Tag: promotions

Red Sox to promote OF prospects Jhostynxon Garcia, Allan Castro to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting outfield prospects Jhostynxon Garcia and Allan Castro from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Beyond the Monster’s Josh Ball.

Garcia and Castro, both 21, are currently regarded by Baseball America as the Nos. 18 and 23 prospects in Boston’s farm system, respectively. They originally joined the Red Sox organization as international free agents coming out of Venezuela and the Dominican Republic in July 2019.

Affectionately nicknamed “The Password” because of all the consonants in his first name, Garcia is on the move for the second time this season. The right-handed hitter opened the 2024 campaign at Low-A Salem and connected on five home runs while producing a .882 OPS in his first 24 games before receiving a promotion to Greenville in late May. He then batted a stout .311/.371/.627 with 14 doubles, two triples, 16 homers, 37 RBIs, 44 runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 50 strikeouts in 53 games (229 plate appearances) for the Drive.

Defensively, Garcia saw playing time at all three outfield positions in his time with Greenville. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder logged 17 innings in left field, 165 innings in right field, and 191 innings in center field, committing two errors and recording two outfield assists in 80 total chances. He also started 10 games at DH.

Castro, meanwhile, is on the move for the first time in 2024 after breaking camp with Greenville this past spring. The switch-hitter got off to somewhat of a slow start offensively before turning a corner in July. All told, he slashed .243/.363/.449 with 21 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 48 RBIs, 65 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 61 walks, and 94 strikeouts in 95 games (413 plate appearances) for the Drive this season.

On the other side of the ball, Castro — like Garcia — made starts at all three outfield spots for Greenville. The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder logged 19 innings in left field, 251 innings in right field, and 413 2/3 innings in center field, committing just one error and recording five outfield assists in 151 total chances. He also started 17 games at DH.

As SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall alluded to recently, it will be interesting to see how Garcia and Castro adjust to facing more advanced pitching at the Double-A level. They are both Rule 5-eligible at year’s end, so encouraging stints with Portland could strengthen their case to be added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster this winter.

(Picture of Jhostynxon Garcia: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox to promote top prospects Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, and Kyle Teel to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox are promoting their top three prospects — shortstop Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony, and catcher Kyle Teel — from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Mayer, Anthony, and Teel are currently regarded by Baseball America as the Nos. 10, 18, and 31 prospects in the sport, respectively. Dubbed “The Big Three” within Boston’s farm system, the talented trio represented the organization at last month’s All-Star Futures Game in Arlington, Texas. They are expected to join the WooSox and make their Triple-A debuts on Tuesday, when the club opens a six-game series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Polar Park.

Mayer, the longest-tenured of the three, was originally selected by the Red Sox with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Eastlake High School (Chula Vista, Calif.). The left-handed hitting 21-year-old batted .307/.370/.480 with 28 doubles, eight home runs, 38 RBIs, 60 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 30 walks, and 66 strikeouts in 77 games (335 plate appearances) for Portland this season. As noted by Speier, he was recently sidelined by minor hip soreness but was activated from the injured list over the weekend and should be ready to play.

Defensively, Mayer saw the vast majority of his playing time with Portland this season come at shortstop. The 6-foot-3, 188-pounder logged 543 innings at short for the Sea Dogs, committing 10 errors in 212 chances. He also started one game at third base and nine at DH.

Anthony, meanwhile, was taken by the Red Sox with the 79th overall selection in the 2022 draft out of Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Fla). The left-handed hitting 20-year-old slashed .269/.367/.489 with 20 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs, 45 RBIs, 60 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 48 walks, and 96 strikeouts in 84 games (376 plate appearances) for Portland this season. He is currently riding an 11-game hitting streak.

On the other side of the ball, Anthony had been serving as the Sea Dogs’ primary center fielder leading up to Sunday’s promotion. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder logged 489 1/3 innings in center for Portland, committing three errors in 132 chances. He also made two starts in left field (where he recorded two outfield assists), one start in right field, and 15 starts at DH.

Unlike Mayer and Anthony, Teel is in just his first full professional season after being selected by the Red Sox with the 14th overall pick in last summer’s draft out of the University of Virginia. The left-handed hitting 22-year-old batted .298/.390/.462 with 20 doubles, 11 home runs, 60 RBIs, 65 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 48 walks, and 87 strikeouts in 84 games (382 plate appearances) for Portland this season.

From behind the plate, Teel started 57 games at catcher for the Sea Dogs and threw out 18 of 91 would-be base stealers. The 6-foot, 190-pound backstop has shown “major improvement in his receiving, game-calling, and throwing since the beginning of July,” according to Speier.

After spending the better part of the last four months at Double-A, Mayer, Anthony, and Teel will make the highly-anticipated jump to Triple-A this week. Put another way, they are all just one call away from reaching the major leagues.

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

Red Sox promote versatile prospect Andy Lugo to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted versatile prospect Andy Lugo from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Lugo, a right-handed hitting 20-year-old, batted .271/.337/.388 with 24 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 32 RBIs, 37 runs scored, 23 stolen bases, 20 walks, and 64 strikeouts in 77 games (300 plate appearances) for Salem this season. That includes a .306/.306/.431 slash line in the month of July.

Among 67 qualified Carolina League hitters coming into play on Thursday, Lugo is tied for first in doubles. He also ranks seventh in line-drive rate (27.8 percent), 12th in batting average, 21st in slugging percentage and OPS (.725), 22nd in strikeout rate (21.3 percent) and swinging-strike rate (11.3 percent), 23rd in wRC+ (115), 28th in on-base percentage, and 31st in isolated power (.117), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Lugo made at least one start at every position besides pitcher, catcher, shortstop, and center field while with Salem. The 6-foot, 160-pounder logged 108 innings at first base, 59 innings at second base, 78 innings at third base, 244 1/3 innings in left field, and 163 innings in right field. He recorded six outfield assists in that span.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Lugo originally signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of San Cristobal in July 2021. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League the following June and was named the organization’s 2022 Latin Program Position Player of the Year after batting .318/.368/.414 in 56 games. He then missed the entire 2023 season with a quad strain.

Lugo, who does not turn 21 until next March, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. He figures to provide Greenville with more depth in the infield and outfield after infielder Ahbram Liendo was promoted to Double-A Portland on Thursday.

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

Red Sox promote infield prospect Luis Ravelo to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted infield prospect Luis Ravelo from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Beyond the Monster’s Hunter Noll.

Ravelo enjoyed a strong month of July for Greenville. The switch-hitting 20-year-old batted .357/.433/.446 with two doubles, one home run, 11 RBIs, nine runs scored, nine walks, and 13 strikeouts in 17 games (67 plate appearances). He is slashing .232/.314/.327 with 12 doubles, one triple, four homers, 30 runs driven in, 28 runs scored, one stolen base, 29 walks, and 72 strikeouts over 75 games (309 plate appearances) on the season as a whole.

Defensively, Ravelo has seen all of his playing time on the field this year come at either second base or shortstop. The 6-foot-1, 187-pounder logged 261 1/3 innings at second and 350 1/3 innings at short with the Drive, committing 13 errors in 231 total chances. He also started five games at DH and has past experience at third base.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Ravelo originally signed with Boston for $545,000 as an international free agent coming out of Santo Domingo in January 2021. The Red Sox, according to Baseball America, “were drawn to Ravelo as “a defensive magician whose lightning hands created a number of did-you-see-that double takes at shortstop.”

After making his professional debut in the 2021 Dominican Summer League, Ravelo split the 2022 campaign between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem. He entered 2023 ranked by Baseball America as the No. 30 prospect in Boston’s farm system and spent the entire year with Salem, batting .217/.311/.303 with 15 doubles, six home runs, and 47 RBIs in 108 games.

Ravelo, who turns 21 in November, is not currently ranked among the Red Sox’ top 30 prospects by Baseball America. He profiles as a glove-first infielder who still has plenty of room to grow offensively, particularly when hitting from the right side of the plate. With that said, he is slated to bat ninth and start at second base for Portland against Erie at Hadlock Field on Wednesday night.

In addition to elevating Ravelo, the Red Sox promoted four other infielders on Wednesday. Nick Sogard was called up from Triple-A Worcester to Boston for his first major-league stint, Tyler McDonough was called up from Portland to Worcester to take Sogard’s place, Fraymi De Leon was called up from Salem to Greenville to take Ravelo’s place, and Kelvin Diaz was called up from the Florida Complex League to Salem to take De Leon’s place.

(Picture of Luis Ravelo: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox promote pitching prospects Yeferson Vargas, Gilberto Batista to Low-A Salem

In addition to Franklin Arias and Juan Valera, Red Sox pitching prospects Yeferson Vargas and Gilberto Batista have also been promoted from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, as was first reported by Beyond the Monster’s Hunter Noll.

Vargas, who turns 20 next month, posted a 3.13 ERA and 4.58 FIP with 29 strikeouts to 13 walks in 10 appearances (three starts) spanning 31 2/3 innings for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox. That translates to a 22 percent strikeout rate and a 9.8 percent walk rate. Opposing hitters batted .256 against him.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Vargas originally signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of San Pedro de Macoris in December 2022. The hard-throwing righty made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last June and is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 54 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 29th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot and 177 pounds, Vargas was recently described by FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen as a “stout” hurler who “has cut his walks substantially compared to 2023 while also enjoying a two- or three-tick velocity spike.” According to Longenhagen, Vargas has averaged 95-96 mph and reached 98 with his fastball this season while featuring a “snappy” curveball in the 81-84 mph range.

Batista, who does not turn 20 until January, forged a 3.92 ERA and 3.51 FIP with 23 strikeouts to 13 walks in eight appearances (five starts) spanning 20 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .220 batting average. That translates to a 24.2 percent strikeout rate and a 13.7 percent walk rate.

Like Vargas, Batista hails from the Dominican Republic and signed with the Red Sox in late 2022. He, too, received a modest $10,000 signing bonus but impressed in his professional debut (3.54 ERA in 40 2/3 innings) in the DSL last season and was recognized as the organization’s Latin Program Pitcher of the Year.

Standing at 6-foot and 165 pounds, Batista is not currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as one of the top 60 prospects in Boston’s farm system. The 19-year-old reportedly sits between 93-95 mph with his fastball and has featured a slider.

Olds promoted, Olivarez released

In other minor-league news, reliever Wyatt Olds was promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester as a corresponding move for Isiah Campbell landing on the WooSox’ 7-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.

Olds, 24, posted a 5.03 ERA (4.15 FIP) with 74 strikeouts to 30 walks in 26 appearances (one start) spanning 53 2/3 innings for Portland this season. The right-hander was originally selected by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Oklahoma.

The Red Sox also released Helcris Olivarez, who they signed to a minor-league contract in November, from Portland’s roster. A former top prospect of the Rockies, the 23-year-old lefty pitched to a 3.50 ERA (but much more concerning 6.07 FIP) with 47 strikeouts to 50 walks in 14 appearances (five starts) spanning 36 innings for the Sea Dogs in 2024.

(Picture of Gilberto Batista: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote prospects Franklin Arias, Juan Valera to Low-A Salem

The Red Sox are promoting infield prospect Franklin Arias and pitching prospect Juan Valera from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, according to reports from The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and SoxProspects.com.

Arias, 18, is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter batted .355/.471/.584 with 16 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 28 RBIs, 41 runs scored, 30 stolen bases, 34 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 51 games (206 plate appearances) for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox this season.

In the month of July alone, Arias has slashed a ridiculous .482/.574/.768 with five doubles, one triple, three homers, nine RBIs, 18 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 12 walks, and 14 strikeouts over 18 games (68 plate appearances). Among 70 qualified FCL hitters coming into play on Monday, Arias led the pack in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS (1.055), and wRC+ (180). He also ranked second in slugging percentage, fifth in isolated power (.229), 17th in walk rate (16.5 percent), and 23rd in strikeout rate (17.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Arias has split his playing time on the field this season between shortstop and second base. The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder committed nine errors in 33 starts at short for the FCL Red Sox but did not commit an error in 10 starts at second. He also made four starts at DH.

Arias, who turns 19 in November, originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2023. The Caracas native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year and has since added to his glove-first profile by showing signs of immense improvement at the plate.

“He’s one of these guys that you can close your eyes and you know he’s going to field a ground ball,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham said of Arias when speaking with Speier earlier this month. “He’s a very easy plus defender, which is, I think, what’s really exciting about him. The bat has always been behind, and now the bat is starting to creep up and all of a sudden, you’re looking at a player who does a little bit of everything.”

Valera, meanwhile, is not yet ranked by Baseball America but is rated by SoxProspects.com as the No. 42 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The 18-year-old right-hander posted a 1.79 ERA and 3.29 FIP with 40 strikeouts to 14 walks in 11 appearances (nine starts) spanning 40 1/3 innings for the FCL Red Sox this season. Opposing hitters batted just .128 against him.

Dating back to the beginning of June, Valera has pitched to a 0.98 ERA (2.20 FIP) with 29 strikeouts to four walks over his last seven starts (27 2/3 innings). That includes punching out a season-high seven batters in five perfect frames against the FCL Braves last Thursday.

Among the 20 FCL pitchers who entered Monday with at least 40 innings under their belt to this point in the year, Valera ranked first in batting average against and WHIP (0.77), second in FIP, third in groundball rate (56 percent), fourth in ERA fifth in strikeout rate (26 percent), sixth in walk rate (9.1 percent) and xFIP (3.98), and eighth in swinging-strike rate (16 percent), per FanGraphs.

Valera, who turned 18 in May, originally signed with the Red Sox for $45,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in April 2023. The Sabana Grande de Palenque native appeared in 15 games (one start) as part of his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last season but has really burst onto the scene this year.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Valera primarily operates with a 93-97 mph fastball and an 83-85 mph slider, according to his initial SoxProspects.com scouting report. The projectable righty does not yet feature a third pitch and is inconsistent when it comes to throwing strikes. Still, “he checks a lot of boxes that you look for in a pitching prospect his age.”

While Arias and Valera are getting somewhat of a head start in making the jump to Salem, others in Fort Myers will likely join them at some point in August since the 2024 FCL season will conclude on July 30 at the latest.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospects Elmer Rodriguez, Noah Dean to High-A Greenville

With Connelly Early and David Sandlin making the jump to Double-A Portland, the Red Sox are promoting pitching prospects Elmer Rodriguez and Noah Dean from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to reports from SoxProspects.com and MiLB Central’s Chase Ford.

Rodriguez, 20, and Dean, 23, are currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the Nos. 16 and 46 prospects in Boston’s farm system. That ranks fourth and 23rd among pitchers in the organization, respectively.

Rodriguez, who turns 21 next month, has spent parts of the last three seasons with Salem after originally being selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico. To begin the 2024 campaign, the right-hander posted a 2.51 ERA and 2.73 FIP with 73 strikeouts to 25 walks in 14 appearances (13 starts) spanning 61 innings of work for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. Opposing hitters batted just .206 against him.

Listed at a lean 6-foot-3 and 160 pounds, Rodriguez throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As recently noted by FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, the lanky righty has seen an uptick in his fastball velocity this season to the point where he is now averaging 95 mph and touching 98 mph with the pitch. He also features an upper-70s curveball, a mid-80s slider, and an upper-80s changeup.

Dean, who turned 23 in March, had been with Salem since making his professional debut last April. The New Jersey native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2022 amateur draft out of Old Dominion. After struggling to a 6.29 ERA in 2023, Dean kicked off the 2024 season by forging a 3.96 ERA (3.89 FIP) with 86 strikeouts to 31 walks over 15 appearances (13 starts) spanning 61 1/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a minuscule .139 batting average.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Dean has overhauled his delivery and now throws from cross-bodied, three-quarters arm slot. The lefty sits between 92-94 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a mid-80s changeup and a slider. SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall noted last month that Dean has relied on his slider more and used his heater less this season, which has resulted in softer contact.

Command and control remain areas of improvement for both Rodriguez and Dean, who are now slated to join a starting rotation mix in Greenville that includes the likes of Hayden Mullins, Dalton Rogers, Yordanny Monegro, Blake Wehunt, and Jedixson Paez.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Connelly Early to Double-A Portland

In addition to promoting David Sandlin, the Red Sox are also elevating pitching prospect Connelly Early from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Early, 22, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 26 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The left-hander was selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round (151st overall pick) of last year’s draft out of Virginia. He received a $408,500 signing bonus and debuted for Low-A Salem in September.

To begin his first full professional season, Early emerged as a key member of Greenville’s rotation by posting a 3.72 ERA and 3.64 FIP with 90 strikeouts to 24 walks in 15 starts (67 2/3 innings) for the Drive. That translates to a 30.9 percent strikeout rate and an 8.2 percent walk rate. Opposing hitters batted just .208 against him.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Early throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As noted by SoxProspects.com, the lefty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-93 mph that has touched 95 mph this year, a frequently-used 80-82 mph changeup that is considered to be his best secondary offering, a 79-81 mph curveball, and an 87-88 mph cutter.

In making the jump to Portland, Early will be reunited — for the time being, at least — with his old battery mate at Virginia in top catching prospect Kyle Teel, who could soon be on the receiving end of a promotion to Triple-A Worcester alongside the likes of shortstop Marcelo Mayer and outfielder Roman Anthony.

Early and Sandlin, meanwhile, figure to provide support to a Sea Dogs starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries in recent weeks. From a developmental perspective, they will also be challenged with facing more advanced hitting in the upper minors for the first time in their respective careers.

(Picture of Connelly Early: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

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 promote Rule 5 pickup Mickey Gasper to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have promoted minor-league catcher Mickey Gasper from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Gasper, 28, joined the Red Sox via the minor-league phase of last December’s Rule 5 Draft. Before that, the New Hampshire native had spent the first six seasons of his professional career in the Yankees organization after being selected by New York in the 27th round of the 2018 amateur draft out of Bryant.

In 44 games for Portland to begin the 2024 campaign, the switch-hitting Gasper batted .282/.403/.458 with 13 doubles, four home runs, 22 RBIs, 28 runs scored, three stolen bases, 26 walks, and 22 strikeouts over 176 plate appearances. That includes a .205/.279/.256 slash line against left-handed pitching and a far more encouraging .311/.444/.534 slash line against righties.

Among 88 qualified hitters in the Eastern League coming into play on Tuesday, Gasper ranks eighth in walk rate (14.8 percent) and OPS (.861), second in strikeout rate (12.5 percent), 17th in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, 13th in slugging percentage, 19th in isolated power (.176), first in swinging-strike rate (4.4 percent), and ninth in wRC+ (146), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Gasper has seen all his playing time on the field to this point in the season come at either catcher or first base. In deference to top catching prospect Kyle Teel in Portland, the 5-foot-10, 205-pounder has made 16 of his 43 starts behind the plate while throwing out six of 29 possible base stealers.

Gasper is not in Worcester’s starting lineup for Tuesday’s series opener against Rochester but does have past experience at the Triple-A level. He appeared in 22 games across two separate stints for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders last year and hit .191/.295/.265 with one homer and four RBIs.

With Gasper making the jump to Worcester, Elih Marrero has been sent down to Portland. This shakeup comes after fellow catcher Tyler Heineman was recalled by the Red Sox as a corresponding move for rookie outfielder Wilyer Abreu going on the 10-day injured list with a right ankle sprain.

(Picture of Mickey Gasper: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)