2022 Prospects

[mvp 78]

@SoxProspects

Niko Kavadas went 3-for-4 with a double (1) in last night's 7-1 Scottsdale Scorpions loss. The 23-year-old slugger is 4-for-9 with four walks in his first three Arizona Fall League games.

[Larry Cook]

@SoxProspects

Niko Kavadas went 3-for-4 with a double (1) in last night's 7-1 Scottsdale Scorpions loss. The 23-year-old slugger is 4-for-9 with four walks in his first three Arizona Fall League games.

 

He got some juicy pitches to hit. Hope he keeps it up.

[Bellhorn04]

He got some juicy pitches to hit. Hope he keeps it up.

 

How do you watch these games, Larry?

[Larry Cook]

How do you watch these games, Larry?

 

I see the highlights posted on various sites.

[moonslav59]

soxprospects.com answered my query about Enmanual Valdez's Rule 5 and Minor League Free Agent status, thusly...

 

He will be a minor league free agent unless resigned or added to the 40 man. If he's signed to a Minor league deal he would be rule 5 eligible. Otherwise we don't list minor league free agents on the rule 5 list cuz they're technically not eligible. We anticipate he'll be added to the 40 man.

[moonslav59]

They also wrote that their end of year rankings will come out Thanksgiving week.

[mvp 78]

soxprospects.com answered my query about Enmanual Valdez's Rule 5 and Minor League Free Agent status, thusly...

 

He will be a minor league free agent unless resigned or added to the 40 man. If he's signed to a Minor league deal he would be rule 5 eligible. Otherwise we don't list minor league free agents on the rule 5 list cuz they're technically not eligible. We anticipate he'll be added to the 40 man.

 

Yes, they've stated as much on previous podcasts. I've posted this the past few weeks when it has come up.

[moonslav59]

None of the 4 prospects Bloom acquired at the deadline cracked the top dozen on the soxprospects.com's rankings list, but they did put up some impressive 2022 numbers:

 

Enmanuel Valdez AA/AAA

.296 28 107 (T 6th in RBI) .918 OPS (Only 2 players had a higher OPS and more PAs)

 

Wilyer Abreu AA

.247 19 73 (2nd w 114 BBs/ 3rd in runs scored w 106) 31 SB w 3 CS (.834 OPS- only 8 players had a higher OPS and more PAs)

 

Max Ferguson A/A+

.214 7 60 (6th in SB w 61 w only 5 CS & 24th in runs, despite just 527 PAs) 8th in BB w 95 helped him to a .366 OBP

 

Corey Rosier A+

.242 7 41 (.359 OBP w 40 SBs and 5 CS) .730 OPS

 

Lots of nice OBPs and speed acquired.

[mvp 78]

I can't say I expect anything out of Max Ferguson's 620 OPS in A+ and his stolen base rate went from 51 in 64 games in A to 10 in 50 games in A+. He was too good for A, but needs to repeat A+ and see some sort of success there before I pay attention. Ferguson is currently ranked 59 by SoxProspects.

 

Corey Rosier also OPS'd 547 after getting to Greenville. Rosier is unranked.

[moonslav59]

I can't say I expect anything out of Max Ferguson's 620 OPS in A+ and his stolen base rate went from 51 in 64 games in A to 10 in 50 games in A+. He was too good for A, but needs to repeat A+ and see some sort of success there before I pay attention. Ferguson is currently ranked 59 by SoxProspects.

 

Corey Rosier also OPS'd 547 after getting to Greenville. Rosier is unranked.

 

I'm not expecting much either, but Ferguson has some interesting numbers.

 

We got 'em both in the Hosmer for Groome trade, so not much was expected.

[mvp 78]

I'm not expecting much either, but Ferguson has some interesting numbers.

 

We got 'em both in the Hosmer for Groome trade, so not much was expected.

 

I had no idea who Corey Rosier was until notin floated the idea of him being a backup OFer yesterday. Maybe they follow a Christian Koss path and become more memorable next season, but it's hard to see these guys breaking the top 40 anytime soon and zero chance of them breaking the top 20 over the next year.

[moonslav59]

I had no idea who Corey Rosier was until notin floated the idea of him being a backup OFer yesterday. Maybe they follow a Christian Koss path and become more memorable next season, but it's hard to see these guys breaking the top 40 anytime soon and zero chance of them breaking the top 20 over the next year.

 

Agreed. Most likely never.

[mvp 78]

Niko Kavadas has picked things up at the plate as of late. After starting the season with just one hit in his first five at-bats, the right-handed hitting first baseman is now slashing .308/.609/.385 with one double, one RBI, three runs scored, nine walks, and six strikeouts across six games (23 plate appearances). He has drawn the third-most walks in the AFL thus far and owns the sixth-highest on-base percentage among all hitters in the league.

 

40% BB rate for Niko.

[mvp 78]

@MLBPipeline

On a big league field, Stephen Scott continued raking in the AFL.

 

The #RedSox catching prospect raised his average to .417 with another multihit game

 

He’s making the most of the opportunity, especially Saturday’s chance to play at Chase Field.

 

“Awesome experience,” Scott said after his Scottsdale Scorpions beat the Peoria Javelinas, 10-6. “The field is pristine. You get a sense of what the game can be like. It’s exciting to see and I hope to be playing on these fields all the time one day.”

 

The way Scott has played this fall points to him perhaps being able to do that. After going 2-for-2 with a walk on Saturday, he’s hitting .417/.440/.750 with a pair of homers and eight RBIs, with four multi-hit games in his six total games played. Yes, it’s a hitting-friendly league, but even with that caveat, it’s a vast improvement from his .219/.346/.377 line he put together between High-A and Double-A during the regular season

 

Scott’s best chance at reaching the big leagues might come courtesy of his defensive home. The 25-year old became a full-time catcher in 2022 after having dabbled a little bit behind the plate as an amateur. He had played outfield almost exclusively for Vanderbilt as a senior and didn’t catch at all in his first summer of pro ball. He mixed in some catching in 2021 before making it his forever home by catching 67 games in 2022.

 

“I had done a little bit of catching in high school and college and they approached me after the 2019 season and started talking to me about making that transition,” said Scott, who in addition to his two hits threw out a potential basestealer on Saturday. “After last year, we sat down and had some conversations about a full-time switch. It’s taken off from there.

 

“It’s been a big transition and the Red Sox have worked a lot with me. Between Luke Montz, Mickey Jiang, Chad Epperson, those are the catching guys who have really helped me a lot in my career and helped me make that transition. I love it and I love being back there.”

 

Being able to get more reps this fall has certainly aided his defensive development. He caught 34 games with Double-A Portland this year and handling the Scorpions staff has given him the opportunity to catch more advanced-level arms.

 

“It’s helping a lot,” Scott said. “There are a lot of really good pitchers in this league and on this staff. To be able to come in and work with them and see a lot of different shapes, everything from big sinkers to rising fastballs. We even have a submariner in the bullpen. It’s fun, learning new guys and what they got, what makes them tick, that’s all part of being a catcher. I try to embrace that.”

[mvp 78]

Haven't heard the S.P. guys mention what Stephen Scott's defensive profile looks like behind the plate since the transition. They have him projected as the starting POR C next season.

[mvp 78]

@SoxProspects

Triston Casas went 1-for-1 with an RBI and two walks in last night's Tigres del Licey victory while Enmanuel Valdez went 1-for-2 with an RBI for opposing Toros del Este.

[moonslav59]

Haven't heard the S.P. guys mention what Stephen Scott's defensive profile looks like behind the plate since the transition. They have him projected as the starting POR C next season.

 

Looks like we have a pretty deep catcher situation on the farm from top to bottom, and 2-3 guys that have decent to fine ML back-up catcher profiles (McGuire, Wong, RHern,) but some serious doubts about having a solid #1 on the big club. Maybe a McGuire-Wong tandem will be enough, but the word was put out they are looking for an outside addition, and I don't think Caleb Hamilton was what they meant.

[mvp 78]

Looks like we have a pretty deep catcher situation on the farm from top to bottom, and 2-3 guys that have decent to fine ML back-up catcher profiles (McGuire, Wong, RHern,) but some serious doubts about having a solid #1 on the big club. Maybe a McGuire-Wong tandem will be enough, but the word was put out they are looking for an outside addition, and I don't think Caleb Hamilton was what they meant.

 

Caleb Hamilton is just a 3rd string guy you have on the roster in case of emergency that you need to call up. You always want a defensive guy who can come in and call a game at a moment's notice. That's not Ronaldo right now. I just wonder if the see Ronaldo in the future. I think Hickey and Brannon could be interesting if they stick at catcher. Scott is a guy, but you even just need org depth.

 

Depth Chart is currently listed as:

McGuire

Wong

Hamilton

Hernandez

Cottam

Scott

Marrero

Rangel

Hickey

Erro

[moonslav59]

Caleb Hamilton is just a 3rd string guy you have on the roster in case of emergency that you need to call up. You always want a defensive guy who can come in and call a game at a moment's notice. That's not Ronaldo right now. I just wonder if the see Ronaldo in the future. I think Hickey and Brannon could be interesting if they stick at catcher. Scott is a guy, but you even just need org depth.

 

Depth Chart is currently listed as:

McGuire

Wong

Hamilton

Hernandez

Cottam

Scott

Marrero

Rangel

Hickey

Erro

Brannon

 

That's a solid list, except for the tippy top.

[moonslav59]

SP's 2022 All Star Team (Pitchers tomorrow)

 

C Hickey

1B Kavadas

2B Bonaci

3B Jordan

SS Mayer

OF Rafaela

OF Bleis

OF Sikes (only player not in top 25)

Utility Paulino

 

[mvp 78]

SP's 2022 All Star Pitchers

SP Bello

SP Drohan

SP Mata

SP Keller

SP Perales

RP German

RP Kelly

RP Politi

[mvp 78]

SP's 2022 All Star Team (Pitchers tomorrow)

 

C Hickey

1B Kavadas

2B Bonaci

3B Jordan

SS Mayer

OF Rafaela

OF Bleis

OF Sikes (only player not in top 25)

Utility Paulino

 

 

On Sikes:

 

The only player on this roster without a top-25 ranking pedigree, Sikes clawed his way to All-Star status with a strong season under the radar with Salem and Greenville. Hitting just .164 in mid-May, a run of injuries pushed Sikes into additional playing time, and the 23-year-old responded. He hit .357/.514/.768 in an 18-game stretch beginning on May 29 and found himself getting moved up to Greenville on July 4. Sikes continued his solid play at the higher level, hitting .248/.351/.446 in 44 games for the Drive. The 18th-round pick joins fellow 2021 draftees Mayer, Kavadas, and Hickey.

 

Sikes is definitely an under the radar guy. Not one of the names that comes up very often. Good that he got some recognition.

[mvp 78]

The under the radar pitching All Star:

Starting Pitcher: Brian Keller

The Red Sox continue to get excellent innings by pillaging the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft. While less impactful than Garret Whitlock, Keller became a cornerstone of the Worcester pitching staff after Boston selected him in the minor league phase of Rule 5 in December. The right-hander slid between starting and bullpen roles as rotation spots were needed, performing admirably in both roles. He was at his most effective during a 13-appearance stretch from early June to mid-August, posting a 1.40 ERA .162/.264/.266 opponents slash, and striking out 63 in 51 1/3 innings. Keller was thrice awarded as the SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week, He finished the season with a 3.27 ERA, and his .200 opponents average ranked second in the organization behind only Bello among pitchers with over 70 innings.

[moonslav59]

On Sikes:

 

The only player on this roster without a top-25 ranking pedigree, Sikes clawed his way to All-Star status with a strong season under the radar with Salem and Greenville. Hitting just .164 in mid-May, a run of injuries pushed Sikes into additional playing time, and the 23-year-old responded. He hit .357/.514/.768 in an 18-game stretch beginning on May 29 and found himself getting moved up to Greenville on July 4. Sikes continued his solid play at the higher level, hitting .248/.351/.446 in 44 games for the Drive. The 18th-round pick joins fellow 2021 draftees Mayer, Kavadas, and Hickey.

 

Sikes is definitely an under the radar guy. Not one of the names that comes up very often. Good that he got some recognition.

 

He got his BB% from 8.5 to about 14%, this year.

 

I remember he had one stretch where he had about 10 BB in 4 games.

[mvp 78]

He got his BB% from 8.5 to about 14%, this year.

 

I remember he had one stretch where he had about 10 BB in 4 games.

 

That's a doubleheader for Niko.

[moonslav59]

Speaking of pitching, here are the best OPS Against numbers by Sox pitchers with 60+ IP:

.559 Bello AA/AAA

.584 Politi AA/AAA

.593 Mata 4 Teams

.616 Keller AAA

.618 Stock A/A+

.623 Wikelman A/A+

.642 Encarnacion A/A+

.653 Winckowski AAA

.656 Seabold AAA

.657 Uberstine A/A+

.687 Murphy AA/AAA

.690 Drohan A+/AA

 

50-60 IP

.495 German AA/AAA

.519 Polanco DSL

.545 Kelly AAA

.585 Walter AA/AAA

.601 T Ward (4 Teams)

.623 Paez FCL

.626 L de la Rosa FCL/A

.661 Webb (3 Teams)

.663 Wallace AA

.664 Talavera FCL/A

.685 Thompson AA/AAA

.686 Mosqueda AA

 

Notables with under 50 IP

.362 Simon Pacheco DSL 35.0 IP

.416 Alvaro Mejias DSL 29.1

.454 Andres Ortuno DSL 24.1

.473 Inmer Lobo DSL 22.0

.481 Railin Perez DSL 23.1

.495 Henry Nunez FCL 30.0

.561 Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz FCL/A 38.1

.572 Kaleb Ort AAA 40.2

 

[moonslav59]

That's a doubleheader for Niko.

 

It was 4 games in early June:

 

1-1 w 1BB

1-1 w 4BB

1-2 w 2BB

1-2 w 2BB

 

4-6 w 9 BB in 4 games (2 triples & 5 SBs)

[moonslav59]

SP's Awards, today:

 

Brayan Bello: Graduate of the Year (Duran, Crawford and Winckowski were the only other grads)

 

Xander Bogaerts: Homegrown Player of the Year (Devers was his only competition.)

 

Mookie Betts: Ex-Prospect of the Year (No love for Beni!)

 

[moonslav59]

Today's SP awards:

 

Rookie of the Year: Luis Perales

 

Comeback Player of the Year: Brian Mata

 

Breakout Player of the Year: Ceddanne Rafaela

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

SP's Awards, today:

 

Brayan Bello: Graduate of the Year (Duran, Crawford and Winckowski were the only other grads)

 

 

 

Fitzy is with the Guidance Counselor right now, asking if he can transfer some credits.