1)
| Player: Triston Casas | |||||
| Position(s): 1B/3B | Opening Day Age: 20 | 2019 Highest Level: A Adv. | |||
| Bats: Left | Throws: Right | Height: 6’4” | Weight: 238 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: Hands down the class of the Red Sox system, Casas provides a legit power bat with a defensive profile that allows for some flexibility. He is painfully slow making third base a true secondary position, but he has good hands and a strong arm. The defensive profile really lends itself to be a plus defender at first. He makes plenty of contact despite striking out 118 times in 120 games a season ago, but he did put up 20 home runs in his first full season. The body and lofty swing will allow for plenty more power to show up and he can become a 25-30 HR bat in the middle of the Red Sox order, but is probably two full seasons away from debuting in Boston. | |||||
2)
| Player: Bobby Dalbec | |||||
| Position(s): 3B/1B | Opening Day Age: 24 | 2019 Highest Level: AAA | |||
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right | Height: 6’4” | Weight: 225 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: Dalbec looked good in Mexico at the Premier12, but the lack of ability to hit for average will always limit his potential impact. The bat head gets down on the ball with ease, but he will chase out of the zone frequently and is pop up prone. When he does make solid contact, the ball flies, so there is definitely plenty of potential to impact a game with the bat. He is a solid defender at third with good hands and a cannon of an arm, but his range is quite limited due to his lack of foot speed. He, like the guy ahead of him, is best suited for first, but has a much better chance to earn regular time at third as he has a bit more range and an even stronger arm than Casas. | |||||
3)
| Player: Jarren Duran | |||||
| Position(s): OF | Opening Day Age: 23 | 2019 Highest Level: AA | |||
| Bats: Left | Throws: Right | Height: 6’2” | Weight: 200 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: Easy plus speed and good enough reads to hold down center, Duran has a chance to make an impact in the field and on the bases. The bat is nothing special as the bat speed is nothing special and there is rare effort in the swing for a left-handed hitter. The shoulders are stiff and the bat feels as though it has to fight against his body. Despite that, he has hit well over .300 in his season and a half of pro ball and found his way to AA a season ago. He does not draw enough walks, something that could definitely benefit him given the wheels, but there is plenty of potential there. He showed better patience in the AFL and he looked to drive the ball a little more, but he is best suited to shorten the swing, go the other way, and make an impact by stretching singles into doubles and playing a solid center field. | |||||
4)
| Player: Bryan Mata | |||||
| Position(s): RHP | Opening Day Age: 20 | 2019 Highest Level: AA | |||
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right | Height: 6’3” | Weight: 175 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: I have Mata listed at 175 lbs. as it is the heaviest I have seen him listed, but he is easily 200 lbs., and that is weight works for him. He has a fastball that will get up to 99 while sitting up to 97 to go with a power slider and an above average change. The curve was once a quality pitch but he has struggled with it the past couple seasons. He created plenty of depth with an upright low 3/4 slot delivery that creates some run on the fastball. There is some late effort and stiffness in the delivery that leaves some concern, but Mata is the only pitcher in the Red Sox system with a better chance than not to make it as a starter. | |||||
5)
| Player: Jay Groome | |||||
| Position(s): LHP | Opening Day Age: 21 | 2019 Highest Level: A Short | |||
| Bats: Left | Throws: Left | Height: 6’5” | Weight: 220 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: No player had as much hype as Groome heading into the 2016 MLB draft, but real makeup concerns contributed to him slipping to pick 12 and into the Red Sox lap. Since arriving it has been a mixed bag, as he has flashed the plus fastball and curve at times, but the change has lagged behind and command has been a real concern. Add to that there have been weight concerns, and Tommy John surgery in 2018 means he has pitched just four innings the past two seasons and just 44.1 in full season ball thus far in his career. If he can come back healthy and in shape, Groome could skyrocket back into a top 100 type prospect in baseball, but he could also tank and land outside the Red Sox top 10 a year from now. | |||||
6)
| Player: Gilberto Jimenez | |||||
| Position(s): OF | Opening Day Age: 19 | 2019 Highest Level: A Short | |||
| Bats: Switch | Throws: Right | Height: 5’11” | Weight: 160 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: Jimenez was signed for just $10k in 2017 but has quickly rocketed up the Red Sox prospect ranks. He has a first off the bus body that screams power, but that doesn’t really translate to the box. Instead he is a plus speed switch hitting center fielder that has homered just three times in his two pro seasons. He also lacks discipline at the plate, striking out well more than twice per walk, but he does a good job making contact from both sides of the plate. He should get the opportunity to make his full season debut out of camp this Spring, and has a future as a leadoff man patrolling center, there is just a lot of time and growth between now and reaching that potential. | |||||
7)
| Player: Noah Song | |||||
| Position(s): RHP | Opening Day Age: 22 | 2019 Highest Level: A Short | |||
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right | Height: 6’4” | Weight: 200 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: If not for the Naval commitment, Song would come in fifth for me. I voted Song ahead of Adley Rutschman in the Dick Howser Award voting a season ago. He has four average to better pitches and commands the zone well. He comes out of a 3/4 slot with limited effort and plenty of extension allowing his fastball to play even harder than his mid-90s velo. His fastball runs as does his change, while his slider dives out of the zone late and a hammer curve. He doesn’t have front end upside, but landing as a number three starter is a real possibility and I would not be shocked at all to see him reach that potential. | |||||
8)
| Player: Tanner Houck | |||||
| Position(s): RHP | Opening Day Age: 23 | 2019 Highest Level: AAA | |||
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right | Height: 6’4” | Weight: 210 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: Where Houck will ultimately end up is a real question. He has seen time as a starter and as a reliever, and it seems nobody con come to a consensus which role fits him best. I am pretty well done with him as a starter and I think he could be a high quality reliever. He has a low 3/4 cross body delivery with a slider that sprints away from righties and a fastball that will get up to 96 while bearing in on their hands. His curve is good enough but the change still has a lot of work to go. Given there is effort in the delivery, I see him as a mid-relief guy early in 2020 with a shot at becoming a quality late inning arm before too long. | |||||
9)
| Player: Thad Ward | |||||
| Position(s): RHP | Opening Day Age: 23 | 2019 Highest Level: A Adv. | |||
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right | Height: 6’3” | Weight: 180 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: Ward is long and lean with four pitches that flash average to better but very inconsistent. He creates some deception with multiple speeds in his leg kick that allows his fastball play faster than the 91-93 he typically sits. The change does not have enough velo gap off the fastball and the curve spins too often. His slider is easily his best secondary offering, bordering on plus potential, and will likely be the carrying pitch. My guess is he will shed the change and/or curve before too long and transition more into relief where the fastball should tick up and the slider could really play well. | |||||
10)
| Player: Matthew Lugo | |||||
| Position(s): SS | Opening Day Age: 18 | 2019 Highest Level: A Short | |||
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right | Height: 6’1” | Weight: 185 lbs. | ||
| Quick Report: Lugo and Song were my favorite selections for the Red Sox in the 2019 draft. Lugo has a big load in his swing that he times quite well and keeps his hands back well even when he mistimes the kick. The hands clear well and there is some natural loft to the bat plane. There is little doubt he can stick as a shortstop long term, showing plenty of arm and quickness to go with natural instincts at the position. I am hopeful he starts the season in Greenville where I expect him to show well enough to land in the top five in next year’s Red Sox list. | |||||
Just Missed:
C.J. Chatham – SS – 25 – AAA
Cameron Cannon – INF – 22 – A Short
Nick Decker – OF – 20 – A Short
Brandon Howlett – 3B – 20 – A
Antoni Flores – SS – 19 – A Short
THREE QUARTER SLOT 