2021 Prospects

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Back to Jimenez: has anyone actually seen him play in person? Speier lists him at 220 pounds, while Tomase lists him at 160 pounds. Both say he has elite speed. So is he Pablo or Pedey? At age 20, a kid is usually still growing...

 

In Kirby Puckett's rookie year he hit zero home runs in 538 at bats at age 24. Two years later he hit 31 bombs. He played, however, in that era... though he was more of a hitter than slugger, averaging 19 HRs but 209 hits in 12 seasons.

[notin]

He'll be in AA by the end of 2022. May even be pitching for Salem in 2021 depending on his commitment.

 

Can we let him throw his first pitch before we promote him?

[mvp 78]

Can we let him throw his first pitch before we promote him?

 

Let’s never post about anything in the future!

[moonslav59]

Back to Jimenez: has anyone actually seen him play in person? Speier lists him at 220 pounds, while Tomase lists him at 160 pounds. Both say he has elite speed. So is he Pablo or Pedey? At age 20, a kid is usually still growing...

 

In Kirby Puckett's rookie year he hit zero home runs in 538 at bats at age 24. Two years later he hit 31 bombs. He played, however, in that era... though he was more of a hitter than slugger, averaging 19 HRs but 209 hits in 12 seasons.

 

I like what I hear about Jimenez, but no, I haven't seen any Sox prospects play since I went to a game in Portland, 3 years ago.

 

I'm no expert on prospects, but I think, when all is said and done, he ends up better than Duran.

[notin]

Let’s never post about anything in the future!

 

Well we don’t even have a return date yet.

[mvp 78]

Well we don’t even have a return date yet.

 

We don’t even know next year’s roster so why talk about 2021?

[moonslav59]

I'm thinking a thread about prospects is generally going to be geared towards speculating on future possibilities.

[notin]

We don’t even know next year’s roster so why talk about 2021?

 

Right because that is the same as putting a guy with 0 professional innings under his belt and no real known debut date in AA the season after next...

[mvp 78]

@redsoxstats

The Red Sox signed Michael Gettys, who was one of the most interesting minor league FAs. He hit 31 HR in AAA in 2019 while playing a very good centerfield. Was once graded at 60 run, 70 arm, 60 field. Big issue that caused his slow slide down prospect rankings is strikeouts.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/michael-gettys/sa828692/stats?position=OF

 

"Gettys’ tools are such that he might be Drew Stubbs, with plus power, a 70 arm and speed, but a hit tool that might not be playable in any capacity."

 

Former 2nd round pick. Could be an interesting guy?

[mvp 78]

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2020-03-18/minors-padres-top-prospects-michael-gettys

 

The Padres knew there were a lot of holes in Gettys’ powerful bat when they selected him after Trea Turner in 2014 and the swing-and-miss in Gettys’ game to date was reason enough to leave him off the 40-man roster and expose him to the Rule 5 draft this offseason. The strikeout numbers, however, have trended downward from 37.2 percent in A-ball in 2017 to 33.8 percent in 2018 in the Texas League to 30.5 percent in 2019. His 31 homers led the system, but the batting line, outside the slugging percentage, was largely underwhelming given the way the ball flew in the Pacific Coast League. Gettys can fly in center field and on the bases (he swiped as many as 33 bags in 2016) but the strikeouts limit what was once viewed considerable upside.

 

After repeating low Single-A Fort Wayne in 2016 and high Single-A Lake Elsinore in 2017, Gettys played 2018 at Double-A San Antonio and 2019 in the Pacific Coast League. Gettys, of course, has considerable work ahead of him if he’s going to bypass others in the organizational depth chart and jump to the majors. He received considerably less playing time in Cactus League play than other minor league outfielders invited to camp (like Taylor Trammell and Edward Olivares) and was just 1-for-10 in those at-bats. Gettys will also be a minor league free agent after the season and a productive year could set him up well in another organization without as much outfield depth as there is in San Diego.

[mvp 78]

@IanCundall

I’ve talked to multiple evaluators who said the top pitcher at Red Sox fall instructs this year was 19-year-old right-handed pitcher Aldo Ramirez. Ramirez showed advanced feel and should stick as a starter. His fastball sat 92-95 and he mixed in a plus CH and average CB. Other pitchers may have better raw stuff, but Ramirez has a three pitch mix, strong command profile & knows how to pitch. He is deceptive & does a good job limiting hard contact, especially w/his CH. He’s got a back end starter projection right now, but there’s a chance for more. One thing to keep in mind also, while both Bryan Mata and Thaddeus Ward were on the instructs roster, neither threw in games so they weren’t considered here.

[moonslav59]

Great stuff, MVP!

[mvp 78]

http://news.soxprospects.com/2020/11/scout-chatter-jay-groome-eduardo.html

 

Bazardo looked good at instructs. Rosario and Groome did not.

[mvp 78]

In addition to bringing Gettys into the organization, the Red Sox also brought back a minor-league free agent of their own according to the linked transaction log above, re-signing left-handed pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus. De Jesus was signed by the Red Sox out of Venezuela back in 2013 and has made it as far in the system as High-A Salem. The 23-year-old (he’ll turn 24 in a few weeks) spent all of 2019 in Salem, pitching to a 3.58 ERA over 130 2⁄3 innings with 122 strikeouts and 42 walks. There’s not a huge ceiling here, but the potential for an up-and-down depth starter certainly exists if things progress well. Expect him to start 2021 at Double-A Portland.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

http://news.soxprospects.com/2020/11/scout-chatter-jay-groome-eduardo.html

 

Bazardo looked good at instructs. Rosario and Groome did not.

 

Judging by this review, we'd better protect Bazardo... if only to prevent Cashie and the Rays from nabbing him.

[moonslav59]

Judging by this review, we'd better protect Bazardo... if only to prevent Cashie and the Rays from nabbing him.

 

I'm fine with keeping Mazza, but we should protect Bazardo. There are still plenty of scrubs to DFA in order to keep Bazardo.

[moonslav59]

Rosters are 26, now, but is it possible nobody would not select Groome and have to keep him on their 26 man roster all year?

[mvp 78]

Rosters are 26, now, but is it possible nobody would not select Groome and have to keep him on their 26 man roster all year?

 

I bet a team like Pittsburgh would be all over that move.

[mvp 78]

I'm fine with keeping Mazza, but we should protect Bazardo. There are still plenty of scrubs to DFA in order to keep Bazardo.

 

I agree that it would be easy to keep both. I'd rather have them over a guy like Marcus Wilson.

[moonslav59]

I bet a team like Pittsburgh would be all over that move.

 

True. Not worth the risk.

 

Besides, who do we have that needs to be kept on the 40 man so desperately?

[notin]

I'm fine with keeping Mazza, but we should protect Bazardo. There are still plenty of scrubs to DFA in order to keep Bazardo.

 

I don't see it coming down to "Mazza vs Bazardo" when the Sox have so many other easily replaceable players on the 40-man roster. Mazza is really just the best of the Replaceables...

[mvp 78]

True. Not worth the risk.

 

Besides, who do we have that needs to be kept on the 40 man so desperately?

 

Barnes

Brasier

Eovaldi

hernandez

Houck

Pivetta

ERod

Sale

Taylor

Vazquez

Bogaerts

Dalbec

Devers

Beni

JD

Verdugo

Mata

Groome

Rosario

Wong

Potts

Seabold

 

That's it really. Everyone else could be replaced rather easily. The rest is just preference in ranking the other guys.

[moonslav59]

Barnes

Brasier

Eovaldi

hernandez

Houck

Pivetta

ERod

Sale

Taylor

Vazquez

Bogaerts

Dalbec

Devers

Beni

JD

Verdugo

Mata

Groome

Rosario

Wong

Potts

Seabold

 

That's it really. Everyone else could be replaced rather easily. The rest is just preference in ranking the other guys.

 

Pretty sad how almost half our roster is so expendable.

[notin]

Rosters are 26, now, but is it possible nobody would not select Groome and have to keep him on their 26 man roster all year?

 

Teams do NOT have to keep Rule 5 picks on their roster all year. They do have other options for holding on to them

 

If a team selected Groome, they could try to work out a trade or cash settlement with the Red Sox, for example. Or they could trade him to another team, who would assume Groome's Rule 5 status and have the same options of keeping him, trading for him, or working out a cash deal.

 

These types of deals happen all the time...

[moonslav59]

Teams do NOT have to keep Rule 5 picks on their roster all year. They do have other options for holding on to them

 

If a team selected Groome, they could try to work out a trade or cash settlement with the Red Sox, for example. Or they could trade him to another team, who would assume Groome's Rule 5 status and have the same options of keeping him, trading for him, or working out a cash deal.

 

These types of deals happen all the time...

 

True. They often send them back, too.

[moonslav59]

New rankings...

 

https://soxprospects.com/index.html

 

(ranking fall 2019)

1. Casas (same)

2. Downs (n/a)

3. Mata (2)

4. Duran (6)

5. Jimenez (4)

6. Dalbec (5)

7. Houck (7)

8. Ward (10)

9. Seabold (n/a)

10. A Ramirez (12)

11. Song (8)

12. Groome (3)

13. Yorke (n/a)

14. Bonaci (n/a)

15. Rosario (n/a)

16. Lugo (13)

17. Potts (n/a)

18. Murphy (14)

19. Jordan (n/a)

20. Decker(15)

 

21. Wong

22. Bello

23. Wallace

24. Zeferjahn

25. Arauz

26. Bazardo

27. J Rodriguez

28. Feltman

29. Wilson

30. C-J Liu

 

31. Grullon

32. Aybar

33. Drohan

34. Castellanos

35. Lopez

36. Blalock

37. Howlett

38. Chatham

39. Cannon

40. Perales

 

[moonslav59]

My top 15 Sox Prospects (not that I know more than soxprospects or anyone else)

1. Dalbec

2. Casas

3. Mata

4. Downs

5. Houck

6. Jimenez

7. Ward

8. Seabold

9. Rosario

10. Duran

11. Potts

12. Song

13. Groome

14. Wong

15. Wallace

 

 

[mvp 78]

I'm including below some of the more interesting updates from Fall Instructs.

 

http://news.soxprospects.com/2020/11/scout-chatter-bradley-blalock-durbin.html

 

- Even though he was drafted in 2019, right-hander Bradley Blalock is still only 19 years old and was one of the younger pitchers at instructs. He got off to a slow start, but as camp went on, his delivery and stuff improved. By the end of camp, the reports coming back on him were very encouraging, enough so that he entered our rankings for the first time in our recent update, all the way up at number 36. At his best, Blalock sat 92-94 mph and topped out at 95 mph with a good slider that complimented his fastball well. He also mixed in a curveball and changeup, giving him a four-pitch mix with remaining projection in his frame. He pitches with the type of swagger you like to see on the mound and looks like someone who will add velocity as he matures. Blalock has a lot of development remaining to project as a starter, but his fastball/slider combination gives him a reasonable floor as a potential relief option if his other pitches do not take a step forward.

 

- After a strong debut in 2018, right-hander Durbin Feltman really struggled in Double-A Portland in 2019, considerably decreasing his stock. It seems Feltman put in the work at instructs, as he looked much closer to the pitcher we saw in 2018 than he did at any time in 2019. Feltman’s velocity came back, as he was up to 96 mph, mostly sitting 93-94 mph. His 85-87 mph slider flashed above-average potential, and even though it was not as crisp as it used to be, he still was able to use it to get swinging strikes. He also mixed in his low-80s curveball, which was a good change of pace to his slider. Feltman’s command and control profile is still a long-term concern, but the stuff he showed at Instructs definitely could play in a middle relief role at the major league level.

 

- After a breakout 2019 professional debut with Lowell, left-hander Chris Murphy had a steady, but not spectacular Fall Instructional League, which fits the type of player he is. Murphy did not show any standout pitch, but showed three average to above-average offerings. His fastball sat in the low-90s, topping out at 96 mph, and he mixed in a curveball at 73-75 mph that flashed above-average, a changeup in the low-80s that flashed average, and a below-average slider in the low-80s. He seemed to be working on the slider early in camp, as he was not using his other secondary pitches much, but it lags well behind his other pitches. Scouts do have some questions on Murphy, particularly regarding his long-term command and control profile and whether or not he can consistently repeat his delivery, as it lacks coordination at times.

 

- In 2019 with Lowell, outfielder Nick Decker showed significant power and the ability to hit right-handed pitchers, but he really struggled against left-handed pitching. That continued at Instructs, where he raked against right-handers, but continued to struggle against lefties. Even with his struggles against southpaws, scouts were encouraged by his power and offensive potential against righties, so much so that they think he could develop into a really good platoon player.

 

- Shortstop Matthew Lugo had an up-and-down Fall Instructional League. Lugo, who received the second highest bonus of any player in the Red Sox 2019 draft class, seemed to have regressed some athletically and did not look as good at shortstop as he did in 2019. His arm is still strong, at least above-average, but the rest of his defensive skill set left question marks about whether he will be able to stick at shortstop long-term.

[moonslav59]

Good stuff, MVP. Thanks.

[mvp 78]

Kevin Thomas at the Press Herald ranked our prospects as follows:

Mata

Casas

Dalbec

Houck

Downs (low)

Duran

Jimenez

Seabold

Groome

Ward

Chatham (high)

Song

Bazardo (high)

Rosario

Potts

Wong

Yorke

Reyes

Hart (high)

Bello

Aybar

Shugart (high)

Decker

Shawaryn

Feltman

Ramirez (low)

Bonaci

Lugo (low)

Ockimey

Wilson