Tag: prospects

New Podding the Red Sox episode: Red Sox infield prospect Nick Sogard joins the show

On this week’s installment of Podding the Red Sox: A BloggingtheRedSox.com Podcast, I am joined by Red Sox infield prospect Nick Sogard.

Sogard, 24, was traded from the Rays to the Red Sox last February alongside catching prospect Ronaldo Hernandez. The switch-hitting infielder spent the 2021 season between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland and batted .276/.346/.461 with 13 home runs, 42 RBIs, and eight stolen bases over 80 games.

Among the topics Nick and I discussed are how he found about the trade and his initial reaction to it, his relationship with his older cousin Eric Sogard, what he thought of his 2021 season, his defensive versatility, the key differences in the level of competition between High-A and Double-A, going back-and-forth between the two levels, how he spent part of his off-season in Nashville, what he has made of spring training in Fort Myers so far, getting to work with Alex Cora a little bit, his expectations for the 2022 season, and much more!

The episode is available to listen to on iTunes and Spotify, among other platforms.

My thanks to Nick for taking some time out of his spring schedule to have a conversation with yours truly. You can follow Nick on Twitter (@NickSogard22) by clicking here and on Instagram (@Nick_Sogard) by clicking here.

Thank you for listening and we will see you next time! Please make sure to subscribe and leave a five-star review if you can!

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

Nathanael Cruz identified by Baseball America as Red Sox prospect ‘who could make a leap forward’ in 2022

Red Sox pitching prospect Nathanael Cruz was recently identified by Baseball America as a sleeper “who could make a leap forward” heading into the 2022 season.

Cruz, who turned 19 last month, is regarded by Baseball America as the No. 34 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-hander originally signed with the Sox for $200,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2019.

While he missed out on his first full pro season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cruz was one of the youngest arms at the Red Sox’ fall instructional league in 2020.

The following spring, Cruz remained in Fort Myers and spent the entirety of the 2021 minor-league season with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox. In four appearances (three starts) for Boston’s FCL affiliate, the righty posted a 3.18 ERA and 4.89 xFIP to go along with eight strikeouts to three walks over just 5 2/3 innings of work. He threw just four pitches in his final outing of the year on August 6 and did not appear in another game.

Although Cruz was listed on the club’s 2021 fall instructional league roster, it is unclear how much he participated in the program.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Cruz operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 93-95 mph, an 85-87 mph changeup, and an 80-82 mph curveball, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report. Back in September, SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall noted that Cruz “still has a long way to go with his command and control, and his low-80s breaking ball is a work in progress, but he intrigued scouts and there is upside given his age.”

On that note, Cruz is projected to return to the Florida Complex League for the start of the 2022 minor-league season. If healthy, there is certainly a lot to like about the 19-year-old hurler given his youth, potential, and remaining projection.

(Picture of Nathanael Cruz: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Stephen Scott identified by Baseball America as ‘unheralded young minor-league hitter’ within Red Sox organization

Stephen Scott was recently identified by Baseball America’s Matt Eddy as an “unheralded young minor-league hitter” within the Red Sox organization who “succeeded in 2021 and is looking to build on that success this season.”

Scott — an outfielder, first baseman, and catcher — was originally selected by the Sox in the 10th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of the baseball powerhouse that is Vanderbilt University. As a senior coming out of college, the North Carolina native signed with Boston for a modest $50,000.

After spending the remainder of the 2019 season with the Lowell Spinners, Scott had his first full season as a pro taken away from him due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He did, however, participate in fall instructs and subsequently opened the 2021 campaign with Low-A Salem.

While living in a trailer with teammate Joe Davis, Scott batted .259/.381/.453 with 17 doubles, eight home runs, 42 RBIs, 49 runs scored, two stolen bases, 39 walks, and 46 strikeouts across his first 61 games (257 plate appearances) for the Salem Sox.

On July 29, the Red Sox promoted Scott to High-A Greenville, where the left-handed hitter turned it up a notch offensively. In his final 39 games (165 plate appearances) with the Drive, Scott slashed an astounding .338/.430/.606 to go along with 12 doubles, one triple, eight homers, 29 RBIs, 24 runs scored, one stolen base, 23 walks, and 32 strikeouts.

Among all High-A East hitters who made at least 160 trips to the plate last year, Scott ranked 12th in walk rate (13.9%), 23rd in strikeout rate (19.4%), second in batting average, first in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging percentage, second in OPS (1.036), 13th in isolated power (.268), and second in wRC+ (173), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Scott is more versatile than his 5-foot-11, 207 pound frame might suggest. Last season alone, the 24-year-old logged 321 1/3 innings at first base, 78 in left field, 156 1/3 in right field, and 163 2/3 behind home plate while making his professional debut as a catcher.

As noted by Eddy, Scott’s “best path forward involves a large share of time behind the plate, where he made just 18 starts last year.” That being said, SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall writes that scouts are skeptical Scott can stick behind the plate long-term given his lack of mobility and lack of experience at the position.

Scott, who turns 25 in May, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 51 prospect in Boston’s farm system. After participating in the Sox’ Winter Warm-Up program in January, he is projected by the site to return to Greenville for the start of the 2022 minor-league season, though it should not take him long to get to Double-A Portland if he can replicate what he did at the plate last summer.

(Picture of Stephen Scott via the Greenville Drive’s Twitter)

Who is Phillip Sikes? Red Sox outfield prospect batted .392 in Florida Complex league last year after being taken in 18th round of 2021 draft

The Red Sox selected 10 college players from Power Five schools in the 2021 amateur draft, including Texas Christian University outfielder Phillip Sikes.

Sikes, 22, began his college career at the University of New Mexico in 2018. He then transferred to Pima Community College in Arizona for his sophomore season and was taken by the Diamondbacks in the 33rd round of the 2019 draft.

Rather than go pro as a draft-eligible sophomore, Sikes opted to transfer to TCU for his junior and senior seasons. After being taken by Boston in the 18th round of last summer’s draft, the Paris, Texas native ultimately signed with the club for $97,500.

Regarded by Baseball America as the 465th-ranked prospect in the 2021 draft class, Sikes’ first assignment as a professional came in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. The right-handed hitter debuted for the Sox’ FCL affiliate on August 5 and proceeded to slash a stout .392/.464/.622 to go along with eight doubles, three home runs, 18 RBIs, 18 runs scored, five stolen bases, eight walks, and 24 strikeouts over 24 games (84 plate appearances) to close out the minor-league season.

In 63 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers, Sikes posted a 1.227 OPS but only produced a .679 OPS in 22 plate appearances against lefties.

Although he was admittedly older for the level he was playing at, Sikes was still one of the top hitters in the lower-minors last year. Among FCL hitters who made at least 80 trips to the plate in 2021, the former Horned Frog ranked third in batting average, third in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging percentage, fourth in OPS (1.086), 18th in isolated power (.230), and fifth in wRC+ (185), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Sikes had played all three outfield positions while in college and things remained that way — albeit to a lesser degree — during his first pro season. The 6-foot-2, 190 pounder logged 158 2/3 innings in center, seven in left, and nine in right while recording two outfield assists and turning one double play.

A former two-way player as an amateur, Sikes profiles best as a corner outfielder moving forward. According to his Baseball America scouting report from before last July’s draft, Sikes “has a solid, well-rounded tool set. He’s a plus runner who has demonstrated that he can catch up to a good fastball, although he can be enticed to chase a tantalizing slider.

“Sikes has a short, direct swing that is geared more for hitting for average than power, but he has enough strength to drive balls to the right field power alley as well,” his scouting report continues. “Sikes is a well-rounded outfielder who can play center field in a pinch and is average in the corners. His arm is fringe-average but accurate.”

Sikes, who turns 23 next month, is not listed on any major publication’s top Red Sox prospects list heading into the 2022 campaign. That being said, the speedy outfielder is projected by SoxProspects.com to begin his first full season as a pro at High-A Greenville, which is certainly interesting when you consider the fact he did not play at the Low-A level last year.

(Picture of Phillip Sikes: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Don’t forget about Red Sox prospect Devlin Granberg

Even with the ongoing lockout delaying the start of the 2022 Major League Baseball Season, the 2022 minor-league season remains unaffected. And while prospects on the 40-man roster are still impacted by the work stoppage, all other Red Sox minor-leaguers begin their version of spring training this Sunday.

Out of the dozens of players who have been and who will be pouring into the Fort Myers-area in the coming days, one name to watch for is first baseman/outfielder Devlin Granberg.

Granberg, 26, is admittedly older for your prototypical prospect. The Sox originally drafted the Dallas Baptist University senior in the sixth round of the 2018 amateur draft and later signed him for just $40,000.

After beginning his professional career with the Lowell Spinners and splitting the 2019 campaign between Boston’s two Class-A affilates, Granberg was met with somewhat of a roadblock when the 2020 minor-league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He did not receive an invite to the Red Sox’ alternate training site that summer, nor did he participate in the team’s fall instructional league. Still, according to director of player development Brian Abraham, Granberg was one of several players who came into camp last year and “immediately impressed with the strides they’d made during a year away.”

On the heels of such an impressive spring, Granberg opened the 2021 minor-league season with High-A Greenville. The right-handed hitter got off to a scorching start for the Drive, batting .326/.416/.642 (174 wRC+) with seven doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 29 RBIs, 21 runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 16 strikeouts over 27 games (113 plate appearances) before earning a promotion to Double-A Portland on June 16.

Upon arriving in Portland, Granberg picked up right where he left off in terms of offensive production. He cooled down for a bit in August, but rebounded in September to end his year by slashing .286/.331/.469 (117 wRC+) with 16 doubles, one triple, 10 homers, 45 RBIs, 48 runs scored, four stolen bases, 11 walks, and 54 strikeouts across 69 games (281 plate appearances) with the Sea Dogs.

In a conversation with FanGraphs’ David Laurila last July, Granberg described himself as “immobile” and his short, compact swing as “one of the more interesting swings out there” since it is unconventional.

“I would say it’s pretty rotational, yet not totally rotational,” he said. “It’s kind of like those combo swings — not too crouched, maybe a little bit open, and then I stride into it. I’m trying to hit the ball middle/opposite field most of the time.”

Defensively, Granberg saw playing time at four different positions between Greenville and Portland in 2021. The 6-foot-2, 224 pounder logged 138 innings at first base, 194 innings in left field, nine innings in center field, and 303 1/3 innings in right field while recording a total of two outfield assists.

Per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Granberg “has more defensive upside at first base” than he does in the outfield since he possesses fringe-average arm strength and average range.

Granberg, who does not turn 27 until September, is not regarded by SoxProspects.com as one of the top prospects in Boston’s farm system. The Colorado native is currently projected by the site to begin the 2022 season where he left off in 2021: Portland.

That being said, Granberg is still eligible for the Rule 5 Draft since he was left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster in November. On Friday, Baseball America’s Josh Norris reported that the Rule 5 Draft “is expected to take place a week after a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is in place,” though it could end up getting cancelled if the lockout continues to drag on.

(Picture of Devlin Granberg: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Who is Eddinson Paulino? Red Sox infield prospect was ‘an eye-opener’ last year after impressing in Florida Complex League

Like his teammate Miguel Ugueto, Red Sox infield prospect Eddinson Paulino was one of the organization’s top performers in the Florida Complex League last season.

In 36 games for the Sox’ rookie-level affiliate, Paulino batted .336/.436/.549 to go along with 16 doubles, four triples, 13 RBIs, 25 runs scored, five stolen bases, 15 walks, and 21 strikeouts over 133 plate appearances. The left-handed hitting 19-year-old slashed .354/.436/.585 (94 PAs) against right-handed pitching and .290/.436/.452 (39 PAs) against lefties.

Among FCL hitters who made at least 130 trips to the plate in 2021, Paulino ranked tied for first in doubles, tied for second in triples, 30th in walk rate (11.3%), eighth in strikeout rate (15.8%), second in batting average, third in on-base percentage, second in slugging percentage, first in OPS (.985), ninth in isolated power (.212), 14th in speed score (7.8), and first in wRC+ (161), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Paulino was scouted and signed as a shortstop. Last year, however, the 5-foot-10, 155 pounder saw playing time at three different positions while logging 85 innings at second base, 149 at third base, and just 16 at short.

A native of Santiago, Paulino originally signed with Boston for $205,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in July 2018. He officially inked his first contract with the club on his 16th birthday.

After spending his first full professional season in the Dominican Summer League, Paulino fell victim to the fact that the 2020 minor-league campaign was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That being said, Paulino clearly made the most of his time away from organized ball. Even after starting this past season on the bench in the FCL, Paulino was undoubtedly “an eye-opener” among Red Sox prospects in 2021.

Back in August, SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall noted that Paulino’s athleticism, defensive versatility, and smooth swing made him “one of the most intriguing young position players” in Boston’s farm system.

“Scouts think Paulino can really hit,” Cundall wrote. “He has been hitting hard line drives all over the field this year and made impressive exit velocity gains, hitting the ball much harder this year than he did in 2019 in the DSL. The one knock on Paulino so far has been that it is unclear how much over-the-fence power Paulino will develop. He is listed at 5-foot-10, 155 pounds, and while he has projection in his frame, he is unlikely to grow into a major power threat.”

Paulino, who does not turn 20 until July, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the 25th-ranked prospect in the organization. He is projected by the site to begin the 2022 season at Low-A Salem.

On that note, Paulino can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in his career this December. The Red Sox would need to add the versatile infielder to their 40-man roster by late November if they intend to protect him from it.

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

Who is Miguel Ugueto? Red Sox outfield prospect batted .331 in Florida Complex League last year

Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Ugueto was among the organization’s top performers in the Florida Complex League last year.

Nicknamed “The Machine” like Albert Pujols, Ugueto appeared in 35 games for the Sox’ rookie-level affiliate. Over that stretch, the right-handed-hitting 19-year-old batted a stout .331/.370/.528 (135 wRC+) to go along with 15 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 20 RBIs, 26 runs scored, seven stolen bases, seven walks, and 26 strikeouts across 135 plate appearances.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTlUxGYFs_I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

He posted a .949 OPS against right-handed pitching compared to a .733 OPS against left-handed pitching.

Among FCL hitters who made at least 130 trips to the plate in 2021, Ugueto ranked 13th in strikeout rate (19.3%), third in batting average, 15th in on-base percentage, sixth in slugging percentage, fifth in OPS (.898), 15th in isolated power (.197), eighth in speed score (8.6), and seventh in wRC+, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, the 6-foot-2, 185 pounder saw playing time at all three outfield positions last year in Fort Myers. He logged 99 2/3 innings in left, 56 innings in center, and 104 in right while not committing a single error and recording three outfield assists.

A native of Venezuela, Ugueto originally signed with Boston for just $10,000 as an international free agent in August 2019. His first full professional season was wiped out because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he certainly made up for lost time in 2021.

With that being said, though, there does seem to be some concern regarding Ugueto’s outlook in spite of the success he enjoyed last summer. As highlighted by SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall in September, “scouts are skeptical of his ability to hit more advanced pitching. His swing is ugly and he is a free swinger with poor pitch recognition and no approach at the plate. Unless his approach improves drastically, he will struggle to make contact as he moves up the system.

“Defensively, his profile also puts a lot of pressure on his bat, as he is slow-footed with a corner outfield profile,” added Cundall. “While he has played a significant amount of center field this year, he has moved to the corners in his last eight games.”

Ugueto, who does not turn 20 until this coming September, is not regarded by any major publication as one of the top prospects in the Red Sox’ farm system. He was, however, one of 11 outfielders to participate in the team’s fall performance program this past October.

On that note, Ugueto is projected by SoxProspects.com to begin the 2022 minor-league season where he left off in 2021: the Florida Complex League. Of course, under that scenario, it would not be surprising if Ugueto were to earn a promotion to Low-A Salem at some point this summer.

(Picture of Miguel Ugueto: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Nick Yorke identified by Baseball America as top second-base prospect in baseball

Nick Yorke was recently identified by Baseball America as the top second-base prospect in baseball heading into the 2022 season.

The Red Sox surprised many when they selected Yorke with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft, but the Archbishop Mitty High school product has quickly proven his doubters wrong.

2021 marked Yorke’s first full season as a professional. After impressing the likes of Alex Cora at spring training, the 19-year-old broke camp with Low-A Salem and initially got off to a slow start.

By the time the calendar flipped from May to June, Yorke was sporting a measly .195 batting average through his first 21 games and 91 plate appearances with Salem.

From June 1 on, however, Yorke turned things around for the better. The right-handed hitting second baseman proceeded to slash .373/.467/.609 with 12 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 38 RBIs, 50 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 33 walks, and 26 strikeouts over his next 55 games (255 plate appearances) before earning a promotion to High-A Greenville on August 24.

In the process of closing out his first full pro season with the Drive, Yorke stayed hot by batting .333/.406/.571 with six more doubles, one more triple, four more homers, 15 more RBIs, 17 more runs, two more stolen bases, 11 more walks, and 22 more strikeouts across 21 games spanning 96 trips to the plate.

On the heels of such a sensational campaign, Yorke was named the Red Sox’ minor-league Offensive Player of the Year in September. He was also recognized by Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser as the top-hitting second base prospect the game has to offer at the moment.

“He is a balanced hitter who stays back on balls and drives them to all fields with a quick, compact swing,” Glaser wrote on Friday. “He consistently puts together good at-bats with his excellent pitch recognition and strike-zone discipline, and his elite barrel control allows him to hit almost any pitch. He easily projects to be a plus hitter and has a chance to be more.”

Among all qualified minor-league second basemen who played above the rookie-level Dominican Summer League and complex leagues last year, Yorke ranked fifth in batting average (.325), fourth in on-base percentage (.412), ninth in slugging percentage (.516), fifth in OPS (.928), and fifth in wRC+ (149), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Yorke saw all his playing time between Salem and Greenville come at second base. The 6-foot, 200 pounder logged 741 2/3 innings total innings at the position while recording nine errors — all of which came at Low-A.

There are some questions surrounding Yorke’s future as a second baseman, but he presently leads a prospect group that includes Nick Gonzales, Vidal Brujan, Ezequiel Duran, Justin Foscue, and Xavier Edwards, among others.

Yorke, who turns 20 in April, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 31 prospect in all of baseball. The California native participated in the Sox’ Winter Warm-Up program last month and is projected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2022 minor-league season.

(Picture of Nick Yorke: Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Red Sox outfield prospect Eduardo Vaughan could burst onto the scene in 2022

Red Sox outfield prospect Eduardo Vaughan has a chance to fly up the team’s prospect rankings board this year, according to SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall.

“If you’re looking for a prospect who could fly up the Red Sox prospect rankings this year, Vaughan is a great candidate,” Cundall tweeted on Friday. “He checks a lot of boxes, but has a wide variance with his hit-tool. How that develops will go a long way to determining his future potential.”

Vaughan, who turned 20 last month, comes into 2022 ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 44 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He originally signed with the Red Sox for $550,000 as an international free agent coming out of Panama in July 2018.

After spending the 2019 season in the Dominican Summer League, Vaughan was unable to play any sort of minor-league ball in 2020 on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 20-year-old did, however, participate in fall instructs and took what he learned there into minor-league spring training last year.

Once minor-league camp broke and extended spring training concluded in June, Vaughan remained in Fort Myers as he wound up spending the entirety of the 2021 campaign with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox.

In 28 games with the FCL Red Sox, the right-handed hitter batted .226/.362/.405 (108 wRC+) with six doubles, three home runs, 18 RBIs, 16 runs scored, five stolen bases, 18 walks, and 24 strikeouts over 105 plate appearances. He surprisingly fared better against righties (.840 OPS in 74 PAs) as opposed to lefties (.572 OPS in 31 PAs).

Among FCL hitters who made at least 100 trips to the plate in 2021, Vaughan ranked 39th in on-base percentage, 29th in isolated power (.179), and eighth in walk rate (17.1%), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Vaughan saw playing time at all three outfield positions last year after only playing the corners in 2019. The 6-foot-4, 185 pounder logged 139 1/3 innings in center field, 59 2/3 innings in right field, and six innings in left field while recording a total of five outfield assists.

Shortly before the FCL season ended in September, Cundall wrote that Vaughan “has one of the system’s most projectable frames in the low minors” since he still has room to fill out physically.

“Vaughan already shows plus raw power, his best tool at present,” added Cundall. “His hit tool and approach are still works in progress, and his swing is on the long side, but his hands are quick. … He is a fringe-average runner right now and will likely get slower as he matures, but he has a good arm and a typical right field profile.”

While Cundall noted that Vaughan still has a ways to go developmentally, he also identified the San Miguelito native as a “high-risk, high-reward prospect” with “a wide gap between what he is now and what he could be in the future.”

This winter, Vaughan returned to his home country to suit up for Aguilas Metropolitanas of the Panamanian Professional Baseball League. He posted a .681 OPS across 18 games for the Panama City-based club.

As he prepares for the upcoming minor-league season, Vaughan is projected by SoxProspects.com to begin the year with Low-A Salem. These next few months could prove to be pivotal for Vaughan, who can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in his career this December.

If the Red Sox would prefer not to expose Vaughan to the Rule 5 Draft, they would need to add him to their 40-man roster by late November.

(Picture of Eduardo Vaughan: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Who is Jake MacKenzie? Red Sox infield prospect may be one of fastest players in organization

Jordan DiValerio was not the only undrafted free agent the Red Sox signed out of an Atlantic 10 school following the pandemic-shortened 2020 draft.

In addition to the St. Joseph’s University right-hander, Boston also signed Fordham University infielder Jake MacKenzie for $20,000 in June 2020.

A junior at the time of signing, MacKenzie had earned quite the reputation as a speed merchant at Fordham by stealing a total of 77 bases in his first two seasons with the Rams.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic cut the 2020 college baseball season short, MacKenzie had gotten his junior campaign off to a solid start by posting a .958 OPS and swiping seven bags in his first 16 games of the year.

After becoming one of 16 undrafted free agents to sign with Boston that summer, MacKenzie did not receive the benefit of acclimating himself to the minor-league lifestyle from the get-go. He instead had to wait until last spring to make his professional debut after breaking camp with Low-A Salem.

In 29 games for Salem, the right-handed hitter batted .228/.347/.329 (94 wRC+) with two doubles, two home runs, four RBIs, 12 runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 18 strikeouts over 95 plate appearances.

On paper, that sort of slash line obviously does not stick out. Still, the Red Sox promoted MacKenzie to High-A Greenville on July 23 and some of his numbers actually improved upon facing a stiffer level of competition.

While his walk rate (12.6% to 9.6%) dipped and his strikeout rate (18.9% to 21.7%) rose, MacKenzie slashed a stout .265/.375/.353 (107 wRC+) to go along with four doubles, one triple, three RBIs, 14 runs scored, three stolen bases, eight walks, and 18 strikeouts across 25 games (83 plate appearances) for the Drive.

Although he only stole three bases in four attempts with Greenville, MacKenzie was unsurprisingly one of the fastest baserunners in the High-A East last year. Among the 222 hitters who made at least 80 trips to the plate in 2021, the 22-year-old ranked 11th in Speed score, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, MacKenzie saw playing time at four different positions between Salem and Greenville. The 5-foot-10, 195 pounder logged a total of 280 2/3 innings at second base, 81 1/3 innings at third base, 40 innings at shortstop, and nine innings in right field.

Given his versatility and quickness on the basepaths, MacKenzie profiles as an intriguing infield depth option for the Sox. The Wallingford, Conn. native has “strong baserunning instincts” per his SoxProspects.com scouting report and is still relatively young as he does not turn 23 until May.

MacKenzie’s ties to New England run deeper than where he was born and raised. During his time at Fordham, the Choate Rosemary Hall product also spent two summers (2018 and 2019) playing for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Taking his age and level of experience into account, MacKenzie is projected by SoxProspects.com to begin the 2022 season where he left off in 2021: Greenville. He may not be one of the top prospects in Boston’s farm system as of now, but perhaps the speedster can work his way up to Double-A Portland before the year is over.

(Picture of Jake MacKenzie via the Greenville Drive’s Twitter)