Former Red Sox lefty Kyle Hart agrees to minor-league deal with Phillies

Former Red Sox left-hander Kyle Hart has agreed to terms on a minor-league contract with the Phillies, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. It is unclear if the deal comes with an invite to major-league spring training.

Hart, 30, was originally selected by Boston in the 19th round of the 2016 amateur draft out of Indiana University Bloomington. As an unheralded senior, the Ohio native signed with the club for a modest $5,000 and made his professional debut in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League that summer.

After working his way up the minor-league ladder in 2017 and 2018, Hart put together an impressive 2019 campaign in which he posted a 3.52 ERA with 140 strikeouts to 53 walks in 27 outings (24 starts) spanning 156 innings of work between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket. That November, the Red Sox added the southpaw to their 40-man roster in order to prevent him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft.

Hart entered the COVID-shortened 2020 season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He made his major-league debut that August, but struggled to a 15.55 ERA (19 earned runs in 11 innings) across four appearances (three starts) and was outrighted off the Sox’ 40-man roster in the fall of that year.

Since then, Hart has spent the last two seasons pitching in the minors. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound hurler forged a 4.22 ERA with Worcester in 2021 and followed that up by producing a 5.25 ERA with 74 strikeouts to 33 walks in 82 1/3 innings between the WooSox and Sea Dogs last year before reaching minor-league free agency for the first time.

In agreeing to a minors pact with Philadelphia, Hart will be joining just the second organization of his professional career. With that being said, it should be mentioned that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was at the helm in Boston when Hart was drafted by the Red Sox in 2016.

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

Coming off solid 2022 season with Red Sox, Michael Wacha remains unsigned as spring training nears

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to their respective spring training sites in Arizona and Florida in just a matter of days, yet Michael Wacha remains unsigned despite being the top free agent starting pitcher still on the market.

Wacha, 31, posted a 3.32 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 104 strikeouts to 31 walks in 23 starts (127 1/3 innings pitched) for the Red Sox last season after signing a one-year, $7 million deal with Boston in November 2021.

While those surface-level numbers are certainly respectable, his 4.14 FIP and 20.2 percent strikeout rate are less encouraging. The veteran right-hander also ranked in the 27th percentile of all big-league pitchers in expected batting average (.254), the 13th percentile in expected slugging percentage (.446), the 14th percentile in barrel rate (9.6 percent), and the 12th percentile in whiff rate (20.7 percent), per Baseball Savant.

Though Wacha led all Red Sox pitchers in Baseball-Reference’s Wins Above Replacement metric last year (3.3 bWAR), he also missed time with injuries. Left intercostal irritation kept him sidelined from May 5-20 while right shoulder inflammation cost him more than a month (July 5-August 14) of action over the summer.

When the offseason first began in November, the Red Sox entertained the idea of extending Wacha a qualifying offer, which would have tied the righty to draft pick compensation. They elected not to go in that direction and instead issued qualifying offers to Xander Bogaerts and Nathan Eovaldi, who both left the club by signing with the Padres and Rangers in free agency.

Wacha, meanwhile, has not had much of a market to speak of. He has been loosely linked to the Angels, Orioles, and Twins this winter, though Baltimore and Minnesota have recently added starting pitching by acquiring Cole Irvin and Pablo Lopez, respectably, via trade.

Last month, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Wacha was seeking a two-year deal. Bob Nightengale added on by relaying that the CAA Sports client was looking for a contract that would net him $15 million per year, or about $30 million altogether.

That Wacha prefers a multi-year offer is not all that surprising when you consider the fact that he has settled for one-year pacts with the Red Sox, Rays, and Mets in each of the last three offseasons. An additional, guaranteed year of security would be rewarding, but it seems as though teams are hesitant to go that far given Wacha’s recent health history and discouraging peripherals.

Wacha, who turns 32 in July, may have to settle for another one-year deal or a one-year deal with an option attached if he intends on signing with a club before Opening Day. At this point, a reunion with the Red Sox seems unlikely since already Boston has seven starters (Chris Sale, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Corey Kluber, James Paxton, Brayan Bello, and Tanner Houck) in its rotation mix heading into camp.

Of course, Wacha’s market could heat up if teams sustain rotation injuries over the course of spring training and find themselves in need of an established replacement leading up to the start of the season.

(Picture of Michael Wacha: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Rumored Red Sox target Roberto Pérez signs minor-league deal with Giants

Free agent catcher Roberto Perez has signed a minor-league contract with the Giants, the club announced Saturday. Perez will be at major-league spring training and will have the chance to earn $2.5 million with another $1.5 million available in incentives if he makes San Francisco’s active roster.

As was first reported by MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, the Giants agreed to a deal with Perez last Sunday. The Red Sox made an aggressive bid for Perez, per Cotillo, and were even in consideration at the end, but the veteran backstop ultimately thought San Francisco represented a better fit.

Perez, a veteran of nine major-league seasons, was limited to just 21 games with the Pirates last year due to a right hamstring injury that ultimately required season-ending surgery in May. The right-handed hitter batted  .233/.333/.367 with two home runs and eight RBIs across 69 plate appearances before his one-year contract with Pittsburgh expired in November.

While offense has never been Perez’s strong suit, he is still regarded as one of the top defensive catchers in baseball. During an eight-year (2014-2021) run in Cleveland, the native Puerto Rican was named the Wilson Overall Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 and won back-to-back Gold Glove Awards in 2019 and 2020.

To counter a lackluster career OPS of .658, Perez Perez has thrown out 97 of 248 potential base stealers in his big-league career. The 5-foot-11, 220-pounder has accrued 79 Defensive Runs Saved in 4,052 1/3 innings behind the plate. He has also been among the game’s top pitch framers since Statcast first began tracking that data in 2015.

The Giants, at present, have just one catcher on their 40-man roster in Joey Bart. They also acquired versatile catching prospect Blake Sabol from the Reds in December’s Rule 5 Draft and have Austin Wynns slated to compete for a roster spot in spring training.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, have two catchers — Reese McGuire and Connor Wong — on their 40-man roster. They also have Caleb Hamilton and Ronaldo Hernandez, who were both outrighted earlier this winter, and minor-league signee Jorge Alfaro set to join them at big-league camp in Fort Myers later this month.

In all likelihood, Perez likely viewed his chances of making San Francisco’s Opening Day roster out of spring training more favorably, which is why he elected to sign a minors pact with the Giants over the Red Sox. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom addressed this very topic and the potential catching competition as a whole when speaking with Cotillo on The Fenway Rundown podcast last week.

“[Perez] saw a better opportunity out there and that’s OK,” Bloom said. “We’ve been talking about this all along. The two guys that finished the season for us in the big-leagues (McGuire and Wong), we really like. At the same time, we recognize that neither of them have carried this load at the major-league level before. They both have things to prove and experience they don’t have under their belts, so it made sense to add someone who’s decisively a frontline catcher or someone who can create competition in that mix.

“Alfaro’s really intriguing,” added Bloom. “Always has been in terms of what he brings to the table. Just having some of the loudest tools and the best physical ability. Somebody we feel we can help. [Jason Varitek] got pretty excited about the possibility of working with someone who has that kind of ability and creating some competition there.

“So, we’ll see how it goes,” he said. “Again, these other two guys have had a bit of a head start in working with our pitchers, working with our staff, and really understanding what we expect on a daily basis. And that means something. But, we wouldn’t have brought Alfaro in without wanting to see what he could do and seeing where this goes.”

(Picture of Roberto Perez: Justin Berl/Getty Images)

Red Sox agree to minor-league deal with right-hander Jake Faria

The Red Sox have agreed to terms on a minor-league contract with free agent right-hander Jake Faria, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. The deal comes with an invite to major-league spring training and a salary of $735,000 if Faria makes Boston’s active roster.

Faria, 29, spent part of the 2022 season in the Twins organization. The righty posted a 7.48 ERA and 6.55 FIP with 39 strikeouts to 27 walks in 12 appearances (nine starts) spanning 43 1/3 innings of work for Triple-A St. Paul before getting released by the Saints in late June.

A native of California, Faria was originally selected by the Rays in the 10th round of the 2011 amateur draft out of Richard Gahr High School. At that time, Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom worked in Tampa Bay’s front office, so there is a connection there.

Faria was considered to be one of the top pitching prospects in the Rays’ farm system prior to making his big-league debut at the age of 23 in June 2017. He produced a 3.43 ERA in 16 outings (14 starts) as a rookie, but has not been able to replicate that same kind of success since then.

After pitching to a 6.75 ERA in 2018, Faria appeared to bounce back by putting up solid numbers (2.75 ERA) out of the Rays bullpen to begin the 2019 campaign. He was then traded to the Brewers that July in exchange for veteran slugger Jesus Aguilar.

Faria’s stint in Milwaukee proved to be a short one. He got shelled for 11 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings of relief (11.42 ERA) to close out the 2019 season and — after being outrighted off their 40-man roster — was released by the Brewers the following September.

Two months later, Faria signed a minors pact with the Angels. He started out the 2021 season with Los Angeles’ Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City but was cut loose by the club that June, only to be scooped up the Diamondbacks shortly thereafter.

Faria made his return to the big-league mound on June 19 and put up a 5.51 ERA (4.58 FIP) with 32 strikeouts to 13 walks in 23 appearances (three starts, 32 2/3 innings) for Arizona. He was designated for assignment exactly five months after making his Diamondbacks debut and elected to become a free agent after clearing waivers.

So, all told, Faria owns a lifetime 4.70 ERA (4.74 FIP) to go along with 185 strikeouts to 89 walks in 72 career major-league outings (29 starts, 203 innings) between the Rays, Brewers, and Diamondbacks. At the Triple-A level, he owns a career 4.49 ERA with 343 punchouts to 140 walks over 303 cumulative frames.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Faria operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a four-seam fastball, a splitter, a curveball, and a slider, per Baseball Savant. It remains to be seen if the Red Sox envision Faria as a starter or reliever moving forward, but he will nonetheless have a chance to compete for a spot on the club’s Opening Day roster beginning later this month.

At the very least, Faria — who turns 30 in July — should provide Boston with some multi-inning, swingman-like depth at Triple-A Worcester this season. He becomes the 22nd player the Red Sox have extended a spring training invite to, joining fellow free agent additions like Matt Dermody, Norwith Gudino, and Ryan Sherriff.

(Picture of Jake Faria: Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

Red Sox trade Franklin German to White Sox for right-hander Theo Denlinger

The Red Sox have acquired minor-league right-hander Theo Denlinger from the White Sox in exchange for reliever Franklin German, the club announced earlier Friday afternoon.

Denlinger, 26, was originally selected by Chicago in the seventh round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Bradley University (Ill.). The Cuba City (Wis.) High School product signed with the club for just $10,000 and made his professional debut in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League.

Last season, Denlinger posted a 4.47 ERA and 4.18 FIP with 66 strikeouts to 21 walks in 40 relief appearances (48 1/3 innings) between High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham. The righty initially broke camp with the Dash and pitched to a 3.60 ERA across eight outings (10 innings) before earning a promotion in early May.

With the Barons, Denlinger forged a 4.70 ERA and 4.63 FIP to go along with 49 strikeouts to 18 walks over 32 appearances spanning 38 1/3 innings of work. He also converted five of eight save opportunities. Among the 132 pitchers who accrued 30 or more innings in the Southern League last year, Denlinger ranked 29th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.50) and 30th in strikeout rate (29.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Denlinger features a 94-96 mph fastball with big movement and a slider that “looks good on paper” but is considered by scouts to be “very vulnerable,” according to FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen.

Denlinger, who turns 27 in July, has been assigned to Double-A Portland. He very well could wind up in the Sea Dogs bullpen with fellow 2021 draftee Taylor Broadway, who the Red Sox acquired from the White Sox as the player to be named later in the Jake Diekman/Reese McGuire trade last August.

German, on the other hand, was designated for assignment on Monday so that the Red Sox could clear a spot on their 40-man roster for lefty Richard Bleier, who they acquired from the Marlins in exchange for Matt Barnes and cash considerations.

Boston originally acquired German alongside veteran reliever Adam Ottavino in January 2021. The righty worked out of Portland’s starting rotation to begin the 2021 season, but ultimately moved to the Sea Dogs’ bullpen and found success in a relief role. hat success carried over to the 2022 campaign, as German earned a promotion to Triple-A Worcester last May.

In 32 relief appearances with the WooSox, German posted a 2.58 ERA with 46 strikeouts to 16 walks over 38 1/3 innings of work. He pitched to a miniscule 1.54 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .431 OPS against from July 6 through September 14, which resulted in him getting called up by the Red Sox three days later.

The 25-year-old got shelled for four runs while failing to record an out in his big-league debut against the Royals at Fenway Park. He then allowed runs in his next three outings before ending his season with a scoreless appearance against the Blue Jays on October 2. All told, German produced an ERA of 18.00 (eight earned runs in four innings) with four strikeouts and four walks in his first taste of big-league action.

Despite that rough showing, the Red Sox were able to find a trade partner for German, who still has three minor-league options remaining and is coming off a 2022 season in which he was named Boston’s Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year.

Regardless of how he pans out with the White Sox, German becomes the latest member of the 2022 Red Sox be lopped off the 40-man roster and join a new organization this winter. He joins the likes of Barnes, Darwinzon Hernandez, Connor Seabold, Eduard Bazardo, Tyler Danish, Eric Hosmer, Franchy Cordero, and Jeter Downs, among others.

(Picture of Franklin German: Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Red Sox purchase contract of right-hander Joe Jones from Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks

The Red Sox have purchased the contract of right-hander Joe Jones from the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the independent American Association, the team announced on Wednesday.

Jones, 27, posted a 3.72 ERA with 66 strikeouts to 44 walks in 43 relief appearances (55 2/3 innings) for the league champion RedHawks last yea. The righty has past experience in affiliated ball, as he spent most of the 2021 minor-league season in the Diamondbacks organization before being released by Arizona that August.

A native of Tennessee, Jones went undrafted out of Division III Maryville College in 2017. He then made several stops on the indy ball circuit, pitching for the Cleburne Railroaders of the American Association (2017), Martinez Clippers of the Pacific Association (2018), York Revolution of the Atlantic League (2019), Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League (2019), and Road Warrior Black Sox of the Washington League (2020) before signing a minor-league deal with the Diamondbacks in February 2021.

Jones broke camp with High-A Hillsboro that spring. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound hurler pitched to a 3.46 ERA (4.44 FIP) with 15 strikeouts to 10 walks in 13 appearances (13 innings) for the Hops before being promoted to Double-A Amarillo in late June. He then struggled to a 9.31 ERA (9.58 FIP) to go along with 10 strikeouts to nine walks over his next 10 outings (9 2/3 innings) before getting cut loose by the Sod Poodles on Aug. 20.

Four days later, Jones signed with Fargo-Moorhead. He did not allow a run in his first six appearances for the RedHawks down the stretch in 2021, which resulted in the club exercising his option for the 2022 season.

Jones, who turns 28 in July, throws from a three-quarters arm slot and features a four-pitch mix that consists of a four-seam fastball that can top out in the high-90s, a sinker, a slider, and a newly-implemented changeup, according to Eric Peterson of the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.

At this point in time, it remains to be seen which minor-league affiliate the Red Sox will assign Jones to for the start of the 2023 campaign, though it will presumably come down to either High-A Greenville or Double-A Portland. Before that happens though, it should be interesting to see what Jones brings to the table at minor-league camp down in Fort Myers.

Speaking of interesting, Jones has a unique pregame routine in which he does walking handstands in an effort to improve shoulder strength and stability.

“It’s a pretty big stimulus for me to walk on my hands,” he told Peterson last August. “I like it to get the blood flowing in the shoulders. My record this season is 66 steps continuously on my hands.”

(Picture of Joe Jones: Savannah Lussier/Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Daniel Encarnación fare in 2022 and what can be expected from the righty this season?

In his evaluation of the Red Sox farm system, which he ranked 23rd out of 30, heading into the 2023 season, The Athletic’s Keith Law noted that Boston’s “group of pitching prospects is one of the weakest” in baseball.

“They might not have a future MLB starter anywhere on their full-season rosters,” wrote Law. “The best of those candidates all have huge reliever risk, at least.”

One under-the-radar prospect who could help change this narrative in 2023 is Juan Daniel Encarnacion, who is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 44 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 16th among pitchers in the organization.

Encarnacion, 21, spent the majority of the 2022 minor-league season with Low-A Salem before earning a promotion to High-A Greenville in August. The right-hander posted a 4.09 ERA — but much more respectable — 3.34 FIP — with 119 strikeouts to 39 walks in 24 appearances (23 starts) spanning 103 1/3 innings of work for the Red Sox.

Among the 14 Carolina League pitchers who surpassed the 100-inning mark last year, Encarnacion ranked third in strikeouts per nine innings (10.36) and strikeout rate (26.7 percent), seventh in walks per nine innings (3.40) and walk rate (8.8 percent), first in home runs per nine innings (0.26), sixth in WHIP (1.30), seventh in ERA, second in FIP, and fourth in xFIP (4.12), per FanGraphs. He also allowed the highest batting average on balls put in play (.336), which suggests he may have been unlucky at times.

Upon making the jump from Salem to Greenville in late August, Encarnacion made two starts for the Drive before the season came to a close. His first start did not go so well, as he surrendered four earned runs in five innings against the Rome Braves on September 2. One week later, though, the righty bounced back by tossing five scoreless frames and striking out seven in a 2-0 win over the Asheville Tourists at hitter-friendly Fluor Field.

All things considered, it was a solid first full season in affiliated ball for Encarnacion after he impressed at the rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2021. The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier even wrote for Baseball America in November that he believed Encarnacion “already started to open eyes” in 2022.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Encarnacion originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent coming out of San Pedro de Macoris in Sept. 2018. Per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the wiry 6-foot-2, 173-pound hurler throws from a low three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of an 88-92 mph fastball that tops out at 94 mph, a 76-78 mph curveball, and an 84-86 mph changeup.

Encarnacion, who turns 22 late next month, is projected to return to return to Greenville for the start of the 2023 campaign. He can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time next winter, so he certainly could improve his standing as a prospect if he proves capable of holding his own against more advanced hitting.

(Picture of Juan Daniel Encarnacion: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox add 10 non-roster invitees to spring training roster

The Red Sox added 10 non-roster invitees to their 2023 spring training roster on Wednesday, the club announced.

Boston extended invites to right-handers Dan Altavilla, Taylor Broadway, Durbin Feltman, Victor Santos, and Chase Shugart, infielders Christian Koss and Matthew Lugo, utility men Ryan Fitzgerald and Nick Sogard, and catcher Stephen Scott.

All 10 of these players were already in the organization. Of them, Altavilla is the only one with prior major-league experience. The 32-year-old righty originally signed a two-year minor-league deal with the Red Sox last March, but he did not pitch at all in 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery while a member of the Padres in June 2021.

Broadway, meanwhile, was acquired from the White Sox last August as the player to be named later in the trade that sent Jake Diekman to Chicago and Reese McGuire to Boston. The 25-year-old reliever made five appearances for Double-A Portland down the stretch last season and allowed just one run on two hits over six innings of work while striking out 10 of the 19 batters he faced.

Feltman received his third consecutive invite to big-league camp. The former third-round pick out of Texas Christian University is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he posted a 7.63 ERA (5.97 FIP) with 56 strikeouts to 24 walks in 40 relief appearances (48 1/3 innings) for Triple-A Worcester.

Santos, in similar fashion to Broadway, was originally acquired from the Phillies as the player to be named later in the January 2021 trade that sent C.J. Chatham to Philadelphia. The Dominican-born hurler split the 2022 season between Portland and Worcester, forging a 4.97 ERA (4.59 FIP) in 28 appearances (25 starts) spanning 145 innings pitched.

Shugart, like Santos, suited up for both the Sea Dogs and WooSox last year. The 26-year-old out of Texas pitched to a cumulative 5.31 ERA (4.26 FIP) with 63 strikeouts to 21 walks across 45 outings — one of which was a start — and 62 2/3 innings.

Koss, 25, spent the entirety of the 2022 season with Portland. The versatile right-handed hitter batted .260/.309/.430 with 22 doubles, five triples, 17 home runs, 84 RBIs, 69 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 25 walks, and 137 strikeouts over 125 games (532 plate appearances) en route to being named the Sea Dogs’ Most Valuable Player.

Lugo is the most notable prospect listed here. The 21-year-old infielder slashed .288/.344/.500 with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs in 114 games (512 plate appearances) for High-A Greenville last year before earning a promotion to and appearing in three games with Portland in late September. He was recently named co-Rookie of the Year in the Puerto Rican Winter League.

Fitzgerald, 28, was with the WooSox all of last season. The left-handed hitter batted .219/.304/.400 with 26 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs, 72 RBIs, 55 runs scored, six stolen bases, 49 walks, and 135 strikeouts in 127 games (520 plate appearances). He played every defensive position besides pitcher and catcher.

Sogard, 25, is also listed as a utility player. The switch-hitter slashed .254/.359/.349 with 22 doubles, two triples, four homers, 43 runs driven in, 59 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, 61 walks, and 88 strikeouts over 125 games (472 plate appearances) between Portland and Worcester in 2022.

Scott, on the other hand, is the lone catcher listed here. The 25-year-old backstop hit .219/.346/.377 with 19 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 45 RBIs, 57 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 66 walks, and 78 strikeouts in 96 games (410 plate appearances) with Greenville and Portland. From behind the plate, he threw out 24 of 85 possible base stealers.

In addition to Scott, Sogard, Lugo, Shugart, Santos, and Broadway will also be attending their first major-league spring training camp down in Fort Myers. Following Wednesday’s moves, the Red Sox now have 21 non-roster invitees on their spring training roster.

BOSTON RED SOX NON-ROSTER INVITEES (21)

Pitchers (9): Dan Altavilla, Taylor Broadway, Matt Dermody, Durbin Feltman, Norwith Gudino, Oddanier Mosqueda, Victor Santos, Ryan Sherriff, Chase Shugart

Catchers (4): Jorge Alfaro, Caleb Hamilton, Ronaldo Hernández, Stephen Scott

Infielders (2): Christian Koss, Matthew Lugo

Outfielders (3): Greg Allen, Narciso Crook, Raimel Tapia

Infielder/Outfielders (3): Ryan Fitzgerald, Niko Goodrum, Nick Sogard

—

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to the Fenway South complex at JetBlue Park for their first full workout on February 15. The club’s first full squad workout will take place five days later.

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

Former Red Sox first baseman Josh Ockimey retires from baseball, joins organization’s pro scouting department

Former Red Sox minor-leaguer Josh Ockimey has retired from baseball, per the first baseman’s Instagram account.

“f there was one word that could summarize this entire message it would be THANKFUL!” Ockimey wrote on Tuesday. “Throughout this past offseason, I’ve made the decision to step away and retire from the sport I love dearly and played for the majority of my life. I am immensely grateful for everyone who has came into my life throughout this journey. To my family who supported and believed in me from my first little league at bat, to my last professional at bat. To every coach who’s helped me in my journey, and every teammate who I have been truly blessed to have played with and have turned life long friends, there is no way I can fully express how much it means to me to have had your mentorship, love, support, guidance and friendship.

“This game has given me so much, and I am very thankful for every moment!” he continued. “At last, a personal thank you to the Red Sox and my hometown team, the Phillies, for allowing me to not only start, but also live my dream through my career. Excited to see what this next chapter with @maryhribar in life brings us!”

Ockimey, 27, was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2014 amateur draft out of Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania native spent the first seven seasons of his professional career with Boston, topping out as the No. 10 prospect in the organization in 2017, per Baseball America’s rankings.

Known for his power, Ockimey spent the entirety of the 2021 campaign with Triple-A Worcester. The left-handed hitting slugger batted .225/.358/.416 with 11 doubles, 15 home runs, 45 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 62 walks, and 117 strikeouts over 98 games (360 plate appearances) for the WooSox. He also became a fan favorite at Polar Park and was named the first-ever recipient of the club’s “Heart of the Heart” award for community service before becoming a free agent that November.

In the midst of the MLB lockout, Ockimey inked a minor-league deal with his hometown Phillies last March. He wound up splitting the 2022 campaign between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley and slashed .230/367/.423 with 21 doubles, two triples, 17 homers, 55 RBIs, 63 runs scored, three stolen bases, 84 walks, and 134 strikeouts in 118 games (483 plate appearances) between the two affiliates.

All told, Ockimey finishes his professional career as a lifetime .236/.361/.427 hitter with 113 home runs and 412 runs driven in across 795 games (3,196 plate appearances) spanning six different minor-league levels. The only position the 6-foot-1, 238-pounder played on the field was first base.

While his playing days may now be behind him, Ockimey is not done with baseball. As stated in his Instagram bio, he has returned to the Red Sox organization as an associate professional scout. Other former Boston minor-leaguers, such as Kyri Washington and Josh Tobias, have followed a similar path in recent years.

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

Red Sox will not be affected by MLB’s new uniform rules in 2023

The Red Sox will not be affected by the new uniform guidelines that are coming to Major League Baseball in 2023, a source confirmed to BloggingtheRedSox.com on Monday.

As was first revealed by Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III earlier this month, MLB and Nike, the league’s uniform manufacturer, are limiting teams to four different uniforms plus one “City Connect” jersey — if they have them — beginning this season.

This “Four Plus One” rule has already been implemented by other teams. The Mariners, for instance, were forced to act since they ran with a six-uniform rotation in 2022. They have elected to eliminate their road gray jerseys and spring training powder blue jerseys for the 2023 season, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.

Other teams are expected to follow suit and streamline their uniform rotations in the coming weeks, per MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. The Red Sox, on the other hand, will maintain their regular four-uniform rotation consisting of home whites, home reds, road grays, and road blues plus the yellow, Boston Marathon-inspired City Connect Jersey that was first introduced in 2021.

The club will be permitted to wear its special white home jersey with “Boston” across the chest on Patriots’ Day since it is considered by MLB to be a one-day uniform. The same principle applies to the green spring training jerseys they wear on St. Patrick’s Day as well.

In addition to these new guidelines, MLB teams will also sport advertisements on their jerseys for the first time in league history beginning in 2023. The Red Sox will wear a MassMutual Logo patch on their jerseys after entering a 10-year contract in which the Springfield-based insurer will serve as the club’s signature sponsor.

(Picture of Rafael Devers: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)