Author: Brendan Campbell

Blogging about the Boston Red Sox since April '17. Also support Tottenham Hotspur.

Top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer ‘a full go’ for upcoming rookie development program

Top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer is a “full go” and will be part of the club’s rookie development program that gets underway next week, according to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford.

Mayer missed the final six-plus weeks of the 2023 minor-league season due to a left shoulder injury he suffered much earlier in the year and attempted to play through. As the 21-year-old shortstop explained to Bradford back in September, it occurred on the road in early May, while he was still playing with High-A Greenville.

“It was May 7, we were playing in High-A in Asheville,” Mayer recalled on Audacy’s ‘Baseball Isn’t Boring’ podcast. I was 3-for-3 and I needed a triple for the cycle. I ended up hitting a ball in the gap. I tried to leg it out for the triple. I ended up stumbling past second base and fell. I didn’t really feel it on impact and then the next day I wake up and can’t lift my shoulder at all. I ended up taking that week off, come back playing a little too soon because the competitor in me wanted to play and didn’t want to rest. So I got used to playing hurt and ever since then it became a cycle and never really got better.”

As he alluded to, Mayer took some time off following that game in Asheville and did not return to action until May 14. To that point in the season, the left-handed hitter had batted a stout .337/.414/.582 with 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 23 RBIs, 17 runs scored, four stolen bases, 13 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 23 games (111 plate appearances) with the Drive.

Upon being inserted back into Greenville’s lineup, however, Mayer went just 9-for-47 (.192) with three homers and 11 runs driven in over his next 12 games. Despite those struggles, he was promoted to Double-A Portland on May 30. Things did not get any easier from there.

Facing more advanced pitching in the upper-minors for the first time in his professional career, Mayer slumped to a .189/.254/.355 slash line in 43 games with (190 plate appearances) with Boston’s Eastern League affiliate. He still managed six home runs and 20 RBIs in that stretch, but something was clearly amiss.

After representing the Red Sox at July’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle, for instance, Mayer managed just 10 hits in 14 games with the Sea Dogs. Once the calendar flipped from July to August, he went 0-for-9 with four strikeouts in what would go down as his final two games of the year against the Bowie BaySox.

“It’s a good learning lesson on my end,” Mayer said. “Looking back at it, I should have definitely taken care of it. You’re here to play and obviously it didn’t work out for me because I thought it was going to get better over time, but it just kept getting worse and worse and worse so I decided to say something to the trainers.”

On August 5, Mayer was placed on Portland’s 7-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation. A little over a month later, the Red Sox elected to shut down Mayer for the remainder of the year, with the goal of getting him back to 100 percent for a normal offseason the main motivator behind that decision.

“When it comes to my swing, my swing was just giving out every single time,” explained Mayer. “The littlest thing can impact your swing and you start compensating somewhere else, which is not a good thing, which is why I think I learned a lot from this experience. But as a player there is one place you want to be and it’s on the field.”

According to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, who also compiles the Red Sox’ organizational rankings for Baseball America, Mayer was ultimately diagnosed with a left shoulder impingement, which required a pain-killing injection in September.

In a conversation with The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey, Red Sox director of player development said that playing in the Arizona Fall League was “a possibility or option” for Mayer, but the club decided against it. Instead, as noted by Speier, the California native spent the fall rehabbing in Fort Myers before returning home to Chula Vista on a strength program.

To that end, it now appears as though Mayer is back at full strength. That being the case because — in the words of Bradford — his shoulder is “not a hindrance.”

Originally selected by the Red Sox with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft out of Eastlake High School, Mayer comes into the new year ranked by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline as the No. 1 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

While the 2023 campaign ended on a down note offensively, Mayer still managed to impress in other areas of the game. In separate polls ran by Baseball America, the 6-foot-2, 188-pound infielder was tabbed by league managers as the best defensive shortstop in both the Eastern and South Atlantic Leagues after committing a total of 10 errors over 602 innings at the all-important position between his stops at Greenville and Portland last season.

Though his name has frequently come up in trade rumors this winter, Mayer — who does not turn 22 until December — is expected to return to Portland for the start of the 2024 season. If he remains in the organization and stays healthy, Mayer could be on the fast track to making his major-league debut at some point later this year depending on how things shake out.

In the interim, Mayer and several other top prospects will take part in the Red Sox’ aforementioned rookie development program, which is scheduled to begin at Fenway Park next Monday. This annual five-day program typically consists of workouts at an indoor facility at Boston College, media training, and community service around the city, among other endeavors.

To complement the program, Mayer and nine other invitees (Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel, Richard Fitts, Chase Meidroth, Nick Yorke, Wikelman Gonzalez, Luis Perales, Nathan Hickey, and Justin Slaten) are also scheduled to attend Winter Weekend — the Red Sox’ annual fan fest — at the end of the week in Springfield.

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Speedy Red Sox prospect Corey Rosier had an action-packed 2023 season

Before even completing his first full season in pro ball, Corey Rosier had already played for three different organizations as a result of being traded twice.

Rosier, a 12th-round selection of the Mariners in the 2021 draft out of UNC Greensboro, was one of two players traded by the M’s to the Padres for infielder Adam Frazier that November. A little more than eight months later, the young outfielder was dealt to the Red Sox alongside fellow minor-leaguer Max Ferguson and veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer in exchange for pitching prospect Jay Groome.

“I think it’s definitely cool to know I’m sought after and people see me fitting into their system somewhere,” Rosier told MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith back in April. “So that’s cool to know I’ve been a part of two big-league trades. So that’s the way I try to view it. Coming over in the middle of the season last year, it was a big transition.”

As he alluded to, Rosier struggled with High-A Greenville to close out the 2022 campaign, amassing a .547 OPS in 23 games. Despite the difficulties he endured there, though, the speedy 24-year-old broke camp this past spring with Double-A Portland and fared well in his first taste of life in the upper-minors.

“I think going through spring training with the Sox, getting more acclimated with the staff, getting comfortable,” Rosier said. “I think that’s really played a part in the early success that I’ve had in a small sample size.”

In his first 49 games with Portland in 2023, Rosier batted a stout .307/.354/.452 with 12 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 29 runs scored, 26 stolen bases, 13 walks, and 43 strikeouts over 182 plate appearances. The left-handed hitter then earned his first promotion to Triple-A Worcester on June 22. Though his stay there (which was related to Worcester’s lack of outfield depth at the time) lasted less than a week, Rosier seemingly made the most of the opportunity by reaching base four times and recording one outfield assist in three games with the WooSox at Polar Park. He then re-joined the Sea Dogs for the start of their series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on June 29.

Rosier was a mainstay in Portland’s lineup for the next two-plus months. He slashed .266/.346/.427 with 10 doubles, three triples, five homers, 21 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 23 stolen bases, 20 walks, and 43 strikeouts across 55 more games (218 plate appearances) for Boston’s Eastern League affiliate before making yet another jump to Worcester in mid-September.

To close out the 2023 minor-league season, Rosier went 10-for-33 (.303) with three doubles, two runs driven in, four runs scored, two walks, and seven strikeouts in nine games. Altogether, he batted .285/.349/.439 in 104 games (400 plate appearances) with Portland and .282/.364/.359 in 12 games with Worcester, combining for 25 doubles, six triples, seven home runs (all at Double-A), 41 RBIs, 70 runs scored, 49 stolen bases, 37 walks, and 96 strikeouts between the two affiliates.

In the process of stealing the second-most bases among minor-leaguers in the organization (trailing only David Hamilton’s 57), Rosier was named the Red Sox’ Minor League Base Stealer of the Month once (April) and Minor League Baserunner of the Month twice (May, July). Defensively, the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder started at least one game at all three outfield spots for Portland and Worcester last season. Though the bulk of his playing at both stops time came in right field (652 2/3 combined innings), he recorded seven outfield assists and committed just three errors in 228 total chances.

While Worcester’s season drew to a close in the final week of September, Rosier and seven other Red Sox prospects headed out west to play in the Arizona Fall League. Suiting up for the Glendale Desert Dogs, who were led by a familiar face in Greenville manager Iggy Suarez, Rosier went 24-for-93 (.258) with four doubles, two triples, eight RBIs, 14 runs scored, a team-leading eight stolen bases, 13 walks, and 19 strikeouts over 23 games while, again, getting the chance to play all three outfield positions. Like left-hander Zach Penrod, Rosier also earned AFL All-Star honors.

On the heels of such an eventful 2023, Rosier comes into the new year ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 50 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Barring a trade, the Maryland native — who does not turn 25 until September — is expected to return to Worcester for the start of the 2024 minor-league season.

Given his elite speed, which FanGraphs grades as an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, Rosier could certainly emerge as a candidate for a big-league call-up later in the year if the Red Sox find themselves in the hunt for a postseason spot and in need of some wheels off the bench.

In the interim, one has to wonder if Rosier is in line to receive a non-roster invitation to major-league spring training, which — for the Red Sox — gets underway from Fort Myers in a little over a month.

(Picture of Corey Rosier: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Is Red Sox prospect Miguel Bleis primed to break out in 2024?

The 2023 season was supposed to serve as a launching point of sorts for Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis.

Bleis, Boston’s top international signee in 2021, came into the season with high expectations after turning heads in his domestic debut the year prior. The Dominican Republic native posted a .895 OPS in 40 Florida Complex League games and was named a 2022 FCL post-season All-Star, leading to him tabbed by MLB.com’s Jim Callis as the Red Sox’ best international prospect since Rafael Devers.

On the heels of such a promising campaign, Bleis entered Baseball America’s top 100 list as the 88th-ranked prospect in the sport last January. Shortly after celebrating his 19th birthday in March, Bleis made headlines in spring training by ripping a two-run single off Alek Manoah and throwing Brandon Belt out at home in a Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays.

Bleis broke camp with Low-A Salem in April and served as the Red Sox’ Opening Day center fielder. The right-handed hitter got off to a fast start in his first taste of full-season ball, recording at least one hit in his first seven games for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. He then began to taper off to some degree as the calendar flipped from April to May and wound up missing nearly two weeks of action after injuring his left shoulder on May 11.

Upon returning to Salem’s lineup on May 23, Bleis went just 1-for-18 over his next four games before re-aggravating his left shoulder on a swing in the eighth inning of a 3-2 loss to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on May 30. Bleis, in visible pain at that moment, was immediately removed from the contest and placed on the minor-league injured list shortly thereafter.

Later diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation, Bleis underwent season-ending surgery in late June. All told, he slashed .230/.282/.325 with three doubles, three triples, one home run, 16 RBIs, 18 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 10 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 31 games (142 plate appearances) with Salem. On the other side of the ball, the 6-foot, 170-pounder made 11 starts in center field and 13 in right, registering two outfield assists at each spot while only committing one error in 47 total defensive chances.

In the time that has passed since going under the knife, Bleis has resumed baseball activities at the Red Sox’ Dominican academy in El Toro. As noted by 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Tyler Milliken, the San Pedro de Macoris product looks to be back at full strength, as he has been posting videos to Instagram of him swinging a bat throughout the offseason.

To that end, both Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic and Alex Speier of The Boston Globe wrote in November that, based on separate conversations with Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham, Bleis should be ready for a normal spring training.

“He’s in full rehab, focusing on time in the weight room, strengthening his shoulder. He went back to the DR for a bit, was at the Dominican academy and just returned to Fort Myers,” Abraham told McCaffrey. “You never want someone to get hurt, but I think it’s a good opportunity for him to improve the mental and physical side and really put a focus on adding really good weight and strength to a body and frame that’s able to do so.”

Coming into the new year, Bleis is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 72 prospect in the sport. In similar fashion, MLB Pipeline has Bleis as its fifth-ranked Red Sox prospect as well, though the outlet excluded him from its season-ending top 100 list.

Earlier this week, MLB Pipeline picked Bleis as the Red Sox prospect most likely to break out in 2024, citing that the soon-to-be 20-year-old “is a center fielder with the potential for at least solid tools across the board.”

Because of the aforementioned shoulder surgery, Bleis’ future is somewhat clouded. As noted by Speier, who also compiles the Sox’ organizational rankings for Baseball America, “any shoulder surgery carries some risk of altering a player’s swing and approach.” This procedure in particular, per Speier, could amplify Bleis’ tendency to be a free-swinger if it results in him losing any extension or looseness in his swing.

Regardless of the uncertainties there, Bleis still possesses five-tool potential and “franchise-changing upside.” He is expected to return to Salem for the start of the 2024 minor-league season and — assuming he remains healthy and in the organization — should have the chance to make the jump to High-A Greenville by the end of the year.

(Picture of Miguel Bleis: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox expected to sign Dominican outfield prospect Vladimir Asencio later this month

The Red Sox are expected to sign Dominican outfielder Vladimir Asencio when the 2024 international signing period opens on January 15, according to Baseball America’s Ben Badler.

Asencio is slated to receive the 39th-highest bonus this year, per Badler. The 17-year-old is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the No. 33 prospect in the 2024 international signing class.

Like top Red Sox prospect and fellow outfielder Miguel Bleis, who signed with Boston three years ago, Asencio also trained with Mejia Top 10 baseball academy in Santo Domingo.

According to his Baseball America scouting report, Asencio “is one of the most difficult hitters to strike out from the Dominican Republic in this year’s class. He has excellent hand-eye coordination with the bat control to consistently put the ball in play. Asencio isn’t that big, with even scouts who were high on him still uncertain about how much power he will end up developing.”

In similar fashion, MLB Pipeline describes the right-handed hitter as follows: “Armed with a sound bat path and slight uppercut stroke, Asencio has a knack for utilizing the opposing field. He has made consistent hard contact during games, and evaluators believe he will grow into more power as he matures. He remains very much hit-over-power at this stage of his development, but he does sport some sneaky pop.”

Listed at 5-foot-10 and somewhere between 160-170 pounds, Asencio ” boasts loads of physical projection,” per MLB Pipeline. The outlet notes that “athleticism is the first thing that jumps off the page with Asencio. Although he has just average arm strength from center field with fair footwork and range, his speed should enable him to maximize his tools defensively. That same quickness figures to play to his advantage on the basepaths with his medium-sized frame.”

Baseball America adds that while Asencio “isn’t a burner,” he runs “well enough to get a chance to play center field.” To that end, MLB Pipeline grades all of Asencio’s tools, including a 55-hit, as a 50 or better on the 20-80 scouting scale.

While it is not yet known how much money Asencio will be receiving from the Red Sox, it should be noted that the 39th-ranked player on Badler’s 2023 bonus board, Anibal Salas, signed with the Detroit Tigers for $1 million last year. That same dollar figure would account for roughly 18.9 percent of Boston’s $5.284 million bonus pool for the 2024 international signing period, which runs through December 15.

With all that being said, Asencio — who does not turn 18 until December — will presumably make his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League alongside other members of the Sox’ 2024 international signing class at some point later this year.

(Picture of Dominican Republic flags: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Isaac Coffey fare in first full pro season?

Of the 13 pitchers the Red Sox drafted in 2022, no one pitched more innings in their first full professional season than 10th-round selection Isaac Coffey.

Coffey, the 309th overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft out of Oral Roberts, received a modest signing bonus of $7,500 and made just two relief appearances in the rookie-level Florida Complex League as part of his pro debut. The right-hander then broke camp with High-A Greenville last spring to kick off his 2023 campaign.

In 11 starts for the Drive, Coffey posted a 2.83 ERA and 3.90 FIP with 83 strikeouts to just 11 walks over 60 1/3 innings of work in which he held opposing hitters to a .223 batting average against. He recorded three double-digit strikeout games in that stretch before earning a promotion to Double-A Portland in late June.

Coffey debuted for the Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field on his 23rd birthday (June 21) and put together one of his shortest outings of the year, allowing four runs over the first two-plus innings of a 5-4 loss to the Reading Fightin Phils. He rebounded to the tune of six scoreless, three-hit frames in a winning effort against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats eight days later and wound up producing a 3.92 ERA (4.93 FIP) with 72 strikeouts to 23 walks in 12 total appearances (11 starts) spanning 57 1/3 innings with Portland.

Among the 106 hurlers who accrued 50 or more innings in the Eastern League last season, Coffey ranked 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.3), 44th in walks per nine innings (3.61), 20th in strikeout rate (28.7 percent), 42nd in walk rate (9.2 percent), 20th in batting average against (.215), 21st in WHIP (1.20), 47th in swinging-strike rate (13.1 percent), 45th in ERA, and 48th in xFIP (4.15), per FanGraphs.

Altogether, Coffey went 11-6 with a 3.37 ERA (4.40 FIP) and 155 strikeouts to 33 walks in 23 outings (22 starts, 117 2/3 innings pitched) between Greenville and Portland. For his work with the Drive specifically, he was named a 2023 South Atlantic League All-Star alongside teammates Blaze Jordan and Roman Anthony.

A former two-way player in college, Coffey stands at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds. The California native throws from a deceptive sidearm slot and — as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report — operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of an 88-90 mph fastball that tops out at 91 mph, a 77-79 mph slider that features 10-to-4 break, and an 83-84 mph changeup.

As for how his unique delivery came into existence, Coffey explained to FanGraphs’ David Laurila last June that it dates back to his early days at Oral Roberts, where — in addition to pitching — he saw limited playing time at both middle infield positions.

“I was always a three-quarters guy, never straight over the top, and in my freshman year I had 14 starts while also playing some third base,” Coffey said. “Then, in my junior year [Coffey’s sophomore year coincided with the pandemic], I was fielding ground balls at third base and kind of throwing it over to first sidearm. Doing that felt natural. Our pitching coach saw that and was like, ‘Hey, let’s get you on the mound and play with some different arm slots.’ We did that, dropping way down to going higher up, and settled on the where I’m at right now. It felt comfortable, and my velo and movement both ticked up from where they had been.”

Coming into his age-24 season, Coffey is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 44 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 18th among pitchers in the organization. Barring a trade, he is projected to return to Portland’s starting rotation this spring.

Because he does not light up the radar gun, Coffey will need to show signs of improvement when it comes to handling more mature hitters in the upper-minors. He was solid with the Sea Dogs during the latter half of the 2023 season, but the Red Sox may be looking for more when it comes to evaluating Coffey’s development and future as a starter or reliever.

To that end, Coffey also told Laurila over the summer that he would be willing to do “whatever they want me to do” as it pertains to his future role and potential path to the big-leagues.

“I’ll dive into that role as best as I can,” said Coffey. “Right now it’s being a starter. It’s what I’ve always done. I came out of the ‘pen once in high school and not at all in college. I threw two innings in the [Florida Complex League] after I got drafted, but that’s it as far as relieving. But again, whatever they want in the future, I’ll dive right into it.”

(Picture of Isaac Coffey: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox prospect Eddinson Paulino was a stabilizing force for High-A Greenville in 2023

Red Sox infield prospect Eddinson Paulino proved to be one of the organization’s more durable minor-leaguers in 2023.

Paulino, 21, spent this entire past season with High-A Greenville. The sweet-swinging left-handed hitter slashed a respectable .257/.338/.420 and led the affiliate in games played (115), hits (113), doubles (28), home runs (12, tied with two other players), RBIs (58) and runs scored (68, tied with one other player). He also finished second on the team in triples (4), stolen bases (26), and walks (50) en route to being named an MiLB.com organizational All-Star for the second straight year.

While a .758 OPS (and 108 wRC+) on the season in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League is not exactly eye-popping, Paulino ended the year on a strong note by batting .306/.359/.472 with one homer and three RBIs in nine September contests. He then recoreded two doubles and drove in a total of five runs in the SAL playoffs to help the Drive win their first league title since 2017 and second in franchise history.

Among 56 qualified South Atlantic League hitters in the regular season, Paulino ranked 18th in strikeout rate (22.6 percent), 21st in batting average, 26th in on-base percentage, 19th in slugging percentage, 20th in OPS, 18th in isolated power (.164), 20th in speed score (6.7), and 23rd in wRC+, per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Paulino saw playing time at every infield position besides first base for Greenville. The versatile 5-foot-10, 155-pounder logged a team-high 474 innings at shortstop, 253 innings at second base, and 243 innings at third base, committing a total of 19 errors in 359 defensive chances. He did not see any time in the outfield, which is notable considering the fact that he made 11 starts in center and one in left while with Low-A Salem last season.

Paulino was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system coming into the 2023 season and ended it ranked 16th. The native of the Dominican Republic originally signed with the Red Sox for $205,000 as an international free agent coming out of Santiago in July 2018, officially putting pen to paper on his 16th birthday.

Since making his domestic debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League a little more than two years ago, Paulino has been able to elevate his profile thanks in part to his hand-eye coordination, pitch recognition skills, and ability to make hard contact. As noted by SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall, however, Paulino “struggled to make consistent contact on pitches in the zone at times” in 2023. He also drew walks less frequently, reached base at a lower clip, and struck out more often this year compared to last.

Though he could be traded at some point before spring training begins in February, Paulino — SoxProspects.com’s 17th-ranked Red Sox prospect — is currently projected by the site to make the jump to Double-A Portland for the start of the 2024 minor-league season. If that is indeed the case, it will certainly be worthwhile to see how Paulino fares against more advanced pitching in the Eastern League.

(Picture of Eddinson Paulino: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Newest Red Sox pitching prospect Nicholas Judice throws fastball that has reached triple digits, whiff-inducing slider

The Red Sox added to their 2023 draft class earlier this month by trading outfielder Alex Verdugo to the Yankees.

In exchange for Verdugo, who is eligible for free agency next winter, Boston received three right-handers from New York who are all at different points in their respective careers. While Greg Weissert — with two seasons of big-league experience under his belt — and Richard Fitts — the reigning Eastern League Pitcher of the Year — have each established themselves to varying degrees, Nicholas Judice has yet to throw a professional pitch.

Judice, the youngest of the four players involved in the rare swap between division rivals, was selected by the Yankees in the eighth round of this past summer’s draft out of Louisiana-Monroe. A native of the Pelican State himself, the 22-year-old signed with New York for $185,500 in July but did not see any action with a minor-league affiliate after putting pen to paper.

In his fourth and final season at Louisiana-Monroe this spring, Judice posted a 3.74 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 66 strikeouts to 15 walks in 21 appearances (three starts) spanning 53 innings of work for the Warhawks. Baseball America tabbed the righty as the 420th-ranked prospect in this year’s draft class while MLB Pipeline gave a much more favorable ranking at No. 175.

Based off scouting reports from both publications, Judice has drawn rave reviews for his athleticism and projectability. Standing at an imposing 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, Judice throws from a three-quarters arm slot and relies primarily upon two pitches: a low-90s fastball that reportedly touched 100 mph this spring and a whiff-inducing, mid-80s slider that was singled out by Baseball America as the best secondary offering in the Yankees’ 2023 draft class.

Although the bulk of his work in college came out of the bullpen, Judice made three straight Friday night starts for the Warhawks to close out their 2023 campaign and then started three more games for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League over the summer. Given his experience in both roles, Judice could be stretched out into a starter or fast-tracked as a reliever depending on how the Red Sox plan on utilizing him.

Having said that, Judice, who turns 23 in April, is now regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 57 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 26th among pitchers in the organization. He is currently projected by the site to begin the 2024 season — and therefore make his pro debut — with Low-A Salem.

(Picture of Nicholas Judice: University of Louisiana-Monroe Athletics)

Red Sox pitching prospect Angel Bastardo saw his stock rise in 2023

Angel Bastardo was one of 11 minor-league pitchers in the Red Sox organization to reach the century mark in strikeouts this past season.

Bastardo, 21, split the 2023 campaign between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland, posting a 4.68 ERA and 4.16 FIP with 149 punchouts to 55 walks over 24 total starts (119 1/3 innings pitched) in which he held opposing hitters to a .221 batting average against.

After spending all of 2022 at Low-A Salem, Bastardo broke camp with Greenville this spring. The right-hander initially got off to a rough start with the Drive and finished the month of April with a 6.63 ERA through his first four outings of the year. He began to turn a corner as the calendar flipped to May, however, and lowered his ERA by nearly two runs before going on a tear in July.

In his final full month for Greenville, Bastardo went 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA (1.48 FIP) and 42 strikeouts to just five walks across five starts spanning 28 innings of work. He threw back-to-back complete game shutouts (the second of which he struck out a season-high of 14 batters over seven innings) in that stretch and was unsurprisingly named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month as a result.

Shortly after earning that honor, Bastardo spent some time on the development list before receiving a promotion to Portland in late August. Tasked with facing more advanced competition in the Eastern League, the righty closed out his season by allowing nine earned runs on 12 hits, nine walks, and 10 strikeouts in three starts (16 innings) for the Sea Dogs.

While the ending may have been underwhelming to some degree, it was still a breakout year of sorts for Bastardo. Among the 177 minor-leaguers who accrued at least 110 innings on the mound this season, Bastardo ranked 15th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.24), 14th in strikeout rate (29.4 percent), 25th in batting average against (.221), seventh in swinging-strike rate (15.5 percent), and 42nd in xFIP (3.98), per FanGraphs.

A native of Venezuela, Bastardo originally signed with the Red Sox for $35,000 as an international free agent coming out of Moron in July 2018. Throwing from a three-quarters arm slot, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound hurler operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 93-95 mph fastball that has topped out at 97 mph, an 84-88 mph changeup that he has an advanced feel for, an 81-84 mph curveball that features 11-to-5 break, and an 85-88 mph slider that has tight gyro-spin, according to SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall.

Unlike fellow righties Wikelman Gonzalez and Luis Perales, who also recorded 100-plus strikeouts this season, Bastardo was not added to Boston’s 40-man roster in November and was therefore eligible to be picked up by another team in last month’s Rule 5 Draft. But while other notable arms like Shane Drohan (White Sox) and Ryan Fernandez (Cardinals) were plucked by other teams, Bastardo was not.

That, for all intents and purposes, likely had something to with Bastardo’s lack of experience in the upper-minors as well as his struggles when it comes to commanding the strike zone. As noted by Cundall, Bastardo currently “lacks the fastball quality and command to stick as a starting pitcher.” And while his secondary offerings are ahead of his fastball, he “needs to further refine his two breaking balls, which can run into each other at times.”

Bastardo, who does not turn 23 until next June, ended the 2023 season ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 17 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Baseball America had him listed 28th on its list while SoxProspects.com currently has him ranked 27th (ninth among pitchers) in the organization.

Assuming he remains with the Red Sox through the winter and into the spring, Bastardo is projected to return to Portland for the start of the Sea Dogs’ 2024 season in early April.

(Picture of Angel Bastardo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox infield prospect Chase Meidroth fare in first full professional season?

Of all the Red Sox prospects who made it up to Double-A Portland this year, Chase Meidroth is far from the most highly touted. Still, the 22-year-old infielder made the most of his time with the Sea Dogs and ended the first full season of his professional career on an encouraging note.

Meidroth, Boston’s fourth-round selection in the 2022 amateur draft out of San Diego, made the jump to High-A Greenville this spring after playing in the Florida Complex League and at Low-A Salem in his pro debut. The right-handed hitter promptly got off to a quick start, batting .338/.495/.460 with three doubles, two home runs, 14 RBIs, 19 runs scored, four stolen bases, 21 walks, and 20 strikeouts over 20 games (97 plate appearances) with the Drive.

Shortly after being named the Red Sox’ Minor League Hitter of the Month for April, Meidroth earned a promotion to Portland alongside catching prospect Nathan Hickey in early May. Though he proceeded to record at least one hit in his first four games with the Sea Dogs, life in the Eastern League proved to be more challenging for Meidroth. By the time the calendar flipped from July to August, the native Californian found himself slashing a pedestrian .259/.380/.381 in his first 55 games (237 plate appearances) against upper-level pitching.

The first few weeks of August proved to be somewhat laborious as well, but Meidroth began to turn a corner offensively as September approached and rode that momentum into the final month of the 2023 season. In his last 19 games of the year, Meidroth went 19-for-63 (.302) with five doubles, one homer, eight RBIs, 17 runs scored, two stolen bases, 19 walks, and 13 strikeouts. His .519 on-base percentage in September was the top mark in the Eastern League.

All told, Meidroth slashed .255/.386/.375 with 16 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 43 runs driven in, 59 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 59 walks, and 78 strikeouts in 91 games (396 plate appearances) for Portland. Among qualified hitters in the Eastern League this season, Meidroth ranked sixth in walk rate (14.9 percent), eighth in strikeout rate (19.7 percent), eighth in batting average, second in on-base percentage, 17th in OPS (.762), first in swinging-strike rate (5.7 percent), and ninth in wRC+ (119), per FanGraphs.

“My game is to put the ball in play and have competitive at-bats to help give our team the best chance to win,” Meidroth said of his offensive approach when speaking with FanGraphs’ David Laurila earlier this summer. “I’m trying to provide opportunities for the guy behind me to drive me in, whether that’s by hitting a single, walking, or getting hit by a pitch. It’s kind of the whole pass-the-torch mentality, which I’ve had my whole life. In college, we really zoned in drawing our walks and staying in our zone. That’s kind of created the hitter I am, and that I want to be.

“It’s not so much that as I view at-bats as there being a lot of ways to win them,” he added. “For instance, if you see 10 pitches, that extends the inning for the pitcher. As for [Luis] Arraez, I’d like to say him [as a comp], but that guy is on a whole other level. Obviously, you’re seeing what he’s doing this year. But I mean, I grew up watching guys like Dustin Pedroia and Justin Turner. They’re both very smart hitters with great approaches, so I’ve always tried to try to model my game after theirs. Obviously, I’ve got a long ways to go to be at that level.”

On the other side of the ball, Meidroth started games at every infield position besides first base between his two stops this season. With the Sea Dogs specifically, the 5-foot-9, 170-pounder logged 133 2/3 innings at second base, 461 1/3 innings at third base, and 144 innings at shortstop, committing a total of seven errors in 214 defensive chances. In addition to being named Portland’s Defensive Player of the Year, he was also tabbed as the best defensive third baseman in the Eastern League by league managers in Baseball America’s Best Tools survey.

Meidroth, who does not turn 23 until next July, ended the 2023 season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 14 prospect in Boston’s farm system. MLB Pipeline had him slightly lower at No. 20 on its list while SoxProspects.com has him ranked 13th heading into the new year.

Along with 10 other Red Sox prospects, Meidroth has been invited to participate in the club’s 2024 rookie development program in Boston next month. He is also scheduled to take part in Winter Weekend at the end of that week in Springfield.

Assuming he remains in the organization through the winter and into the spring, Meidroth is currently projected by SoxProspects.com to move up to Triple-A Worcester for the start of the 2024 campaign in late March.

While that is still months away, one thing to watch with Meidroth moving forward, regardless of the level, will be how he fares against advanced pitching in the upper-minors. There is some concern when it comes to his ability to impact the ball, so he will need to show that he can make hard contact more often and, in turn, do damage against pitches in the strike zone.

(Picture of Chase Meidroth: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox sign veteran catcher Mark Kolozsvary to minor-league deal

For the second time in as many weeks, the Red Sox signed a veteran catcher to a minor-league contract.

After adding two-time Gold Glove Award winner Roberto Perez last Wednesday, Boston inked Mark Kolozsvary to a similar minors pact on Friday, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. Like Perez, Kolozsvary also received an invitation to major-league spring training.

Kolozsvary, 28, broke in with the Reds last April after originally being selected by the club in the seventh round of the 2017 amateur draft out of Florida. The right-handed hitter appeared in 10 games across four separate stints for Cincinnati, going 4-for-20 (.200) with two doubles, one home run, three RBIs, three runs scored, one walk, and nine strikeouts.

The Reds designated Kolozsvary for assignment last October before losing him on waivers to the Orioles. Baltimore, in turn, successfully outrighted the Florida native in November to keep him in the organization without occupying a spot on its 40-man roster.

Kolozsvary served as upper-minors catching depth for the first three months of the 2023 season. His contract was then selected from Triple-A Norfolk on June 13 as a corresponding move for Ryan Mountcastle hitting the injured list with vertigo. He made his Orioles debut that same night but did not register a plate appearance, instead serving as a defensive replacement for Adley Rutschman in the ninth inning of an 11-6 win over the Blue Jays at Camden Yards.

The following afternoon, Kolozsvary was designated for assignment by the Orioles. He cleared waivers shortly thereafter and elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment to the minor-leagues, which he had the right to do after already being outrighted once before in his career. Kolozsvary then signed a minors pact with the Twins on June 20 and spent the rest of the year at Triple-A St. Paul.

For his big-league career, Kolozsvary has logged 61 total innings at catcher and has thrown out one of five potential base stealers while allowing two passed balls. In 29 games between Double-A Bowie, Norfolk, and St. Paul this past season, the 5-foot-8, 185-pound backstop accrued 234 innings behind the plate and threw out seven of 34 would-be base stealers without allowing a single passed ball.

Offensively, Kolozsvary is a lifetime .211/.320/.341 hitter with 57 doubles, three triples, 24 home runs, 113 RBIs, 144 runs scored, five stolen bases, 117 walks, and 347 strikeouts in 325 career minor-league games (1,211 plate appearances). That includes a .174/.282/.301 slash line with 10 doubles, one triple, seven homers, 20 runs driven in, 34 runs scored, one stolen base, 22 walks, and 98 strikeouts in 87 games (300 plate appearances) at the Triple-A level.

Kolozsvary, who does not turn 29 until next September, figures to provide the Red Sox with experienced catching depth at Triple-A Worcester in 2024. As things stand now, Boston has just two catchers on its current 40-man roster in Connor Wong and Reese McGuire. While Perez and Mark Kolozsvary are the only two backstops to receive non-roster invites to spring training thus far, Stephen Scott and minor-league Rule 5 pickup Mickey Gasper are among those who project to be in the mix for reps once camp begins in February.

To that end, Kolozsvary should already be familiar with some of his new teammates on the Red Sox. Like first baseman Triston Casas and fellow non-roster invitees Eddy Alvarez and Jamie Westbrook, Kolozsvary helped the United States take home a silver medal at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

(Picture of Mark Kolozsvary: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)