Tag: chaim bloom

Red Sox agree to one-year deal with former Padres reliever Matt Strahm, per report

The Red Sox have reportedly agreed to sign free agent reliever Matt Strahm to a one-year deal that is pending a physical, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray.

Per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, the contract is worth $3 million.

Strahm, 30, is coming off a 2021 season with the Padres in which he appeared in just six games (one start) and pitched a total of 6 2/3 innings due to multiple stints on the injured list. The left-hander initially underwent surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee in October 2020 and did not make his 2021 debut until August 3. He was then placed on the injured list again two weeks later because of right knee inflammation, which prematurely ended his year.

The Padres non-tendered Strahm in late November, allowing him to hit the open market right before the lockout began.

A former 21st round draft pick of the Royals out of Neosho County Community College in 2012, Strahm made his major-league debut for Kansas City in July 2016. The lefty spent parts of two seasons with the Royals before being traded to the Padres in 2017.

Prior to his injury-riddled campaign last year, Strahm had proven to be a key piece of the Friars’ bullpen picture. Across 106 outings (21 starts) from 2018-2020, the North Dakota native posted a 3.66 ERA and 4.14 FIP to go along with 202 strikeouts to 47 walks over 196 2/3 total innings of work.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Strahm operates with a five-pitch arsenal that consists of a four-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball, a sinker, and a changeup. He held opponents to a .080 batting average against with his sinker in 2020, per Baseball Savant.

In reaching an agreement with Strahm, who does not turn 31 until November, the Red Sox have added an intriguing southpaw to their bullpen mix. Of course, Strahm was not the only left-handed reliever Boston reportedly signed on Sunday.

(Picture of Matt Strahm: Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

Former Red Sox shortstop José Iglesias agrees to one-year deal with Rockies, per report

Former Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias has agreed to a one-year deal with the Colorado Rockies, according to Univision’s Mike Rodriguez.

Iglesias, 32, will earn $5 million with the Rockies in 2022 after spending the 2021 season with both the Angels and Red Sox. He was initially released by Los Angeles on September 3, thus allowing him to latch on with Boston just three days later

A former top prospect who originally signed with the Sox as an international free agent out of Cuba in 2009 and was dealt to the Tigers in July 2013, Iglesias returned to Boston’s lineup for the first time in over eight years last summer.

The Red Sox signed Iglesias as veteran infield depth as they were navigating their way through a COVID-19 outbreak. The right-handed hitter delivered and then some, batting a stout .356/.406/.509 with four doubles, one triple, one home run, seven RBIs, and eight runs over 23 games (64 plate appearances) while providing exceptional defense at second base to close out the regular season.

Because he was added to Boston’s major-league roster after the start of September, though, Iglesias was not eligible to play in the postseason. The Red Sox, in turn, outrighted the 5-foot-11, 195 pounder off their 40-man roster in early October, though he remained with the team as part of the “Uber Squad” during their run to the American League Championship Series.

Despite leaving a solid impression on Alex Cora and his teammates, Iglesias and the Red Sox never got close to a reunion at any point this off-season, per MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

As a result, Iglesias now joins his fifth organization since making his big-league debut in 2011. With the Rockies, his second National League team, Iglesias will look to reach 10 years of major-league service time.

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

Seiya Suzuki rumors: Several teams believe Red Sox ‘are lined up to make a move on Japanese outfielder’ when lockout ends (report)

Even in the midst of an ongoing lockout, the Red Sox still appear to be interested in Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki.

The Sox have been linked to Suzuki since he was posted by the Hiroshima Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball in November and remain locked in on the star free-agent nearly three months later, according to The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham.

“Several teams believe the Sox are lined up to make a move on Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki when the lockout finally ends,” Abraham wrote on Saturday. “Suzuki is committed to playing in the majors, having decided not to remain with the Hiroshima Carp.”

Suzuki, 27, has spent the last nine seasons with Hiroshima. Most recently, the right-handed hitter batted .317/.433/.636 with 26 doubles, 38 home runs, 88 RBIs, 77 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 87 walks, and 88 walks over 132 games (533 plate appearances) for the Carp in 2021.

The Carp officially posted Suzuki on Nov. 22, giving MLB teams a little more than a week to negotiate with the four-time NPB All-Star before the lockout began on December 2. Since that time, Suzuki’s posting window has been paused, but it will pick up once the work stoppage ends, meaning clubs will have roughly three weeks to continue negotiating with his camp.

Despite the lengthy lockout, Suzuki — as Abraham mentioned — remains committed to playing in the major-leagues even though he could return to Japan for the 2022 season and test the free-agency waters again next winter.

Last month, Japan’s Nikkan Sports reported that Suzuki was planning to travel to the United States once the lockout is lifted to negotiate with interested teams in-person. That same report suggested that Suzuki was preparing to narrow down his list of suitors to three or four, noting that clubs with spring training facilities in Arizona may hold a geographical advantage over clubs with complexes in Florida (like the Red Sox).

A few weeks before that report came out, Suzuki himself told The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly that he has heard recruiting pitches from 10 to 12 teams and the Sox are among that group. He would not reveal his personal short list, though he did indicate that he had no preference for which league or coast he played on.

“I can’t stop thinking about which team to pick,” Suzuki said. “I’m going to be honest with you: I’m still very confused. I can’t sleep every night because a lot of the teams hit my heart. I still have to give it a lot of thought.”

Shortly before the lockout began, the Red Sox put themselves in a position where they could benefit from Suzuki’s services when they traded Hunter Renfroe to the Brewers for fellow outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and a pair of prospects.

By effectively swapping Renfroe for Bradley Jr., Boston shook up their outfield mix significantly in that they traded offensive production for defensive production. That being said, they also traded away a right-handed hitting outfielder for another left-handed hitting outfielder to join the likes of Jarren Duran and Alex Verdugo on the 40-man roster.

Since he possesses pop from the right side of the plate, Suzuki could in theory fill the void left behind by Renfroe and emerge as the Sox’ everyday right fielder. Going back to what chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said earlier this winter, the 27-year-old does fit the profile of a right-handed hitter the club might prefer to sign over a left-handed hitter.

Suzuki, who does not turn 28 until August, is about 2 1/2 years younger than Renfroe, who turned 30 last month. The former has drawn comparisons to the latter and may have an even stronger defensive profile seeing how he is a five-time recipient of the Mitsui Golden Glove Award.

Listed at 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, Suzuki is “expected to command a contract in the range of five years and $60 million,” per Baggarly. This does not take into account the compensation Suzuki’s new team would owe Hiroshima in the form of a release fee.

As things stand now, it appears as though the Red Sox have as good a chance as any club to land Suzuki once the lockout eventually ends. With some help from former Boston closer Koji Uehara, it just might happen.

(Picture of Seiya Suzuki: Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)

Where do things stand with Red Sox outfield prospect Gilberto Jiménez heading into 2022 season?

After showing out at fall instructs in 2020 and receiving his first invite to big-league camp the following spring, it really seemed like Red Sox outfield prospect Gilberto Jimenez was primed for a breakout year in 2021.

Jimenez came into the year regarded by Baseball America as the No. 7 prospect and top athlete in Boston’s farm system. Upon completion of minor-league spring training, Jimenez opened and ultimately spent the entirety of the 2021 season with Low-A Salem.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the minor-league season in 2020, the highest level Jimenez had reached was short-season Lowell. As a member of the Salem Red Sox, the switch-hitting outfielder batted .306/.346/.405 with 16 doubles, six triples, three home runs, 56 RBIs, 64 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 19 walks, and 86 strikeouts over 94 games and 408 plate appearances.

On the surface, a 21-year-old hitting .306 in his first full season of pro ball hardly seems like anything worth complaining about. In Jimenez’s case, however, 89 of his 114 hits (78%) went for singles and he only put up a slightly-above-average 105 wRC+. His 4.7% walk rate also ranked among the lowest in the Low-A East last year.

Defensively, Jimenez saw time at all three outfield positions for Salem. He logged 375 2/3 innings in center field, 247 1/3 innings in right field, and 126 1/3 innings in left field while committing a total of four errors.

Because of how he performed on both sides of the ball, scouts were relatively low on Jimenez as of last fall, according to SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall.

“Scouts are down on him based on how he performed this year because he didn’t show the ability to impact the baseball,” Cundall wrote in November. “He made little progress with his approach and was inconsistent on defense.”

Baseball America’s prospect rankings reflect this as well considering the fact that Jimenez has fallen out of the Red Sox’ 2022 top 10 list, which was compiled by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

When asked by a reader back if his confidence in Jimenez took a hit in 2021, Speier responded by saying: “The fact that he’s not a top-10 guy suggests as much. He hasn’t made many strides in terms of plate discipline or driving the ball in the air, and the longer he goes without doing so, the harder it is to imagine him getting anywhere near the ceiling suggested by his exceptional athleticism and speed.”

Jimenez, who originally signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2017, is one of several minor-leaguers eligible for the Rule 5 Draft (if there is a Rule 5 Draft, that is) since he was not added to Boston’s 40-man roster last fall.

As many others (including The Athletic’s Keith Law) have already suggested, it would be surprising to see another team take Jimenez in the Rule 5 since he has only played as high as the Low-A level. Opposing clubs could attempt to stash the speedster on their bench for the entirety of the 2022 major-league season, but they would be risking his development by doing so.

Before the deadline to add Rule 5-eligible players to the 40-man roster came and went in November, there was some speculation that Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and Co. would entertain the idea of trading a minor-leaguer like Jimenez if they were not going to include him.

That ultimately did not happen, but the possibility remains that Boston could move Jimenez as part of a bigger deal once the MLB lockout eventually comes to a close.

It does feel worth mentioning that Jimenez, who turns 22 in July, was one of three outfielders who participated in the team’s Winter Warm-Up program in Fort Myers last month alongside Nick Decker and Tyler Dearden.

Under the assumption that Jimenez remains with the Red Sox organization through the start of the 2022 minor-league season, the 5-foot-11, 212 pounder is projected by SoxProspects.com to start out the year with High-A Greenville.

(Picture of Gilberto Jimenez: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Latest Baseball America mock draft has Red Sox selecting Mississippi State catcher Logan Tanner with top pick

The 2022 MLB Draft may still be six months away, but it should now start to come into focus more with the college baseball season slated to begin next week.

With that, Baseball America released the first version of their 2022 mock draft on Thursday, and they have the Red Sox taking a college bat with their top pick.

Boston owns the 24th overall selection in this summer’s draft after finishing last season with the seventh-best (or 24th-worst) record in baseball. As of now, the club is projected to take Mississippi State University catcher Logan Tanner.

In explaining why he has the Sox going in this direction, Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo writes that he does not “have much feel for the Red Sox pick tendencies, especially in this range. They’ve taken prep infielders in each of the last three drafts but all of those picks are quite a bit different both in terms of bonus, draft position, and player profile.”

Collazo adds that at this point in the mock draft, Tanner is the best player available as he comes into the year regarded by Baseball America as its No. 17 draft-eligible prospect, which ranks third among catchers in the class.

Tanner, 21, is preparing for his junior season with Mississippi State. The right-handed hitting backstop is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he batted .287/.383/.525 with 13 doubles, 15 home runs, 53 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 39 walks, and 48 strikeouts over 67 games (285 plate appearances) while helping the Bulldogs win a national championship.

Defensively, Tanner made 57 appearances behind the plate as a sophomore and threw out 11 baserunners who attempted to steal off him. Per his Baseball America scouting report, the 6-foot, 215 pounder is “the top catch-and-throw backstop in the class. His arm is a clear tier ahead of most other catchers in the class, with double-plus grades and should allow him to keep the running game in check.”

MLB Pipeline, on the other hand, has Tanner listed as its 19th-ranked draft-eligible prospect, right behind his battery mate in right-hander Landon Sims.

In their evaluation of Tanner’s offensive approach, MLB Pipeline notes that the Lucedale, Miss. native’s “strength and bat speed give him legitimate power to all fields from the right side of the plate, and he might provide 20-25 homers per year if he can lift more balls in the air. He draws walks, makes contact and has done damage against quality pitching at the college level. He’s a well below-average runner but that’s excusable for a catcher.”

As Opening Day for the college baseball season approaches, Tanner has been named to the preseason All-SEC first team and Perfect Game’s preseason All-America third team.

If the Red Sox were to select Tanner in this year’s draft, it would mark the first time since 2011 in which they used a first-round pick on a catcher (Blake Swihart). As Collazo previously alluded to, Boston has used its last three first-round selections on prep infielders in shortstop Marcelo Mayer (2021), second baseman Nick Yorke (2020), and first baseman Triston Casas (2018). They were without a first-rounder in 2019.

Last July marked the second time straight year the Red Sox had chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and amateur scouting director Paul Toboni orchestrating the club’s draft efforts.

Of the 20 players Boston selected in 2021, only one — Nathan Hickey — was a catcher. Hickey, like Tanner, played his college ball in the SEC for the University of Florida.

According to one scout, Tanner would surpass Hickey and emerge as the top catching prospect in Boston’s farm system if he were to join the Red Sox this summer.

All that being said, who the Sox take in this year’s draft has yet to be determined and plenty can change once the high school and college baseball seasons get rolling in the spring.

(Picture of Logan Tanner: Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

What do the Red Sox have in infield prospect David Hamilton?

Red Sox infield prospect David Hamilton returned to his alma mater and played in the University of Texas’ alumni game over the weekend. He went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored on Saturday while propelling the Texas Exes to an 8-6 victory in Austin.

Hamilton, 24, was one of two prospects the Red Sox acquired from the Brewers in the shocking trade that sent Hunter Renfroe to Milwaukee and Jackie Bradley Jr. back to Boston in December.

Along with fellow infielder Alex Binelas, Hamilton led the Sox to believe that they were adding a pair of intriguing minor-leaguers who had plenty to offer to their new organization.

“David Hamilton has premium speed and he’s a really good middle infielder,” chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said said at the time the trade was made. “Plays a good shortstop. Interesting trajectory. High-touted high school player who went to the University of Texas. Had a tough injury and recovered from it, and kept his speed. He has great speed and athleticism and is a very exciting player to add to our system.”

Originally selected by the Brewers in the eighth round of the 2019 amateur draft out of Texas, Hamilton entered the professional ranks having missed the entirety of his junior season due to a ruptured Achilles suffered in a scooter accident earlier that year.

The former Longhorn missed the remainder of the 2019 season while recovering from that Achilles injury, then fell victim to the fact that the 2020 minor-league season was ultimately cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although Hamilton was unable to play affiliated ball in 2020, he did spend time with a team in the independent Constellation Energy League that was coached by Roger Clemens. He was able to use his experience there to impress at the Brewers’ fall instructional league and gain momentum heading into 2021.

After breaking minor-league camp with the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in the spring, Hamilton made his long-awaited pro debut on May 4. From there, the left-handed hitter batted .263/.351/.422 (114 wRC+) with 14 doubles, seven triples, five home runs, 31 RBIs, 50 runs scored, 41 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 58 strikeouts over 68 games (309 plate appearances) for the Timber Rattlers.

On August 3, the Brewers promoted Hamilton to Double-A Biloxi. With the Shuckers, the speedy middle infielder slashed .248/.322/.414 (104 wRC+) to go along with five doubles, four triples, three homers, 12 RBIs, 16 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 15 walks, and 32 strikeouts across 33 games spanning 150 trips to the plate.

Among all qualified minor-league hitters last season, Hamilton ranked fifth in total triples (11), sixth in total stolen bases (52), 25th in speed score (8.9), and seventh in weighted stolen base runs (5.8), per FanGraphs.

Upon completing the conventional minor-league season with Biloxi, Hamilton headed out west to suit up for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, where he hit an impressive .293/.453/.463 in 14 games while swiping four additional bags.

Defensively, Hamilton was drafted and signed out of Texas as a shortstop. Last year, however, the 5-foot-10, 175 pounder saw time at both shortstop and second base. He logged 112 2/3 innings at second and a much more substantial 746 2/3 innings at short between High-A and Double-A before logging 59 innings at second and 38 innings at short in Arizona.

A native of San Marcos, Hamilton was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 15 prospect in Milwaukee’s farm system at the time the Red Sox acquired him from the Brewers. He, like Binelas, was one of 28 minor-leaguers who participated in the Sox’ Winter Warm-Up program in Fort Myers last month.

The weeklong minicamp gave Red Sox brass an opportunity to see Binelas and Hamilton in-person for the first time, and it is safe to say they liked what they saw from both prospects and are excited about what is to come.

“I think somewhat different dynamic between Hamilton — more of a speed guy, more of a middle infield threat — “whereas Binelas is more of a power-orientated corner bat,” said director of player development Brian Abraham. “But I think from the short time we’ve seen them, the physicality we’ve seen even out of both them has been exciting to see. They seem like great kids and very excited about coming here to camp.”

As for Hamilton, who does not turn 25 until September, he is projected by SoxProspects.com to begin the 2022 minor-league season with Double-A Portland.

With the Sea Dogs, it seems likely that Hamilton will be used in a variety of ways around the infield since the Red Sox view him as a versatile player. That being said, the speedster can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in his career later this year, so he would need to be added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November deadline if the club wants to prevent that from happening.

(Picture of David Hamilton via his Instagram)

Red Sox have No. 11 farm system in baseball, per Baseball America’s latest rankings

The Red Sox have the No. 11 farm system in baseball heading into the 2022 season, according to Baseball America’s latest organizational talent rankings.

At this time last year, the Sox had Baseball America’s 21st-ranked farm system going into the 2021 campaign. They then jumped all the way up to ninth in BA’s midseason rankings.

Now, Boston’s farm system falls just outside of Baseball America’s top 10. Ahead of the Red Sox are the Mariners, Rays, Pirates, Orioles, Royals, Tigers, Reds, Dodgers, Rangers, and Diamondbacks, and just behind them are the Guardians, Yankees, Twins, and Cubs to make up the top 15.

As recently as last month, the Sox placed four prospects in BA’s top 100 preseason rankings with shortstop Marcelo Mayer coming in at No. 15, first baseman Triston Casas coming in at No. 19, second baseman Nick Yorke coming in at No. 31 and outfielder Jarren Duran coming in at No. 91. Right-handed pitching prospect Brayan Bello also finished just outside the top 100.

Casas and Yorke were among the 28 Red Sox minor-leaguers who took part in the team’s Winter Warmup program in Fort Myers, Fla. last week. Bello and Duran were unable to participate since they are on the club’s 40-man roster.

In their brief assessment of the Red Sox’ minor-league pipeline, Baseball America notes that “Boston’s system isn’t the deepest, but its opening trio of shortstop Marcelo Mayer, first baseman Triston Casas and second baseman Nick Yorke is one of the most enticing. Right-hander Brayan Bello took steps forward in 2021, including an appearance in Denver at the Futures Game.”

By placing two prospects in BA’s top 20 and three in their top 35, the Sox have shown that they are serious about improving their farm system as well as their minor-league depth as a whole. Chaim Bloom has made that very clear since he took over as the club’s chief baseball officer in October 2019.

Under Bloom, the Red Sox have tapped into just about every market to bolster the organization from the ground up. Whether it be through the draft, the Rule 5 Draft, international scouting, pro scouting, or the trade market, Bloom has thus far made good on his promise to revamp Boston’s farm system while still maintaining a competitive team at the major-league level.

(Picture of Triston Casas: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox)

Is Red Sox pitching prospect Franklin German primed for a full-time relief role in 2022?

It’s been a little more than 53 weeks since the Red Sox shockingly pulled off a trade with the division rival Yankees.

On January 25 of last year, Boston acquired veteran reliever Adam Ottavino and pitching prospect Franklin German from New York in exchange for nothing but cash considerations.

The Yankees made such a move so that they could free up a roster spot for Corey Kluber. The Sox, on the other hand, pulled the trigger so that they could bolster their big-league bullpen while also acquiring a potentially intriguing piece for the future.

While Ottavino proved to be a key member of Boston’s relief corps in 2021, German had to endure his fair share of struggles in the minor-leagues last year.

At the time the trade was made, Red Sox chief officer Chaim Bloom described German as an interesting prospect with a power arm who could work as either a starter or reliever down the line.

To that point in his career, German — a fourth-round draft pick of the Yankees out of the University of North Florida in 2018 — had primarily worked out of the starting rotation while progressing through New York’s farm system.

Coming into his first season with a new organization, German received an invite to major-league spring training and got some run in the Grapefruit League before being reassigned to minor-league camp.

In early May, the right-hander broke camp with Double-A Portland as a member of the Sea Dogs’ starting rotation. He made his organizational debut on May 6 and proceeded to post a 5.45 ERA (5.02 FIP) to go along with 65 strikeouts to 29 walks through his first 19 appearances (18 starts) and 79 1/3 innings pitched of the season.

Following his start against the Reading Fightin Phils at Hadlock Field on August 25, German was permanently moved to Portland’s bullpen for the remainder of the year. As a reliever, he flourished by not allowing a single run on just one hit, one walk, and seven strikeouts over five outings spanning five innings of work.

It’s a small sample size, but German was able to increase his strikeout rate from 17.9% to 41.2% and lower his walk rate from 8% to 5.9% upon moving to the Sea Dogs’ bullpen on a full-time basis late last summer.

In the fall, German was a candidate to be added to the Sox’ 40-man roster since he was eligible for the 2021 Rule 5 Draft. Boston opted not to add German as the November 19 deadline came and went, but that has worked in the righty’s favor thus far.

That being the case because German was one of 28 Red Sox minor-leaguers who participated in the club’s Winter Warmup program in Fort Myers, Fla. last week. The 24-year-old, who would not have been able to participate had he been added to the 40-man on account of the ongoing lockout, was among 12 pitchers on hand at the Fenway South complex.

When speaking with reporters last Monday, Sox director of player development Brian Abraham was asked about the seasons German — and others in the organization who struggled as starters but thrived as relievers (like A.J. Politi) had.

More specifically, Abraham was asked by MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith if the Red Sox view German and Politi as relievers now heading into 2022.

“I think towards the end of the year, they (German and Politi) were able to get acclimated to that role and it’s something we’ll probably focus with both of them on moving forward,” Abraham said. “Certainly as we’ve all seen with various pitchers throughout Red Sox history, we’d never say never to potentially going back to more of an extended role or a starter role.

“I think pitching out of the ‘pen, even multiple innings, is really valuable these days,” he added. “To transition to the bullpen and have success was a nice introductory opportunity into the relief role. So, we would see them as that.”

German, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 93-97 mph fastball that tops out at 98 mph, a changeup, and a slider, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

A native of Tampa, German is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 52 prospect in Boston’s farm system, ranking 21st among pitchers in the organization. He is projected by the site to begin the 2022 season in the bullpen with Triple-A Worcester.

On that note, German is still technically eligible for the major-league phase of the 2021 Rule 5 Draft, which was postponed indefinitely in early December because of the ongoing lockout.

If the lockout ends soon and the Rule 5 Draft is held before Opening Day, German could be scooped up by another club. The likelihood of that happening seems slim, but should still nonetheless be considered a possibility.

(Picture of Franklin German: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox)

Red Sox infield prospect Christian Koss could provide Double-A Portland with much-needed versatility in 2022

Red Sox infield prospect Christian Koss celebrated his 24th birthday on Thursday. He was among 28 minor-leaguers who spent the week participating in the team’s Winter Warmup program in Fort Myers.

One of nine infielders on the Sox’ minicamp roster, Koss was acquired from the Rockies in exchange for pitching prospect Yoan Aybar in December 2020.

That move was primarily made so that the Sox could clear a spot on their 40-man roster, but it also provided the club with an intriguing, versatile infielder.

Upon acclimating himself to a new organization, Koss spent the entirety of the 2021 minor-league season with Low-A Greenville, where he batted .271/.325/.451 (106 wRC+) with 18 doubles, seven triples, 15 home runs, 55 RBIs, 65 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 31 walks, and 100 strikeouts over 104 games spanning 468 plate appearances.

On the surface, it would appear that Koss had a solid, above-average year at the plate. However, it is worth mentioning that the right-handed hitter actually got off to a slow start before picking things up over the summer.

From July 1 on, in fact, Koss slashed a more impressive .297/.340/.529 (127 wRC+) while cutting his strikeout rate down from 25.7% to 18.6% over the final 64 games (285 plate appearances) he played in.

SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall had the chance to see Koss during this stretch, and observed that the then-23-year-old “may not have the highest ceiling, but he was solid enough at shortstop and should add positional versatility as he moves up the system. He does not have a standout tool, but has a bunch of average tools in his locker.” 

Defensively, Koss saw the majority of his playing time with the Drive come at shortstop. The 6-foot-1, 182 pounder logged 842 1/3 innings and committed 15 errors at that position while accruing 73 innings and committing no errors as a second baseman.

Following the conclusion of the regular minor-league season, Koss spent his fall in the Arizona Fall League after replacing catcher Connor Wong on the Scottsdale Scorpions’ roster.

Appearing in 14 games for Scottsdale, Koss posted a .525 OPS and swiped a pair of bags while playing every infield position besides first base.

Originally selected by the Rockies in the 12th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of University of California, Irvine, Koss’ most appealing tool is undoubtedly his speed. He was named the Red Sox’ minor-league Baserunner of the Year for 2021, after all.

A native of Riverside, Calif. who spent two summers (2017, 2018) playing for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, Koss ended the 2021 season ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 31 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is projected by the publication to begin the 2022 campaign with Double-A Portland.

Given his ability to play multiple defensive positions, Koss could provide the Sea Dogs with a shifty, utility infielder who has the ability to play three different positions on any given night.

As is the case with many Red Sox minor-leaguers heading into the 2022 season, Koss can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in his career come December. Boston would need to add the 24-year-old to their 40-man roster by late November in order to prevent that from happening.

(Picture of Christian Koss: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox)

4 Red Sox prospects recognized in Baseball America’s top 100 rankings heading into 2022 season

The Red Sox have four of the top 100 prospects in baseball, according to the preseason rankings Baseball America released on Wednesday.

Of the 100 players who were selected, Red Sox prospects such as shortstop Marcelo Mayer (No. 15), first baseman Triston Casas (No. 19), second baseman Nick Yorke (No. 31), and outfielder Jarren Duran (No. 91) all made the cut.

Mayer, 19, was Boston’s top selection in last summer’s draft. The Eastlake High School (Chula Vista, Calif.) product was taken with the fourth overall pick and ultimately signed with the Sox for $6.64 million as opposed to honoring his commitment to the University of Southern California.

After being assigned to the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox out of the gate, Mayer got his pro career off to a solid start. The right-handed hitting infielder slashed .275/.377/.440 with four doubles, one triple, three home runs, 17 RBIs, 25 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 15 walks, and 27 strikeouts over 26 games (107 plate appearances) in the FCL.

Casas, 22, became Boston’s top selection in the 2018 draft when the club took him with the 26th overall pick out of American Heritage High School (Plantation, Fla.).

The 2021 season proved to be an eventful one for Casas, who played at two different minor-league levels, for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics, and for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League.

Between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester last year, the left-handed slugger batted a stout .279/.394/.484 to go along with 15 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 59 RBIs, 63 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 57 walks, and 71 strikeouts over 86 games spanning 371 trips to the plate. Elsewhere, he was recognized as the top first baseman in the Summer Games as well as an Arizona Fall League All-Star.

This is not the first time Casas has been recognized by Baseball America as one of the game’s top prospect. In fact, the 6-foot-4, 252 pounder has effectively been one of — if not the best prospect in the Sox’ farm system since joining the organization and could very well make his big-league debut at some point in 2022.

The same cannot be said for Yorke, who is fresh off his first full season in pro ball after being taken by the Red Sox with the 17th overall selection in the shortened 2020 draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, Calif).

At that time, Boston’s selection of Yorke was met with much surprise since the infielder was not regarded as one of the country’s top draft-eligible prospects. It now appears as though the Red Sox made a smart decision by drafting Yorke when they did.

After drawing praise from the likes of Alex Cora throughout spring training, Yorke initially got off to a slow start with Low-A Salem, but he turned things around and wound up tearing the cover off the ball across both Class-A levels in 2021.

In 97 total games between Salem and High-A Greenville, the right-handed hitting 19-year-old slashed a scorching .325/.412/.516 with 20 doubles, five triples, 14 homers, 62 runs driven in, 76 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 52 walks, and 69 strikeouts over 442 plate appearances.

Finally, we arrive at Duran, the lone Red Sox prospect on this last who was not selected by the club in the first round of his respective draft. He was instead taken in the seventh round of the 2018 draft and opened the 2021 season in Worcester.

Duran got off to a hot start with the WooSox as he batted .270/.365/.561 (144 wRC+) through his first 46 games (219 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. That impressive stretch resulted in his first big-league call-up in mid-July, though he struggled to make the most of that opportunity.

In his two stints with the Red Sox, the speedy 25-year-old hit an underwhelming .215/.241/.336 with three doubles, two triples, two home runs, 10 RBI, 17 runs scored, two stolen bases, four walks, and 40 strikeouts over 33 games and 112 plate appearances. He was placed on the COVID-19 related injured list on September 3 after testing positive for the virus and did not appear in another major-league contest.

Despite the disappointing debut, there is still plenty of upside with Duran, and his speed has plenty to do with that. With that being said though, the Red Sox’ outfield picture is already quite crowded at the moment, so it may be difficult for the left-handed hitter to find consistent playing time in Boston to begin the 2022 season.

According to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, this is the first time since 2016 in which Baseball America has included at least four Red Sox prospects in its preseason top-100 list. Heading into the 2016 season, the likes of Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, Anderson Espinoza, and Michael Kopech were among the publication’s top 100.

The fact that the Red Sox have as many as four prospects featured in Baseball America’s top-100 list speaks to how much the team’s farm system has improved since Chaim Bloom was named chief baseball officer in October 2019.

Given how all four of Mayer, Casas, Yorke, and Duran were drafted by the Sox, it also speaks to how well-run the club’s amateur scouting department is run. Vice president of scouting Mike Rikard can be credited with the selections of Casas and Duran, while director of amateur scouting Paul Toboni can be credited with the selections of Mayer and Yorke.

Of course, the area scouts who initially scouted these prospects when they were still amateurs deserve recognition as well. J.J. Altobelli is credited with signing Mayer, Willie Romay is credited with signing Casas, Josh Labandeira is credited with signing Yorke, and Justin Horowitz is credited with signing Duran.

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)