Red Sox infielders Triston Casas, Rafael Devers named Silver Slugger Award finalists

Red Sox infielders Triston Casas and Rafael Devers have been named finalists for 2023 American League Silver Slugger Awards, Louisville Slugger and Major League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Casas, a first-time finalist at first base, was recognized alongside the likes of Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz, Texas’ Nathaniel Lowe (last year’s winner), and Detroit’s Spencer Torkelson.

Devers, who won the award in 2021, is a finalist at third base for the third consecutive year along with Houston’s Alex Bregman, Tampa Bay’s Isaac Paredes, and last year’s winner in Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez.

Casas, who first debuted for Boston last September, overcame a rough start to his first full season in the major-leagues and wound up putting together an impressive rookie campaign. In 132 games, the left-handed hitting 23-year-old batted .263/.367/.490 with 21 doubles, two triples, 24 home runs, 65 RBIs, 66 runs scored, 70 walks, and 126 strikeouts over 502 plate appearances. It should be noted that he missed the final two-plus weeks of the season due to bursitis in his right shoulder.

Between Casas the three other first basemen he is competing with, the former ranked second in home runs, second in walks, second in batting average, second in on-base percentage, second in slugging percentage, second in OPS (.856), first in walk rate (13.9 percent), first in isolated power (.226), second in line-drive rate (21 percent), second in barrel rate (13.1 percent), and second in wRC+ (129), per FanGraphs.

Casas, who turns 24 in January, is looking to become the first Red Sox first baseman to take home a Silver Slugger Award since Adrian Gonzalez did so in 2011. The former top prospect will likely finish as one of the top runner-ups in American League Rookie of the Year voting as well.

Devers, meanwhile, had another solid season at the plate in 2023. The left-handed hitting slugger slashed .271/.351/.500 with 34 doubles, a team-leading 33 home runs and 100 RBIs, 90 runs scored, five stolen bases, 62 walks, and 126 strikeouts across 153 games spanning 656 trips to the plate.

In terms of how he stacked up against the other three finalists at the hot corner this season, Devers ranked first in home runs, first in RBIs, second in runs scored, second in batting average, first in slugging percentage, first in OPS (.851), second in isolated power (.229), first in hard-hit rate (54.7 percent), first in barrel rate (12.7 percent), and third in wRC+ (124), according to FanGraphs.

Devers, who just turned 27 last week, is aiming to join Wade Boggs as the only other third baseman in Red Sox history to win multiple Silver Slugger Awards. Boggs, of course, won the award six times (1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991) as part of his illustrious 11-year career in Boston.

In addition to Casas and Devers, four former members of the Red Sox were named as finalists in the National League as well. They are Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber, Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez, and Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

Since 1980, Silver Slugger Awards have been given out to recognize the best offensive players at each position in each league. Voting is done by major-league managers and coaches, who cannot vote for players on their respective teams.

This year’s Silver Slugger Award winners will be revealed during an hour-long broadcast on MLB Network beginning at 6 p.m. eastern time on Thursday, November 9.

(Picture of Triston Casas and Rafael Devers: Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

How did Red Sox relief prospect Alex Hoppe fare in 2023?

Red Sox relief prospect Alex Hoppe certainly made his impact felt on the mound during his first full professional season in 2023.

Hoppe, who was taken in the sixth round of the 2022 amateur draft out of UNC Greensboro, signed with Boston for just $32,250 last July after earning Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year honors as a fifth-year senior.

Having logged 66 2/3 innings in his final season with the Spartans, Hoppe did not pitch for a minor-league affiliate in the closing weeks of the 2022 campaign. The 24-year-old Iowan instead made the jump to High-A Greenville right out of spring training in early April and made his pro debut shortly thereafter.

Hoppe got off to a rough start with the Drive but began to turn things around for the better as the calendar flipped to May. By the end of July, the right-hander owned a 3.93 ERA and 3.38 FIP with 48 strikeouts to 14 walks in 31 relief appearances (34 1/3 innings) for Greenville.

Wanting to see more, the Red Sox promoted Hoppe to Double-A Portland on August 1. With the Sea Dogs, Hoppe pitched to a 4.50 ERA and 4.42 FIP with 16 strikeouts to just three walks over 12 outings (14 innings) in which he converted two saves in three opportunities. He closed out his season by tossing a scoreless ninth inning in a 6-3 win over the Hartford Yard Goats on Sept. 12 at Hadlock Field.

All told, Hoppe posted a 4.10 ERA (3.68 FIP) to go along with 64 strikeouts to 17 walks across 43 appearances spanning 48 1/3 innings of work between Greenville and Portland. Among the 59 minor-league pitchers in the Red Sox system who threw 40 or more innings this season, Hoppe ranked ninth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.92) and strikeout rate (30.3 percent), 15th in walks per nine innings (3.17), 14th in walk rate (8.1 percent), 10th in groundball rate (48.4 percent), 16th in swinging-strike rate (15.3 percent), 25th in ERA, 11th in FIP, and fourth in xFIP (3.13), per FanGraphs.

On the flip side of that, though, is the fact that Hoppe gave up 52 hits in 48 1/3 innings, leading to a WHIP of 1.43 and opponents’ batting average of .271. While neither of those figures are eye-popping, it should be noted that Hoppe also yielded a .374 batting average on balls put in play this year, which suggests that luck was not exactly on his side.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Hoppe throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a pitch arsenal that is headlined by a 96-99 mph fastball that can reach triple digits. The hard-throwing righty also mixes in an 84-87 mph slider and a rarely-used 85-87 mph changeup, according to his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Hoppe, who turns 25 next month, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 32 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 12th among pitchers in the organization. Ian Cundall, the site’s director of scouting, wrote in September that Hoppe is “one of the top true relief prospects in the system for me.”

Assuming he remains in the organization through the winter, Hoppe is projected to return to Portland’s bullpen for the start of the 2024 season. His development moving forward will likely hinge on his ability to refine the command and control of his secondary offerings. If he can do that, he could be a fast riser next year.

(Picture of Alex Hoppe: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Top Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony enjoyed a breakout 2023 season

Not only did Roman Anthony emerge as the top young outfielder in the Red Sox farm system in 2023; he also established himself as one of the premier prospects in all of baseball.

Anthony, who the Red Sox took with the 79th overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft out of Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Fla.), began his first full professional season with Low-A Salem after signing with Boston for $2.5 million last July.

Having closed out the 2022 campaign in Salem, Anthony somewhat surprisingly got off to a slow start in his second go-around with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. In the month of April, for instance, the left-handed hitter went a mere 12-for-60 (.200) at the plate with three extra-base hits and six RBIs in his first 16 games.

Anthony began to turn a corner offensively as the calendar flipped from April to May, most notably hitting the first home run of his pro career on May 19, but he then came back down to earth in the early weeks of June. After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in a 4-2 loss to the Columbia Fireflies on June 11, the 19-year-old found himself batting just .228/.376/.317 with nine doubles, one triple, one homer, 18 RBIs, 27 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 38 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 42 games with Salem.

For as underwhelming as a .693 OPS may seem, though, Anthony still found ways to separate himself. As Baseball America’s Josh Norris noted in May, “scouts who have seen him believe the ingredients are there for a potentially special player. He has a gorgeous swing from the left side, an outstanding knowledge of the strike zone and raw power that belies his meager slugging output this year.”

While the Red Sox could have elected to exhibit patience when it came to Anthony’s development, they chose to move him up to High-A Greenville on June 13. He debuted for the Drive that same night at Fluor Field and went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. He also struck out twice and committed three errors in center field, but the performance nonetheless served as a jumping off point of sorts for Anthony.

Over the next 12 weeks, Anthony shined as a key cog in Greenville’s lineup, slashing a stout .294/.412/.569 with 14 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 38 RBIs, 41 runs scored, two stolen bases, 40 walks, and 75 strikeouts in 54 games (245 plate appearances). Interestingly enough, he went 0-for-4 with three punchouts in his final game with the Drive on September 2 before making the jump to Double-A Portland alongside top catching prospect Kyle Teel.

With that promotion, Anthony became the first Red Sox teenage prospect to make it to Portland since Xander Bogaerts did so in 2012, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. In 10 games with the Sea Dogs, Anthony went 12-for-35 (.343) with four doubles, one home run, eight RBIs, 10 runs scored, three stolen bases, eight walks, and six strikeouts. He put the finishing touches on an impressive season by recording three hits and driving in two runs as part of a historic 24-2 win over the Hartford Yard Goats at Hadlock Field on Sept. 17.

Altogether in 2023, Anthony batted .272/.403/.466 with 27 doubles, four triples, 14 homers, 64 runs driven in, 78 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 86 walks, and 119 strikeouts in 106 total games (491 plate appearances) between Salem, Greenville, and Portland. Among the 599 minor-leaguers who made at least 400 trips to the plate this season regardless of level, Anthony ranked 23rd in walk rate (17.5 percent), 39th in on-base percentage, 33rd in line-drive rate (27.2 percent), 47th in wOBA (.402), and 25th in wRC+ (143), per FanGraphs.

Going beyond that, Anthony “was the only hitter under 28 years old in the minor-leagues to meet the following thresholds: A 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 mph or higher, a contact rate above 74 percent, an in-zone contact rate of 83 percent or higher, and a chase rate of 20 percent or below,” according to Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes and Dylan White.

Defensively, Anthony saw playing time at all three outfield positions this season. Though he only made one start in left field with Salem on Opening Day in April, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder logged 573 innings in center field and 161 2/3 innings in right. He was used exclusively as a center fielder in Portland, where he recorded one outfield assist without committing an error in 28 chances.

In the time since the minor-league season ended, Anthony has seen the accolades come rolling in. In addition to being honored as Boston’s 2023 Minor League Offensive Player of the Year at Fenway Park last month, Anthony was named a postseason South Atlantic League All-Star, an MiLB.com organizational All-Star, a Baseball America first-team minor-league All-Star, and BA’s Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year.

After not being included in Baseball America’s preseason top 100 rankings, Anthony is now regarded by the publication as the No. 19 prospect in the sport. He trails only shortstop Marcelo Mayer for the top spot within Boston’s farm system.

Anthony, who does not turn 20 until next May, will likely be a popular name in trade talks this winter if the Red Sox (who are still without a new head of baseball operations after firing Chaim Bloom last month) opt to deal from their prospect capital in order to upgrade the major-league roster after back-to-back last place finishes in the American League East.

Assuming he remains in the organization, though, Anthony is expected to return to Portland for the start of the 2024 season. He could, of course, put himself in position to make his major-league debut at some point next year if he continues to make improvements and hone his craft.

“I think I just want to get bigger, get stronger, put on good weight,” Anthony said of his goals for 2024 when speaking with MLB.com’s Ian Browne in September. “Going into next year, try to steal more bags, be better defensively, and be better offensively, too. There’s always room for improvement. Always room to get better. So going into the offseason, not just really focusing on one thing in particular. Just focusing on everything. Like I said, try to be a five-tool player in MLB.”

(Picture of Roman Anthony: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Alex Verdugo named Gold Glove finalist

Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo has been named a finalist for the 2023 American League Gold Glove Award in right field, Rawlings and Major League Baseball announced earlier Wednesday afternoon.

A first-time finalist, Verdugo was recognized alongside the likes of the Astros’ Kyle Tucker, last year’s winner in right field, and the Rangers’ Adolis Garcia. The 27-year-old will be looking to become the first Red Sox player to take home a Gold Glove Award since Mookie Betts did so in 2019 when winners are unveiled on November 5.

After mostly splitting time between the corners in his first three years with Boston, Verdugo was used exclusively in right field this season to accommodate the addition of left fielder Masataka Yoshida. Making 135 starts and logging 1,170 in right, Verdugo recorded 12 outfield assists and accrued nine defensive runs saved, tying him with the Mariners’ Teoscar Hernandez and the Guardians’ Ramon Laureano for the most among American League right fielders, respectively.

That Verdugo was as productive with the glove as he was is certainly impressive when you consider the challenges playing right field at Fenway Park present. According to Baseball Savant, the 6-foot, 209-pounder ranked in the 90th percentile in arm strength (92.8 mph) and the 70th percentile in range (one out above average).

Between Verdugo and the two right fielders he is competing with, the former led the pack in assists, double plays started (4), defensive runs saved, and ultimate zone rating (10.6), per FanGraphs. As noted by MLB.com’s Thomas Harrigan and David Adler, winners at the nine standard positions (such as right field) are determined by “the 30 MLB managers and up to six coaches from each team [voting] from a pool of players in their league, excluding players from their own team. These votes comprise 75 percent of the selection total, with the SABR Defensive Index counting for the other 25 percent.”

On the other side of the ball, Verdugo had a down year. Despite getting off to a promising start, the left-handed hitter struggled in the second half and wound up batting .264/.324/.421 with 37 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 54 RBIs, 81 runs scored, five stolen bases, 45 walks, and 93 strikeouts across 142 games spanning 602 plate appearances.

Though he endured his fair share of hardships, Verdugo still proved to be a bright spot in the field for a team that was undoubtedly one of the worst in baseball defensively.

When speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) towards the end of the season last month, Verdugo reiterated his desire to win a Gold Glove Award.

“It would mean a lot. I really want a Gold Glove,” said Verdugo. “The way I take care of my business out there and try to limit baserunners from taking extra bases and try to make the right play, it would just mean a lot. Once you have that Gold Glove out there, everyone kind of gives you that recognition league-wide and I think that’s the best thing (about it).”

Verdugo, who does not turn 28 until May, is eligible to become a free agent for the first time in his career next winter. He is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $9.2 million in 2024, which would represent a $2.9 million raise from his 2023 salary of $6.3 million.

(Picture of Alex Verdugo: Paul Rutherford/Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Brainer Bonaci placed on restricted list for violating MLB policy

Red Sox infield prospect Brainer Bonaci was placed on Major League Baseball’s restricted list earlier this month for violating the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Bonaci, 21, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The native Venezuelan originally signed with the Red Sox for $290,000 as an international free agent coming out of Catia La Mar in July 2018.

In 79 games (350 plate appearances) between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland this past season, Bonaci batted .297/.354/.464 with 18 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 45 RBIs, 44 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 30 walks, and 80 strikeouts while seeing the majority of his playing time come at either second base or shortstop. The switch-hitter made the jump from Greenville to Portland over the summer but only appeared in 16 games for the Sea Dogs before being placed on the reserve list in late August.

Around that same time, per Speier, Bonaci was sent home to Venezuela for the rest of the minor-league campaign “due to what one league source at the time called administrative leave.” He was then taken off the reserve list at season’s end and was permitted to take part in the Red Sox’ fall performance program in Fort Myers as well as the Arizona Fall League as a member of the Glendale Desert Dogs.

Bonaci, however, appeared in just two games for Glendale, going 1-for-7 with four strikeouts before being placed on the restricted list by MLB on October 4. His roster spot was effectively taken by fellow Red Sox prospect Tyler McDonough, who reported to the Desert Dogs on Tuesday.

As noted by Speier, it is not yet known how Bonaci violated the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse policy; nor is it known how much time he will spend on the restricted list before a potential resolution is reached.

Bonaci, who does not turn 22 until next July, was a candidate to be added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster next month as a result of being eligible for December’s Rule 5 Draft. Looking beyond that, he is not slated to reach minor-league free agency until after the 2025 season.

(Picture of Brainer Bonaci: Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Who is Gilberto Batista? Get to know the Red Sox’ Latin Program Pitcher of the Year

Like infielder Yoeilin Cespedes, pitching prospect Gilberto Batista was recognized as the Red Sox’ 2023 Minor League Latin Program Pitcher of the Year at Fenway Park last month.

Batista made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League this past June after signing with the Red Sox for a mere $10,000 as an international free agent last November. In 11 appearances (nine starts) for Boston’s DSL Red affiliate, the 18-year-old right-hander posted a 3.54 ERA with a team-leading 54 strikeouts to just eight walks over 40 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .228 batting average against.

Batista’s best start of the year came on July 14. Going up against DSL Cubs Blue on the road, the Dominican-born hurler struck out seven (tying a season-high in that category) across four scoreless, no-hit frames. He took a bid for a perfect game into the bottom of the third inning before leadoff man Omar Ferrera reached on a Franklin Arias throwing error. Batista then struck out the side before retiring the last three batters he faced in the fourth.

Among 94 pitchers in the DSL who threw at least 40 innings this season, Batista ranked fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.95), 11th in walks per nine innings (1.77), fifth in strikeout rate (33.5 percent), first in swinging-strike rate (50.7 percent), 12th in walk rate (5.0 percent), 19th in WHIP (1.03), 11th in FIP (3.02), and first in xFIP (2.74), per FanGraphs.

Batista (right) pictured with fellow countryman Brayan Bello (left) at the club’s academy in El Toro

Listed at 6-feet and 165 pounds, Batista operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 93-94 mph fastball that touches 95 mph, a “true” curveball, a “hard” slider, and a changeup, according to Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero.

“As he’s added 11 pounds since March, his velocity has started to tick up,” Romero said of Batista in a recent email exchange with BloggingtheRedSox.com. “After a sluggish start to his DSL season, he really excelled July and August. He’s an above average athlete with a lightning quick arm who loves to compete.”

Batista, who turns 19 in January, is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to the United States and pitch in the rookie-level Florida Complex League at some point in 2024.

(Picture of Alex Cora, Gilberto Batista, and Yoeilin Cespedes: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Who is Yoeilin Cespedes? Get to know the Red Sox’ Latin Program Position Player of the Year

Red Sox infield prospect Yoeilin Cespedes reached plenty of milestones in 2023.

In January, Cespedes inked his first professional contract and received a hefty $1.4 million signing bonus, making him the highest-paid member of Boston’s 2023 international free agent class. The Dominican native then made his pro debut as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League and was later recognized as the organization’s Latin Program Position Player of the Year.

Cespedes entered the professional ranks as the No. 24 prospect in Boston’s farm system, per Baseball America’s preseason rankings. Even before debuting with DSL Red Sox Blue in June, Cespedes had already generated plenty of buzz on account of what he was doing in extended spring training games at the club’s academy in El Toro.

“He definitely stands out offensively,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier earlier this year. “He’s been one of the better offensive players that we’ve had there in a while.”

Cespedes earned in-season DSL All-Star honors by batting a stout .338/.391/.552 with 12 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 28 RBIs, 30 runs scored, one stolen bases, 14 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 37 games (169 plate appearances) from June 5 through July 28. After drawing a walk and swiping one bag in the All-Star game itself on July 30, the right-handed hitter closed out the 2023 campaign by going 14-for-37 (.378) with one homer and 10 RBIs in his final nine games.

Altogether, Cespedes slashed .346/.392/.560 with 15 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 38 runs driven in, 37 runs scored, one stolen base, 14 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 46 total games (209 plate appearances). Among 66 hitters in the DSL who made at least 200 trips to the plate this season, Cespedes ranked third in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, fifth in slugging percentage, seventh in OPS (.953), eighth in isolated power (.215), first in line-drive rate (28.1 percent), sixth in strikeout rate (11.5 percent), and ninth in wRC+ (145), per FanGraphs.

“He’s put up some numbers we haven’t seen very much from that level,” Romero said of Cespedes when speaking with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith back in July. “Obviously the numbers down there speak for themselves. A lot of contact. A lot of hard contact. I think he’s working on being a little bit more patient at the plate.

“He’s not pull-oriented,” added Romero. “He uses the whole field. He hits the ball hard everywhere. And he hits the ball hard to a lot of quadrants that are pitched to him too, which is good. He doesn’t strike out much. He makes a lot of contact. There’s a lot of good, positive indicators there.”

On the other side of the ball, Cespedes saw all of his playing time on the field this season come at shortstop. There, the 5-foot-10, 181-pounder logged 294 innings and committed seven errors in 139 chances, culminating in a .950 fielding percentage. He also turned 14 double plays.

“He’s become a lot more fundamentally sound,” Romero said of Cespedes’ improving defensive prowess. “In his base, being more flexible, being more athletic. He’s always had the arm strength. For us, it was working on his range, working on his first step, his agility side to side.”

Cespedes, who celebrated his 18th birthday last month, was honored alongside Gilberto Batista — Boston’s Latin Program Pitcher of the Year — and several other Red Sox minor-league award winners on Sept. 28. When speaking with reporters (including Smith) in the home dugout that night, Cespedes was asked about how Baseball America described him as “one of the top hitting prospects to come through the organization’s academy since Rafael Devers a decade ago.”

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to be compared to him,” Cespedes said of his fellow countryman through interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez. “He’s someone I admire and follow a lot. For me to be compared with him, it’s very, very special.”

As a shortstop, however, Cespedes acknowledged that he grew up idolizing Xander Bogaerts and still tries to emulate the former Red Sox star to this day. Bogaerts, of course, left Boston via free agency by signing an 11-year, $280 million deal with the Padres about one month before Cespedes put pen to paper himself.

“One of the reasons was because Xander was here,” Cespedes said when asked about why he signed with the Red Sox. “And another one is because I love Boston. I love the Red Sox.”

Coming off a self-described “learning year” in his first season of pro ball, Cespedes is now regarded by Baseball America as the No. 12 prospect in Boston’s farm system. MLB Pipeline has him ranked 13th on its Red Sox-centered list while SoxProspects.com slots him in at No. 10 on its list.

Still a ways away from the big-leagues, Cespedes is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to the rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2024. Even though the FCL season does not start until next June, Cespedes already knows what he needs to work on in order to get better.

“Definitely swing decisions is something I need to improve on because that aggressiveness makes me swing at pitches that might not be in the zone,” said Cespedes, who described his hit tool as a “super power” of sorts. “So that’s something I need to improve on and I’m already working on that.

“I improved on my defense,” he continued while reflecting on his 2023 . “I think it was day and night the difference compared to where I started and how I finished.”

(Picture of Yoeilin Cespedes: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox catching prospect Johanfran Garcia ‘put himself on many teams’ radars’ in 2023

Last month, Baseball America identified Red Sox catching prospect Johanfran Garcia as the top backstop to play in the rookie-level Florida Complex League this season.

Garcia, who Boston signed for $850,000 in January 2022, made his stateside debut in early June after appearing in 40 Dominican Summer League games last year. In 42 games for the Sox’ Fort Myers-based affiliate this summer, the right-handed hitting 18-year-old batted a stout .302/.408/.497 with 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 32 RBIs, 21 runs scored, three stolen bases, 19 walks, and 37 strikeouts over 179 trips to the plate.

Behind the likes of batting champ Natanael Yuten, Garcia posted the ninth-highest batting average among qualified FCL hitters. The native Venezuelan also ranked 11th in on-base percentage, sixth in slugging percentage, seventh in OPS (.904), eighth in isolated power (.195), and seventh in wRC+ (137), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Garcia made a team-leading 22 starts at catcher for the FCL Red Sox. The sturdy 5-foot-10, 196-pounder logged 176 2/3 innings behind the plate, allowing only two passed balls and throwing out 12 of 33 possible base stealers. He also made nine starts at first base, where he did not commit a single error in 73 innings.

When evaluating Garcia, who he ranked as the No. 9 prospect to play in the FCL this year, Baseball America’s Josh Norris wrote: “[Garcia] showed plenty of upside on both sides of the ball, and was particularly intriguing for his combination of hittability and all-fields power. He showed a solid knowledge of the strike zone and bat-to-ball skills, though his in-zone whiff rates might be a touch higher than is ideal and scouts noted his swing could get a bit long every now and then.

“Behind the plate,” Norris continued, “Garcia shows plus-plus arm strength but will need to watch his conditioning to assure he maintains the flexibility to stay behind the dish.”

Shortly before the FCL season drew to a close in late August, Garcia and several other Red Sox prospects made the jump to Low-A Salem for the remainder of the 2023 minor-league campaign. Making his full-season affiliate debut on Aug. 15, Garcia limped to the finish line to some degree by slashing just .203/.279/.305 with one home run and five RBIs in 15 Carolina League Games.

With that being said, Garcia was at least able to end the year on a high note. He went 5-for-17 (.294) with two walks in five September contests and would have had the chance to do even more damage if it weren’t for Salem’s final two games of the season getting cancelled due to inclement weather. In that time, he got the chance to play with his older brother Jhostynxon, an outfielder who joined the Red Sox organization as an international free agent in 2019.

All told, Garcia hit .274/.373/.442 with 13 doubles, two triples, six homers, 37 runs driven in, 29 runs scored, six stolen bases, 24 walks, and 61 strikeouts in 57 games (247 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem Red Sox. With Salem specifically, he allowed two additional passed balls and threw out seven of 27 would-be base stealers in the process of logging 83 more innings behind the plate.

Garcia, who turns 19 in December, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 23 prospect in Boston’s farm system. That ranks third among catchers in the organization behind only Kyle Teel (No. 4) and Nathan Hickey (No. 10), who both made it up to Double-A Portland this year.

While Teel and Hickey already have some experience in the upper-minors, Garcia did “put himself on many teams’ radars” this year, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, which could make him a popular target in trade talks. If he does remain in the organization through the winter, though, Garcia is projected to return to Salem for the start of the 2024 season in April.

(Picture of Johanfran Garcia: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Red Sox infield prospect Starlyn Nuñez named Dominican Summer League All-Star

Red Sox infield prospect Starlyn Nunez has been named a 2023 Dominican Summer League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Nunez makes up an All-Star infield that includes Rockies prospects Ronny Ugarte (1B), Bairon Ledesman (2B), and Kelvin Hidalgo (SS). The switch-hitting 17-year-old is coming off a debut season in which he batted .325/.391/.479 with 12 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 34 RBIs, 32 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 17 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 49 games (215 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Blue.

Among 66 hitters in the Dominican Summer League who made at least 200 trips to the plate in 2023, Nunez ranked 14th in strikeout rate (13.5 percent), 10th in batting average, 30th in on-base percentage, 13th in slugging percentage, 16th in OPS (.870), 22nd in isolated power (.155), 23rd in line-drive rate (21.9 percent), and 16th in wRC+ (129), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Nunez saw the majority of his playing time come at either second or third base this season. In 161 innings at the keystone, the projectable 6-foot, 155-pounder committed just two errors in 75 defensive chances. In 210 innings at the hot corner, he committed nine errors in 71 chances for a far-less favorable .873 fielding percentage.

Nunez, who turns 18 next week, is less than nine full months removed from signing with the Red Sox as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic last January. A native of San Pedro de Macoris (the same city Miguel Bleis is from) Nunez received a bonus of $52,500 and is said to have above-average speed.

Other than that lone nugget, Nunez does not have an extensive prospect profile quite yet. That could change soon, though, as he is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to the United States and the rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2024.

(Picture: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox outfield prospect Natanael Yuten named Florida Complex League All-Star

Red Sox outfield prospect Natanael Yuten has been named a 2023 Florida Complex League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Recognized alongside the likes of Yankees outfield prospects Willy Montero and John Cruz, Yuten enjoyed a productive summer in Fort Myers. The left-handed hitting 18-year-old batted a stout .336/.396/.483 with nine doubles, two triples, three home runs, 32 RBIs, 28 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 11 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 38 games (164 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

In addition to winning the FCL batting title, Yuten ranked 16th among qualified hitters in on-base percentage, eighth in slugging percentage, 11th in OPS (.880), 18th in isolated power (.148), 20th in speed score (7.0), and 11th in wRC+ (131), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Yuten saw playing time at all three outfield positions in his time with Boston’s rookie-level affiliate. The lanky 6-foot-2, 143-pounder logged 52 innings in left, 52 1/3 innings in center, and 172 2/3 innings in right while committing a total of six errors and recording one outfield assist.

About one week before the FCL season drew to a close in late August, Yuten received a promotion to Low-A Salem alongside top catching prospect Johanfran Garcia and several others. He made his full-season debut on Aug. 15 but was never really able to get it going offensively and instead struggled to a .197/.240/.239 slash line in 18 Carolina League games. In that stretch, he made six starts in center field and nine starts in right field.

Despite limping to the finish line, it was still a strong year overall for Yuten, as he is now regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 42 prospect in Boston’s farm system after not being ranked previously. The Dominican native originally signed with the Red Sox for $400,000 as an international free agent coming out of La Romana last January.

Assuming he remains in the organization through the winter, Yuten — who actually turns 19 next week — is projected to return to Salem for the start of the 2024 minor-league season in April.

(Picture of Natanael Yuten: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)