Tag: nick yorke

Red Sox trade prospect Nick Yorke to Pirates in swap of former first-round picks

The Red Sox once again dipped into their middle infield depth in order to complete a trade with the Pirates on Monday afternoon.

In exchange for right-hander Quinn Priester, Boston traded infield prospect Nick Yorke to Pittsburgh. Yorke becomes the third young infielder to be dealt by the Red Sox in the last three days, joining Eddinson Paulino and Cutter Coffey, who were shipped off to the Blue Jays alongside righty Gilberto Batista for catcher Danny Jansen on Saturday.

Yorke, 22, entered Monday ranked by Baseball America as the No. 14 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter had batted .310/.408/.490 with eight doubles, six home runs, 19 RBIs, 32 runs scored, six stolen bases, 24 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 38 games (169 plate appearances) for Triple-A Worcester this season after earning a promotion from Double-A Portland in early June.

“He had a great season,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Yorke when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith). “He’s a good player but obviously where we’re at roster-wise and within the organization, it’s something we have to take advantage of in a sense.”

Yorke was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 17th overall pick in the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif. The Newport Beach native forwent his commitment to the University of Arizona by signing with Boston for $2.7 million. He made his professional debut the following May and burst onto the scene by slashing .325/.412/.516 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, and 62 RBIs in 97 games (442 plate appearances) between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville as a 19-year-old in 2021.

After being recognized as the organization’s Minor League Offensive Player of the Year, Yorke came into the 2022 campaign ranked by Baseball America as the No. 31 prospect in the entire sport. However, due to injuries to his toe, back, and wrist, he was limited to just 80 games with Greenville and batted .232/.303/.365 over 373 plate appearances. He subsequently dropped from BA’s top-100 list but had a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. He then bounced back to the tune of a .268/.350/.435 slash line in 110 games (506 plate appearances) for Portland in 2023 while playing in the All-Star Futures Game and being named the Sea Dogs’ Most Valuable Player.

Yorke somewhat surprisingly returned to Portland for the start of the 2024 season and batted .251/.325/.366 in 45 games (197 plate appearances) out of the gate. While a .691 OPS is far from eye-popping, Yorke made strides in terms of his swing decisions and hard-hit rate, which led to him making the jump to Worcester on June 5.

In addition to what he did offensively between Portland and Worcester this season, Yorke also played the outfield for the first time in his professional career. Traditionally a second baseman, the 6-foot, 200-pounder made 11 starts in left field for the Sea Dogs and 15 starts in left field with the WooSox, mainly in deference to the rehabbing Vaughn Grissom.

With the likes of Grissom, David Hamilton, Enmanuel Valdez, Chase Meidroth, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell making up a crowded middle infield mix in the upper minors for the Red Sox, Yorke became expendable. The Red Sox took advantage of that and improved an area of weakness (pitching depth) by trading Yorke to the Pirates for Priester.

“In Quinn, we see a young starting pitcher with a ton of potential,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “He throws strikes and misses and keeps the ball on the ground, which is a good place to start when seeking rotation pieces. It hurts to give up a player as talented as Nick, but we saw upper-level middle infielders as an area where we have a lot of good players.”

Yorke, who does not turn 23 until next April, will report to the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis, Ind. If he is not called up for his major-league debut by the end of the season, he will need to be added to Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster this winter in order to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft.

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

Red Sox promote top prospect Nick Yorke to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have promoted second baseman/left fielder Nick Yorke from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, per the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Yorke, 22, is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 8 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter had been with Portland since the start of the 2023 season, batting .263/.343/.415 with 33 doubles, five triples, 17 home runs, 88 RBIs, 95 runs scored, 26 stolen bases, 69 walks, and 158 strikeouts over 155 total games (703 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

After representing the Red Sox in last summer’s All-Star Futures Game and being named the Sea Dogs’ 2023 Most Valuable Player, Yorke somewhat surprisingly returned to Portland for the start of the 2024 campaign. He batted .251/.325/.366 with eight doubles, four homers, 27 RBIs, 21 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 18 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 45 games (197 plate appearances) leading up to Wednesday’s promotion.

While a .691 OPS does not necessarily jump off the page, Yorke has cut down his strikeout rate from 24.1 percent last year to 18.3 percent this year. He has also been swinging a hotter bat as of late and has gone 8-for-27 (.296) with one double, one home run, and four RBIs over his last six games dating back to May 29. He went 2-for-4 with one run scored, one walk, and two strikeouts in Portland’s series-opening win over Akron at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night.

On the other side of the ball, Yorke has added some versatility to his profile this season after coming up strictly as an infielder. In addition to making 33 starts at second base for Portland, the 6-foot, 200-pounder started 11 games and logged 98 1/3 innings in left field, where he recorded one outfield assist without committing an error.

Yorke was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 17th overall pick in the COVID-shortened 2020 amateur draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School. The California native signed for $2.7 million and burst onto the scene in 2021 en route to being recognized as the Red Sox’ Minor League Offensive Player of the Year. He entered Baseball America’s top 100 prospects rankings and peaked at No. 31 in 2022 but has since fallen out of the national spotlight to some degree.

With that being said, Yorke now finds himself just one call away from the major leagues. He will make his Triple-A debut on Wednesday night, as he is slated to start at second base and bat sixth for the WooSox in the second game of their six-game series against the Rochester Red Wings at Polar Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. eastern time.

Yorke, who does not turn 23 until next April, can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in his career this winter if he is not added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster this winter. He could, of course, emerge as an intriguing trade candidate later this summer if he draws interest from other clubs.

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

Red Sox prospect Nick Yorke likely to see playing time in outfield this season

The Red Sox optioned two players and reassigned eight non-roster invitees to minor-league camp on Monday. Chief among them was infield prospect Nick Yorke.

Taking part in his second big-league camp, Yorke appeared in 15 Grapefruit League games for Boston this spring. The right-handed hitting 21-year-old went just 2-for-22 (.091) with a pair of singles, three walks, and seven strikeouts. He did, however, go 2-for-2 with a double and RBI in this past Saturday’s Spring Breakout showcase against the Braves at JetBlue Park.

“He didn’t do much offensively,” manager Alex Cora said of Yorke when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) on Monday. “It felt like he was in between the whole camp. He didn’t get too many opportunities because of lack of versatility. He played great at second base. The times he was on the bases, good instincts.

“But the offensive side of it, that was his ticket when he got drafted — he’s going to be an offensive middle infielder,” Cora added. “And we’ve got to get back to that. I think now, slow things down, go do your work wherever he starts. PD (player development), they’ll determine that. Get his at-bats and get back to the hitter the organization envisioned when they drafted him in ‘20.”

Yorke was, of course, originally selected by the Red Sox in the first round (17th overall pick) of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose. The California native came into the spring ranked by Baseball America as the No. 8 prospect in Boston’s farm system after bouncing back from an injury-riddled 2022 at High-A Greenville and batting .268/.350/.435 with 25 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 61 RBIs, 74 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, 51 walks, and 122 strikeouts in 110 games (506 plate appearances) with Double-A Portland last year.

Though his production dipped to some degree in the second half, Yorke represented the Red Sox at last July’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle and was later named the Sea Dogs’ 2023 Most Valuable Player. He is now considered by Baseball America to be the best hitter for average in Boston’s farm system, though he struggled to put those bat-to-ball skills on display this spring.

As noted by the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, the Red Sox will use the rest of spring training to determine if Yorke — who turns 22 next month — will return to Portland or make the jump to Triple-A Worcester for the start of the 2024 minor-league campaign. They will also dispatch the 5-foot-11, 200-pounder at other positions besides second base throughout the season in an effort to add to his defensive versatility.

“I was just talking to Abes (director of player development Brian Abraham). I think they are going to introduce him to left field,” Cora said. “He’s a good athlete. Big, strong and he moves well. He moves really well. So they are probably going to try to do that.”

Yorke, who has been used exclusively as a second baseman since entering the professional ranks, began taking reps in the outfield earlier in camp but saw all of his playing time in games this spring come at either second or DH. He told The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham last month that he hasn’t played outfield since eighth grade but was “happy to give it a shot.”

“I was always an outfielder until I got to high school,” said Yorke. “I never touched the infield until then. I was one of the more athletic kids and they put me there and the rest is history.”

Regardless of where he plays or what level he starts out at, though, Yorke is entering a pivotal season for his development in that he can become Rule 5 eligible for the first time later this year. As such, the Red Sox are surely planning on using these next few months to determine if Yorke, who needs to be added to the 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November, is in their future plans or not.

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

Red Sox prospect Nick Yorke got back on track in 2023

A bounceback 2023 season for Red Sox prospect Nick Yorke culminated in him being named Double-A Portland’s Most Valuable Player.

Coming off an injury-riddled 2022 campaign in which he struggled to a .668 OPS in 80 games with High-A Greenville, Yorke faced a fair amount of skepticism going into his third full professional season. After a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, however, the 21-year-old second baseman seemingly carried over that momentum into the spring and broke camp with Portland.

Tasked with facing upper-minors pitching for the first time in his career, Yorke got off to a fast start with the Sea Dogs. Through the end of May, the right-handed hitter found himself batting a stout .290/.412/.490 with seven doubles, three triples, six home runs, 19 RBIs, 35 runs scored, five stolen bases, 29 walks, and 43 strikeouts in his first 40 games (187 plate appearances) for Boston’s Eastern League affiliate.

Though his production dropped off to some degree in June, Yorke joined Sea Dogs teammates Marcelo Mayer and Luis Guerrero in representing the Red Sox at July’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle. There at T-Mobile Park, he went 1-for-3 with a hard-hit, 388-foot double and strikeout while serving as the American League’s starting second baseman.

Upon returning from the Emerald City, Yorke returned to form in August by slashing .310/.396/.517 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 22 games. He then managed just eight hits in 11 September contests, though he was honored as Portland’s 2023 MVP alongside Guerrero (Pitcher of the Year), Chase Meidroth (Defensive Player of the Year), and Tyler Dearden (Citizen of the Year) before the Sea Dogs’ final game of the season at Hadlock Field.

All told, Yorke batted .268/.350/.435 with a team-leading 25 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, a team-leading 61 RBIs and 74 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, 51 walks, and 122 strikeouts in a career-high 110 games (506 plate appearances) for Portland last season. Among 42 other qualified hitters in the Eastern League, Yorke ranked 19th in strikeout rate (24.1 percent), fifth in batting average, 13th in on-base percentage, 14th in slugging percentage, 11th in OPS (.785), 18th in isolated power (.167), fifth in speed score (6.9), 18th in line-drive rate (19.6 percent), 21st in swinging-strike rate (12 percent), and 15th in wRC+ (116), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Yorke established himself as the Sea Dogs’ primary second baseman early on and wound up making a team-high 96 starts at the keystone. Over 839 2/3 innings at second, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound infielder committed just six errors in 373 total chances, which translates to a .984 fielding percentage. To that end, Yorke was identified as the best defensive second baseman in the Eastern League by league managers in Baseball America’s 2023 Best Tools survey.

Named an organizational All-Star by both MiLB.com and SoxProspects.com, Yorke did well to put himself back on the map last season. The California native was, of course, originally taken by the Red Sox with the 17th overall pick in the COVID-shortened 2020 amateur draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose. Though a surprising selection at the time for various reasons, Boston swayed Yorke away from his commitment to Arizona by signing him for $2.7 million.

In the time that has passed since he was drafted, Yorke has experienced both the highs and lows of pro ball. After a stellar debut between Low-A Salem and Greenville in 2021, he was recognized Minor League Offensive Player of the Year. As previously mentioned, a plethora of injuries — including turf toe, back stiffness, and left wrist soreness — limited Yorke to just 80 games with Greenville in 2022 and created some questions regarding his future.

On the heels rebounding nicely in 2023, Yorke comes into the new year ranked by Baseball America as the No. 8 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is currently taking part in the Red Sox’ rookie development program after working with several other Boston infielders in the Dallas-area last week as part of an offseason camp put together by native Texan Trevor Story.

Yorke, who turns 22 in April, could either return to Portland or make the jump to Triple-A Worcester for the start of the 2024 minor-league season . That decision, as noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, will likely depend on how much playing time is available for Yorke at Worcester given the influx of middle infield depth the Red Sox have.

Speier, who also contributes to Baseball America’s Red Sox coverage, reported late last week that both Yorke and outfield prospect Miguel Bleis are among those in the organization who have drawn some level of trade interest this winter as chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Co. scour the market for starting pitching.

Unlike Bleis, who is still years away from big-league consideration and has a higher ceiling as a result, Yorke can be viewed as a more rational trade target after the Red Sox acquired infielder Vaughn Grissom from the Braves for Chris Sale and cash considerations in late December.

Grissom, who just turned 23 and comes with six years of club control, is all but certain to open the 2024 season as Boston’s starting second baseman. Yorke, meanwhile, can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time at the end of the year if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November.

Because of that, the Red Sox could look to deal Yorke between now and this summer’s trade deadline if they view him as expendable and if Grissom — or another in-house option, perhaps — proves that they can handle the bulk of responsibilities at second base moving forward.

If Yorke does remain with the Red Sox through the winter and into the spring, though, he could put himself in position to make his big-league debut at some point before the 2024 season draws to a close.

(Picture of Nick Yorke: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Amid bounce-back season, top Red Sox prospect Nick Yorke comes through in clutch for Double-A Portland on Sunday

Red Sox infield prospect Nick Yorke came through when needed in Double-A Portland’s series-splitting road win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Tied 1-1 going into the seventh inning, Yorke stepped up to the plate with two outs and Corey Rosier representing the potential go-ahead run at second base. Opposed by Rumble Ponies reliever Daison Acosta, Yorke worked a 2-1 count before drilling the fourth pitch he saw through the left side of the infield and into left field.

Rosier scored easily from second to put the Sea Dogs up 2-1, which would go on to be Sunday’s final score as Portland put an end to a three-game losing streak. Yorke, who reached base four times in total after being hit by a pitch in the ninth inning, finished the day going 3-for-4 with that clutch RBI single, a double, and a stolen base out of the two-spot.

Despite the fact that the Sea Dogs dropped three straight at one point, it was an all-around impressive week at the plate for Yorke in Binghamton. Including Sunday’s three-hit showing, the right-handed hitting second baseman went 8-for-21 (.381) with two doubles, one home run, seven RBIs, three runs scored, tw0 stolen bases, two walks, and four strikeouts while appearing in five games.

After a tepid July in which he missed time due to lower body soreness and produced a .617 OPS in 14 games, Yorke — who represented the Red Sox at last month’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle — has bounced back nicely in August. Over his last 14 games dating back to the first of the month, the 21-year-old is batting .305/.379/.525 with four doubles, three homers, 11 RBIs, 10 runs scored, four stolen bases, five walks, and 12 strikeouts across 66 trips to the plate.

On the 2023 campaign — his first with Portland — as a whole, Yorke has slashed a respectable .275/.352/.456 with 18 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 54 runs driven in, 61 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 40 walks, and 102 strikeouts in 91 games (420 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs . It is worth noting that he has put up those numbers while being one of the youngest players to swing a bat at the Double-A level this year.

Among qualified hitters in the pitcher-friendly Eastern League, Yorke ranks 26th in strikeout rate (24.3 percent), ninth in batting average, 20th in on-base percentage, 14th in slugging percentage, 12th in OPS (.808), 17th in isolated power (.181), 14th in speed score (6.3), 21st in line-drive rate (19.9 percent), and 14th in wRC+ (120), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Yorke has unsurprisingly seen all of his playing time this season come at second base. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder has logged a team-leading 673 2/3 innings at the keystone and has committed four errors in 305 defensive chances.

Yorke, the No. 5 prospect in Boston’s farm system according to Baseball America’s latest rankings, was originally taken by the Red Sox with the 17th overall pick in the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, Calif.). That selection was met with plenty of surprise, as most publications at the time did not view Yorke as a first-round talent. Nevertheless, the Newport Beach native forwent his commitment to Arizona by signing with the club for an under-slot $2.7 million.

After bursting onto the scene in his professional debut in 2021, Yorke dealt with a plethora of injuries while with High-A Greenville in 2022 and saw his offensive production take a hit as a result. Limited to just 80 games due to turf toe, back stiffness, and left wrist soreness, Yorke struggled to a .232/.303/.365 slash line when on the field.

Rather than lick his wounds and rest after a disappointing season, though, Yorke elected to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League. Able to work with Red Sox hitting coordinator Lance Zawadski and Triple-A Worcester assistant hitting coach Mike Montville (who was also serving as a hitting coach for Scottsdale), Yorke altered his swing mechanics and got back on track in the desert. He hit .342/.424/.526 with eight doubles, two homers, and 18 RBIs in 19 games (92 plate appearances) and earned AFL All-Star honors for his efforts.

Nearly a year later, it appears as though Yorke has gotten back to the point where he can be viewed as one of the top second base prospects in baseball. As such, it should be interesting to see if Yorke can garner consideration for a promotion to Worcester before the minor-league season comes to a close.

As things stand now, the WooSox already have a very crowded infield mix that features Christian Arroyo, Yu Chang, David Hamilton, and Enmanuel Valdez as potential options at second base. Still, if the Red Sox feel it would be best for his development moving forward, they presumably would not waste any time in having Yorke make the jump to Triple-A.

(Picture of Nick Yorke: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox prospects Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke, and Luis Guerrero fare in All-Star Futures Game?

Though the American League fell to the National League by a final score of 5-0 at T-Mobile Park, the Red Sox were well represented at the 2023 All-Star Futures Game in Seattle on Saturday afternoon.

Top prospects Marcelo Mayer and Nick Yorke made up the American League’s starting middle infield while relief prospect Luis Guerrero made an appearance out of the bullpen in the seventh and final inning of the annual showcase.

Mayer, batting second and starting at shortstop for the AL, played only one inning but made the most of his opportunity. After throwing out the speedy Jackson Chourio to retire the side in the top of the first, the left-handed hitting 20-year-old ripped a one-out groundball single in the bottom half of the frame for the game’s first hit.

According to Baseball Savant, the ball left Mayer’s bat at 100.3 mph as it raced through the right side of the infield. Moments after reaching, Mayer took off and successfully stole second base with a feet-first slide. He was, however, stranded at second and was then replaced at shortstop by Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday in the second inning.

Yorke, batting ninth and starting at second base, played all seven innings. At the plate, the right-handed hitting 21-year-old went 1-for-3 with a double and a strikeout. After grounding out to end the second inning, he led off the bottom of the fifth by by squaring up a 1-1, 89.6 mph cutter from Braves prospect Spencer Schwellenbach and ripping a 102.6 mph double off the base of the left-center field fence.

With a distance of 388 feet, Yorke’s double was the furthest-hit ball of the day for either side. Like Mayer, however, Yorke was stranded at second base in the fifth. He had a chance to come through with two outs and the bases loaded in the following inning, but instead struck out on a foul tip to extinguish the threat.

Defensively, Yorke had just one ball hit his way at second. With two outs in the top of the third, he made a nifty shovel pass with his glove to rob Nationals prospect James Wood of an inning-extending infield single. He also recorded a force out.

Guerrero, who replaced left-hander Shane Drohan (calf cramp) on the American League roster last week, faced one batter in the top of the seventh. The hard-throwing righty took over for Yankees prospect Clayton Beeter and was matched up against Rockies prospect Yanquiel Fernandez.

After falling behind in a 2-1 count, Guerrero got Fernandez to swing-and-miss at a 91.4 mph cutter on the outer half of the plate. The 22-year-old hurler then dialed it back and got Fernandez to whiff at a 99.7 mph four-seam fastball that was well outside.

In total, Guerrero needed just five pitches (three strikes) to retire the lone hitter he faced. He induced three swings-and-misses while mixing in two four-seamers, two cutters, and a changeup.

All three of Mayer, Yorke, and Guerrero are currently with Double-A Portland. Mayer is ranked by Baseball America as the top prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 5 prospect in the game. Yorke comes in at No. 3 organizationally and No. 83 on the publication’s top 100. Guerrero, on the other hand, is rated as Boston’s No. 30 prospect, which ranks 10th among pitchers in the organization.

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Red Sox relief prospect Luis Guerrero selected to participate in All-Star Futures Game

Red Sox pitching prospect Luis Guerrero has been selected to participate in next weekend’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle, Major League Baseball announced on Friday.

Guerrero, one of the top young relievers in Boston’s farm system, will replace fellow Red Sox pitching prospect Shane Drohan, who left his start for Triple-A Worcester this past Sunday with a calf cramp. Drohan was pushed back for precautionary reasons but is expected to pitch next week, according to SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield.

Guerrero, 22, will join infielders Marcelo Mayer and Nick Yorke in representing the Red Sox and suiting up for the American League at T-Mobile Park on July 8. The hard-throwing right-hander is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 30 prospect, which ranks 10th among pitchers in the organization.

In 26 appearances for Double-A Portland this season, Guerrero has posted a 1.19 ERA and 3.82 FIP with 27 strikeouts to 18 walks over 30 1/3 innings of work. He has put up those numbers while recording 13 saves in 15 opportunities and holding opposing hitters to a miniscule .147 batting average against.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Guerrero underwent surgery on his right knee as an infant and now walks with a limp as a result. He told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier earlier this spring that he has limited mobility in his knee since the muscles in that area did not grow like the others.

“[But] for pitching, you just need to bend [the back knee] a little bit,” Guerrero explained. “My knee bends just as much as I need it to.”

Guerrero moved to the Boston-area as a child and then to Miami, Fla. for his senior year of high school. He was selected by the Red Sox in the 17th round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Chipola College and signed with the club for $122,500.

After not making his professional debut until last June, Guerrero made his way to High-A Greenville before the 2022 season came to a close. He was expected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2023 campaign, but he showed increased fastball velocity and wound up breaking camp with Portland as a result.

Prior to leaving Fort Myers, though, Guerrero appeared in five Grapefruit League spring training games as a minor-league call-up and left an impression on Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

“It’s impressive what he can do on a mound. Impressive,” Cora said of Guerrero when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Blue Jays in Toronto. “He has his limitations and for him to throw 100 (mph) with that split (is impressive). I saw him in spring training walking around one day after a workout. And I didn’t know the whole story. I saw him walking and I was like, ‘Are you OK?’ And then he told me what happened.

“I felt so bad because I didn’t know,” Cora added. “But then it’s like a lot of respect for him because he was the first one in the gym when we were there and he didn’t have to. He was always available when we brought him in as a backup pitcher.”

As Cora alluded to, Guerrero regularly throws in the upper-90s and can reach triple digits with his fastball. The 6-foot, 215-pound righty also features a mid-80s, whiff-inducing splitter as well as an 88-91 mph slider.

“I have a lot of respect for him,” said Cora. “For him to have the stuff that he has, you have to have not only the ability but you’ve got to have the heart and the courage to overcome what he has overcome and be a guy in that platform.”

Guerrero, who turns 23 in August, will presumably be a candidate to make the jump from Portland to Worcester on the other side of the All-Star break.

(Picture of Luis Guerrero: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Top prospects Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke, and Shane Drohan to represent Red Sox in All-Star Futures Game

Top prospects Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke, and Shane Drohan will represent the Red Sox in next month’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle, Major League Baseball announced on Monday.

Mayer, Yorke, and Drohan will all suit up for the American League at T-Mobile Park on July 8. The Red Sox are the only team from the AL with three representatives lined up to play in the annual showcase that pits the top prospects from all 30 clubs against one another.

Mayer, 20, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the top prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 6 prospect in the sport. The left-handed hitting shortstop was recently promoted to Double-A Portland and has batted .177/.258/.418 with four doubles, five home runs, 13 RBIs, 11 runs scored, three stolen bases, 10 walks, and 19 strikeouts in his first 21 games (94 plate appearances) with the Sea Dogs.

Prior to making the jump to Portland, though, Mayer had gotten his 2023 season off to a strong start, slashing .290/.366/.524 with 11 doubles, one triple, seven homers, 34 RBIs, 23 runs scored, five stolen bases, 17 walks, and 37 strikeouts in 35 games (164 plate appearances) with High-A Greenville. All told, he has hit .250/.327/.487 between the two levels thus far.

Yorke, 21, is ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 3 prospect and the No. 86 prospect in the game. The right-handed hitting second baseman spent the entire first half of the 2023 campaign with Portland, hitting a stout .286/.377/.475 with 12 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 33 RBIs, 47 runs scored, six stolen bases, 32 walks, and 64 strikeouts in 60 games spanning 276 trips to the plate.

Both Mayer and Yorke were selected by the Red Sox in the first rounds of the 2020 and 2021 amateur drafts, respectively. Drohan, on the other hand, was taken in the fifth and final round of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Florida State.

Drohan began the season in Portland and dazzled to the tune of a 1.32 ERA with 36 strikeouts to nine walks in his first six starts (34 innings) with the Sea Dogs. That string of performances resulted in the 24-year-old left-hander earning a promotion to Triple-A Worcester last month, but he has since struggled to a 5.03 ERA with 33 strikeouts to 27 walks in eight starts (39 1/3 innings) for the WooSox.

Rated by Baseball America as the top pitching prospect (No. 7 overall) in Boston’s farm system, Drohan was forced to leave his start on Sunday with a calf cramp. After tossing four scoreless innings against Lehigh Valley out of the gate, the lefty experienced discomfort while warming up for the top of the fifth and ultimately left the field with a trainer.

According to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, the plan as of now is for Drohan to make his next scheduled start in Buffalo later this week. The Red Sox, of course, will be sure to exercise caution if any pain lingers.

As always, this year’s installment of the Futures Game will consist of seven innings. The contest will be broadcasted exclusively on Peacock beginning at 7 p.m. eastern time.

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Nick Yorke makes fantastic diving catch down right field line

Upon Red Sox manager Alex Cora’s request, Nick Yorke made his first start of the spring in Thursday’s Grapefruit League contest against the Pirates at LECOM Park.

Yorke made the trip from Fort Myers to Bradenton as a minor-league extra after making his spring debut as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s 6-2 loss to the Orioles in Sarasota. He did not receive an at-bat in that game.

“I wanted to see him today,” Cora said of Yorke when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) before first pitch on Thursday. “I don’t usually request players. I haven’t seen him in a while. He was there the other day, I was like, ‘Hey, bring him over here.'”

Serving as Boston’s starting second baseman and No. 9 hitter, Yorke put his athleticism on full display with one out in the bottom of the third inning. With Bryan Reynolds already at first base, Red Sox starter Josh Winckowski got Carlos Santana to lift a 213-foot flyball to right field.

Since right fielder Daniel Palka was well out of range, Yorke turned on the jets and covered 85 feet in a matter of seconds before sprawling out and making a fantastic diving catch to rob Santana of a base hit. He then quickly gathered himself and made an accurate throw to Triston Casas from his knees to double off Reynolds — who was off on contact — at first base.

“It was just a little popup over my head,” Yorke said (via MLB.com’s Ian Browne) following Boston’s 7-4 win over Pittsburgh. “I saw Palka was out deep so it was either going to drop or I was going to catch it — so I went out and caught it. There was a runner on first and he was gone. It was going to drop or I’m going to lay out for it. Once I laid out for it, I reached out and I thought I had a chance on it and it found the mitt.”

In addition to making that diving grab, Yorke went 1-for-3 with a fifth-inning single before being replaced at second base by Eddinson Paulino in the middle of the seventh.

The Red Sox originally selected Yorke with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif. The soon-to-be 21-year-old infielder is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 7 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

After being named the organization’s minor-league offensive player of the year in 2021, Yorke took a step back at the plate last season. The right-handed hitter batted just .232/.3o3/.365 with 10 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 45 RBIs, 48 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 33 walks, and 94 strikeouts in 80 games (373 plate appearances) for High-A Greenville. He was also sidelined by turf toe in late May, back stiffness in June, and left wrist soreness in July.

Despite those struggles, Yorke did enjoy some success in the Arizona Fall League to close out the year. He slashed .342/.424/.526 with eight doubles, two homers, and 18 RBIs in 19 games (92 plate appearances) with the Scottsdale Scorpions and earned AFL All-Star honors for his efforts.

“Some people are down on him. Not me,” said Cora. “He’s very calm at the plate. He swings at the right pitches. Obviously, he’s working on a few things timing-wise. He’s a good player. You guys know how I feel about first-rounders. You have to be a really good player, and he’s a good hitter.

“He controls the zone, and we like him a lot,” Cora added. “I think physically he’s in a good spot. I’ve talked to him a few times. Mentally, he’s in a great place. Now it’s just a matter of other things that he does.”

That Cora specifically asked the Red Sox player development staff to have a minor-leaguer such as Yorke travel with the rest of the team for Thursday’s game is a rare occurrence. Yorke himself was gracious for the opportunity.

“It means a lot,” he said. “I’ve said it in previous interviews: My goal is to the second baseman for the Boston Red Sox. And so when the head coach asks you to be here, that means a lot.”

Yorke is expected to make the jump to Double-A Portland for the start of the 2023 minor-league season next month. While he has been known more for his hitting abilities than his defensive prowess, the 6-foot, 200-pounder is out to prove he can pick it at second base as well.

“No one can just hit in the big-leagues,” said Yorke. “You have to have some sort of contribution on defense as well. So shoutout to our infield coordinator Darren Fenster, he’s helped me out a lot over the past two and a half years.”

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

How did contingent of Red Sox prospects perform in Arizona Fall League this year?

The 2022 Arizona Fall League season came to a close over the weekend, as the Surprise Saguaros defeated the Glendale Desert Dogs by a final score of 7-6 in Saturday’s championship game at Scottsdale Stadium.

Orioles prospect Heston Kjerstad was named the league’s Most Valuable Player while Cardinals lefty Connor Thomas was named Pitcher of the Year. Colorado’s Zac Veen earned Offensive Player of the Year honors, Tampa Bay’s Evan Reifert was named Reliever of the Year, Minnesota’s Edouard Julien was named Breakout Player of the Year, San Francisco’s Luis Matos was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Oakland’s Lawrence Butler received the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award.

The Red Sox sent eight of their own minor-leaguers to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions, who at 13-16 finished 1 1/2 games back of a playoff spot, this fall. Although none of these players were recognized in postseason award distribution, some certainly fared better than others.

Here is a rundown of how each of these eight prospects performed over the last six-plus weeks, starting with the four pitchers who made the trek out west:

Aaron Perry, RHP

Perry, 23, made 10 relief appearances for the Scorpions. The right-hander posted a 12.46 ERA and 2.86 WHIP with four strikeouts to 10 walks over 8 2/3 innings of work. Opponents batted .395 off him.

Boston originally selected Perry in the 14th round of the 2017 amateur draft out of Hurricane High School in West Virginia. Since then, the righty has been limited to 47 2/3 minor-league innings due to a number of injuries. He appeared in just three games for High-A Greenville this year.

Thad Ward, RHP

Ward, 25, made four appearances — three of which were starts — for Scottsdale. The righty suffered a left oblique strain after his second start of the fall on October 10 and was sidelined for nearly a month as a result. He returned in time to pitch in two more games and wound up posting a 2.84 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with 15 strikeouts to six walks over 12 2/3 innings of work. Opponents batted .234 off him.

Currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 25 prospect in Boston’s farm system, Ward was limited to 13 minor-league starts this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. The former fifth-round selection out of the University of Central Florida can become eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft if the Red Sox do not add him to their 40-man roster on Tuesday.

Jacob Webb, RHP

Webb, 23, finished in a two-way tie for the team lead in saves (3) this fall. The hard-throwing righty pitched to a 3.60 ERA and 1.30 WHIP to go along with 12 strikeouts to five walks over nine relief appearances spanning 10 innings of work. Opposing hitters batted .222 (8-for-36) off him.

The Red Sox took Webb in the 14th round of last year’s draft out of Miami University of Ohio. The 6-foot-5, 246-pound hurler pitched at three different levels this season and ended the year at Double-A Portland. He possesses a three-pitch mix that consists of a high-90s fastball, a mid-80s slider, and a high-80s changeup.

Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP

Zeferjahn, 24, primarily came out of the bullpen for Scottsdale, but he also made one start. In nine total appearances, the right-hander produced a 4.80 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 18 strikeouts to eight walks over 15 innings of work. He limited opposing hitters to a .208 batting average against.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 209 pounds, Zeferjahn spent the majority of the 2022 minor-league season with Greenville before being promoted to Portland in late August. The former third-round pick out of the University of Kansas posted a 5.05 ERA between the two levels and, like Ward, is Rule 5 eligible this winter.

—

Moving on the four position players that made up this eight-man contingent…

—

Wilyer Abreu, OF

Abreu, 23, was one of two prospects the Red Sox acquired from the Astros in the Christian Vazquez trade. The left-handed hitter went just 9-for-54 (.167) with two doubles, 10 RBIs, eight runs scored, three stolen bases, 10 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 17 games for the Scorpions this fall. He made four appearances in left field and eight appearances in right.

After closing out the minor-league season with Portland, Abreu is another minor-leaguer who can become eligible for next month’s Rule 5 Draft if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster on Tuesday. The native Venezuelan does offer intriguing speed and possesses the ability to get on base at a respectable clip, so he has that going for him.

Niko Kavadas, 1B

Kavadas, 24, split time at first base with San Francisco’s Logan Wyatt and Atlanta’s Cade Bunnell. The left-handed hitting slugger slashed .239/.417/.435 with three doubles, two homers, six runs driven in, seven runs scored, 13 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 15 games (60 plate appearances) with the Scorpions.

The Red Sox originally selected Kavadas in the 11th round of the 2021 amateur draft out of The University of Notre Dame. The Indiana native earned Minor League Offensive Player of the Year honors in his first full professional season. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as the 30th-ranked prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Stephen Scott, C

Scott, 25, was one of two Red Sox minor-leaguers to make it to this year’s AFL Fall Stars Game. The left-handed hitter also took part in the league’s first-ever home run derby in the process of batting .298/.394/.614 with one double, one triple, five home runs, 16 RBIs, 15 runs scored, one stolen base, nine walks, and 11 strikeouts across 15 games (66 plate appearances) this fall. He started 13 games at catcher and threw out four of 22 base stealers en route to being named to the 2022 All-Arizona Fall League Team.

A former 10th-round pick in 2019 out of Vanderbilt University who was signed as an outfielder, Scott has since emerged as a full-time backstop. The 5-foot-11, 207-pound North Carolina native split the 2022 campaign between Greenville and Portland. He is a candidate to be added to the Sox’ 40-man roster on Tuesday given his upcoming Rule 5 eligibility.

Nick Yorke, 2B

Yorke, 20, played in last week’s Fall Stars Game alongside Scott. Before that, the right-handed hitting infielder missed some time with left wrist soreness. But he wound up batting a stout .342/.424/.526 with eight doubles, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 18 runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 16 strikeouts over 19 games (92 plate appearances) with the Scorpions.

It was a down year for Yorke offensively, as he posted a .668 OPS in Greenville after being named the Red Sox’ Minor League Offensive Player of the Year in 2021. Perhaps what he just did in Arizona is a positive sign of what is to come. The 2020 first-round pick is still regarded by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is projected to be on Portland’s Opening Day roster next spring.

(Picture of Nick Yorke: Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images)