Tag: miguel bleis

Red Sox promote OF prospect Miguel Bleis to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted outfield prospect and former top international signing Miguel Bleis from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Bleis, 21, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 20 prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 12 and SoxProspects.com has him at No. 13 in the system. The right-handed hitter got his season off to a somewhat late start due to a quad injury, but batted .226/.314/.422 with 15 doubles, one triple, a team-leading 13 home runs and 41 RBIs, 48 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 75 strikeouts in 77 games (325 plate appearances) for Greenville. That includes a .247/.327/.466 slash line against right-handed pitching and a .156/.270/.266 slash line against left-handed pitching.

Among 71 qualified South Atlantic League hitters entering play Friday, Bleis notably ranks first in pull rate (62.6 percent), second in fly ball rate (46.3 percent), ninth in isolated power (.195), 14th in slugging percentage, 23rd in OPS (.736), 24th in wOBA (.343), and 29th in strikeout rate (23.1 percent) and wRC+ (113), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Bleis saw playing time at all three outfield spots with Greenville this season. The athletic 6-foot-2, 205-pounder made 37 starts in right field, 30 starts in center field, and four starts in left field, recording five assists (all from center) and committing two errors in 137 total chances. He also made six starts at DH.

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Bleis received the largest bonus ($1.5 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox signed in 2021. The San Pedro de Macorís native was once viewed as a consensus top-100 prospect after dominating the rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2022. Since undergoing season-ending left shoulder surgery in June 2023, however, he has struggled to produce consistent results, despite occasionally showing flashes of his five-tool potential.

In Portland, Bleis figures to provide the Sea Dogs with additional outfield help after the Red Sox traded James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard to the Dodgers for right-hander Dustin May on Thursday. This promotion is also noteworthy because Bleis can become eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft, so how he fares in his first stint at the Double-A level could go a long way in determining if he is worthy of being added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline.

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

Is Red Sox OF prospect Miguel Bleis poised to bounce back in 2025?

Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis is in need of a bounce-back season in 2025. There is good reason to believe it could happen, at least according to one prominent publication.

Last week, Baseball America’s Jesus Cano identified 15 prospects “who are poised to bounce back with the new season on the horizon.” Bleis was among those 15 and the lone representative from the Red Sox organization.

Bleis, who turns 21 next month, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The Dominican Republic native originally signed with the Red Sox for $1.5 million as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of San Pedro de Macoris in January 2021.

As noted by Cano, Bleis showed signs of promise early into his career. Following a successful professional debut in the 2021 Dominican Summer League, he truly burst onto the prospect scene in 2022 by slashing .301/.353/.542 with 14 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 27 RBIs, 28 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 40 Florida Complex League games.

On the heels of earning 2022 FCL All-Star honors, Bleis entered Baseball America’s Top 100 rankings in 2023 and opened the season as the No. 88 prospect in the sport. The right-handed hitter broke camp with Low-A Salem but batted just .230/.282/.325 with three doubles, three triples, one home run, 16 RBIs, 18 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases over 31 games before suffering a left shoulder subluxation that ultimately required season-ending surgery that June.

After spending the next several months rehabbing — and adding more than 30 pounds of muscle to his wiry frame in doing so — Bleis had a normal spring training last year and returned to Salem for the start of the 2024 season. He then slashed .257/.349/.398 with 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 24 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 21 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 43 games (195 plate appearances) before receiving a promotion to High-A Greenville on June 11.

Though he was riding a relatively hot bat at the time of his promotion, Bleis struggled to produce consistently in his first stint at Greenville. In 52 games for the Drive, he hit a disappointing .190/.265/.319 with six doubles, seven home runs, 25 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 22 stolen bases, 18 walks, and 54 strikeouts over 234 plate appearances.

Altogether, Bleis batted .220/.303/.354 (94 wRC+) with 16 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 47 RBIs, 56 runs scored, an organizational-leading 38 stolen bases, 39 walks, and 92 strikeouts in 95 total games (429 plate appearances) between Salem and Greenville last season. Among 21 Red Sox minor-leaguers who made at least 400 trips to the plate in 2024, Bleis most notably ranked second in wSB (1.9), fourth in speed score (6.7), and seventh in strikeout rate (21.4 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Bleis saw most of his playing time last year come in center field. Between Salem and Greenville, the approximate 6-foot-2, 203-pounder logged 532 2/3 innings in center, where he recorded four assists and committed six errors in 153 total defensive chances. He also made 19 starts in right field (where he recorded two more outfield assists) and 15 starts at DH.

With intriguing raw power and plus speed to support his range in the outfield, Bleis still possesses the kind of five-tool potential that could help him reclaim a spot on Baseball America’s Top 100 list in 2025. His chances of accomplishing that would likely improve if he can continue to refine his approach at the plate to the point where he is whiffing considerably less.

Barring a trade or other surprise move, Bleis is expected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 campaign. Given the fact that he can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time in December, it would not be surprising if he worked his way up to Double-A Portland before the season comes to a close.

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

Red Sox promote top outfield prospect Miguel Bleis to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox are promoting top outfield prospect Miguel Bleis from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Bleis, 20, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter batted .257/.349/.398 with 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 22 RBIs, 24 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 21 walks, and 38 strikeouts over 43 games (195 plate appearances) for Salem to begin the 2024 season.

After undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a left shoulder subluxation last summer, Bleis unsurprisingly got off to a slow start in his return to Salem this spring. He struggled to a .573 OPS through the end of April before turning a corner offensively in May by slashing .318/.408/.506. He then missed some time at the beginning of the month while recovering from a root canal but extended his hitting streak to 16 games and on-base streak to 25 games upon returning to action last week.

Among 79 qualified hitters in the Carolina League to this point in the year, Bleis ranks 18th in strikeout rate (19.5 percent), 25th in batting average, 30th in on-base percentage, 26th in slugging percentage and OPS (.747), 24th in isolated power (.140), fourth in line-drive rate (30.2 percent), and 27th in swinging-strike rate (10.9 percent) and wRC+ (121), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Bleis saw the majority of his playing time in Salem this season come in center field. The 6-foot-2, 203-pounder logged 272 innings in center while committing two errors and recording two outfield assists. He also started six games in right field, where notched an additional assist, and six at designated hitter.

Bleis, who just turned 20 in March, originally signed with the Red Sox for $1.5 million as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January 2021. The San Pedro de Macoris native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that July and followed that by turning heads in the 2022 Florida Complex League.

On the heels of an exciting stateside debut, Bleis came into the 2023 campaign ranked by Baseball America as the No. 88 prospect in the sport. He had a tough time of things in his first go-around with Salem and slashed .230/.282/.325 over 31 games before straining his shoulder and ultimately going under the knife last June.

As such, Bleis saw his prospect stock fall somewhat over the winter but is starting to gain some of it back. A new challenge in the form of a promotion to Greenville, where he will be tasked with facing more advanced pitching, could help him further elevate his profile and get back on top-100 prospects lists.

In making the jump from Salem, Bleis is now slated to join an outfield mix in Greenville that — at the moment — includes the likes of Allan Castro, Juan Chacon, Jhostynxon Garcia, Bryan Gonzalez, Eduardo Lopez, and Miguel Ugueto, among others. He will likely make his High-A debut in the Drive’s upcoming series against the Asheville Tourists at Fluor Field this week.

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

Red Sox outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia ended 2023 season on encouraging note

Red Sox outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia enjoyed a productive second half with Low-A Salem in 2023.

Garcia was a late addition to Salem’s roster after beginning the year at extended spring training in Fort Myers. The 21-year-old was then called up on June 1 as a corresponding move for fellow outfielder Miguel Bleis landing on the injured list with a left shoulder subluxation that would ultimately require season-ending surgery.

Having only played in the rookie-level Dominican Summer and Florida Complex Leagues up until that point in his professional career, Garcia made his full-season debut for Salem on the same night he was promoted. The right-handed hitter got off to a rough start out of the gate and found himself batting just .174/.285/.204 with three doubles, seven RBIs, 13 runs scored, two stolen bases, 14 walks, and 37 strikeouts in his first 28 games (116 plate appearances) with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate.

Despite riding a 3-for-38 (.079) skid going into the major-league All-Star break in mid-July, Garcia seemingly took advantage of the time off and came out on the other side firing. From July 14 through the end of the month, he slashed a stout .327/.426/.654 with his first three home runs of the season and 11 RBIs over 15 games.

Though his production dipped a bit in August, Garcia most notably recorded the first four-hit game of his career on Aug. 23, when he went 4-for-5 with a double, a two-run homer, three runs scored, one walk, and one stolen base at home against the Fredericksburg Nationals. He then closed out the 2023 campaign by posting an .812 OPS in six September contests.

All told, Garcia batted .230/.329/.374 with 14 doubles, six triples, four home runs, 29 RBIs, 46 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 37 walks, and 79 strikeouts in 73 games (310 plate appearances) for Salem last season. That includes a more respectable .264/.356/.473 slash line with 11 doubles, all six of those triples and all four of those homers, 17 runs driven in, seven stolen bases, 23 walks, and 42 strikeouts in 45 games (194 plate appearances) after the All-Star break.

Among the 71 Carolina League hitters who made at least 300 trips to the plate in 2023, Garcia ranked 23rd in walk rate (11.9 percent), 34th in on-base percentage, 26th in slugging percentage, 28th in OPS (.703), 17th in isolated power (.143), ninth in speed score (7.7), sixth in line-drive rate (26.1 percent), and 31st in wRC+ (102), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Garcia saw all of his playing time in the outfield last year come in either center right. The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder logged a team-high 417 1/3 innings at the former and 163 2/3 innings at the latter, combining for five outfield assists while committing a total of five errors in 165 total defensive chances.

A native of Venezuela, Garcia originally signed with the Red Sox for $350,000 as an international free agent coming out of San Fernando de Apure in July 2019. His younger brother, Johanfran, also signed with the club in January 2022 and is now regarded as one of the top young catching prospects in Boston’s farm system.

While he may not get as much shine as his little brother, Jhostynxon was ranked by FanGraphs’ Eric Longengahen as the No. 60 prospect in the Red Sox’ system last June. That was, of course, before the 2023 draft and before the likes of Kyle Teel, Nazzan Zanetello, and Antonio Anderson joined the organization. Still, Longenhagen had some encouraging things to say about the older Garcia.

“Garcia’s power is immense for a [then] 20-year-old,” Longenhagen wrote. “He is much bigger and stronger than his listed height and weight (on his minor league player page, not in this article), and has thunderous power to the opposite field. His swing’s finish is incredible, and it’s rare for a hitter this dense and strong to be that fluid in the hips.”

Garcia, who does not turn 22 until December, is projected to make the jump to High-A Greenville for the start of the 2024 season. As other publications have noted, Garcia’s development moving forward is tied to his hit tool and defensive capabilities since he has already shown the ability to hit for power.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how Garcia fares against more experienced pitching as he continues to climb the minor-league ladder.

(Picture of Jhostynxon Garcia: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Is Red Sox prospect Miguel Bleis primed to break out in 2024?

The 2023 season was supposed to serve as a launching point of sorts for Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis.

Bleis, Boston’s top international signee in 2021, came into the season with high expectations after turning heads in his domestic debut the year prior. The Dominican Republic native posted a .895 OPS in 40 Florida Complex League games and was named a 2022 FCL post-season All-Star, leading to him tabbed by MLB.com’s Jim Callis as the Red Sox’ best international prospect since Rafael Devers.

On the heels of such a promising campaign, Bleis entered Baseball America’s top 100 list as the 88th-ranked prospect in the sport last January. Shortly after celebrating his 19th birthday in March, Bleis made headlines in spring training by ripping a two-run single off Alek Manoah and throwing Brandon Belt out at home in a Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays.

Bleis broke camp with Low-A Salem in April and served as the Red Sox’ Opening Day center fielder. The right-handed hitter got off to a fast start in his first taste of full-season ball, recording at least one hit in his first seven games for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. He then began to taper off to some degree as the calendar flipped from April to May and wound up missing nearly two weeks of action after injuring his left shoulder on May 11.

Upon returning to Salem’s lineup on May 23, Bleis went just 1-for-18 over his next four games before re-aggravating his left shoulder on a swing in the eighth inning of a 3-2 loss to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on May 30. Bleis, in visible pain at that moment, was immediately removed from the contest and placed on the minor-league injured list shortly thereafter.

Later diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation, Bleis underwent season-ending surgery in late June. All told, he slashed .230/.282/.325 with three doubles, three triples, one home run, 16 RBIs, 18 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 10 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 31 games (142 plate appearances) with Salem. On the other side of the ball, the 6-foot, 170-pounder made 11 starts in center field and 13 in right, registering two outfield assists at each spot while only committing one error in 47 total defensive chances.

In the time that has passed since going under the knife, Bleis has resumed baseball activities at the Red Sox’ Dominican academy in El Toro. As noted by 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Tyler Milliken, the San Pedro de Macoris product looks to be back at full strength, as he has been posting videos to Instagram of him swinging a bat throughout the offseason.

To that end, both Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic and Alex Speier of The Boston Globe wrote in November that, based on separate conversations with Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham, Bleis should be ready for a normal spring training.

“He’s in full rehab, focusing on time in the weight room, strengthening his shoulder. He went back to the DR for a bit, was at the Dominican academy and just returned to Fort Myers,” Abraham told McCaffrey. “You never want someone to get hurt, but I think it’s a good opportunity for him to improve the mental and physical side and really put a focus on adding really good weight and strength to a body and frame that’s able to do so.”

Coming into the new year, Bleis is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 72 prospect in the sport. In similar fashion, MLB Pipeline has Bleis as its fifth-ranked Red Sox prospect as well, though the outlet excluded him from its season-ending top 100 list.

Earlier this week, MLB Pipeline picked Bleis as the Red Sox prospect most likely to break out in 2024, citing that the soon-to-be 20-year-old “is a center fielder with the potential for at least solid tools across the board.”

Because of the aforementioned shoulder surgery, Bleis’ future is somewhat clouded. As noted by Speier, who also compiles the Sox’ organizational rankings for Baseball America, “any shoulder surgery carries some risk of altering a player’s swing and approach.” This procedure in particular, per Speier, could amplify Bleis’ tendency to be a free-swinger if it results in him losing any extension or looseness in his swing.

Regardless of the uncertainties there, Bleis still possesses five-tool potential and “franchise-changing upside.” He is expected to return to Salem for the start of the 2024 minor-league season and — assuming he remains healthy and in the organization — should have the chance to make the jump to High-A Greenville by the end of the year.

(Picture of Miguel Bleis: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox expected to sign Dominican outfield prospect Vladimir Asencio later this month

The Red Sox are expected to sign Dominican outfielder Vladimir Asencio when the 2024 international signing period opens on January 15, according to Baseball America’s Ben Badler.

Asencio is slated to receive the 39th-highest bonus this year, per Badler. The 17-year-old is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the No. 33 prospect in the 2024 international signing class.

Like top Red Sox prospect and fellow outfielder Miguel Bleis, who signed with Boston three years ago, Asencio also trained with Mejia Top 10 baseball academy in Santo Domingo.

According to his Baseball America scouting report, Asencio “is one of the most difficult hitters to strike out from the Dominican Republic in this year’s class. He has excellent hand-eye coordination with the bat control to consistently put the ball in play. Asencio isn’t that big, with even scouts who were high on him still uncertain about how much power he will end up developing.”

In similar fashion, MLB Pipeline describes the right-handed hitter as follows: “Armed with a sound bat path and slight uppercut stroke, Asencio has a knack for utilizing the opposing field. He has made consistent hard contact during games, and evaluators believe he will grow into more power as he matures. He remains very much hit-over-power at this stage of his development, but he does sport some sneaky pop.”

Listed at 5-foot-10 and somewhere between 160-170 pounds, Asencio ” boasts loads of physical projection,” per MLB Pipeline. The outlet notes that “athleticism is the first thing that jumps off the page with Asencio. Although he has just average arm strength from center field with fair footwork and range, his speed should enable him to maximize his tools defensively. That same quickness figures to play to his advantage on the basepaths with his medium-sized frame.”

Baseball America adds that while Asencio “isn’t a burner,” he runs “well enough to get a chance to play center field.” To that end, MLB Pipeline grades all of Asencio’s tools, including a 55-hit, as a 50 or better on the 20-80 scouting scale.

While it is not yet known how much money Asencio will be receiving from the Red Sox, it should be noted that the 39th-ranked player on Badler’s 2023 bonus board, Anibal Salas, signed with the Detroit Tigers for $1 million last year. That same dollar figure would account for roughly 18.9 percent of Boston’s $5.284 million bonus pool for the 2024 international signing period, which runs through December 15.

With all that being said, Asencio — who does not turn 18 until December — will presumably make his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League alongside other members of the Sox’ 2024 international signing class at some point later this year.

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

Top Red Sox prospect Miguel Bleis to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

Top Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis has a left shoulder subluxation that will require him to undergo season-ending surgery, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. Chris Henrique of the Boston Sports Journal was first to report his news.

Bleis strained his left shoulder while swinging at a pitch in the eighth inning of Low-A Salem’s 3-2 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans back on May 30. He was immediately taken out of the contest and has not appeared in an affiliated game since.

Instead, Bleis was placed on the minor-league injured list on June 1 and was sent to Fort Myers, Fla. to rehab. In a recent conversation with The Athletic’s Chad Jennings, Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham indicated that Bleis was “focusing on building strength rather than baseball at the moment.”

Bleis, 19, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 86 prospect in the sport. The Red Sox originally signed the Dominican Republic native for $1.5 million in January 2021, making him the highest-paid member of the club’s international signing class that year.

After a solid pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2021, Bleis really burst onto the scene last season. The right-handed hitter broke out to the tune of a .301/.353/.543 slash line with five home runs, 27 RBIs, 28 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 40 Florida Complex League games. He also led Boston’s rookie-level affiliate in outfield assists with five.

On the heels of such an impressive campaign, Bleis was tabbed by MLB Pipeline as the Red Sox’ best international prospect since Rafael Devers. He entered the 2023 season as a consensus top-100 prospect and made some waves during spring training by singling off Alek Manoah and throwing out Brandon Belt at home plate in a Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays on March 13.

Bleis broke camp with Salem in April and had gotten off to a relatively slow start, batting just .230/.282/.325 with three doubles, three triples, one home run, 16 RBIs, 18 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 10 walks, and 38 strikeouts over 31 games (142 plate appearances) in his first exposure to full-season ball.

On the other side of the ball, Bleis saw playing time in center and right field for Salem. The 6-foot, 170-pounder logged 92 innings at the former and 110 innings at the latter while racking up four outfield assists and committing just one error in 47 defensive chances between the two positions.

Though it is still too early to determine a recovery timetable for Bleis — who does not turn 20 until next March — it’s certainly possible that this forthcoming surgery will alter his developmental timeline to at least some degree.

(Picture of Miguel Bleis: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox outfield prospect hits first home run of season for Low-A Salem

Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis hit his first home run of the season for Low-A Salem on Tuesday afternoon.

It came in the eighth inning of Salem’s 5-0 road win over Delmarva at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. With no outs and nobody on, Bleis led off the top half of the frame by taking Shorebirds reliever Edgar Portes deep to left field for his first big fly of the year.

That was Bleis’ lone hit of the day, as Salem’s starting designated hitter went 1-for-4 with one walk and two strikeouts. Following Tuesday’s performance, the right-handed hitting Bleis is now batting .277/.324/.385 with two doubles, one triple, the one homer, eight RBIs, 13 runs scored, four walks, and 20 strikeouts in 15 games (71 plate appearances) with the Red Sox. He is also 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts.

On the other side of the ball, Tuesday marked Bleis’ fourth start of the year at designated hitter. The 6-foot, 170-pounder has also logged 44 innings in center and 52 innings in right field for Salem. He has yet to commit an error at either position and has registered two outfield assists (both in center) thus far.

Bleis, 19, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 81 prospect in all of baseball. The Dominican Republic native originally signed with the Red Sox for $1.5 million as an international free agent coming out of San Pedro de Macoris in January 2021.

With only 91 games of pro ball (and just 15 for a full-season affiliate) under his belt, Bleis has already been tabbed by publications such as MLB Pipeline as the top international prospect Boston has had since Rafael Devers. SoxProspects, on the other hand, identifies Bleis as having “the highest upside of any Latin American prospect in the system.”

Considering the fact that he only turned 19 in March, the Red Sox will likely exhibit patience when it comes to Bleis’ development path. In other words, it would not be all that surprising if Bleis spent the entirety of the 2023 campaign with Salem as opposed to him making the jump to High-A Greenville at some point this summer.

Rogers impresses in latest start

Dalton Rogers made his third start of the season for Salem on Tuesday. The 22-year-old left-hander allowed just one hit and two walks to go along with eight strikeouts over five scoreless innings of work. Of the 90 pitches he threw, 54 went for strikes.

Though he did not factor into Tuesday’s decision, Rogers did lower his ERA on the year down to 2.79 across 9 2/3 innings pitched. The Southern Mississippi product was selected by the Red Sox with the 99th overall pick in last year’s amateur draft. He signed with the club for $447,500 and is currently ranked by SoxProspects as the No. 42 prospect in the organization.

(Picture of Miguel Bleis: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis shows flashes of his potential in first Grapefruit League start

Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis made his impact felt on both sides of the ball in what was his first career Grapefruit League start on Monday afternoon.

Though the Red Sox were trounced by the Blue Jays by a final score of 16-3 in Dunedin, Bleis made the most of his opportunity while serving as Boston’s starting right fielder.

Right out of the gate, Bleis was put on the spot with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning. Red Sox starter Chris Murphy had just given up an RBI single to Addison Barger. Alejandro Kirk easily scored from third on the play, but Brandon Belt was also trying to come in from second to triple his side’s lead.

Bleis, who was playing in deep right field, quickly charged at Barger’s 104.4 mph base hit. With his momentum carrying him towards the infield, Bleis collected himself and unleashed an accurate dart to catcher Stephen Scott that arrived in plenty of time to snuff out Belt at home plate and the end inning.

In the top of the second, Bleis found himself coming to the plate with two outs, the bases loaded, and All-Star starter Alek Manoah on the mound for Toronto. Unfazed by the moment, the right-handed hitter took a 1-2 sinker that was in by his hands and promptly slapped it to the opposite field for what was then a game-tying two-run single.

Bleis was able to put his speed on display by going from first to third on an Enmanuel Valdez RBI single. In the latter half of the second, he made a running grab to rob Whit Merrifield of a hit. But the 19-year-old also showed his lack of experience when he allowed another single off the bat of Barger to get under his glove in the third, which led to three more Toronto runs crossing the plate. He then struck out swinging against Manoah in the fourth.

“That’s why I don’t get too excited, especially in the market where we play,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Bleis when speaking with reporters (including MLB.com’s Joey Johnston). “He has a lot of great tools, no doubt. It seems like everybody knows everybody … and there’s a passion about the kids. But at the same time, I played with guys who were the second coming of whoever — and they never panned out.

“In my mind, I have to be the one who stays calm and keeps it neutral instead of getting too excited,” he added. “When they become big leaguers, they’re big leaguers. But there’s a process. … Just be patient. You’re going to go through ups and downs. When you’re up high, how will you act? When you’re down [low], how will you act? Be patient.”

Bleis, who just turned 19 earlier this month, originally signed with the Red Sox for $1.05 million as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January 2021. The San Pedro de Macoris native has been tabbed by outlets such as MLB Pipeline as Boston’s top international prospect since Rafael Devers.

Though he certainly possesses five-tool potential, Bleis has yet to play above the rookie-ball level. He is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he slashed .301/.353/.543 with 14 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 27 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, 10 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 40 games (167 plate appearances) for the Florida Complex League Red Sox in Fort Myers. The 6-foot-3, 170-pounder also registered a team-high five outfield assists while seeing the majority of his playing time come in center.

As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Bleis will break minor-league camp in April with Low-A Salem, where he will get his first taste of full-season ball. There could be a transition period of sorts as Bleis refines his approach while going up more advanced competition, but his ongoing development will nevertheless be something to monitor moving forward.

Because he is still just 19 years old, Bleis is obviously a ways away from the big-leagues. However, when speaking with Speier on Monday, he indicated that he would like to make his major-league debut by the end of his age-21 season, which is not until 2025.

“I have a goal,” Bleis said through translator Carlos Villoria-Benitez. “In my mind, at the end of my 21­-year old season, that will be a nice thing to do if I make my debut in the big-leagues. “I’m going to play hard and show the team I’m getting ready in all the aspects they want me to.”

(Picture of Miguel Bleis: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Chris Murphy, Brandon Walter struggle as Red Sox get shelled by Blue Jays in 16-3 loss

To put it simply, the Red Sox got rocked by the Blue Jays in Dunedin on Monday afternoon. Boston fell to Toronto by a final score of 16-3 at TD Ballpark to drop to 9-4-4 in Grapefruit League play.

Chris Murphy, making his first start and third overall appearance of the spring, did not fare well for the Red Sox. The left-hander surrendered six runs (five earned) on four hits, six walks, and zero strikeouts over just 2 1/3 innings of work. Only 24 of the 57 pitches he threw went for strikes.

The Blue Jays got to Murphy right away in their half of the first. Bo Bichette got the scoring started by crushing a one-out solo home run off the lefty. Murphy then loaded the bases on back-to-back walks and a single before recording the second out. But he was unable to escape the jam, as Addison Barger snuck an RBI single through the right side of the infield that scored Alejandro Kirk from third. Brandon Belt also attempted to score on the play, but he was thrown out at home plate by right fielder Miguel Bleis for the final out of the inning.

Despite falling behind by two runs right out of the gate, the Red Sox lineup wasted no time in mounting a rally of their own in the top of the second. With All-Star right-hander Alek Manoah starting for the Jays, Niko Goodrum led off with a single and Stephen Scott and Nick Sogard each took ball four. That ultimately loaded the bases with two outs for Bleis, who came through by roping a game-tying, two-run single to right field.

Manoah had been laboring to that point in the inning, and so the Blue Jays elected to temporarily take their starter out of the game and bring in Jackson Rees out of the bullpen. Following that pitching change, Enmanuel Valdez greeted the new reliever by plating Sogard from third on another single to right field. That gave the Red Sox a 3-2 lead heading into the middle of the second.

Murphy followed by facing the minimum with the help of a double play, but his struggles to command the strike zone continued in the third. There, he again filled the bases with one out before issuing a bases-loaded walk to Orelvis Martinez, allowing Toronto to tie things up at three runs apiece. Martinez would prove to be the final batter Murphy would face, as he was given the hook in favor of fellow southpaw Cam Booser.

Booser entered with the bases still loaded and two outs to get in the third. He immediately gave up a bases-clearing single to Barger that was misplayed by Bleis in right field. As a result of Bleis’ error, all three runners Booser had inherited scored (Murphy was charged with all six runs) while Barger moved up all the way to third before being thrown out at home moments later.

The Blue Jays continued to haunt Red Sox lefties in the fourth. Brandon Walter, who took over for Booser, served up a leadoff double to Whit Merrifield that was followed by a blistering 453-foot two-run blast off the bat of Bichette (his second homer of the day), which gave Toronto a commanding 8-3 advantage.

Walter surrendered two more hits in the fourth before allowing another run to score on a Kevin Kiermaier groundout. The 26-year-old got tagged for three additional runs in the fifth on four more hits (including an RBI double from Merrifield) and a fielding error committed by second baseman Eddinson Paulino.

In the sixth, Wyatt Mills allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base before serving up a three-run home run to the pinch-hitting Andres Sosa. The same thing happened in the seventh as Mills gave up a single to Cam Eden before plunking Vinny Capra to put runners at first and second. He then made way for Durbin Feltman, who filled the bases with two outs before issuing yet another bases-loaded walk to Davis Schneider.

That sequence of events put Toronto up, 16-3. Feltman wrapped up an otherwise miserable day for Boston pitching by working his way around a leadoff double in a scoreless eighth inning in which he struck out a pair.

Offensively, the only real damage the Red Sox did came in the second inning. Outside of that lone productive frame, Boston batters were completely shut out by Manoah and the rest of Toronto’s pitching staff. When down to their final three outs in the ninth, Max Ferguson drew a leadoff walk before Marcelo Mayer, Matthew Lugo, and Gilberto Jimenez each went down swinging against Yosver Zulueta to put the finishing touches on a 16-3 loss.

Other worthwhile observations:

Bleis (1-for-2 with two RBIs) was one of three Red Sox hitters to record a hit on Monday. The 19-year-old outfielder is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Valdez, who had one of the other two hits and the only other RBI, is currently ranked 19th on the publication’s list.

Next up: Pivetta vs. Lorenzen

The Red Sox will travel to Lakeland to take on the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. Nick Pivetta is slated to get the start for Boston opposite fellow righty Michael Lorenzen for Detroit.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. eastern time. The game will not be televised.

(Picture of Chris Murphy: Elsa/Getty Images)