Tag: red sox

Red Sox activate Jackie Bradley Jr. from paternity leave list, option Jarren Duran to Triple-A Worcester

Before opening a four-game series against the Angels in Anaheim on Monday night, the Red Sox activated outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. from the paternity leave list. In a corresponding move, fellow outfielder Jarren Duran was optioned to Triple-A Worcester following Sunday’s 5-2 win over the Athletics in Oakland, the team announced.

Bradley Jr. returns to the Sox after spending the last three days away from the team to be with his wife Erin for the birth of their third child, Elle, at home in Naples, Fla.

In 48 games with Boston this season, the left-handed hitting 32-year-old is batting .227/.284/.353 with 14 doubles, one triple, one home run, 20 RBIs, nine runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 34 strikeouts over 164 plate appearances.

Bradley Jr. will bat ninth and start in center field for the Sox in Monday’s series opener at Angel Stadium. It will mark just his fourth start in center this year as Enrique Hernandez has the day off and is therefore out of the lineup.

Duran, meanwhile, returns to Worcester after filling in for Bradley Jr. over the weekend. The speedy 25-year-old appeared in two games and went 3-for-9 at the plate with one run scored and four strikeouts.

This was Duran’s second big-league stint of the year. He previously started one game against the White Sox on May 6 while Hernandez spent a very brief amount of time on the COVID-19 related injured list.

With the WooSox this season, Duran is slashing .314/.393/.523 with 12 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 22 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 19 walks, and 42 strikeouts over 37 games spanning 173 trips to the plate. The left-handed hitter was also riding a 29-game on-base streak at the time he was called back up on Friday.

(Picture of Jackie Bradley Jr.: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospects Victor Santos, Juan Daniel Encarnación earn Eastern League, Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors

Red Sox pitching prospects Victor Santos and Juan Daniel Encarnacion have respectively been named the Eastern League and Carolina League Pitchers of the Week for the week of May 30-June 5, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Santos made two appearances (one start) for Double-A Portland in its most recent series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Delta Dental Stadium. In those two outings, the right-hander allowed one earned run on seven hits, three walks, and nine strikeouts over 12 total innings for the Sea Dogs.

On the 2022 campaign as a whole, Santos has posted a 3.94 ERA and 4.63 FIP with 42 strikeouts to 12 walks across 11 appearances (10 starts) spanning 61 2/3 innings with Portland. Among qualified Eastern League pitchers, the 21-year-old ranks sixth in walks per nine innings (1.75), seventh in walk rate (4.8%), 12th in batting average against (.232), seventh in WHIP (1.07), and first in innings pitched, per FanGraphs.

Originally acquired from the Phillies last July as the player to be named later in the trade that sent C.J. Chatham to Philadelphia, Santos is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the 51st-ranked prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 6-foot-1, 191 pound hurler from the Dominican Republic throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 90-92 mph fastball that tops out at 94 mph fastball, a 77-79 mph split changeup, and a 77-81 mph slider.

Santos, who turns 22 in July, can once again become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter. Because of that, he could be a prime candidate to pitch in the Arizona Fall League later this year.

Encarnacion, meanwhile, also made two appearances (one start) for Low-A Salem in its latest series against the Columbia Fireflies at Carillion Clinic Field. Over seven cumulative innings of work, the righty allowed no runs on just four hits and zero walks to go along with seven strikeouts.

In 10 outings (nine starts) with the Salem Sox this season, Encarnacion has produced a 4.01 ERA and 3.36 FIP with 49 punchouts to 12 walks across 42 2/3 innings. Among qualified pitchers in the Carolina League, the 21-year-old ranks eighth in strikeouts per nine innings (10.34), seventh in walks per nine innings (2.53), 10th in strikeout rate (27.2%), eighth in walk rate (6.7%), eighth in FIP, and ninth in xFIP (3.84), per FanGraphs.

The Red Sox originally signed Encarnacion for $40,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in September 2018. The San Pedro de Macoris native is not yet regarded as one of the premier pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system, though he certainly possesses intriguing potential.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 173 pounds, Encarnacion throws from a three-quarters arm slot and works with a 90-93 mph fastball that reaches 94 mph, a 76-81 mph slider, and an 84-85 mph changeup, according to his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Unlike Santos, Encarnacion — who does not turn 22 until next March — is not eligible for the Rule 5 Draft until the conclusion of the 2023 season. So there is still a ways to go there.

(Picture of Victor Santos: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins makes professional debut for Low-A Salem

Nearly 11 months after getting drafted, Red Sox pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins made his professional debut for Low-A Salem on Sunday night.

Pitching in front of 2,017 spectators at Carillion Clinic Field, the right-hander got the start and allowed two earned runs on four hits, one walk, and one strikeout over three innings of work in Salem’s 7-4 win over the Columbia Fireflies.

After retiring six of the first eight batters he faced, Dobbins gave up three straight hits — two of which produced runs — to begin things in the top half of the third. Following a brief mound visit from Salem pitching coach Nick Green, he bounced back by fanning Carter Jensen and getting Guillermo Quintana to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Of the 45 pitches Dobbins threw on Sunday, 30 went for strikes and five of those were whiff-inducing. The 22-year-old now owns an ERA of 6.00 and will likely start again for Salem in its next series against the Charleston RiverDogs later this week.

The Red Sox originally selected Dobbins in the eighth round of last year’s amateur draft out of Texas Tech University and signed the native Texan for $197,500.

One of the primary reasons Dobbins fell to the eighth round was because the righty had just undergone Tommy John surgery in March, which resulted in him missing the entirety of his junior season with the Red Raiders.

As a sophomore during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Dobbins posted a 1.35 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 25 strikeouts to just five walks over six appearances (three starts) spanning 20 innings pitched.

Per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 6-foot-2, 185 pounder throws from a three-quarters arm slot and — prior to going under the knife — operated with a four-pitch mix that consisted of a 91-94 mph fastball that reached 98 mph, a 77-79 mph curveball, a circle changeup that evolved from a split-fingered change, and a slider.

Dobbins, who turns 22 in August, is not yet regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He was, however, identified by FanGraphs back in March as “enviable bullpen depth” given his ability to miss bats with both his curveball and changeup in college.

With that being said, SoxProspects.com notes that Dobbins still has a “wide range of outcomes” when it comes to his career outlook on account of the uncertainty surrounding what kind of pitcher he will be post-Tommy John.

If he can pitch similarly to the way he did in 2021, though, Dobbins represents another intriguing addition for the Red Sox’ minor-league pitching pipeline.

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins courtesy of the Salem Red Sox)

Red Sox promote versatile prospect Ceddanne Rafaela to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting versatile prospect Ceddanne Rafaela from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as confirmed by SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield.

Rafaela, 21, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 22 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter began the 2022 season in Greenville and batted a stout .330/.368/.589 with 16 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 36 RBIs, 37 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 10 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 45 games (209 plate appearances) with the Drive.

Among qualified South Atlantic League hitters, Rafaela ranks first in batting average, 23rd in on-base percentage, second in slugging percentage, second in OPS (.957), fourth in isolated power (.259), and ninth in stolen bases, per MiLB.com’s leaderboards.

On May 17, Rafaela became the first player in Drive history to hit for the natural cycle, as he went 4-for-5 with a first-inning single, third-inning double, seventh-inning triple, and eighth-inning home run in an 11-6 win over the Hickory Crawdads at Fluor Field.

Originally signed for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Curacao in July 2017, Rafaela began to open eyes with Low-A Salem last year because of his defense. After playing six different positions (second base, third base, shortstop, left, right, and center field) in 2021, the Willemstad native was named the Red Sox’ Minor League Defensive Player of the Year in September.

So far this season, Rafaela has gotten playing time at second base, shortstop, and center field. To be exact, the 5-foot-8, 150 pounder has logged 270 1/3 innings in center while impressing the Red Sox with his defensive ability there, according to The Athletic’s Chad Jennings.

Rafaela, who turns 22 in September, will join the Sea Dogs before they open a six-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night.

That the Red Sox are promoting Rafaela has deeper meaning when you consider the fact that he can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft in December. By allowing him to face stiffer competition in Portland, Boston gets the chance to further evaluate Rafaela before deciding if he will be added to the 40-man roster by the deadline in late November.

(Picture of Ceddanne Rafaela: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

2022 MLB Draft prospect Tucker Toman works out for Red Sox in Greenville

The Red Sox hosted Hammond School (Columbia, S.C.) infielder Tucker Toman for a pre-draft workout at Fluor Field in Greenville on Saturday, according to SportsTalk Media Network.

Toman, 18, is the son of current Middle Tennessee State baseball coach Jim Toman. He is also currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the No. 42 draft-eligible prospect and by Baseball America as the No. 70 prospect in this year’s draft class.

A switch-hitter, Toman batted .487 and slugged .887 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs in his senior season with the Skyhawks. The South Carolina native is committed to play his college baseball at the esteemed Louisiana State University, but he is expected to go pro this summer.

Per his MLB Pipeline scouting report, “Toman shows better bat speed with his left-handed stroke but is proficient from both sides of the plate. He understands his swing and barrels balls with ease when he just concentrates on making hard contact to all fields. He got too aggressive and pull-happy at times last summer but has the hittability, bat speed and strength for at least average and perhaps plus power without swinging for the fences.”

Baseball America, on the other hand, notes that Toman “has impressive power potential as a switch-hitter and is an offensive-oriented infielder who had an up-and-down summer. At his best, Toman barreled the baseball and sprayed line drives and deep fly balls all over the field, but he also had events where he swung and missed consistently and got himself out with bad chases on pitches out of the zone.”

Defensively, the 6-foot-1, 190 pounder is described by MLB Pipeline as a player with an uncertain future given that he only has below-average speed and average arm strength.

“The best-case scenario would be third base, where his arm and hands might be a little light but he has the work ethic to possibly make it to happen,” Toman’s scouting report reads. “Second base seems like a bigger stretch with his lack of quickness, and he could wind up on an outfield corner.”

Toman, who turns 19 in November, could very well be someone the Red Sox target in the second round as opposed to the first in this year’s amateur draft, which begins in Los Angeles on July 17.

Boston owns the 24th and 41st overall picks in the 2022 draft. They also own the 79th overall selection, which they received as compensation for losing Eduardo Rodriguez to the Tigers in free agency.

While it remains to be seen just how interested the Red Sox are in a prospect such as Toman, it is somewhat intriguing that this information got out there.

(Picture of Tucker Toman via his Instagram)

Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata strikes out 2 in first start of rehab assignment

Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata officially began his rehab assignment with Low-A Salem on Saturday night.

Pitching in front of 3,971 spectators at Carillion Clinic Field, the right-hander allowed one unearned run on no hits, two walks, and two strikeouts over two innings of work in Salem’s 6-2 win over the Columbia Fireflies.

Of the 45 pitches Mata threw on Saturday, 27 went for strikes and nine were of the swing-and-miss variety. The 23-year-old reportedly topped out at 98 mph with his fastball.

Not including extended spring training, this marked Mata’s first in-game action since August 2019 and, more significantly, his first official minor-league appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery last April.

Originally signed by the Red Sox for just $25,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2016, Mata is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks fifth among pitchers in the organization.

When healthy, many believed Mata had some of the best pure stuff in the system as he complemented his high-octane fastball with a changeup, a curveball, and a slider, among other offerings.

After tearing his ulnar collateral ligament and having his elbow reconstructed last spring, it remains to be seen if Mata will remain effective as a starter or will instead transition to a relief role at the next level. Either way, he still has a high ceiling.

Already a member of Boston’s 40-man roster, Mata will make his next start for High-A Greenville, per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. He is expected to reach Triple-A Worcester by the time his rehab assignment comes to an end. At that point, the 6-foot-3, 229 pound hurler could be paired up with fellow righty Brayan Bello in the WooSox’ starting rotation.

Bello, the top pitching prospect in the Sox’ farm system, made his fourth start for Worcester since being promoted from Double-A Portland on May 17. The 23-year-old yielded three runs on five hits while walking one and striking out eight over five innings on Friday. His ERA with the WooSox now sits at 3.63.

Between Bello and Mata, the Red Sox have two extremely exciting young pitchers who have the chance to make their big-league debuts at some point this season. At the same time, Chaim Bloom and Co. will surely exhibit patience when it comes to the development of these two prospects as well those who fall behind them in the pipeline.

(Picture of Bryan Mata courtesy of the Salem Red Sox)

Red Sox place Jackie Bradley Jr. on paternity leave list, recall Jarren Duran from Triple-A Worcester

Before opening a three-game weekend series against the Oakland Athletics on Friday night, the Red Sox placed outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. on the paternity list. In a corresponding move, fellow outfielder Jarren Duran was recalled from Triple-A Worcester, the team announced.

Bradley Jr. did not make the trip with the Sox to Oakland as he and his wife Erin are expecting the birth of their third child soon, as noted by MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith.

Duran, on the other hand, will join the Sox for a second time this season after making a brief one-game cameo with the club. He went 1-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and strikeout in a 4-2 loss to the White Sox at Fenway Park on May 6.

The speedy 25-year-old was called up for that game after Enrique Hernandez was placed on the COVID-19 related injured list. Since Hernandez’s stint on the COVID-related IL lasted just one day, Duran was optioned back down to Worcester on May 7.

With the WooSox this season, Duran has batted a stout .314/.393/.523 (144 wRC+) with 12 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 22 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 19 walks, and 42 strikeouts over 37 games spanning 173 trips to the plate. The left-handed hitter was also riding a 29-game on-base streak.

Duran is not in Boston’s starting lineup for Friday’s series opener against Oakland since he only just landed in the Bay Area. He is not expected to arrive at Oakland Coliseum until shortly before first pitch.

That being said, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including Smith) that Duran will be in the lineup on Saturday and Sunday with a pair of right-handers in Paul Blackburn and Frankie Montas scheduled to start for the Athletics.

(Picture of Jarren Duran: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox top prospect Triston Casas set to begin rehab assignment in Fort Myers as he continues to recover from ankle sprain

As he continues to work his way back from a right ankle sprain, Red Sox top prospect Triston Casas is set to begin a rehab assignment in Fort Myers, Fla. on Friday, per The Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s Joe McDonald.

Casas, Boston’s second-ranked prospect according to Baseball America, initially tweaked his ankle in Triple-A Worcester’s 4-3 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on May 17.

The 22-year-old first baseman has not appeared in a game for the WooSox since then and was placed on the 7-day injured list on May 22, but he was seen doing some work on the field at Polar Park on Thursday afternoon.

According to McDonald, Casas asked the team to have a second MRI of his ankle taken for precautionary reasons. Results of that MRI once again came back negative, revealing only some swelling as opposed to a fracture or tear.

Since he hits from the left side of the plate, Casas shifts most of his weight onto his right foot when he swings. As a result of this latest injury, Casas — as of Tuesday — had yet to swing a bat, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Prior to getting hurt, Casas was batting .248/.359/.457 with nine doubles, six home runs, 22 RBIs, 22 runs scored, 23 walks, and 35 strikeouts through his first 36 games (156 plate appearances) of the season with the WooSox.

Given that he is headed down to Fort Myers, it seems likely that Casas will get into some Florida Complex League games (season starts on Monday) before returning to Worcester’s lineup.

(Picture of Triston Casas: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox top prospect Nick Yorke placed on High-A Greenville’s injured list due to turf toe

Red Sox top prospect Nick Yorke has landed on High-A Greenville’s 7-day injured list due to turf toe, as first reported by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Yorke had been held out of Greenville’s lineup since May 26. According to SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield, the Drive are hopeful the 20-year-old infielder will just be out for the rest of the week.

The 17th overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif, Yorke is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 33 prospect in all of baseball.

After breaking out in 2021 by being named the Sox’ Minor League Offensive Player of the Year, Yorke has not been his usual self at the plate this season. Prior to getting hurt, the right-handed hitter was batting .245/.319/.361 (87 wRC+) with five doubles, four home runs, 18 RBIs, 25 runs scored, five stolen bases, 16 walks, and 32 strikeouts over 34 games (163 plate appearances) with the Drive.

Defensively, Yorke has unsurprisingly seen all his playing time on the field come at second base. The 6-foot, 200 pounder has logged 263 innings at his primary position and has yet to commit an error there.

(Picture of Nick Yorke: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata set to begin rehab assignment with Low-A Salem

Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata is slated to begin a rehab assignment with Low-A Salem and could start for the affiliate as soon as this weekend, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Mata, who underwent Tommy John surgery last April, pitched in three extended spring training games down in Fort Myers over the last few weeks. Per Speier, the right-hander “showed elite velocity in his first outing” by topping out at 101 mph over two innings, then worked at “just” 99 mph in his second outing and 98 mph in his third.

Originally signed by the Red Sox for just $25,000 out of Venezuela in January 2016, Mata is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks fifth among pitchers in the organization.

After posting a 3.43 ERA in 21 starts (105 innings pitched) between then-High-A Salem and Double-A Portland in 2019 and impressing at the alternate training site in 2020, Mata was added to the Sox’ 40-man roster that November.

Coming into spring training last year, Mata was likely going to begin the season with Triple-A Worcester. He instead tore his ulnar collateral ligament in March, which ultimately required him to go under the knife.

Now 23 years old, Mata has a chance to get to Worcester once again. Pre-surgery, the 6-foot-3, 229 pound righty worked with a five-pitch mix that consisted of a 94-96 mph four-seam fastball, a 91-93 mph two-seam fastball, an 86-90 mph slider, a 78-80 mph curveball, and an 84-86 changeup.

There were also some questions regarding Mata’s future. In other words, would he be best-suited as a starter or reliever in the long-term? These next few months could help determine that, though he should have a high ceiling regardless of which role he ultimately undertakes.

When Mata does take the mound for Salem, it will mark the first time he has pitched in an official minor-league game since August 2019. The Red Sox will be sure to exhibit patience with Mata during this process, but the hope seems to be that he will end the season in Worcester or maybe even in Boston.

(Picture of Bryan Mata: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)