Tag: portland sea dogs

Red Sox relief prospect Felix Cepeda to begin 2024 season at Double-A Portland

One of the Red Sox’ more unheralded relief prospects will be getting his first taste of competition in the upper-minors to begin the 2024 season.

Felix Cepeda has been assigned to Double-A Portland, per his Instagram account. The Sea Dogs open their season with a three-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats at Hadlock Field beginning Friday night.

Cepeda, 23, split the 2023 campaign between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville, so this serves as a promotion of sorts. The right-hander posted a 2.38 ERA and 3.45 FIP with 60 strikeouts to 29 walks over 33 total relief appearances (53 innings) in which he held opposing hitters to a .194 batting average against.

After spending all of 2022 at Salem, Cepeda returned there for the start of the 2023 season. The Dominican-born righty forged a 3.03 ERA (3.61 FIP) with 39 punchouts to 23 walks in 19 outings (32 2/3 innings) for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate before earning a promotion to Greenville in mid-July. With the Drive, he pitched to a 1.33 ERA (3.19 FIP) to go along with 21 strikeouts to just six walks over 14 appearances (20 1/3 innings) to close out the regular season. He then made three straight scoreless appearances in the playoffs (including the clincher) to help Greenville take home its first South Atlantic League title since 2017.

Altogether, it was a solid showing for Cepeda in 2023. Among the Red Sox minor-leaguers who eclipsed the 50-inning threshold in the regular season last year, Cepeda ranked 20th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.19), 16th in strikeout rate (26.4 percent), third in batting average against, ninth in WHIP (.125), sixth in line-drive rate (17.2 percent), 15th in groundball rate (43.8 percent), 18th in groundball rate (13.7 percent), fourth in ERA, sixth in FIP, and 19th in xFIP (4.31), per FanGraphs. He also lowered his walk rate from 15 percent to 8.1 percent after making the jump from Salem to Greenville over the summer.

Even though he had logged a career-high in innings pitched by the time the Drive were crowned South Atlantic League champions at Fluor Field in late September, Cepeda’s season was not over. Like several other Red Sox prospects, Cepeda headed out west in early October to play in the Arizona Fall League. He proceeded to appear in eight games for the Glendale Desert Dogs, allowing eight runs (six earned) on eight hits, three walks, and six strikeouts across eight frames of relief.

Coming off an eventful 2023 that resulted in him being named a SoxProspects.com All-Star for the first time, Cepeda reached another milestone this spring by getting into three Grapefruit League games last month. He yielded a total of two runs (both of which came in the same outing) on four hits, two walks, and two strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings while also recording a save against the Twins at JetBlue Park on March 23.

Cepeda, who does not turn 24 until July, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 48 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 20th among pitchers in the organization. Originally signed for $40,000 as an international free agent coming out of the city of Bonao in 2017, Cepeda now stands at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds. He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and primarily operates with a two-pitch mix that consists of a 95-96 mph fastball that tops out at 98 mph and an 83-86 mph slider that features 10-to-4 break.

In Portland, Cepeda figures to join a bullpen that includes the likes of Alex Hoppe (once healthy), CJ Liu, Christopher Troye, and Ryan Zeferjahn, among others. It is also worth noting that Cepeda can become eligible for minor-league free agency after the 2024 season, so he will — in essence — be pitching for a new contract this year.

(Picture of Felix Cepeda: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Could Red Sox prospect Christopher Troye make MLB debut this season?

When discussing which prospects could possibly make their major-league debuts for the Red Sox in 2024, Christopher Troye should be among those in the conversation.

Troye, a hard-throwing catcher-turned-reliever, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 34 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 14th among pitchers in the organization. The 25-year-old right-hander was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 12th round of the 2021 amateur draft out of UC Santa Barbara.

A native of California himself, Troye signed with Boston for a slightly under-slot $122,500 and made his professional debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. He was, however, limited to just two appearances with the FCL Red Sox before the 2021 season drew to a close.

The start of Troye’s first full season in pro ball was slightly delayed due to an unspecified injury in 2022. He arrived at Low-A Salem from the Fort Myers complex that May and spent the rest of the year with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate, pitching to a 4.86 ERA (3.10 FIP) with 50 strikeouts to 24 walks over 26 relief appearances spanning 33 1/3 innings of work.

Because of those gaudy strikeout numbers, Troye began to garner more attention heading into the 2023 campaign. He broke camp with High-A Greenville last spring and promptly posted a 1.96 ERA (3.46 FIP) with 37 punchouts to nine walks in 14 outings (18 1/3 innings) for the Drive. Around the same time he was named the Red Sox’ Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month for May, Troye received a promotion to Double-A Portland.

To start things off with the Sea Dogs, Troye produced a 4.63 ERA (2.85 FIP) with 22 strikeouts to 13 walks across his first 10 appearances (11 2/3 innings) through July 3. He then spent nearly three weeks on the injured list before returning to action on July 22. From that point forward, he forged a 3.26 ERA (2.86 FIP) with 28 strikeouts to 14 walks in his final 14 relief outings (19 1/3 innings) of the year.

Altogether, Troye went 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA (3.08 FIP) and 87 strikeouts to 36 walks in 38 total appearances (49 1/3 innings) between Greenville and Portland last season. Among the 59 Red Sox minor-leaguers who accrued more than 40 innings on the mound, Troye led the way in both strikeouts per nine innings (15.87) and strikeout rate (39.5 percent). He also ranked second in batting average against (.169), 13th in swinging-strike rate (15.8 percent), eighth in ERA, third in FIP, and fifth in xFIP (3.33), per FanGraphs.

Shortly after the minor-league season, Troye joined seven other Red Sox prospects in heading out west and taking part in the Arizona Fall League. He made eight appearances for the Glendale Desert Dogs, allowing six earned runs on 10 hits, six walks, and 11 strikeouts over 8 2/3 innings. Though that translates to a 6.23 ERA, it is worth noting that five of those six runs were surrendered in a single outing back in early October.

Fast forward more than five months later, and Troye — who turned 25 in February — has undoubtedly established himself as one of the more intriguing relief prospects in the organization. That much was made evident when he was included on the Red Sox’ first-ever Spring Breakout roster. And even though he did not pitch in the actual showcase against the Braves at JetBlue Park last Saturday, SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall said on the NESN broadcast that afternoon that he could see Troye or fellow righty Luis Guerrero reaching the majors at some point this season.

Troye, like Guerrero, possesses tantalizing yet raw stuff. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound hurler operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 93-95 mph fastball that tops out at 98 mph, an 82-85 mph curveball, and an 88-91 mph cutter. His heater “has among the highest [induced vertical break] in the system and shows plus carry up in the zone,” according to his recently-updated SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Even if Troye, who is expected to break camp with Portland next month, were not to make his big-league debut in 2024, this season can be considered important for other reasons. Troye, like other college draftees from 2021, can become Rule 5 eligible for the first time in his career this winter if he is not added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November.

There is still plenty of time between now and then, but Troye could put himself on a similar track to Ryan Fernandez, who was left unprotected by the Red Sox and then scooped up by the Cardinals with the sixth overall pick in December’s Rule 5 Draft. As of now, it appears as though Fernandez is slated to make St. Louis’ Opening Day roster as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen.

Troye, meanwhile, already has the kind of velocity that can play at the next level. It is now just a matter of him improving his command of the strike zone while also harnessing his arsenal in order to further develop and elevate his profile. With that being said, Troye does an impressive job documenting his journey through pro ball on X/Twitter as well as Instagram.

(Picture of Christopher Troye: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox OF prospect Eduardo Lopez homers on first pitch he sees this spring

Over the weekend, Red Sox outfield prospect Eduardo Lope left a strong impression by homering in his first at-bat of the spring.

Called up from minor-league camp for Sunday’s split-squad Grapefruit League contest against the Yankees at JetBlue Park, Lopez came into the game in the top half of the sixth inning as a defensive replacement for starting left fielder Jarren Duran.

An inning and a half later, Lopez stepped up to the plate for the first time to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Hitting from the left side, the switch-hitting 21-year-old wasted little time introducing himself to Yankees pitching prospect Clayton Beeter, as he promptly drilled the first pitch he saw from the righty over the visitor’s bullpen in deep right field for his first-ever home run in a major-league spring training game.

By going deep in his first and only plate appearance of the afternoon, Lopez gave the Red Sox a commanding nine-run lead as they went on to defeat the Yankees by a final score of 12-6.

Unlike other minor-leaguers who have made cameos for the Sox in Grapefruit League action this spring, Lopez is not currently viewed as one of the premier prospects in the organization. The Dominican Republic native was Boston’s top international signing in 2018, as he received a $1.15 million bonus to go pro that July. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League the following June and showed signs of promise there but has not yet lived up to his potential.

That, in part, is due to how often Lopez has been injured. The 2020 minor-league season being wiped out because of the COVID-19 pandemic certainly did not help things, but Lopez has been hindered by different issues since making his stateside debut three years ago. He was limited to just 11 games between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem in 2021 “due to an unspecified injury that may have been to his left hand/wrist,” according to SoxProspects.com. He returned to Salem in 2022 but made three separate trips to the injured list altogether there.

Last season actually represented a breakthrough of sorts for Lopez as he played in a career-high 79 games at High-A Greenville. In those 79 games, he held his own by batting .261/.356/.384 with 16 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 45 RBIs, 48 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 42 walks, and 81 strikeouts over 315 plate appearances for the Drive before being shut down in early September.

Though his offensive production tapered off to some degree in the second half, it was nonetheless a solid 2023 season for Lopez. Among those in the South Atlantic League who made at least 300 trips to the plate last year, Lopez ranked 15th in walk rate (13.3 percent), 19th in batting average, 20th in on-base percentage, 35th in OPS (.740), 28th in line-drive rate (20.8 percent), 36th in swinging-strike rate (12.6 percent), and 33rd in wRC+ (107), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, as he has throughout his career, Lopez saw playing time at all three outfield positions while with Greenville. The 5-foot-11, 187-pounder logged 147 innings in left, 218 2/3 innings in center, and 229 innings in right while committing a total of three errors in 130 chances. He also made one start at first base last July, which is something he had never done before then.

Lopez, who turns 22 in May, is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to Double-A Portland for the start of the 2024 minor-league season. With that being said, it may be tough for Lopez to find at-bats if he is behind the likes of Roman Anthony, Corey Rosier, Phillip Sikes, and others on the Sea Dogs’ outfield depth chart to open the year.

(Picture of Eduardo Lopez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did versatile Red Sox prospect Tyler McDonough fare in 2023?

There is a case to be made that versatile Red Sox prospect Tyler McDonough got better as the year went on in 2023.

After spending the entirety of his first full professional season at High-A Greenville, McDonough graduated to the upper-minors by breaking camp with Double-A Portland last spring. The 24-year-old struggled out of the gate, slashing just .200/.287/.297 through his first 42 games (168 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

In the midst of a 2-for-23 (.087) skid that dated back to late May, McDonough broke out for two hits and two RBIs as part of a 9-1 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on June 17. The switch-hitter proceeded to end the month of June on a relatively high note before making a brief one-game cameo with Triple-A Worcester after the calendar flipped to July.

At that point in time, the WooSox found themselves in need of infield depth, and so McDonough spent about a week with the affiliate during their road trip in Buffalo. He made his Triple-A debut against the Bisons on July 3 and went 0-for-3 while serving as Worcester’s starting third baseman.

Shortly after the WooSox returned home from that trip, McDonough was sent back down to Portland. He returned to the Sea Dogs’ lineup on July 5 and began to pick things up offensively from that point forward. Over the next two-plus months, McDonough batted a solid .286/.354/.429 with seven doubles, three triples, three home runs, 16 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 18 walks, and 43 strikeouts in 50 games (177 plate appearances) through the end of the Eastern League regular season.

With Portland done for the year, McDonough again made the jump to Worcester and joined the WooSox for their final series of the season in Lehigh Valley. He got into three of six possible games and went 3-for-9 (.333) with a double, a triple, a run scored, a walk, and three strikeouts.

Altogether, McDonough slashed .250/.325/.375 with 16 doubles, five triples, five homers, 35 runs driven in, 51 runs scored, 24 stolen bases, 36 walks, and 100 strikeouts in 101 total games (379 plate appearances) between Portland and Worcester last season. While those numbers may not necessarily be eye-opening, it is worth mentioning that — after his second stint with the Sea Dogs commenced in early July — McDonough hit a more respectable .288/.357/.442 over his final 53 games (188 plate appearances) of the year.

Among the 27 Red Sox minor-leaguers who made at least 350 trips to the plate in 2023, McDonough ranked seventh in stolen bases, third in speed score (8.1), sixth in wSB (1.0), ninth in line-drive rate (21 percent), and 12th in swinging-strike rate (11.3 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, McDonough started games at six different positions last year. In total, the 5-foot-8, 180-pounder logged 135 innings at second base, 16 innings at third base, 195 innings at shortstop, 49 innings in center field, 316 innings in left field, and 129 innings in right field. He recorded a team-high six outfield assists while with the Sea Dogs and was used strictly as an infielder by the WooSox.

Though it initially appeared as if McDonough’s season ended in September, he was actually a late addition to the group of prospects the Red Sox sent out west to play in the Arizona Fall League. He effectively took the place of infielder Brainer Bonaci, who was placed on the restricted list in October for violating MLB’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy, but certainly made the most of the opportunity.

In 16 games with the Glendale Desert Dogs, McDonough batted .254/.366/.424 with four doubles, two home runs, six RBIs, 11 runs scored, five stolen bases, 11 walks, and 17 strikeouts over 71 plate appearances while seeing playing time at second base, shortstop, and left field.

In its entirety, the 2023 season was an eventful one for McDonough, who was originally selected by the Red Sox in the third round (75th overall pick) of the 2021 amateur draft out of North Carolina State. The Ohio native signed with the club for an under-slot $828,600 and was viewed by outlets like Baseball America as “perhaps the most polished player drafted” by Boston that year.

After putting forth a strong debut season (.884 OPS) in a 31-game sample between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem in 2021, however, McDonough has struggled to reach that same level of success in recent years. He was able to take a step forward last year after posting a .667 OPS in 114 games with Greenville in 2022, so that represents a positive development.

McDonough, who turns 25 in April, comes into 2024 ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 43 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is currently projected by the site to return to Portland for the start of the upcoming minor-league season, though it would not be surprising if he were to make his way back to Worcester at some point given his speed and versatility.

With that being said, McDonough can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time in his career next winter if the Red Sox do not add him to their 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November. As such, McDonough has the opportunity to elevate his profile over these next seven or so months.

(Picture of Tyler McDonough: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Red Sox pitching prospect Chih-Jung Liu led Double-A Portland in strikeouts (145) last season

Red Sox pitching prospect Chih-Jung “CJ” Liu put up some of the best strikeout numbers in the entire organization last season.

Liu, 24, spent all of 2023 with Double-A Portland after closing out the 2022 campaign there. In 26 appearances (24 starts) for the Sea Dogs, the right-hander posted a 5.35 FIP and 4.71 FIP with a team-leading 145 strikeouts to 61 walks over a team-leading 114 1/3 innings of work.

After an up-and-down April, Liu made headlines by tossing a seven-inning no-hitter in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Akron RubberDucks on May 5. He then struggled to some degree as the calendar flipped from May to June and wound up spending more than a week on Portland’s development list as a result.

Upon returning to action on July 7, however, Liu put together his first double-digit strikeout game of the season, punching out 10 in seven strong innings as part of a 6-1 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at home. He one-upped himself in his next time out — which did not come until July 18 because of the All-Star break — by fanning a career-high of 11 over 5 2/3 innings in a 9-8 victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Hadlock Field.

On the heels of racking up 21 strikeouts to kick off his July, Liu owned a respectable 4.25 ERA (4.23 FIP) through his first 16 starts (78 1/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs. Unfortunately for the righty, things began to unravel from there as he pitched to an unsightly 8.69 ERA (6.76 FIP) over his next eight starts (29 innings) before moving to Portland’s bullpen in early September.

While pitching in relief, which is something he did with High-A Greenville in 2022, Liu was at least able to end his season on a more encouraging note. He made two appearances out of the ‘pen for the Sea Dogs and allowed three earned runs on six hits, three walks, and 12 strikeouts across seven frames in which he held opposing hitters to a .222 batting average against.

All things considered, it was an inconsistent year for Liu, who gave up more walks and home runs (19) than anyone else on Portland’s staff. Still, among 14 qualified pitchers in the Eastern League, Liu ranked second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.41), third in strikeout rate (28.4 percent), fifth in groundball rate (41.4 percent), first in swinging-strike rate (16.8 percent), and seventh in xFIP (3.90), per FanGraphs. He also led the pack in batting average on balls in play (3.54), which suggests that he may have been the victim of bad luck and/or poor defense behind him.

In addition to what he did for the Sea Dogs, Liu also pitched for Team Chinese Taipei at the 2022 Asian Games (postponed a year because of COVID-19) back in October. Playing alongside former Red Sox utility man Tzu-Wei Lin, Liu made two scoreless appearances spanning five innings of relief en route to helping Chinese Taipei take home a silver medal.

Altogether, the 2023 season marked Liu’s third in pro ball after he originally with the Red Sox for $750,000 as an international free agent coming out of Taiwan in October 2019. Though a two-way player as an amateur, the Tainan City native has stuck to pitching since making his professional debut in July 2021.

Fast forward nearly three years later, and Liu now stands at 6-feet and 185 pounds. Throwing from a three-quarters arm slot, he — as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report — operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 93-95 mph fastball that tops out at 98 mph, an 80-82 mph changeup that shows late, downward movement, an 83-86 mph slider that features 10-to-4 break, and a get-me-over 78-80 mph curveball.

Liu, who turns 25 in April, was eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter after being left off Boston’s 40-man roster. It was even reported that the Red Sox entertained trading Liu before the November deadline, but that obviously never came to fruition and he is still with the organization.

That being said, the same rules will apply to Liu this year. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 54 prospect in Boston’s farm system and is projected to return to Portland for the start of the 2024 minor-league season, but will likely do so as a reliever as opposed to a starter. If his stuff sticks up and he refines his approach of the bullpen, Liu could be on the fast track to Triple-A Worcester before long.

(Picture of Chih-Jung Liu: Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images)

Speedy Red Sox prospect Corey Rosier had an action-packed 2023 season

Before even completing his first full season in pro ball, Corey Rosier had already played for three different organizations as a result of being traded twice.

Rosier, a 12th-round selection of the Mariners in the 2021 draft out of UNC Greensboro, was one of two players traded by the M’s to the Padres for infielder Adam Frazier that November. A little more than eight months later, the young outfielder was dealt to the Red Sox alongside fellow minor-leaguer Max Ferguson and veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer in exchange for pitching prospect Jay Groome.

“I think it’s definitely cool to know I’m sought after and people see me fitting into their system somewhere,” Rosier told MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith back in April. “So that’s cool to know I’ve been a part of two big-league trades. So that’s the way I try to view it. Coming over in the middle of the season last year, it was a big transition.”

As he alluded to, Rosier struggled with High-A Greenville to close out the 2022 campaign, amassing a .547 OPS in 23 games. Despite the difficulties he endured there, though, the speedy 24-year-old broke camp this past spring with Double-A Portland and fared well in his first taste of life in the upper-minors.

“I think going through spring training with the Sox, getting more acclimated with the staff, getting comfortable,” Rosier said. “I think that’s really played a part in the early success that I’ve had in a small sample size.”

In his first 49 games with Portland in 2023, Rosier batted a stout .307/.354/.452 with 12 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 29 runs scored, 26 stolen bases, 13 walks, and 43 strikeouts over 182 plate appearances. The left-handed hitter then earned his first promotion to Triple-A Worcester on June 22. Though his stay there (which was related to Worcester’s lack of outfield depth at the time) lasted less than a week, Rosier seemingly made the most of the opportunity by reaching base four times and recording one outfield assist in three games with the WooSox at Polar Park. He then re-joined the Sea Dogs for the start of their series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on June 29.

Rosier was a mainstay in Portland’s lineup for the next two-plus months. He slashed .266/.346/.427 with 10 doubles, three triples, five homers, 21 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 23 stolen bases, 20 walks, and 43 strikeouts across 55 more games (218 plate appearances) for Boston’s Eastern League affiliate before making yet another jump to Worcester in mid-September.

To close out the 2023 minor-league season, Rosier went 10-for-33 (.303) with three doubles, two runs driven in, four runs scored, two walks, and seven strikeouts in nine games. Altogether, he batted .285/.349/.439 in 104 games (400 plate appearances) with Portland and .282/.364/.359 in 12 games with Worcester, combining for 25 doubles, six triples, seven home runs (all at Double-A), 41 RBIs, 70 runs scored, 49 stolen bases, 37 walks, and 96 strikeouts between the two affiliates.

In the process of stealing the second-most bases among minor-leaguers in the organization (trailing only David Hamilton’s 57), Rosier was named the Red Sox’ Minor League Base Stealer of the Month once (April) and Minor League Baserunner of the Month twice (May, July). Defensively, the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder started at least one game at all three outfield spots for Portland and Worcester last season. Though the bulk of his playing at both stops time came in right field (652 2/3 combined innings), he recorded seven outfield assists and committed just three errors in 228 total chances.

While Worcester’s season drew to a close in the final week of September, Rosier and seven other Red Sox prospects headed out west to play in the Arizona Fall League. Suiting up for the Glendale Desert Dogs, who were led by a familiar face in Greenville manager Iggy Suarez, Rosier went 24-for-93 (.258) with four doubles, two triples, eight RBIs, 14 runs scored, a team-leading eight stolen bases, 13 walks, and 19 strikeouts over 23 games while, again, getting the chance to play all three outfield positions. Like left-hander Zach Penrod, Rosier also earned AFL All-Star honors.

On the heels of such an eventful 2023, Rosier comes into the new year ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 50 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Barring a trade, the Maryland native — who does not turn 25 until September — is expected to return to Worcester for the start of the 2024 minor-league season.

Given his elite speed, which FanGraphs grades as an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, Rosier could certainly emerge as a candidate for a big-league call-up later in the year if the Red Sox find themselves in the hunt for a postseason spot and in need of some wheels off the bench.

In the interim, one has to wonder if Rosier is in line to receive a non-roster invitation to major-league spring training, which — for the Red Sox — gets underway from Fort Myers in a little over a month.

(Picture of Corey Rosier: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Isaac Coffey fare in first full pro season?

Of the 13 pitchers the Red Sox drafted in 2022, no one pitched more innings in their first full professional season than 10th-round selection Isaac Coffey.

Coffey, the 309th overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft out of Oral Roberts, received a modest signing bonus of $7,500 and made just two relief appearances in the rookie-level Florida Complex League as part of his pro debut. The right-hander then broke camp with High-A Greenville last spring to kick off his 2023 campaign.

In 11 starts for the Drive, Coffey posted a 2.83 ERA and 3.90 FIP with 83 strikeouts to just 11 walks over 60 1/3 innings of work in which he held opposing hitters to a .223 batting average against. He recorded three double-digit strikeout games in that stretch before earning a promotion to Double-A Portland in late June.

Coffey debuted for the Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field on his 23rd birthday (June 21) and put together one of his shortest outings of the year, allowing four runs over the first two-plus innings of a 5-4 loss to the Reading Fightin Phils. He rebounded to the tune of six scoreless, three-hit frames in a winning effort against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats eight days later and wound up producing a 3.92 ERA (4.93 FIP) with 72 strikeouts to 23 walks in 12 total appearances (11 starts) spanning 57 1/3 innings with Portland.

Among the 106 hurlers who accrued 50 or more innings in the Eastern League last season, Coffey ranked 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.3), 44th in walks per nine innings (3.61), 20th in strikeout rate (28.7 percent), 42nd in walk rate (9.2 percent), 20th in batting average against (.215), 21st in WHIP (1.20), 47th in swinging-strike rate (13.1 percent), 45th in ERA, and 48th in xFIP (4.15), per FanGraphs.

Altogether, Coffey went 11-6 with a 3.37 ERA (4.40 FIP) and 155 strikeouts to 33 walks in 23 outings (22 starts, 117 2/3 innings pitched) between Greenville and Portland. For his work with the Drive specifically, he was named a 2023 South Atlantic League All-Star alongside teammates Blaze Jordan and Roman Anthony.

A former two-way player in college, Coffey stands at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds. The California native throws from a deceptive sidearm slot and — as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report — operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of an 88-90 mph fastball that tops out at 91 mph, a 77-79 mph slider that features 10-to-4 break, and an 83-84 mph changeup.

As for how his unique delivery came into existence, Coffey explained to FanGraphs’ David Laurila last June that it dates back to his early days at Oral Roberts, where — in addition to pitching — he saw limited playing time at both middle infield positions.

“I was always a three-quarters guy, never straight over the top, and in my freshman year I had 14 starts while also playing some third base,” Coffey said. “Then, in my junior year [Coffey’s sophomore year coincided with the pandemic], I was fielding ground balls at third base and kind of throwing it over to first sidearm. Doing that felt natural. Our pitching coach saw that and was like, ‘Hey, let’s get you on the mound and play with some different arm slots.’ We did that, dropping way down to going higher up, and settled on the where I’m at right now. It felt comfortable, and my velo and movement both ticked up from where they had been.”

Coming into his age-24 season, Coffey is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 44 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 18th among pitchers in the organization. Barring a trade, he is projected to return to Portland’s starting rotation this spring.

Because he does not light up the radar gun, Coffey will need to show signs of improvement when it comes to handling more mature hitters in the upper-minors. He was solid with the Sea Dogs during the latter half of the 2023 season, but the Red Sox may be looking for more when it comes to evaluating Coffey’s development and future as a starter or reliever.

To that end, Coffey also told Laurila over the summer that he would be willing to do “whatever they want me to do” as it pertains to his future role and potential path to the big-leagues.

“I’ll dive into that role as best as I can,” said Coffey. “Right now it’s being a starter. It’s what I’ve always done. I came out of the ‘pen once in high school and not at all in college. I threw two innings in the [Florida Complex League] after I got drafted, but that’s it as far as relieving. But again, whatever they want in the future, I’ll dive right into it.”

(Picture of Isaac Coffey: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox prospect Eddinson Paulino was a stabilizing force for High-A Greenville in 2023

Red Sox infield prospect Eddinson Paulino proved to be one of the organization’s more durable minor-leaguers in 2023.

Paulino, 21, spent this entire past season with High-A Greenville. The sweet-swinging left-handed hitter slashed a respectable .257/.338/.420 and led the affiliate in games played (115), hits (113), doubles (28), home runs (12, tied with two other players), RBIs (58) and runs scored (68, tied with one other player). He also finished second on the team in triples (4), stolen bases (26), and walks (50) en route to being named an MiLB.com organizational All-Star for the second straight year.

While a .758 OPS (and 108 wRC+) on the season in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League is not exactly eye-popping, Paulino ended the year on a strong note by batting .306/.359/.472 with one homer and three RBIs in nine September contests. He then recoreded two doubles and drove in a total of five runs in the SAL playoffs to help the Drive win their first league title since 2017 and second in franchise history.

Among 56 qualified South Atlantic League hitters in the regular season, Paulino ranked 18th in strikeout rate (22.6 percent), 21st in batting average, 26th in on-base percentage, 19th in slugging percentage, 20th in OPS, 18th in isolated power (.164), 20th in speed score (6.7), and 23rd in wRC+, per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Paulino saw playing time at every infield position besides first base for Greenville. The versatile 5-foot-10, 155-pounder logged a team-high 474 innings at shortstop, 253 innings at second base, and 243 innings at third base, committing a total of 19 errors in 359 defensive chances. He did not see any time in the outfield, which is notable considering the fact that he made 11 starts in center and one in left while with Low-A Salem last season.

Paulino was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system coming into the 2023 season and ended it ranked 16th. The native of the Dominican Republic originally signed with the Red Sox for $205,000 as an international free agent coming out of Santiago in July 2018, officially putting pen to paper on his 16th birthday.

Since making his domestic debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League a little more than two years ago, Paulino has been able to elevate his profile thanks in part to his hand-eye coordination, pitch recognition skills, and ability to make hard contact. As noted by SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall, however, Paulino “struggled to make consistent contact on pitches in the zone at times” in 2023. He also drew walks less frequently, reached base at a lower clip, and struck out more often this year compared to last.

Though he could be traded at some point before spring training begins in February, Paulino — SoxProspects.com’s 17th-ranked Red Sox prospect — is currently projected by the site to make the jump to Double-A Portland for the start of the 2024 minor-league season. If that is indeed the case, it will certainly be worthwhile to see how Paulino fares against more advanced pitching in the Eastern League.

(Picture of Eddinson Paulino: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)