2021 Prospects

[moonslav59]

Here's my stab at the all Sox prospects team (Major in the Minors or Minor in the Majors):

 

C: Ronaldo Hernandez, Connor Wong (Chris Hermann)

1B: Triston Casas, Josh Ockimey (Michael Chavis)

2B: Nick Yorke (Danny Santana)

SS: Jeter Downs (Jonatahan Arauz) Matthew Lugo

3B: Hudson Potts (Yairo Munoz) Brainer Bonaci/Blaze Jordan

LF: Gilberto Jimenez, Marcus Wilson

CF: Jarren Duran

RF: Jeisson Rosario, Nick Decker

Utility: Jack Lopez

SP: (Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck), Conner Seabold, Noah Song, Bryan Mata, Thaddeus Ward, Jay Groome, Josh Winckowski, Frank German (Ryan Weber)

P: (Eduard Bazardo) Aldo Ramirez, Brayan Bello, Chris Murphy, Jacob Wallace, Durbin Feltman

[mvp 78]

There's not much difference between AA & AAA, but I agree,

 

Move him up.

 

Casas will move up, too, at some point.

 

He's most likely just an updated version of Bryce Brentz, but lets give the new WOO fans a big beefy guy to launch some rockets.

[moonslav59]

He's most likely just an updated version of Bryce Brentz, but lets give the new WOO fans a big beefy guy to launch some rockets.

 

I'm from Portland: we want to watch rockets launched, too.

[Hugh2]

I'm from Portland: we want to watch rockets launched, too.

 

College bat vs. High School bat.

 

Although, we know college bats are usually a much safer bet than a high school bat. Still, Brentz was selected 36th in the 2010 draft and Casas was taken about 10 spots earlier as a high school bat. Brentz was heralded as a more safe offense-ready player and Casas is someone you can dream on. Well.........we all know how that worked out.

 

Any whooooo Casas is now 21 and although the sample size is pretty small he's handling AA pretty well (after a loss season), when Brentz was 21 he was .598 OPSing it in Low A. Brentz ended up putting some decent numbers up at the AAA level, but he was never able to take his game to the next level.

 

Brentz was an outfielder while Casas was a 1B, at 1B you have to hit, if he had played a premium position (such as SS) he might have been one of the first HS players taken in the 2018 draft. But, lets be fair here, there's till plenty of time for Casas to flame out, but I'd say there's more reason to be hopeful in his future than we ever had for Brentz at this point. I think the offense potential from Casas is more than it ever was from Brentz, and certainly so at this point, but as a corner infielder he's going to have to hit and hit well to be a regular. Interesting factoid, the kid threw mid 90's in HS, too bad, that arm will be wasted at 1B but if he reaches his potential with the bat who cares.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

He's most likely just an updated version of Bryce Brentz, but lets give the new WOO fans a big beefy guy to launch some rockets.

 

I have hopes Casas is different. His two-strike approach -- choking up, looking to go the other way -- is rare for a power hitter in the era of all-or-nothing launch angle.

[moonslav59]

I like Casas, too, and he's finally getting some PAs at a higher level.

 

I usually hesitate to get all gushy with single A players.

[mvp 78]

College bat vs. High School bat.

 

Although, we know college bats are usually a much safer bet than a high school bat. Still, Brentz was selected 36th in the 2010 draft and Casas was taken about 10 spots earlier as a high school bat. Brentz was heralded as a more safe offense-ready player and Casas is someone you can dream on. Well.........we all know how that worked out.

 

Any whooooo Casas is now 21 and although the sample size is pretty small he's handling AA pretty well (after a loss season), when Brentz was 21 he was .598 OPSing it in Low A. Brentz ended up putting some decent numbers up at the AAA level, but he was never able to take his game to the next level.

 

Brentz was an outfielder while Casas was a 1B, at 1B you have to hit, if he had played a premium position (such as SS) he might have been one of the first HS players taken in the 2018 draft. But, lets be fair here, there's till plenty of time for Casas to flame out, but I'd say there's more reason to be hopeful in his future than we ever had for Brentz at this point. I think the offense potential from Casas is more than it ever was from Brentz, and certainly so at this point, but as a corner infielder he's going to have to hit and hit well to be a regular. Interesting factoid, the kid threw mid 90's in HS, too bad, that arm will be wasted at 1B but if he reaches his potential with the bat who cares.

 

Let's hope Casas never shoots himself in the leg.

[mvp 78]

Duran hits 440' bomb yesterday

 

That's 4 dingers in 5 games.

 

Casas being very mean to a baseball yesterday too

 

Casas hit that off a lefty.

 

Also, lost cause Cam Cannon has a 984 OPS.

[Thunder]

Casas had himself quite a night here in Hartford! Maybe I should try to get to a game this weekend while the Sea Dogs are still in town

[Hugh2]

Forgot all about the Brentz leg shot, oh man what a bad look.

 

Shout out to Thunder, going to take a long hard look at taking that 45-minute drive up to Hartford this weekend.

[moonslav59]

Top Sox OPS on the Farm (25+ ABs, unless noted)

 

1.140 J Lopez

1.130 J Mieses

1.086 J Duran

1.042 D Santana (15)

0.996 T Casas (started off very slowly)

0.984 C Cannon

0.943 C Hermann (19)

0.923 B Howlett

0.905 M Wilson

0.875 J Rosario

0.858 R Fitzgerald

0.847 G Jimenez

0.794 R Hernandez

0.699 Y Munoz

0.596 J Ockimey

0.488 J Downs

0.476 N Yorke

[mvp 78]

Don't make me have to learn who Jack Lopez is.

[mvp 78]

Cam Cannon looking like Pedroia

 

Not sure I've seen video of Cannon since he was drafted.

[notin]

Cam Cannon looking like Pedroia

 

Not sure I've seen video of Cannon since he was drafted.

 

I find him disappointing since his arm strength does not match his name...

[notin]

Don't make me have to learn who Jack Lopez is.

 

It will never be imporant...

[mvp 78]

I find him disappointing since his arm strength does not match his name...

 

Family Dollar version of Dustin Pedroia

[mvp 78]

It will never be imporant...

 

WOOSox legend

[Larry Cook]

Hart threw 6 no hit innings today! Congrats to him, ps: he did walk four today though!

[Fan_since_Boggs]

The Red Sox farm system is loaded with future stars. Dombrowski left the farm system in much better shape than given credit for. Casas and Duran are two of the top guys but don't sleep on Jimenez, and keep your eye on Rosario, an under-the-radar player that Bloom brought in.

 

It is obviously early but Downs has been a disappointment so far. And things haven't worked out for the pitchers, either injuries--Houck, Seabold, and Mata--or lousy performance: Groome. Groome really needs to get his act together this year, he is running out of time.

 

Due to the injuries to Houck, Seabold, and Mata, I can understand why the Red Sox need to stretch out Whitlock, he is next in line to enter the starting rotation.

 

There are two pitchers to watch at Portland who have been impressive so far: Winckowski (acquired in the Benentendi trade) and our old friend Durbin Felton--remember how high we were on him as our future closer when Dombrowski drafted him? Let's hope Felton has finally figured it out and if Winckowski can develop a secondary pitch into a plus offering he will be on the fast track.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Fan_since_Boggs

[moonslav59]

I’m not sure we can call then “stars” just yet, and I for one, was almost always careful to say DD nearly stripped the farm not totally.

 

Houck and Dalbec have shown signs of being very helpful and may become stars someday, but how many players on the Sox are DD era prospects and stars right now? He was GM long enough and the timing is right for there to be several.

 

Duran and Casa may be years from stardom.

 

I’m pretty sure a couple of DDs prospects or prospects in the system when DD arrived will end up real good- maybe more, but we are feeling the effects of having a bad farm for 3+ years as we speak.

 

I’ve said this several times, I never expected Bloom to be able to rebuild our farm and 40 man roster so quickly, especially in an era when rich and winning teams have the cards stacked against them.

 

Trading away stars and losing badly helped, some, of course, and not many saw all that coming.

Edited May 15, 2021 by moonslav59

[Larry Cook]

Santana and downs with their first taters of the season tonight for Worcester.

 

Reed and marrero with taters tonight for Greenville, reed is up to three on the year this far.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

The fact that so much has gone wrong with the top Red Sox pitching prospects is a reminder to me that I want a position player in the upcoming draft at 4. These pitchers are so fragile; spend early draft capital on less risky position prospects.

 

6 innings, 12 ks, and no walks for Felton. Keep it up, baby!

[moonslav59]

That makes sense.

 

Our strategy of acquiring good pitchers by trade and free agency has not always worked out well, but each of our 4 rings involved a major acquisition or two or more to our pitching staff.

[notin]

The fact that so much has gone wrong with the top Red Sox pitching prospects is a reminder to me that I want a position player in the upcoming draft at 4. These pitchers are so fragile; spend early draft capital on less risky position prospects.

 

6 innings, 12 ks, and no walks for Felton. Keep it up, baby!

 

Any minor league pitcher is risky. But they are also a major need for this organization and harder to acquire via trade...

[moonslav59]

Duran, Santana, Arauz and Gettys with HRs, tonight. (Duran, Downs & Araus with 2 hits, including a 2B by Arauz. Santana with 3 hits (one 2B).

 

Rosario with 3 hits for Portland. Winckowski with the win (5 IP 2 ER, 4H, 2BB, 5K).

[Bellhorn04]

Duran has 5 dingers in 13 games.

 

Plus an OBP of .390, with 9 walks.

 

Couldn't ask for a much more impressive start by the kid.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Bellhorn04

[mvp 78]

Duran has 5 dingers in 13 games.

 

Plus an OBP of .390, with 9 walks.

 

Couldn't ask for a much more impressive start by the kid.

 

Haven't seen any reports about his D.

[moonslav59]

If he played LF, he'd probably already be on the big club.

 

Throwing an unready defender in CF can not only be bad for the club, but it could be bad for Jarren, too.

 

I trust the Sox brass will know when he's ready, and I hope it's real soon.

[moonslav59]

There may be one other thing keeping Duran in AAA:

 

Danny Santana

 

His opt out was extended into May. I'm not sure anyone knows the exact date.

 

Santana is off to a red hot start:

.467 OBP

.846 Slg%

1.313 OPS

3 HRs in 26 ABs

 

If he's ready, he's the next call up, and he can play OF, including CF, SS, 1B, 2B and 3B.

 

People point to 2019 as an outlier, and it does look like one with 28 HRs in 474 ABs (.857 OPS) and 21 SBs, but he did have a decent rookie year back in 2014 with an .824 OPS and 20 SBs in 24 attempts. He has a career plus UZR/150 at 2B, 3B and LF, but is minus at CF, RF and 1B.

 

He deserves a first look. When he's deemed ready, I see a Santana- Cordero swap of roles.

 

When Duran is ready, I'd DFA Brice and call him up.

[Bellhorn04]

According to Alex Speier, Santana will be called up as early as this weekend.