Tag: dominican summer league

In Dominican Summer League, Red Sox prospect Avinson Pinto showed ‘the strong baseball IQ and defensive skills to stick at shortstop’

Before the 2024 Dominican Summer League season began, Baseball America’s Ben Badler identified infielder Avinson Pinto as a potential sleeper from the Red Sox’ most recent international signing class.

Pinto, Badler wrote, “didn’t get a ton of attention as an amateur player” before signing with Boston for $25,000 as a 16-year-old free agent in January. The native Venezuelan celebrated his 17th birthday on May 29 and made his professional debut for DSL Red Sox Red five days later.

In 44 regular-season games, Pinto batted .320/.407/.393 with four doubles, two triples, one home run, 16 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, 17 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 172 plate appearances. The young switch-hitter then went 7-for-27 (.259) with one triple, four RBIs, and a team-leading eight runs scored in seven playoff games to help the organization claim its first Dominican Summer League title since 2016.

Pinto hit the first home run of his professional career on June 21.

Among the 197 DSL hitters who made at least 170 trips to the plate in the regular season, Pinto posted the seventh-lowest swinging-strike rate (12.9 percent) and ninth-lowest strikeout rate (8.7 percent). He also ranked 15th in batting average, 54th in on-base percentage, 58th in wRC+, 64th in OPS (.800), 69th in slugging percentage, and 87th in speed score (7.2), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Pinto saw all of his playing time on the field this year come at shortstop. In the process of logging 328 innings at short, the athletic 5-foot-11, 150-pounder committed six errors in 193 chances while “showing the strong baseball IQ and defensive skills to stick” at the position, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Pinto is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 53 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Like Justin Gonzales and Edwin Brito, he is also projected to make his stateside debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League next year.

(Picture of Avinson Pinto via his Instagram)

Who is Edwin Brito? Get to know the Red Sox’ home run leader in the Dominican Summer League this season

While Justin Gonzales was rightfully recognized as the Red Sox’ 2024 Latin Program Position Player of the Year last month, he did not lead the organization’s two Dominican Summer League affiliates in home runs this season.

That distinction would belong to another 17-year-old slugger in the form of Edwin Brito, who signed with the Red Sox for $450,000 ($200,000 more than Gonzales) as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January.

A native of Puerto Plata, Brito made his professional debut for DSL Red Sox Red in June. The right-handed hitter initially got off to a slow start offensively but finished the regular season slashing .251/.361/.450 with six doubles, two triples, a team-high eight home runs, 32 RBIs, 27 runs scored, two stolen bases, 21 walks, and 46 strikeouts over 51 games (205 plate appearances). He then went 6-for-24 (.250) with seven RBIs in seven playoff games to help secure the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

Defensively, Brito saw the majority of his playing time (33 of his 49 starts) this season come in right field, where he recorded six outfield assists and committed two errors in 46 chances. The projectable and stocky 5-foot-11, 195-pounder also logged 30 innings at first base as well as one-third of an inning in left field.

Earlier this year, Baseball America’s Ben Badler tabbed Brito as a name to know from the Red Sox’ 2024 international signing class given his above-average bat speed, above-average power, and above-average arm. Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero, on the other hand, described Brito as a “legitimate slug threat” when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier in September.

Brito, who turns 18 next month, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 54 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Like Gonzales, he is projected to begin the 2025 minor-league campaign in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

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

Who is Dalvinson Reyes? Get to know the Red Sox’ top pitching prospect in the Dominican Summer League this season

While Yermain Ruiz was recognized as the organization’s 2024 Latin Program Pitcher of the Year last week, he was not the top Red Sox prospect to pitch in the Dominican Summer League this season.

That distinction would belong to fellow right-hander Dalvinson Reyes.

Reyes, 17, signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic back in January. The Santa Cruz de Mao received a lucrative $450,000 bonus, making him the highest-paid pitcher from Boston’s 2024 international signing class thus far.

Prior to making his professional debut in June, Reyes was tabbed by Baseball America’s Ben Badler as a name to know since he has “the traits scouts typically gravitate to when looking for a young, projectable starting pitcher” and “the look of a pitcher who should throw significantly harder.”

In his first four starts of the season for DSL Red Sox Blue, Reyes allowed eight hits and two walks with 17 strikeouts over 16 scoreless innings in which opposing hitters batted .148 against him. The righty was then shut down for seven weeks as a result of experiencing midseason fatigue. He used that time to focus on strength training, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Upon returning to the mound on August 13, Reyes tossed a scoreless first inning in his lone start for DSL Red Sox Red. He then made two additional starts in the playoffs, allowing three runs (two earned) over 5 2/3 innings as the red team went on to claim the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

All told, Reyes posted a 0.00 ERA (2.27 FIP) with 19 strikeouts to just two walks in five regular season starts (17 innings) between DSL Red Sox Blue and DSL Red Sox Red. That translates to a 31.7 percent strikeout rate and a 3.3 percent walk rate as he held opposing hitters to a .140 batting average.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Reyes operates with a smooth and repeatable delivery that features adept arm action. The projectable hurler “already sits comfortably in the low 90s while topping out at 94 with a four-seamer and two-seamer,” per Speier. He also mixes in a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup that shows some late fade.

Reyes, who turns 18 next month, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 25 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 10th among pitchers in the organization. MLB Pipeline has him ranked 30th on its Red Sox Top 30 prospects list while SoxProspects.com lists him at No. 31 on its Top 60.

Like the aforementioned Ruiz, Reyes is projected by SoxProspects.com to make his stateside debut in the Florida Complex League at some point in 2025. As noted in his MLB Pipeline scouting report, Reyes already “has one of the highest ceilings among Boston’s pitching prospects.”

(Picture of Dalvinson Reyes via his Instagram)

Who are Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz? Get to know the Red Sox’ Latin Program Position Player, Pitcher of the Year

Last Friday, the Red Sox honored Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz as their 2024 Latin Program Position Player and Pitcher of the Year as part of a pre-game ceremony with the club’s six other minor-league award winners at Fenway Park.

Gonzales, 17, and Ruiz, 18, debuted in the Dominican Summer League this season after signing with the Red Sox as international free agents in January 2024 and August 2023, respectively. The former — a native of the Dominican Republic — received a $250,000 bonus while the latter — a native of Venezuela — signed on for just $10,000.

Gonzales split the 2024 campaign between DSL Red Sox Blue and DSL Red Sox Red. In 47 regular season games, the right-handed hitter batted .320/.391/.517 with 11 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 29 RBIs, 29 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 19 walks and 20 strikeouts over 192 plate appearances. He was named a DSL All-Star in July and playoff MVP in August after slashing .444/.471/.519 in seven games to help Red Sox Red take home the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

Among the 91 DSL hitters who made at least 190 trips to the plate in the regular season, Gonzales ranked eighth in slugging percentage, ninth in batting average, 10th in strikeout rate (10.4 percent), 12th in swinging-strike rate (16.2 percent) and line-drive rate (24.1 percent), 14th in OPS (.908), 17th in isolated power (.198), 20th in wRC+ (140), and 44th in on-base percentage, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Gonzales saw playing time at three different positions in his first professional season. The hulking 6-foot-4, 210-pounder logged 236 innings at first base, 111 innings in right field, and 13 innings in center field. He recorded two outfield assists and committed three errors (all at first base) in 250 total chances.

“He’s a monster,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero said of Gonzales when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier last month. “He’s advanced physically compared to other guys. But the thing that stood out as he’s developed is his hand-to-eye. We know he can make a lot of good contact and he’s really honed his approach in terms of attacking pitches.”

Ruiz, meanwhile, spent all of 2024 with DSL Red Sox Red. In 11 regular season starts, the right-hander posted a 1.77 ERA and 4.39 FIP with 37 strikeouts to 15 walks over 45 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .172 batting average. He then went 2-0 in his two playoff appearances, including tossing two scoreless frames of relief in Game 1 of the championship series against the DSL Angels.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 27: Yermain Ruiz was recognized as the Red Sox’ Latin Program Pitcher of the Year. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Among the 53 DSL pitchers who threw at least 45 innings in the regular season, Ruiz ranked third in batting average against, seventh in WHIP (0.92), eighth in ERA, and 17th in line-drive rate (16.1 percent), according to FanGraphs.

Though there was little fanfare surrounding his signing last summer, Ruiz caught the Red Sox’ attention as an amateur thanks to his athletic frame, fast arm, and feel to pitch.

“He has done a good job of adding strength since signing, with his fastball climbing north of 93 mph,” Romero said of Ruiz in a separate conversation with BloggingtheRedSox.com. “We project him to be a starter and are hopeful he will be in the Florida Complex League rotation next year.”

Ruiz, who turns 19 next month, is listed at 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds. Gonzales, on the other hand, turns 18 in December. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 32 prospect in Boston’s farm system and is also expected to make the jump to the Florida Complex League in 2025.

(Pictures of Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox rookie-level affiliate wins Dominican Summer League championship

One of the Red Sox’ rookie-level Dominican Summer League affiliates celebrated winning a championship on Saturday afternoon.

DSL Red Sox Red defeated the DSL Angels, 6-0, in the third and final game of the Dominican Summer League Finals at the Sox’ Dominican Academy in El Toro de Guerra.

Four Red Sox Red pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout in Saturday’s finale. Jeison Payano got the start and was responsible for the first three innings. The 18-year-old right-hander issued three walks and struck out four without giving up a hit. Greider Colina followed with 1 2/3 additional scoreless frames before making way for Juan Henriquez.

Henriquez, another 18-year-old righty, surrendered both of the Angels’ hits while walking two and fanning a pair across 2 2/3 scoreless innings en route to notching his second winning decision of the DSL postseason. Gilbel Galvan put the finishing touches on an impressive day for the pitching staff by putting up one last zero in the top of the ninth.

On the other side of things, mid-season DSL All-Stars Anderson Fermin and Justin Gonzales were the driving forces for the Red Sox Red lineup. Fermin, leading off and starting in center field, went 3-for-5 with one run scored and one stolen base. Gonzales, serving as his side’s designated hitter, went 4-for-5 with an RBI double and two runs scored out of the three-hole.

Fermin and Gonzales, both 17, signed with the Red Sox as international free agents coming out of the Dominican Republic back in January. They received signing bonuses of $400,000 and $250,000, respectively.

Fermin, a switch-hitter, batted .293/.408/.337 with six doubles, one triple, 23 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 49 regular season games (224 plate appearances). He made 39 starts in center field, one in left field, and eight at DH.

Gonzales, a right-handed hitter, slashed .320/.391/.517 with 11 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 29 RBIs, 29 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 19 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 47 regular season games (192 plate appearances). He made 31 starts at first base, 13 in right field, two in center field, and one at DH.

With a regular season record of 42-14, Red Sox Red won the DSL West by 4 1/2 games and went 6-1 in the postseason. DSL Red Sox Blue, Boston’s other Dominican Summer League affiliate, finished with a regular season record of 27-26 and did not qualify for the postseason.

Red Sox Red, meanwhile, swept DSL CLE Goryl (Guardians affiliate) in the quarterfinals and DSL Rangers Red in the semifinals on its way to the championship. It split the first two games of the best-of-three finals against the Angels before coming out on top on Saturday.

For the Red Sox as an organization, this is their first DSL title since 2016 and only their second since the Dominican Summer League was formed in 1985.

(Picture courtesy of the Dominican Summer League)

Red Sox minor leaguer suspended for positive drug test

Red Sox minor league pitcher Anthony Felix has received a 56-game suspension for violating the drug prevention and treatment program for minor league players assigned outside of the United States and Canada, Major League Baseball announced on Friday.

Felix, a right-hander who pitched in the Dominican Summer League this season, tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Stanozolol, which is known for its ability to promote fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass. The 20-year-old has been placed on the restricted list and will not be paid during his suspension.

A native of the Dominican Republic himself, Felix signed with the Red Sox for $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Santo Domingo back in June. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound hurler posted a 3.55 ERA (4.81 FIP) with 26 strikeouts to 14 walks in 14 relief appearances (25 1/3 innings) between Boston’s two DSL affiliates this year. He is not currently ranked among the organization’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com.

Felix, who does not turn 21 until next May, is the second Red Sox minor leaguer to be disciplined for violating MLB’s drug prevention and treatment program for minor league players assigned outside of the United States and Canada this season. Fellow righty Charlie Zink was also handed down a 56-game suspension for testing positive for Stanozolol last month.

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

Who is Moises Bolivar? Red Sox traded infielder who can ‘hit the ball with authority’ to Dodgers for James Paxton

The Red Sox dipped into their 2024 international signing class in order to complete a trade with the Dodgers on Friday afternoon.

In exchange for bringing back veteran left-hander James Paxton, who was designated for assignment on Monday, Boston dealt minor-league infielder Moises Bolivar to Los Angeles, per a club announcement.

Bolivar, who turned 17 earlier this month, is in the middle of his first professional season in the Dominican Summer League after signing with the Red Sox as an international free agent in January. The native Venezuelan received a modest $25,000 bonus and was not viewed by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of the top-ranked prospects in Boston’s farm system.

A right-handed hitter, Bolivar batted .270/.364/.423 with six doubles, one triple, three home runs, 19 RBIs, 17 runs scored, one stolen base, 17 walks, and 21 strikeouts in 31 games (132 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Blue. He clubbed a walk-off homer in his penultimate game with the rookie-level affiliate on Wednesday.

Among the 82 Dominican Summer League hitters who entered Friday with at least 130 plate appearances this season, Bolivar ranked 29th in strikeout rate (15.9 percent), 40th in batting average, 28th in slugging percentage, 42nd in OPS (.787), 25th in isolated power (.153), and 43rd in swinging-strike rate (24.5 percent), according to FanGraphs.

When asked by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier for a brief assessment of Bolivar, one evaluator “praised his high contact rate and ability to hit the ball with authority.” SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall added that Bolivar is aggressive at the plate but has “solid contact skills” and “rarely whiffs on pitches in the zone.”

On the other side of the ball, Bolivar served as DSL Red Sox Blue’s primary third baseman. The 6-foot, 175-pounder made 23 starts at the hot corner, committing 10 errors in 68 defensive chances over 187 2/3 innings. He also started three games at first base and five at DH.

Since the trade is official, the Dodgers have assigned Bolivar to one of their two Dominican Summer League affiliates (DSL LAD Mega). The Red Sox, meanwhile, transferred injured right-hander Bryan Mata to the 60-day injured list to make room for Paxton on the 40-man roster. They will need to make another move before adding him to the major league roster.

(Picture of James Paxton: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Two Red Sox prospects named Dominican Summer League All-Stars

Two young prospects have been selected to represent the Red Sox in the 2024 Dominican Summer League All-Star Game on Sunday.

First baseman/outfielder Justin Gonzales and outfielder Anderson Fermin will suit up for the American League as they go up against DSL All-Stars from the National League at the Milwaukee Brewers’ Dominican complex in Santo Domingo. First pitch is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET.

Gonzales and Fermin are two 17-year-olds who signed with Boston as international free agents back in January. The Dominican Republic natives received bonuses of $250,000 and $400,000, respectively. The former has spent his first professional season with DSL Red Sox Blue while the latter has been playing for DSL Red Sox Red.

Gonzales, a right-handed hitter, has batted .324/.402/.537 with six doubles, four triples, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 21 runs scored, three stolen bases, 13 walks, and 10 strikeouts in 30 games (122 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Blue. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder has made 20 starts at first base, eight in right field, one in center field, and one at DH. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 55 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

According to Ben Badler of Baseball America, Gonzales — who turns 18 in December — “already has plus raw power that could end up a plus-plus tool.” He “uses the whole field, typically stays within the strike zone, and doesn’t miss much when he does swing thanks to a fairly short stroke for his size.”

Fermin, a switch-hitter, has slashed .300/.423/.336 with two doubles, one triple, 14 RBIs, 23 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 23 walks, and 12 strikeouts in 29 games (137 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Red. The 5-foot-11, 174-pounder has made 24 starts in center field, four at DH, and one in left field. He is not ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com.

In his recent evaluation of the Red Sox farm system, FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen classified Fermin as a “compact rookie-level hitter.” He noted that Fermin, who turns 18 in September, “tracks pitches very well and has the speed to develop in center. His sweeping, downward bat path produces very little power right now.”

While Gonzales and Fermin were selected to the Dominican Summer League All-Star Game as players, DSL Red Sox Red manager Sandy Madera was named to the American League’s coaching staff under DSL Rangers Red skipper Nick Janssen.

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

Red Sox minor leaguer suspended for positive drug test

Red Sox minor-league pitcher Charlie Zink has received a 56-game suspension for violating the Drug Prevention and Treatment Program for Minor League players assigned outside of the United States and Canada, Major League Baseball announced on Friday.

Zink, a right-hander in the Dominican Summer League, tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Stanozolol, which is known for its ability to promote fat loss while retaining lean muscle mass. The 18-year-old has been placed on the restricted list and will not be paid during his suspension.

Not to be confused with the knuckleballer who appeared in one game for the Red Sox in 2008, this Charlie Zink is a native of Curacao who signed with Boston for $70,000 as an international free agent coming out of Willemstad last December. He is not currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as one of the top 60 prospects in the organization.

In four starts for DSL Red Sox Red, Zink posted an 8.53 ERA and 6.78 FIP with five strikeouts to seven walks over 6 1/3 innings to begin his professional career. Opposing hitters batted .250 in 30 plate appearances against the 6-foot-4, 180-pound hurler, who has reportedly touched 95 mph with his fastball.

Zink, who does not turn 19 until January, was not the only minor leaguer to be suspended on Friday. Fellow righty Yeury Tatiz, who is with the Mariners’ High-A affiliate in Modesto, Calif., was handed down an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Clomiphene, which violates the Joint Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

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

Young Red Sox prospect Starlyn Nunez ‘has stood out’ at minor-league spring training

The Red Sox have a number of intriguing prospects who are slated to make their stateside debuts this season, including infielder Starlyn Nunez.

Nunez, 18, made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year after signing with Boston for $52,500 as an international free agent coming out of San Pedro de Macoris in January. In 49 games for DSL Red Sox Blue, the switch-hitter batted .325/.391/.479 with 12 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 34 RBIs, 32 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 17 walks, and 29 strikeouts over 215 plate appearances.

Though he was sharing an infield with rising Red Sox prospect and fellow international signee Yoeilin Cespedes, Nunez was recognized by Minor League Baseball as a Dominican Summer League Season-End All-Star. Among the 41 players in the DSL who made at least 210 trips to the plate in 2023, Nunez ranked 11th in strikeout rate (13.5 percent), seventh in batting average, 19th in on-base percentage, eighth in slugging percentage, ninth in OPS (.870), 14th in isolated power (.155), 13th in line-drive rate (21.4 percent), and 10th in wRC+ (129), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Nunez split his playing time in the dirt between second and third base. The projectable and athletic 6-foot, 155-pounder logged 210 1/3 innings at the hot corner and 161 innings at the keystone, committing a total of 11 errors (nine of which came at third) in 146 chances. He also served as his side’s designated hitter on four separate occasions.

Nunez, who does not turn 19 until October, is expected to play in the rookie-level Florida Complex League this season. As such, he has been taking part at minor-league camp on the backfields of the Fenway South complex in Fort Myers. Those who have seen him in-person this spring have come away impressed.

This past weekend, for instance, Nunez received plenty of praise from SoxProspects.com. On Saturday, the website’s main Twitter account noted that Nunez “has stood out in camp” and has “fluid movements in the field.” On Sunday, both director of scouting Ian Cundall and executive editor Chris Hatfield tweeted that Nunez will likely enter the site’s top 60 prospect rankings in its next update.

In addition to Nunez and Cespedes, shortstop Franklin Arias and right-hander Gilberto Batista are among the other standouts from last year’s Red Sox Dominican Summer League contingent who are projected to make the jump to the Florida Complex League in 2024.

(Picture of Starlyn Nunez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)