Tag: 2023 season

Red Sox power-hitting prospect Alex Binelas led Double-A Portland in homers (16) last season

Despite playing just 82 games, Red Sox power-hitting prospect Alex Binelas led Double-A Portland in home runs last season.

Binelas, who spent all of 2023 with Portland after closing out his first full season as a member of the Red Sox organization there, entered the year ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 35 prospect in Boston’s farm system. In those 82 games for the Sea Dogs, the left-handed hitting corner infielder batted .223/.296/.460 (102 wRC+) with 18 doubles, a team-high 16 homer runs, 52 RBIs, 47 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 30 walks, and 115 strikeouts over 328 plate appearances.

After posting a .633 OPS across 55 games in his first exposure to competition at the Double-A level in 2022, Binelas saw those struggles carry over to the start of the 2023 campaign last spring. Through the end of May, the 23-year-old found himself slashing just .180/.246/.342 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in his first 29 games. He then began to turn a corner offensively as the calendar flipped to June and wound up enjoying an extremely productive July (.986 OPS in 17 games) as well.

While his production dipped a bit again in August (.658 OPS in 16 games), Binelas ended the season on a high note by going 7-for-23 (.304) with one double, one homer, six runs driven in, seven runs scored, one stolen base, seven walks, and seven strikeouts in seven September contests.

Altogether, it was a year of ups and downs for Binelas, who proved far more effective against right-handed pitching (.237/.304/.494, 15 home runs in 270 plate appearances) than left-handed pitching (.157/.259/.294, one home run in 58 plate appearances). He also evidently enjoyed hitting at Portland’s Hadlock Field more than anywhere else, as his home OPS of .955 was more than 400 points higher than his OPS on the road.

Among the 75 hitters in the Eastern League who made at least 300 trips to the plate in 2023, Binelas produced the 12th-highest slugging percentage, the 29th-highest OPS (.755), the sixth-highest isolated power mark (.236), and the ninth-highest speed score (7.0). On the flip side of that, however, he also ranked 54th in walk rate (9.1 percent) and dead last in both strikeout rate (35.1 percent) and swinging-strike rate (19.4 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Binelas mainly split time between both corner infield spots for the Sea Dogs last season. The sturdy 6-foot-1, 225-pounder logged 291 1/3 innings at first and 229 2/3 innings at third, committing a total of just two errors (one at each position) in 289 total defensive chances. He also made 20 starts at DH.

Binelas, a Wisconsin native, was originally selected by his hometown Brewers in the third round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Louisville. Less than four months after making his professional debut, Binelas was traded to the Red Sox alongside fellow prospect David Hamilton and old friend Jackie Bradley Jr. in exchange for outfielder Hunter Renfroe that December. The deal was met with shock, as it was made right before the old collective bargaining agreement expired and a three-month long lockout began.

Since then, Binelas has shown that he has plenty of power by clubbing 41 homers in 195 games dating back to the start of the 2022 season, tying Ceddanne Rafaela for the second-most by a Red Sox minor-leaguer in that same time frame.

With that being said, though, Binelas has also shown that he is vulnerable to striking out at high rates, especially since graduating past A-ball a few years ago. As such, Binelas will need to continue working on reducing the number of times he punches out, which is something he did down the stretch last season, if he is intent on reaching his full potential.

Binelas, who turns 24 in May, is no longer regarded by SoxProspects.com as one of the top 60 prospects in the organization. He is, however, projected by the site to once again return to Portland for the start of the 2024 minor-league season. To that end, hese next few months could prove to be quite meaningful for Binelas, as he can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time in his career next winter.

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

Red Sox sign former All-Star, Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer to two-year minor-league deal

The Red Sox signed free agent reliever Michael Fulmer to a minor-league contract last week, per the club’s MLB.com transactions log. According to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, it is a two-year deal that will cover the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

As noted by Cotillo, the contract includes a $1.5 million major-league salary in both years. If Fulmer is selected to the 40-man roster in 2024 or 2025, his salary will be $1.5 million. The right-hander will also have the chance to earn an additional $2 million in incentives next year.

Fulmer, who turns 31 next month, is expected to miss the entirety of the 2024 season after undergoing UCL revision surgery on his right elbow last October. This comes after he previously underwent Tommy John surgery to repair that same ligament in March 2019.

Last year with the Cubs, where he worked with Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, Fulmer posted a 4.42 ERA and 4.15 FIP with 65 strikeouts to 28 walks over 58 appearances (one start) spanning 57 innings of work in which he held opposing hitters to a .235 batting average against. He ranked in the 95th percentile of all big-league pitchers in hard-hit rate (30.3 percent) and the 92nd percentile in both average exit velocity (86.4 mph) and whiff rate (33.5 percent), per Baseball Savant.

A former first-round draft selection of the Mets out of Deer Creek High School (Edmond, Okla.) in 2011, Fulmer first broke in with the Tigers in 2016 after being part of the same trade that sent former Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to New York the previous summer. The Oklahoma native got his major-league career with Detroit off to a promising start, as he took home American League Rookie of the Year honors as well as a 10th-place finish in Cy Young voting in 2016 before being named a first-time All-Star in 2017.

From that point forward, though, Fulmer has been hindered by injuries on numerous occasions. After his 2019 was wiped out because of Tommy John, the righty struggled to a 8.78 ERA in 10 starts during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. He then moved to Detroit’s bullpen in 2021 and has primarily worked as a reliever for the Tigers, Twins, and Cubs since then.

Altogether, Fulmer owns a lifetime 3.94 ERA in 262 career big-league outings (94 starts). When operating in a relief role, the 6-foot-3, 224-pound hurler has pitched to a 3.43 ERA with 190 strikeouts to 70 walks across 175 2/3 total innings. He also converted 19 of a possible 30 save opportunities in that stretch.

Before going under the knife while with the Cubs last fall, Fulmer averaged 83.2 mph with his sweeper, 94.2 mph with his four-seam fastball, 89.6 mph with his cutter, 94.8 mph with his sinker, and 89.9 mph with his changeup. He has past experience throwing a curveball as well.

Fulmer will presumably spend most, if not all of the 2024 campaign rehabbing in Fort Myers. Barring a surprise, he should be at Boston’s spring training camp as a non-roster invitee around this time next year.

The Red Sox, for their part, are no strangers when it comes to rehabbing injured free agent pitchers. Most recently, right-hander Wyatt Mills was brought back on a similar two-year minors pact earlier in the offseason after undergoing Tommy John surgery last July.

Like Fulmer, Mills is unlikely to pitch in 2024, though there is always a possibility something could change later in the year. In the meantime, neither Fulmer nor Mills will count against the Sox’ 40-man roster.

(Picture of Michael Fulmer: Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Dalton Rogers fare in first full pro season?

Dalton Rogers was the first pitcher the Red Sox took in the 2022 amateur draft. How did the Southern Mississippi product fare in his first full professional season last year?

Selected with the 99th overall pick and signed for $447,500 that July , Rogers debuted in the rookie-level Florida Complex League but made just two relief appearances before the 2022 season drew to a close. The left-hander then broke camp with Low-A Salem last spring.

Making his full-season debut as a 22-year-old in the Carolina League, Rogers got his 2023 campaign off to an impressive starts. In six starts for the Red Sox out of the gate, he posted a 2.49 ERA and 1.99 FIP with 38 strikeouts to 13 walks over 21 2/3 innings of work in which he held opposing hitters to a .139 batting average against.

Before the calendar flipped from May to June, Rogers received a promotion to High-A Greenville. The lefty carried with him a 2.75 ERA through his first four outings with the Drive. After tossing six no-hit innings and recording the first double-digit strikeout game of his career on June 14, however, he experienced some struggles that really plagued him for the rest of the season.

From June 21 through the end of the regular season, Rogers went 1-6 with a 6.51 ERA and 75 strikeouts to 35 walks over 13 starts (55 1/3 innings). Despite those difficulties, Rogers got the start for Greenville in the second and final game of the South Atlantic League Championship Series against the Hudson Valley Renegades at Fluor Field on September 19. He went the first three innings, allowing just one run on two hits, two walks, and five strikeouts as the Drive went on to take home their second SAL title in franchise history.

All told, Rogers produced a 5.52 ERA (but a much more respectable 4.23 FIP) to go along with 102 punchouts and 48 walks in 17 starts (75 innings) for Greenville last season. Among those in the South Atlantic League who also eclipsed the 70-inning threshold in 2023, Rogers ranked fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.24), sixth in strikeout rate (30.9 percent), 16th in batting average against (.238), 21st in groundball rate (42.3 percent), 20th in swinging-strike rate (13.4 percent), 21st in FIP, and 14th in xFIP (4.19), per FanGraphs.

Between Salem and Greenville, Rogers went 2-7 with a 4.84 ERA (3.73 FIP) and 140 strikeouts t0 61 walks across 23 total starts spanning 96 2/3 innings pitched. He was one of 11 Red Sox minor-leaguers to reach the century mark in strikeouts last season and was named an MiLB.com organizational All-Star alongside the likes of right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez and reliever Luis Guerrero.

Rogers, who turned 23 last month, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 34 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks second among lefties in the organization behind only Brandon Walter. The Mississippi native stands at 5-foot-11 and 172 pounds and throws from a three-quarters arm slot. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, he operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 91-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, an 81-83 mph changeup, and a 79-82 mph slider that features horizontal break.

As he prepares for his third pro season, which will likely begin in Greenville, it remains to be seen if Rogers’ future lies in being used as a starter or reliever. The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, who also compiles the Red Sox’ organizational rankings for Baseball America, wrote last February that the club “will develop Rogers as a starter, hoping that his control will improve to the point where his tantalizing mix can play to its fullest potential. If everything coalesces, he has the pitches to emerge as a No. 4 starter. If control remains elusive, Rogers could become a middle-innings lefty with high strikeout and walk rates.”

Either way, Rogers could benefit from the new pitching infrastructure that Red Sox chief baseball officer has been putting in place since his hiring. With that, it would not too surprising if Rogers continues to put up big strikeout numbers while improving in other areas and ultimately makes his way to Double-A Portland at some point in 2024.

(Picture of Dalton Rogers: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

After breakout season, Yordanny Monegro comes into 2024 as one of Red Sox’ top pitching prospects

When thinking about which Red Sox prospects broke out the most last year, outfielder Roman Anthony probably comes first to mind, and rightfully so. On the pitching side of things, though, that distinction might belong to none other than Yordanny Monegro.

Entering the 2023 campaign, Monegro was not viewed by outlets like Baseball America as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. After spending all of 2022 in the Florida Complex League, the 21-year-old right-hander repeated at the Sox’ rookie-level affiliate to kick off his third professional season last June.

Monegro made just three starts for the FCL Red Sox and dominated, allowing two earned runs on five hits, four walks, and 20 strikeouts over 15 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .102 batting average against. As such, he was named the Florida Complex League Pitcher of the Month for June, though he earned a promotion to Low-A Salem before the calendar had even flipped to July.

Facing full-season competition for the first time as a pro, Monegro picked up where he left off by striking out a career-high of 11 over five scoreless innings in his Salem debut on June 25. He tied that career high again in August and finished with a 2.43 ERA — as well as 60 punchouts to 17 walks — in nine starts (40 2/3 innings) for the Red Sox before making the jump to High-A Greenville in the late stages of the summer.

Yet again, Monegro impressed in his first outing with a new affiliate by taking over for the rehabbing Zack Kelly in the second inning and fanning eight Brooklyn Cyclones across five scoreless frames at Fluor Field on September 1. The righty did not fare as well in his final start of the regular season eight days later, but he made up for it by picking up the win against the Hickory Crawdads in the second and final game of the South Atlantic League division series on Sept. 14. The Drive then swept the Hudson Valley Renegades in the championship series to take home their second SAL title in franchise history and first since 2017.

All told, Monegro went 6-3 with a 2.06 ERA and 93 strikeouts to 26 walks in 14 appearances (13 starts) spanning 65 2/3 total innings of work between the FCL, Salem, and Greenville last year. Among his peers in the Red Sox organization who also eclipsed the 60-inning threshold in 2023, Monegro ranked third in strikeouts per nine innings (12.75), 10th in walks per nine innings (3.56), second in strikeout rate (34.6 percent), 11th in walk rate (9.7 percent), second in batting average against (.194), second in WHIP (1.10), 12th in line-drive rate (21.3 percent), fifth in groundball rate (48.9 percent), and first in swinging-strike rate (20 percent), ERA, FIP (2.55), and xFIP (3.05), per FanGraphs.

Monegro, who hails from the Dominican Republic, originally signed with the Red Sox for just $35,000 as an international free agent in February 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic that ensued, the Santo Domingo native was unable to make his pro debut until the following July. He then compiled a 3.63 ERA in 13 Dominican Summer League starts (39 2/3 innings) that year and followed by struggling to a 7.36 ERA over 25 2/3 innings in the 2022 Florida Complex League.

Given the struggles he endured in his stateside debut, the success Monegro enjoyed this past season may have been surprising to some. Internally, however, the Red Sox had high hopes for Monegro going into 2023 because of what he accomplished in the offseason. Assistant general manager Eddie Romero acknowledged as much in a July email exchange with BloggingtheRedSox.com.

“We were really excited about Monegro heading into the spring,” Romero wrote. “He impressed a lot with the physical shape he came into spring training, and has continued to work since then — this has been key to his early-season success. He’s super athletic with a lightning quick arm which contributes to his ability to have a plus breaking ball. He’s tightened up his delivery to let his athleticism show and be consistent with his mechanics.”

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, Monegro operates with a diverse arsenal that consists of a four-seam fastball that averages just under 95 mph, a 12-to-6 curveball that sits between 76-81 mph, and an 88-90 mph cutter, per his Baseball America scouting report. That same scouting report notes that Monegro “also has a two-seamer and splitter, though the latter is a work in progress. In order to stick as a starter, he’ll likely need to either sharpen one of his pitches into a plus offering or develop the splitter into a solid offering.”

Monegro — who does not turn 22 until October — is now regarded by Baseball America as the No. 18 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks fourth among pitchers in the organization behind only fellow righties Wikelman Gonzalez, Luis Perales, and Richard Fitts. He is expected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2024 season, though he could reach the upper levels by the end of the year since he can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time next winter.

(Picture of Yordanny Monegro: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox sign Alex Rodriguez’s nephew to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed free agent infielder Joe Dunand to a minor-league contract, per the club’s MLB.com transactions log. It is unclear if the deal comes with an invite to major-league spring training, but Dunand has been assigned to Triple-A Worcester.

Dunand, 28, is the nephew of former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. The Miami native was originally selected by the Marlins in the second round of the 2017 amateur draft out of North Carolina State and broke in at the major-league level in May 2022.

Appearing in just three games for the Fish, Dunand went 3-for-10 with one double, one home run, one RBI, two runs scored, and three strikeouts while seeing playing time at second and third base. The right-handed hitter was designated for assignment shorty after making his debut and was quickly claimed off waivers by the Braves, but he has not seen any big-league action since.

Instead, after subsequently being outrighted off the Braves’ 40-man roster, Dunand spent the entirety of the 2023 campaign with Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett. He batted .268/.362/.481 with 19 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs, 52 RBIs, 49 runs scored, three stolen bases, 45 walks, and 107 strikeouts in 95 games (403 plate appearances) for the Stripers before being granted free agency this past November.

Altogether, Dunand is a lifetime .238/.318/.383 hitter with 97 doubles, 51 homers, 224 runs driven in, 225 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 178 walks, and 541 strikeouts in 519 career minor-league games (2,057 plate appearances). That includes a .233/.325/.407 slash line in 249 games at the Triple-A level.

Defensively, Dunand has started games at first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and left field over the course of his professional career. With Gwinnett last year, the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder logged 299 1/3 innings at first base, 263 2/3 innings at third base, and 47 1/3 innings in left field. He also made 23 starts at DH.

Dunand, who does not turn 29 until September, figures to provide the Red Sox with experienced infield/outfield depth at Worcester this coming season. He has two minor-league options remaining, so that could help his case if he is needed in Boston at any point in 2024.

(Picture of Joe Dunand: Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

Red Sox sign former Giants pitching prospect Melvin Adón to minor-league deal

The Red Sox signed former Giants pitching prospect Melvin Adon to a minor-league contract last week, according to the club’s MLB.com transactions log. It is unclear if the deal comes with an invite to major-league spring training.

Adon, 29, spent the last nine seasons in the Giants organization before reaching free agency this past November. The Dominican Republic native originally signed with San Francisco for $50,000 as a 20-year-old international free agent coming out of Santo Domingo in February 2015.

Making his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League later that year, Adon quickly emerged as one of the more intriguing arms in San Francisco’s farm system. The right-hander worked his way up through the organization primarily as a starter, but successfully transitioned to the bullpen in the 2018 Arizona Fall League before being added to the Giants’ 40-man roster that November in order to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft.

Adon was ranked by Baseball America as the Giants’ No. 12 prospect to open the 2019 season. Used exclusively as a reliever that year, he forged a 4.72 ERA with 77 strikeout to 34 walks in 48 appearances (55 1/3 innings) between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento. Adon did not pitch for a minor-league affiliate in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he wound up injuring himself in winter ball that offseason and underwent right shoulder surgery in February 2021 as a result.

The procedure cost Adon, who was non-tendered by the Giants and brought back on a minor-league deal, all of 2021 and the first two months of the 2022 campaign. He returned to action in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League that June and closed out the year in Richmond.

Adon was at spring training with the Giants around this time last year. He pitched at three different levels during the 2023 season, though 32 of his 43 appearances came with Sacramento. In two separate stints with the River Cats, the righty posted a 7.43 ERA (5.90 FIP) with 50 strikeouts to 37 walks over 40 innings of relief in which opponents batted .297 against him.

All told, Adon owns a lifetime 4.47 ERA with 451 strikeouts to 215 walks in 181 career minor-league outings (65 starts) spanning 457 total innings of work. That includes an 8.76 ERA in 44 appearances at the Triple-A level. He also pitched for the Toros Del Este of the Dominican Winter League this offseason, though he was limited to just one appearance there back in October.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 246 pounds, Adon primarily operates with a two-pitch mix that consists of an upper-90s sinking fastball that can reach triple digits and a low-90s slider. As FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen mentioned last June, Adon struggles with his command and “can’t throw strikes with his fastball, but he might not have to if he can get ahead of hitters with his slider and then rush his heater past them once he’s in two-strike counts.”

It is worth noting that although Adon is switching organizations for the first time in his career, he already has one prior connection on the Red Sox in pitching coach Andrew Bailey, who served in the same capacity for the Giants the last four seasons before leaving for Boston in November.

Adon, who turns 30 in June, will surely be looking to benefit from a change of scenery and make his big-league debut with the Red Sox at some point this season. Given how much right-handed depth Boston currently has in its bullpen, though, he is likely ticketed to break camp with Triple-A Worcester this spring.

(Picture of Melvin Adon: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Red Sox power-hitting prospect Niko Kavadas accomplished this unique feat in 2023

Red Sox power-hitting prospect Niko Kavadas drew more walks and struck out more times than any other minor-leaguer in the organization last year.

Kavadas, who split the 2023 season between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, batted .206/.377/.428 with 16 doubles, 22 home runs, 69 RBIs, 62 runs scored, two stolen bases, 98 walks, and 172 strikeouts over 117 total games (480 plate appearances) while producing eye-popping exit velocities.

Coming off a strong 2022 campaign in which he played at three levels and earned Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year honors, Kavadas returned to Portland for the start of his second full season in pro ball last April. In his second stint with Boston’s Eastern League affiliate, the left-handed hitting 25-year-old slashed .204/.386/.430 with eight doubles, 14 homers, 42 runs driven in, 35 runs scored, two stolen bases, 63 walks, and 110 strikeouts across 69 games spanning 293 trips to the plate.

Kavadas ended the first half of the season with Portland but was promoted to Worcester during the major-league All-Star break in mid-July. He made his WooSox debut shortly thereafter and proceeded to bat .210/.364/.426 with eight doubles, eight home runs, 27 RBIs, 27 runs scored, 35 walks, and 62 strikeouts in 48 games (187 plate appearances) for Boston’s International League affiliate.

Though a .789 OPS is far from spectacular, it is worth mentioning that Kavadas raised that figure by nearly 100 points by slashing a more respectable .246/.339/.597 with an organization-leading six home runs and 15 RBIs in the month of September.

When looking at how he fared after making the jump from Portland to Worcester over the summer, one of the first things that sticks out is how Kavadas lowered both his walk rate (21.5 to 18.7 percent) and strikeout rate (37.5 to 33.2 percent). He hit for a higher average (.204 to .210), but reached base less frequently (.386 to .364 on-base percentage) and did not produce as much power (.430 to .426 slugging percentage, .226 to .216 isolated power) while doing so. Perhaps as a result of that, his wRC+ dropped from 129 with the Sea Dogs to 101 with the WooSox, per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Kavadas saw all of his playing time on the field at both of his stops last season come at first base. With Portland, the burly 5-foot-11, 235-pounder made a team-high 64 starts at first without committing an error. With Worcester, he made four errors in 339 chances while logging a team-leading 394 innings at the position.

Kavadas was, of course, originally selected by the Red Sox in the 11th round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Notre Dame. The Indiana-born slugger signed with the club for $250,000 that August and made it to Low-A Salem before his debut season came to a close.

As previously mentioned, Kavadas was promoted twice in 2022 after raking at both Salem and High-A Greenville. His production began to taper off a bit in his first go-around with Portland, but he put up decent numbers in the Arizona Fall League and came into 2023 ranked by Baseball America as the No. 23 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

While he has since fallen in those rankings, Kavadas still has a clear path to the big-leagues if he is able to improve in certain areas at the plate. As noted in his Baseball America scouting report from last February, Kavadas is “an intelligent hitter, and if he finds ways to limit his holes, he could be a DH who sees some time at first. If not, he may see time as an up-and-down left-handed bench bat.”

Kavadas, who does not turn 26 until October, is projected to return to Worcester for the start of the 2024 season and will likely provide WooSox manager Chad Tracy with a left-handed hitting option at first base/DH in doing so.

Given the fact that he can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time in his career later this year, these next eight or so months could be pretty important for Kavadas and his future ambitions.

(Picture of Niko Kavadas: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Noah Dean ended debut season on positive note last year

For Red Sox pitching prospect Noah Dean, the 2023 season was not without its challenges.

Dean spent all of 2023 with Low-A Salem. The 22-year-old left-hander posted a 6.29 ERA and 5.51 FIP with 86 strikeouts to 72 walks in 21 appearances (17 starts) spanning 63 innings of work for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate.

Despite being regarded by Baseball America as “one of the more exciting pure relievers” in his class when he was taken by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2022 amateur draft out of Old Dominion, Dean — who did not pitch with an affiliate after signing for $322,500 — made his professional debut as a starter last April.

Maybe it was to be expected, but Dean struggled in that unfamiliar role out of the gate. The New Jersey native put up an 8.31 ERA in four April starts, though he managed to hold opponents to a .194 batting average against while doing so. He then put together two scoreless, five-inning starts to begin and end a more encouraging month of May.

June (15 earned runs in nine innings) yielded far less promising results. The same can be said for July (eight earned runs in 14 2/3 innings) as well, but it appears as though Dean began to figure things out a bit after the All-Star break.

In his final three starts of July, for instance, Dean struck out 20 of the 50 batters he faced over 12 frames in which he pitched to a 4.50 ERA. He made one more start on August 6, but lasted just two-thirds of an inning in that outing before moving to the bullpen for the remainder of the season.

As a reliever, Dean appeared in four games for Salem down the stretch and did not allow a run in three of them. Walks were still somewhat of an issue, but the lefty forged a 2.93 ERA while punching out 21 and yielding just five hits across 15 1/3 innings out of the Red Sox’ bullpen.

Altogether, it was a mixed bag of sorts for Dean in his debut season, but he certainly ended things on a positive note. He was one of just seven southpaws to take the mound for Salem in 2023 and unsurprisingly fared better against left-handed hitters (.196 opponents’ batting average) than right-handed hitters (.246 opponents’ batting average).

Among the 74 pitchers who logged at least 60 innings in the Carolina League last year, Dean ranked seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (12.29), 19th in strikeout rate (28.5 percent), 29th in batting average against (.232), and seventh in batting average on balls in play (.358), which suggests that he might have gotten unlucky at times on account of poor defense behind him or something similar.

On the flip side of those impressive strikeout numbers, though, Dean was also among the worst in the Carolina League when it came to giving up ball four. Using the same parameters as above, Dean ranked 74th in walks per nine innings (10.29), walk rate (23.8 percent), and WHIP (1.97), 71st in ERA and xFIP (5.41), and 72nd in FIP, per FanGraphs.

To that end, it will be of the utmost importance for Dean to refine both his command and control of the strike zone as he continues to develop. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound hurler already possesses an intriguing three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, a 77-81 mph curveball, and an 83-85 mph changeup, according to his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Dean, who turns 23 in March, is not currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He is projected by the site to make the jump to High-A Greenville for the start of the 2024 season, but will likely do so as a member of the Drive’s bullpen as opposed to their starting rotation.

(Picture of Noah Dean: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

How did Red Sox prospect Armando Sierra fare in stateside debut last year?

After two years in the Dominican Summer League, Red Sox prospect Armando Sierra made his long-awaited stateside debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League last season.

As a 19-year-old, Sierra got into 30 of the FCL Red Sox’ 53 games in 2023. The right-handed hitter batted .265/.363/.398 with seven doubles, two home runs, 12 RBIs, 13 runs scored, 14 walks, and 30 strikeouts over 113 plate appearances for Boston’s Fort Myers-based affiliate.

Interestingly enough, Sierra played exactly 10 games in June, July, and August. He posted an OPS south of .600 in both June and August, but enjoyed a strong month of July in which he slashed .424/.525/.606 with one homer and six RBIs. It’s also worth noting that 99 of his 113 plate appearances last season came against righties as opposed to lefties.

Among the 96 hitters who made at least 110 trips to the plate in the FCL last year, Sierra ranked 33rd in batting average, 46th in on-base percentage, 37th in slugging percentage, 40th in OPS (.761), 37th in isolated power (.133), and 43rd in wRC+ (104), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Sierra saw the bulk of his playing time in 2023 come at first base. The 6-foot-1, 189-pounder logged a team-leading 224 1/3 innings at first, where he committed four errors in 207 total defensive chances. He also served as his side’s designated hitter on two separate occasions.

Sierra, who celebrated his 20th birthday earlier this month, originally signed with the Red Sox for $150,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January 2021. At the time he put pen to paper, the Sabana Grande de Palenque native was viewed as an outfielder and was identified by Baseball America’s Ben Badler as a potential sleeper within Boston’s 2021 signing class.

While Badler described Sierra as having “an advanced approach to hitting for his age,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero provided some more background on the signing in an email exchange with BloggingtheRedSox.com later that April.

“Armando was a player we scouted later on in his signing year. After scouting him a few times, he stood out for his strong frame and his power,” Romero wrote. “As we continued to see him, it became apparent that not only did he have above average power for his signing class, but he also was developing a stronger approach.”

Sierra made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that July and earned DSL All-Star honors while repeating the level in 2022. He was regularly seeing playing time at both corner outfield spots back then but was used exclusively as a first baseman in the FCL in 2023.

As things stand now, Sierra is not regarded by any major publication as one of the top prospects in Boston’s farm system. Last June, however, FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen wrote that he found Sierra “really interesting” because — despite having a “tough” profile — “his feel for contact and the flexibility in his lower half are both very impressive for a corner bat.”

Looking ahead, Sierra is currently projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to Low-A Salem for the start of the 2024 campaign. Assuming that is indeed what happens, it will be interesting to see how Sierra adjusts to stiffer competition while playing with a full-season affiliate for the first time in his young career.

(Picture of Armando Sierra: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Versatile Red Sox prospect Nick Sogard set to attend second consecutive MLB spring training camp

Nick Sogard was one of the 13 non-roster invitees the Red Sox added to their 2024 major-league spring training roster on Friday.

Sogard, 26, is entering his fourth season as a member of the Red Sox organization after being acquired from the Rays alongside catching prospect Ronaldo Hernandez in the February 2021 trade that sent pitchers Chris Mazza and Jeffrey Springs back to Tampa Bay.

A former 12th-round draft selection of the Rays out of Loyola Marymount in 2019, Sogard spent his first two years as a Red Sox minor-leaguer bouncing around between affiliates. After receiving his first-ever invite to big-league spring training around this time last year, however, the California native settled in with Triple-A Worcester in 2023.

In 112 games (which was good for second on the team behind only Bobby Dalbec’s 114) for the WooSox last season, Sogard batted .266/.370/.391 (97 wRC+) with 20 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 47 RBIs, 74 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, 63 walks, and 79 strikeouts over 460 plate appearances. Though he cooled off in the second half some, the switch-hitter still proved particularly effective against left-handed pitching, as he slashed a stout .319/.441/.517 with four of his seven homers coming off lefties from the right side of the plate.

Among 83 qualified hitters in the International League, Sogard ranked 25th in walk rate (13.7 percent), 16th in strikeout rate (17.2 percent), 24th in on-base percentage, 20th in speed score (6.5), 21st in line-drive rate (26.2 percent), and second in swinging-strike rate (6.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Sogard put his utility on full display by making starts at five different positions for Worcester last year. The versatile 6-foot-1, 189-pounder logged 328 innings at third base, 276 innings at second base, 164 innings at shortstop, 80 innings in right field, and 68 1/3 innings in left field. He committed a total of 10 errors in 322 chances, which translates to a .969 fielding percentage.

For his professional career, which spans 380 affiliated games, Sogard has made at least one start at every defensive position besides pitcher, catcher, and first base. To that end, SoxProspects.com describes Sogard as having soft hands, solid instincts in the field, and an advanced feel for the game.

“I love it. I think it kind of keeps things fresh,” Sogard recently told Liam Skiffington on the Sox Stack Podcast. “Being an impact defender at multiple positions is not something that’s super common, so I relish the role.”

Sogard, who does not turn 27 until September, is currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 52 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is projected to return to Worcester for the start of the 2024 season, though it certainly would not be surprising if he played his way into a big-league opportunity at some point this year.

If Sogard were to debut for the Red Sox this season, he would become just the latest member of his family to make it to the show. Sogard is, of course, the younger cousin of longtime MLB infielder Eric Sogard and nephew of both Steve and Dave Sax.

(Picture of Nick Sogard: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)