Tag: portland sea dogs

Red Sox’ Blaze Jordan earns Eastern League Player of the Week honors

Red Sox corner infield prospect Blaze Jordan has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of April 22-28, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

This marks the second consecutive week where a Sea Dogs player earned Eastern League Player of the Week honors. Left fielder Matthew Lugo was recognized for a stellar series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Hadlock Field last week.

Jordan appeared in all six of Double-A Portland’s games against the Hartford Yard Goats at Dunkin’ Park this past week. The right-handed hitting 21-year-old went 12-for-27 (.444) with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, five runs scored, zero walks, and two strikeouts.

Jordan crushed his first home run of the season and drove in a game-high four runs in Tuesday’s series opener. He then pushed across two more runs on Wednesday, had three hits on Thursday, homered again on Friday, and recorded four hits over the weekend to extend his hitting streak to nine games.

Over the life of that hitting streak, which began on April 19, Jordan has batted a stout .385/.390/.461. After getting his 2024 campaign off to a slow start, he is now slashing .265/.307/.441 with six doubles, two home runs, 13 runs driven in, 10 runs scored, one walk, and seven strikeouts in 17 games (75 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Defensively, Jordan has split his playing time on the field between both corner infield spots. To this point in the year, the 6-foot-1, 220-pounder has logged 60 innings at first base and 68 1/3 innings at third base. He has committed one error at each position and has also made two starts as Portland’s designated hitter.

Jordan is in the midst of his fourth full professional season after originally being selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of DeSoto Central High School in Mississippi. The Southaven native forwent his commitment to Mississippi State by signing with Boston for $1.75 million.

Though he dealt with — and was even hospitalized by — struggles relating to anxiety and depression early in his pro career, Jordan has worked to overcome those issues, as he revealed in a heartfelt social media post last October. After going public with that information, he strove to get in better shape over the winter and came into the spring ranked by Baseball America as the No. 21 prospect in the Red Sox’ farm system.

Jordan, who does not turn 22 until December, can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time later this year if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November. Taking that — as well as the fact that he played in 49 games for Portland to close out last season — into consideration, it will be interesting to see if Jordan can make his way to Triple-A Worcester at some point in 2024.

(Picture of Blaze Jordan: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote relief prospect Jonathan Brand to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted relief prospect Jonathan Brand from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, per the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Brand, 24, has yet to allow an earned run in six appearances for Greenville this season. The right-hander has given up just one unearned run on eight hits and three walks to go along with 18 strikeouts over 11 2/3 innings in which he has held opposing hitters to a .186 batting average against.

Brand was originally selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2022 amateur draft out of Miami University (Ohio). The Georgia native had committed to go to Auburn University as a graduate transfer, but he forwent that commitment by signing with Boston for just $7,500.

Since making his professional debut in the Florida Complex League in August 2022, Brand owns a career 1.90 ERA (2.90 FIP) in 37 total appearances (52 innings) across three different minor-league levels. That includes a 2.58 ERA (3.52 FIP) with 47 strikeouts to 14 walks in 29 relief outings (38 1/3 innings) for Low-A Salem last year.

Despite those impressive numbers, Brand is still not viewed as a top pitching prospect within Boston’s farm system. Per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 5-foot-9, 200-pound righty throws from a three-quarters arm slot and utilizes a medium leg kick in his delivery. He operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of an 89-90 mph fastball, a 74-76 mph curveball, an 80-82 mph slider, and an 80-82 mph changeup.

It remains to be seen if Brand’s first stint with Portland will be a short or long-lived one. Regardless, he takes the place of lefty Brendan Cellucci — who was promoted to Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday — in the Sea Dogs’ bullpen.

(Picture of Jonathan Brand: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Matthew Lugo named Eastern League Player of the Week

Red Sox prospect Matthew Lugo has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of April 15-21, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Lugo appeared in five of Double-A Portland’s six games against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Hadlock Field this past week. The right-handed hitting 22-year-old went 7-for-16 (.438) with three doubles, one triple, one home run, 10 RBIs, three runs scored, five walks, and four strikeouts.

Lugo played hero for the Sea Dogs on more than just one occasion during their latest series. He came through with a game-winning, three-run triple in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Fisher Cats, then drove in the first two runs of a 3-0 victory on Wednesday. He also homered and collected a game-high four RBIs on Saturday and doubled in a run on Sunday to extend his hitting streak to six games.

On the 2024 season as a whole, Lugo is now batting a stout .357/.471/.857 with three doubles, one triple, three homers, 12 runs driven in, five runs scored, six walks, and eight strikeouts through nine games (34 plate appearances) for Portland. He currently leads a talented Sea Dogs team in batting average, slugging percentage, OPS (1.328), and total bases with 24.

Lugo, who turns 23 next month, is repeating Double-A this year after struggling to a .242/.297/.381 slash line in 83 games (318 plate appearances) with the Sea Dogs in 2023. The former 2019 second-round draft selection out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico was regarded by SoxProspects.com as a top-15 prospect organization around this time last season but has since dropped from the site’s rankings completely.

The nephew of Beltran himself, Lugo initially came up as an infielder after signing with Boston for $1.1 million in June 2019. More recently, however, the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has transitioned to the outfield. So far this season, he has made a team-leading eight starts in left field for the Sea Dogs and has yet to commit an error over 64 2/3 innings.

Given that this is the third straight season in which Lugo has appeared in at least one game for the Sea Dogs, it should be interesting to see if he can force his way up to Triple-A Worcester sooner rather than later. He certainly couldn’t ask for a better start this year, though.

(Picture of Matthew Lugo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer off to strong start with Double-A Portland

After a winter full of skepticism, shortstop Marcelo Mayer is using the early stages of the minor-league season to show why he should still be considered the top prospect in the Red Sox organization.

To begin the 2024 campaign, Mayer has strung together a seven-game hitting streak for Double-A Portland. Following Sunday’s 9-5 win over the Reading Fightin Phils, the left-handed hitter is now 10-for-28 (.357) with one double, one home run, five RBIs, seven runs scored, two stolen bases, two walks, and eight strikeouts for the Sea Dogs.

On the other side of the ball, Mayer has seen all of his playing time on the field to this point in the season come at shortstop. The 6-foot-3, 188-pounder has logged a team-leading 50 innings at short thus far and has yet to commit an error.

Still just 21 years old, Mayer really couldn’t ask for a better start after what went down last season. The former fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft suffered a left shoulder impingement while with High-A Greenville early in the year and attempted to play through the discomfort. He managed to make it to Portland and represent the Red Sox at the All-Star Futures Game over the summer, but he struggled mightily at the plate before going on the injured list — and ultimately being shut down — in the first week of August.

Mayer received a pain-killing injection in September and spent his offseason rehabbing at home in Chula Vista, Calif., and at the Red Sox’ JetBlue Park complex in Fort Myers, Fla. He focused on building strength back up in that injured shoulder and was deemed a “full go” for Boston’s rookie development program in January.

Though he did not receive an invite to major-league spring training, Mayer got into two Grapefruit League games (as well as the Spring Breakout prospect showcase) and made his impact felt in other areas before breaking camp with Portland for the start of his third full professional season. As Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham recently told MLB.com’s Ian Browne, Mayer appears to be benefitting from the work he put in during the offseason.

“He worked incredibly hard throughout his progression in the offseason and spring training to prepare for the 2024 season,” said Abraham. “Whether that be rehab-related, strength-related, on-field performance-related, we saw a player working with an intent to be an impact player this season and moving forward. It’s been great to see him continue to mature both on and off the baseball field.”

Mayer, who does not turn 22 until December, is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the No. 1 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 15 prospect in all of baseball. If he continues to produce the way he has been to start the season, it will not be long until he garners consideration for a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. From there, the big-leagues are only one call away.

“Continue to become an improved all-around player,” Abraham said when asked about the organization’s developmental goals for Mayer this season. “Improve his range in the field and keep looking to impact the baseball. Have the continued ability to add good weight and strength. Offensively, it’s focusing on pitches within the zone he can do damage with. In simpler terms, increasing his walk percentage and decreasing his strikeout percentage will allow him to be a better overall hitter and maximize his potential.”

Mayer, for his part, explained his own mindset when speaking with WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford on the ‘Baseball Isn’t Boring’ podcast earlier this month. He did so while emphasizing that his shoulder felt great.

“I think I do feel close, but obviously I need to handle business here (in Double-A) first. I need to handle business in Triple-A. So there is still two levels to go,” Mayer said. “I feel close. I feel ready to go, excited for the new year. I’m ready to show myself and what I’m able to do. Again, I’m healthy.”

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

Red Sox pitching prospect Angel Bastardo impresses in 2024 debut for Double-A Portland

The conditions were far from ideal, but Red Sox pitching prospect Angel Bastardo still impressed in his 2024 debut for Double-A Portland over the weekend.

Due to a snowstorm hitting southern Maine and blanketing Hadlock Field with snow on Thursday, Portland was forced to postpone its first two games of the season against the Hartford Yard Goats on Friday and Saturday. Thanks to diligent work from the team’s grounds crew, though, the Sea Dogs were able to celebrate Opening Day in front of a crowd of 6,074 on Sunday afternoon.

Bastardo, in turn, rose to the occasion. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed only one earned run on one hit and two walks to go along with three strikeouts over five solid innings of work. That lone run came in the top of the third after Rockies prospect Ryan Ritter drew a leadoff walk, stole two bases, and scored from third on an RBI groundout off the bat of Bladimir Restituyo.

That sequence of events gave the Yard Goats an early 1-0 lead, but Bastardo did not waver. He instead got through the rest of the third inning unscathed and went on to retire the final seven batters he faced before making way for reliever Theo Denlinger in the top half of the sixth.

Finishing with 67 pitches (44 strikes), Bastardo induced seven swings-and-misses. He was later charged with the tough-luck loss as the Sea Dogs fell to the Yard Goats by a final score of 1-0 after being held to just three hits as a team. As such, he is now 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.60 WHIP on the young season.

Bastardo, who turns 22 in June, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 27 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks seventh among pitchers in the organization. The native Venezuelan originally signed with the Red Sox for just $35,000 as an international free agent coming out of the town of Moron in July 2018.

Bastardo first arrived in Portland last August after pitching to a 4.62 ERA (3.82 FIP) with 139 strikeouts to 46 walks over 21 starts (103 1/3 innings) for High-A Greenville. He then made three starts for the Sea Dogs before the 2023 campaign drew to a close, allowing a total of nine earned runs on 12 hits, nine walks, and 10 strikeouts across 16 frames in which he held opposing hitters to a .207 batting average against.

Unlike other intriguing pitching prospects in the system such as Wikelman Gonzalez and Luis Perales, Bastardo was not added to Boston’s 40-man roster in November despite being Rule 5-eligible. He was ultimately passed over in December’s Rule 5 Draft (meaning he could become eligible again this offseason) and now appears set for a key role in Portland’s starting rotation to begin the year.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, Bastardo throws from a three-quarters arm slot and features a medium leg kick in his delivery. The righty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 93-95 mph fastball that tops out at 97 mph, an 84-88 mph changeup, an 81-84 mph curveball with 11-to-5 break, and an 85-88 mph slider, per his scouting reports from Baseball America and SoxProspects.com.

As is the case with most young arms in the organization, it will be interesting to see if Bastardo can benefit from the revamped pitching infrastructure the Red Sox have begun to implement under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. How he fares this year in regards to improving his command and control could impact how he is viewed (as a starter or future reliever) moving forward.

(Picture of Angel Bastardo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

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)