile, Baseball America and MLB Pipeline released their Top 100 lists, the 2023 IFA signing period opened, and we got a bunch more emails, so Chris and Ian had plenty to discuss! 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Players collect in-season and postseason accolades

The winter leagues are almost over, but a few players still got a chance to offer postseason heroics. Next week all eyes will be on Norwith Gudino in Venezuela as his team plays for the championship. 

Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League 

Carolina has a 3-2 series lead over Mayaguez and is one game away from a championship. Matthew Lugo was one of two players named the LBPRC Rookie of the Year, and recent signing Edwin Diaz was named the LBPRC MVP. Lugo hit .275/.360/.450 with six home runs in 120 at-bats, while Diaz hit .229/.375/.418 with eight home runs in 153 at-bats. Both players helped lead Caguas to a first-place regular season finish. 

Dominican Professional Baseball League

Jorge Alfaro (pictured), signed as a minor league free agent on January 16, led his team to a title. He only had 21 regular season at-bats for Licey but was ultimately named MVP of the LIDOM championship series. In the round-robin portion of the playoffs, he hit .383/.471/.633 with two home runs in 60 at-bats. He turned it up another notch in the championship series, hitting .417/.417/.667 with another home run. 

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Fall/Winter Round-up: Light week for SoxProspects

The winter leagues are beginning to wind down, as most are well into the postseason and only a few teams remain in qualification for the Caribbean Series, which will take place in February. This meant it was a light week for Red Sox prospects, as most players' teams have been eliminated from postseason contention.

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Gudino pitches well, Hernandez designated for assignment

There was not a ton of action this past week for Red Sox players. The regular season ended for the Roberto Clemente League, as the playoffs got underway. This covers games from January 2 through January 8, but only a couple players saw time.

The regular season came to a close and the semifinals began this past week. Red Sox players did not see any action, as Ponce is not in the postseason. Henry Nunez (pictured) ended his winter with a 4.24 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 23 1/3 frames, while Nate Tellier finished his campaign with a 5.40 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings. At the plate for Ponce, catcher Juan Montero ended his season with three hits in 25 at-bats. 

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Podcast Ep. #271: Rafael Devers gets paid

For Red Sox fans who wanted something... ANYTHING to get excited about, the organization finally came through on Wednesday, reportedly agreeing to terms with Rafael Devers on an 11-year, $331 million extension that will keep him in Boston until the ripe old age of... 36. Yup, it's a good contract and the guys are fans, so they answered the emergency podcast signal to discuss. Plus, we said goodbye to the folk hero of the system, Big Joe Davis, following his retirement, and took some time to once again speculate what 40-man moves might be in the offiing to make room for Justin Turner and Corey Kluber. 

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Hernández adds to home run total by going deep twice

With 2023 now underway, Ronaldo Hernandez (pictured) made sure to cap off his 2022 in style last week by hitting two more home runs for his team in Colombia. Meanwhile, in Puerto Rico, Matthew Lugo saw his winter ball campaign draw to a close two days before Christmas. This article covers games played from December 26 through January 1.

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Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League

Matthew Lugo was placed on Caguas' inactive list on Friday, Dec. 23. In 39 games for the Criollos, the 21-year-old infielder batted .275/.360/.450 with three doubles, six home runs, 19 RBIs, 20 runs scored, two stolen bases, 11 walks, and 34 strikeouts over 140 plate appearances. 

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