Tag: salem red sox

Red Sox pitching prospect Noah Dean ended debut season on positive note last year

For Red Sox pitching prospect Noah Dean, the 2023 season was not without its challenges.

Dean spent all of 2023 with Low-A Salem. The 22-year-old left-hander posted a 6.29 ERA and 5.51 FIP with 86 strikeouts to 72 walks in 21 appearances (17 starts) spanning 63 innings of work for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate.

Despite being regarded by Baseball America as “one of the more exciting pure relievers” in his class when he was taken by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2022 amateur draft out of Old Dominion, Dean — who did not pitch with an affiliate after signing for $322,500 — made his professional debut as a starter last April.

Maybe it was to be expected, but Dean struggled in that unfamiliar role out of the gate. The New Jersey native put up an 8.31 ERA in four April starts, though he managed to hold opponents to a .194 batting average against while doing so. He then put together two scoreless, five-inning starts to begin and end a more encouraging month of May.

June (15 earned runs in nine innings) yielded far less promising results. The same can be said for July (eight earned runs in 14 2/3 innings) as well, but it appears as though Dean began to figure things out a bit after the All-Star break.

In his final three starts of July, for instance, Dean struck out 20 of the 50 batters he faced over 12 frames in which he pitched to a 4.50 ERA. He made one more start on August 6, but lasted just two-thirds of an inning in that outing before moving to the bullpen for the remainder of the season.

As a reliever, Dean appeared in four games for Salem down the stretch and did not allow a run in three of them. Walks were still somewhat of an issue, but the lefty forged a 2.93 ERA while punching out 21 and yielding just five hits across 15 1/3 innings out of the Red Sox’ bullpen.

Altogether, it was a mixed bag of sorts for Dean in his debut season, but he certainly ended things on a positive note. He was one of just seven southpaws to take the mound for Salem in 2023 and unsurprisingly fared better against left-handed hitters (.196 opponents’ batting average) than right-handed hitters (.246 opponents’ batting average).

Among the 74 pitchers who logged at least 60 innings in the Carolina League last year, Dean ranked seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (12.29), 19th in strikeout rate (28.5 percent), 29th in batting average against (.232), and seventh in batting average on balls in play (.358), which suggests that he might have gotten unlucky at times on account of poor defense behind him or something similar.

On the flip side of those impressive strikeout numbers, though, Dean was also among the worst in the Carolina League when it came to giving up ball four. Using the same parameters as above, Dean ranked 74th in walks per nine innings (10.29), walk rate (23.8 percent), and WHIP (1.97), 71st in ERA and xFIP (5.41), and 72nd in FIP, per FanGraphs.

To that end, it will be of the utmost importance for Dean to refine both his command and control of the strike zone as he continues to develop. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound hurler already possesses an intriguing three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, a 77-81 mph curveball, and an 83-85 mph changeup, according to his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Dean, who turns 23 in March, is not currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He is projected by the site to make the jump to High-A Greenville for the start of the 2024 season, but will likely do so as a member of the Drive’s bullpen as opposed to their starting rotation.

(Picture of Noah Dean: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

How did Red Sox prospect Armando Sierra fare in stateside debut last year?

After two years in the Dominican Summer League, Red Sox prospect Armando Sierra made his long-awaited stateside debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League last season.

As a 19-year-old, Sierra got into 30 of the FCL Red Sox’ 53 games in 2023. The right-handed hitter batted .265/.363/.398 with seven doubles, two home runs, 12 RBIs, 13 runs scored, 14 walks, and 30 strikeouts over 113 plate appearances for Boston’s Fort Myers-based affiliate.

Interestingly enough, Sierra played exactly 10 games in June, July, and August. He posted an OPS south of .600 in both June and August, but enjoyed a strong month of July in which he slashed .424/.525/.606 with one homer and six RBIs. It’s also worth noting that 99 of his 113 plate appearances last season came against righties as opposed to lefties.

Among the 96 hitters who made at least 110 trips to the plate in the FCL last year, Sierra ranked 33rd in batting average, 46th in on-base percentage, 37th in slugging percentage, 40th in OPS (.761), 37th in isolated power (.133), and 43rd in wRC+ (104), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Sierra saw the bulk of his playing time in 2023 come at first base. The 6-foot-1, 189-pounder logged a team-leading 224 1/3 innings at first, where he committed four errors in 207 total defensive chances. He also served as his side’s designated hitter on two separate occasions.

Sierra, who celebrated his 20th birthday earlier this month, originally signed with the Red Sox for $150,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January 2021. At the time he put pen to paper, the Sabana Grande de Palenque native was viewed as an outfielder and was identified by Baseball America’s Ben Badler as a potential sleeper within Boston’s 2021 signing class.

While Badler described Sierra as having “an advanced approach to hitting for his age,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero provided some more background on the signing in an email exchange with BloggingtheRedSox.com later that April.

“Armando was a player we scouted later on in his signing year. After scouting him a few times, he stood out for his strong frame and his power,” Romero wrote. “As we continued to see him, it became apparent that not only did he have above average power for his signing class, but he also was developing a stronger approach.”

Sierra made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that July and earned DSL All-Star honors while repeating the level in 2022. He was regularly seeing playing time at both corner outfield spots back then but was used exclusively as a first baseman in the FCL in 2023.

As things stand now, Sierra is not regarded by any major publication as one of the top prospects in Boston’s farm system. Last June, however, FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen wrote that he found Sierra “really interesting” because — despite having a “tough” profile — “his feel for contact and the flexibility in his lower half are both very impressive for a corner bat.”

Looking ahead, Sierra is currently projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to Low-A Salem for the start of the 2024 campaign. Assuming that is indeed what happens, it will be interesting to see how Sierra adjusts to stiffer competition while playing with a full-season affiliate for the first time in his young career.

(Picture of Armando Sierra: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Red Sox power-hitting prospect Albert Feliz led Low-A Salem in homers (10) last season

Coming into the 2023 season, Red Sox first base prospect Albert Feliz had hit 10 career home runs in 106 professional games. Thanks to a power-filled second half, he was able to match that total with Low-A Salem last year.

As a 21-year-old, Feliz got into 90 games for Salem in 2023. The right-handed hitter slashed .242/.315/.407 with 17 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 45 RBIs, 39 runs scored, 29 walks, and 121 strikeouts over 333 plate appearances.

Nine of those team-leading 10 home runs came after the calendar flipped from June to July, as Feliz slugged a stout .497 in his final 48 games (185 plate appearances) of the year. During that impressive stretch, he recorded both the second four-hit game (July 6) and multi-homer game (August 31) of his young career.

Among the 71 hitters who made at least 300 trips to the plate in the Carolina League last season, Feliz posted the 11th-highest slugging percentage, isolated power mark (.165), and line-drive rate (24.4 percent). He also ranked 30th in batting average, 24th in OPS (.723), and 26th in wRC+ (104), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Feliz saw the majority of his playing time with Salem come at first base, as he made a team-high 48 starts there while only committing six errors in 382 chances. Elsewhere, the burly 6-foot-2, 200-pounder logged 131 1/3 innings in left field (where he recorded three outfield assists) and 14 innings in right. He also pitched in one game (Aug. 25), which is something he has done in each of the last three seasons.

Feliz, who turns 22 in April, is not currently regarded by any major publication as one of the top-ranked prospects in Boston’s farm system. The Dominican Republic native originally signed with the Red Sox for $400,000 as an international free agent coming out of Santo Domingo in July 2018.

After a strong pro debut in 2019, when he went deep nine times in 66 Dominican Summer League games, Feliz’ career was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As a result of the pandemic, Feliz did not make his stateside debut until July 2021. His first game in the rookie-level Florida Complex League actually came on the three-year anniversary of his signing date (July 2).

In the time that has passed since then, Feliz has established himself as a bat-first prospect with plus-plus raw power to the pull side and some holes in his swing. Couple those issues to make contact with a limited defensive profile, and it becomes clear that Feliz still has some work to do on the developmental side of things.

With that being said, Feliz is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to High-A Greenville for the start of the 2024 minor-league campaign. The Drive are fresh off winning their second South Atlantic League title and open their season on the road in early April.

(Picture of Albert Feliz: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox prospect Marvin Alcantara ‘carries himself confidently in the field,’ has everyday shortstop potential

Red Sox infield prospect Marvin Alcantara made a positive first impression this season while transitioning to professional baseball in the United States.

Alcantara, who signed with Boston for just $30,000 as an international free agent coming out Venezuela two years ago next month, enjoyed a strong pro debut in the Dominican Summer League last year. The La Victoria native batted .302/.406/.397 with 15 doubles, one home run, 29 RBIs, 49 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 29 walks, and 33 strikeouts in 53 games (224 plate appearances) for the DSL Red Sox Blue.

On the heels of that performance, Alcantara came into the 2023 season ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 31 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter made his stateside debut as an 18-year-old in the rookie-level Florida Complex League this past June and slashed .240/.347/.307 with seven doubles, one homer, 21 runs driven in, 26 runs scored, six stolen bases, 23 walks, and 35 strikeouts over 40 games (176 plate appearances). He then received a promotion to Low-A Salem in early August.

Alcantara’s first taste of full-season ball did not go too well out of the gate. He tallied just two hits (including a double) in his first nine games with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate before turning things around and going 13-for-45 (.289) with one home run, three RBIs, seven runs scored, three stolen bases, three walks, and 13 strikeouts in his final 12 games to end the year on a more encouraging note.

Altogether, Alcantara posted a .228/.324/.290 slash line in 61 games (259 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem Red Sox this past season. While a combined OPS of .615 at the lower levels of the minor-leagues is far from head-turning, Alcantara did draw rave reviews for his defense. The 5-foot-10, 157-pounder split time between shortstop (his primary position) and second base at both stops, logging 377 2/3 innings at the former and 120 innings at the latter. He committed 10 errors in 243 total opportunities (translates to a .959 fielding percentage) and turned 34 double plays.

According to his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Alcantara is a “fluid defender at shortstop” who has a “quick first step.” He “moves well laterally and is comfortable charging the ball.” With soft hands, he is quick in “transferring the ball from his glove to his throwing hand.” He “carries himself confidently in the field” and — as previously mentioned — is capable of playing both middle infield positions well.

Earlier this summer, FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen described Alcantara as “a potential everyday shortstop with very advanced feel to hit and a projectable frame.” Alcantara, per Longenhagen, “tracks pitches with laser-guided precision and moves his barrel all over the zone. It’s especially beautiful when he tucks his hands in and puts the barrel on inner-third pitches, à la Justin Turner. He has the power to spray doubles into the gaps right now and should add strength as his frame fills out.”

Considering that he only turned 19 last month, Alcantara still has room to grow both physically and developmentally. To that end, SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall tweeted back in August that Alcantara could have the chance to “move up quickly” next year if he progresses physically this offseason. For now, Alcantara is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in the organization.

Assuming he remains with the Red Sox through the winter, Alcantara is projected to return to Salem for the start of the 2024 minor-league season in April.

(Picture of Marvin Alcantara: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox catching prospect Johanfran Garcia ‘put himself on many teams’ radars’ in 2023

Last month, Baseball America identified Red Sox catching prospect Johanfran Garcia as the top backstop to play in the rookie-level Florida Complex League this season.

Garcia, who Boston signed for $850,000 in January 2022, made his stateside debut in early June after appearing in 40 Dominican Summer League games last year. In 42 games for the Sox’ Fort Myers-based affiliate this summer, the right-handed hitting 18-year-old batted a stout .302/.408/.497 with 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 32 RBIs, 21 runs scored, three stolen bases, 19 walks, and 37 strikeouts over 179 trips to the plate.

Behind the likes of batting champ Natanael Yuten, Garcia posted the ninth-highest batting average among qualified FCL hitters. The native Venezuelan also ranked 11th in on-base percentage, sixth in slugging percentage, seventh in OPS (.904), eighth in isolated power (.195), and seventh in wRC+ (137), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Garcia made a team-leading 22 starts at catcher for the FCL Red Sox. The sturdy 5-foot-10, 196-pounder logged 176 2/3 innings behind the plate, allowing only two passed balls and throwing out 12 of 33 possible base stealers. He also made nine starts at first base, where he did not commit a single error in 73 innings.

When evaluating Garcia, who he ranked as the No. 9 prospect to play in the FCL this year, Baseball America’s Josh Norris wrote: “[Garcia] showed plenty of upside on both sides of the ball, and was particularly intriguing for his combination of hittability and all-fields power. He showed a solid knowledge of the strike zone and bat-to-ball skills, though his in-zone whiff rates might be a touch higher than is ideal and scouts noted his swing could get a bit long every now and then.

“Behind the plate,” Norris continued, “Garcia shows plus-plus arm strength but will need to watch his conditioning to assure he maintains the flexibility to stay behind the dish.”

Shortly before the FCL season drew to a close in late August, Garcia and several other Red Sox prospects made the jump to Low-A Salem for the remainder of the 2023 minor-league campaign. Making his full-season affiliate debut on Aug. 15, Garcia limped to the finish line to some degree by slashing just .203/.279/.305 with one home run and five RBIs in 15 Carolina League Games.

With that being said, Garcia was at least able to end the year on a high note. He went 5-for-17 (.294) with two walks in five September contests and would have had the chance to do even more damage if it weren’t for Salem’s final two games of the season getting cancelled due to inclement weather. In that time, he got the chance to play with his older brother Jhostynxon, an outfielder who joined the Red Sox organization as an international free agent in 2019.

All told, Garcia hit .274/.373/.442 with 13 doubles, two triples, six homers, 37 runs driven in, 29 runs scored, six stolen bases, 24 walks, and 61 strikeouts in 57 games (247 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem Red Sox. With Salem specifically, he allowed two additional passed balls and threw out seven of 27 would-be base stealers in the process of logging 83 more innings behind the plate.

Garcia, who turns 19 in December, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 23 prospect in Boston’s farm system. That ranks third among catchers in the organization behind only Kyle Teel (No. 4) and Nathan Hickey (No. 10), who both made it up to Double-A Portland this year.

While Teel and Hickey already have some experience in the upper-minors, Garcia did “put himself on many teams’ radars” this year, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, which could make him a popular target in trade talks. If he does remain in the organization through the winter, though, Garcia is projected to return to Salem for the start of the 2024 season in April.

(Picture of Johanfran Garcia: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Red Sox outfield prospect Natanael Yuten named Florida Complex League All-Star

Red Sox outfield prospect Natanael Yuten has been named a 2023 Florida Complex League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Recognized alongside the likes of Yankees outfield prospects Willy Montero and John Cruz, Yuten enjoyed a productive summer in Fort Myers. The left-handed hitting 18-year-old batted a stout .336/.396/.483 with nine doubles, two triples, three home runs, 32 RBIs, 28 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 11 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 38 games (164 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

In addition to winning the FCL batting title, Yuten ranked 16th among qualified hitters in on-base percentage, eighth in slugging percentage, 11th in OPS (.880), 18th in isolated power (.148), 20th in speed score (7.0), and 11th in wRC+ (131), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Yuten saw playing time at all three outfield positions in his time with Boston’s rookie-level affiliate. The lanky 6-foot-2, 143-pounder logged 52 innings in left, 52 1/3 innings in center, and 172 2/3 innings in right while committing a total of six errors and recording one outfield assist.

About one week before the FCL season drew to a close in late August, Yuten received a promotion to Low-A Salem alongside top catching prospect Johanfran Garcia and several others. He made his full-season debut on Aug. 15 but was never really able to get it going offensively and instead struggled to a .197/.240/.239 slash line in 18 Carolina League games. In that stretch, he made six starts in center field and nine starts in right field.

Despite limping to the finish line, it was still a strong year overall for Yuten, as he is now regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 42 prospect in Boston’s farm system after not being ranked previously. The Dominican native originally signed with the Red Sox for $400,000 as an international free agent coming out of La Romana last January.

Assuming he remains in the organization through the winter, Yuten — who actually turns 19 next week — is projected to return to Salem for the start of the 2024 minor-league season in April.

(Picture of Natanael Yuten: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox outfield prospect Allan Castro takes another step forward in 2023

Another year, another step forward for Red Sox outfield prospect Allan Castro.

Castro, who assistant general manager Eddie Romero identified as a sleeper prospect at the conclusion of the 2022 season, broke camp this spring with Low-A Salem and served as the Red Sox’ Opening Day right fielder.

In 69 games with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate, Castro batted .247/.376/.378 with 20 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 29 RBIs, 39 runs scored, 15 stolen bases, 51 walks, and 54 strikeouts over 306 plate appearances. The 20-year-old then received a promotion to High-A Greenville in mid-July and debuted for the Drive immediately following the All-Star break.

With the eventual South Atlantic League champions, the switch-hitting Castro slashed a stout .283/.355/.446 to go along with 11 doubles, two more triples, four homers, 17 runs driven in, 23 runs scored, four stolen bases, 17 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 43 games (186 plate appearances). He also went 4-for-13 (.308) with a home run in four postseason games as Greenville went on to clinch its first Sally League title since 2017 last month.

Among 137 hitters who made at least 180 trips to the plate during the regular season, Castro ranked 21st in strikeout rate (19.4 percent), 17th in batting average, 39th in slugging percentage, 31st in slugging percentage, 27th in OPS (.801), 16th in line-drive rate (24.6 percent), and 29th in wRC+ (119), per FanGraphs.

Between Salem and Greenville, Castro saw playing time at all three outfield positions. With the Drive specifically, the 6-foot, 170-pounder logged 49 innings in left, 138 innings in center, and 127 innings in right. He committed a total of three errors while recording one outfield assist.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Castro originally signed with the Red Sox for $100,000 as an international free agent in July 2019. At that time, Castro was viewed as a middle infielder, but he had already transitioned to the outfield by the time he made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League two years after signing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Castro made strides right away in the DSL and was recognized as Boston’s 2021 Latin Program Position Player of the Year. He then made the jump to the rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2022 and impressed there before closing out the season in Salem.

Coming into the 2023 campaign, Castro was unranked by publications such as Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. He is now regarded by the former as the No. 27 and by the latter as the No. 30 prospect in Boston’s farm system. SoxProspects.com, on the other hand, now has Castro ranked 17th on its list after having him at No. 33 to begin the year.

Castro, who does not turn 21 until next May, can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter if he is not added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November. Given his lack of experience in the upper-minors, though, the likely outcome is that Castro is left unprotected, is not picked up by another team, and remains in the organization as an intriguing prospect with room to grow.

Barring a trade or any sort of other move, Castro is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Greenville for the start of the 2024 minor-league season in April.

(Picture of Allan Castro: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Former Red Sox prospect Marques Johnson named California League Pitcher of the Week

Former Red Sox relief prospect Marques Johnson ended the first full season of his professional career on a strong note by earning California League Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday.

Johnson, who the Red Sox traded to the Giants for fellow reliever Mauricio Llovera in late July, made two appearances for San Francisco’s Low-A affiliate in San Jose in its most-recent series against the Stockton Ports. The right-hander struck out 10 and walked only one of the 17 batters he faced over five scoreless, one-hit innings of relief.

After joining the Giants organization ahead of the trade deadline, Johnson closed out the 2023 campaign by pitching to a 0.00 ERA and 3.40 FIP with 20 strikeouts to nine walks across 11 outings (18 1/3 innings) for San Jose in which he held opposing hitters to a .145 batting average against. He also converted his lone save opportunity, which came in a 14-1 win over Stockton on Friday.

A native of California himself, Johnson was selected by the Red Sox in the 11th round of last year’s draft out of Long Beach State. He signed with Boston for $122,500, but did not make his pro debut with Low-A Salem until this April. As a member of the Salem Red Sox, the 23-year-old righty posted a 6.55 ERA with 43 strikeouts to 24 walks over 28 appearances (34 1/3 innings) out of the bullpen.

While that ERA is far from eye-popping, Johnson produced a far more favorable 3.75 FIP with Salem. He had also been pitching much better in the weeks leading up to the trade, yielding just one earned run in his final seven appearances (9 2/3 innings) for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. It appears as though those results carried over into the California League and Johnson now has some hardware to prove it.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Johnson throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 93-96 mph fastball that tops out at 98 mph and features high spin rates, an 83-85 mph slider, and an 86-88 mph changeup, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Johnson, who does not turn 24 until next July, possesses intriguing potential if he can further refine his control and command of the strike zone. And while San Jose’s regular season is over, the Giants are slated to open a three-game playoff series on the road against the Modesto Nuts on Tuesday.

(Picture of Marques Johnson: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How top Red Sox outfield prospect Roman Anthony has fared since promotion to High-A Greenville

Top Red Sox outfield prospect Roman Anthony homered for the third time this season in High-A Greenville’s doubleheader against the Brooklyn Cyclones at Fluor Field on Thursday night.

In Game 1, Anthony led off the bottom of the first inning by taking Brooklyn starter Felipe De La Cruz 375 feet to left-center field for his 12th homer with Greenville and his first of the year off a left-hander. Anthony’s solo shot proved to be the difference maker, as the Drive went on to defeat the Cyclones, 1-0, behind seven shutout innings from starter Zach Penrod and reliever Brock Bell.

In Game 2, Anthony served as Greenville’s leadoff hitter yet again and went 1-for-2 with a double, a run scored, and two walks. This time around, however, the Drive fell to the Cyclones by a final score of 7-4 and had to settle for a doubleheader split as a result.

Between both games of Thursday’s twin bill, though, Anthony went 2-for-5 with two extra-base hits, one RBI, two runs scored, two walks, and one strikeout. In doing so, the left-handed hitter extended his hitting streak to four games and capped off a solid month of August in which be batted .297/.391/.506 with six doubles, two triples, three home runs, 14 runs driven in, 17 runs scored, 13 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 23 games (105 plate appearances) for Greenville.

Still just 19 years old, Anthony made the jump to Greenville from Low-A Salem in mid-June after slashing .228/.376/.317 with one homer and 18 RBIs in 42 games (202 plate appearances) with the Red Sox to kick off his first full professional season. While a .693 OPS is far from eye-popping, Anthony produced strong underlying numbers — such as an 18.8 percent walk rate and 26.2 percent line-drive rate — with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate.

As such, the Red Sox elected to move Anthony up the minor-league ladder on June 13 and he has only seen his stock rise since. In 52 games with the Drive altogether, Anthony is batting a stout .292/.415/.574 with 13 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 35 RBIs, 41 runs scored, two stolen bases, 40 walks, and 71 strikeouts across 236 trips to the plate.

Among South Atlantic League hitters who have accrued at least 230 plate appearances to this point in the season, Anthony ranks sixth in walk rate (16.9 percent), 10th in batting average, fourth in on-base percentage, third in slugging percentage, first in OPS (.990), second in isolated power (.282), first in line-drive rate (30.1 percent), and first in wRC+ (166), per FanGraphs.

Though he has not posed much of a threat on the basepaths, Anthony had been able to make his impact felt in the outfield. With Greenville specifically, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder has logged 328 innings in center and 34 2/3 innings in right, committing four errors in 110 defensive chances while recording a team-leading five outfield assists.

Anthony, the 79th overall selection in last year’s amateur draft out of Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Fla.), is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in Boston’s farm system (trailing only shortstop Marcelo Mayer) and the No. 19 prospect in the sport. The Red Sox swayed the West Palm Beach native away from his commitment to Ole Miss by signing him for an over-slot bonus of $2.5 million.

With the minor-league season entering its final month, it seems likely that Anthony — who does not turn 20 until next May — will close out the 2023 campaign in Greenville. On that note, Anthony is leading off and starting in center field for the Drive in their contest against the Cyclones on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. eastern time.

(Picture of Roman Anthony: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Yordanny Monegro to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Yordanny Monegro from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to the club’s minor-league transactions log.

Monegro is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The 20-year-old hurler originally signed with the Red Sox for a modest $35,000 coming out of the Dominican Republic in February 2020 and has since emerged as one of the more intriguing arms in the system.

In what has been a breakout 2023 season, Monegro first made his impact felt in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, where he struggled to a 7.36 ERA in 25 2/3 innings last year. This June, however, the Santo Domingo native dazzled in three starts for Boston’s Fort Myers-based affiliate. He allowed just two earned runs over 15 innings of work in which he struck out 20 and walked only four en route to earning FCL Pitcher of the Month honors.

Before June came to a close, though, Monegro made the jump to Salem. He made his full-season debut on the 25th and proceeded to put up a 2.43 ERA (2.32 FIP) with 60 strikeouts to 17 walks in nine starts (40 2/3 innings) for the Red Sox while holding opposing hitters to a .217 batting average against. In what might go down as his final start at the Low-A level, Monegro yielded one unearned run on two hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts across five solid frames in a 2-1 win over the Fredericksburg Nationals last Thursday.

Among Carolina League pitchers with at least 40 innings under their belt coming into play on Tuesday, Monegro ranks fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (13.28), eighth in strikeout rate (34.5 percent), first in swinging-strike rate (18 percent), seventh in ERA, first in FIP, and sixth in xFIP (2.92), per FanGraphs.

While the success that Monegro has enjoyed this summer may be a surprise to some, the Red Sox had high hopes for the righty well before the minor-league season even started. Assistant general manager Eddie Romero even acknowledged as much in an email exchange with BloggingtheRedSox.com last month.

“We were really excited about Monegro heading into the spring,” Romero wrote. “He impressed a lot with the physical shape he came into spring training, and has continued to work since then — this has been key to his early-season success. He’s super athletic with a lightning quick arm which contributes to his ability to have a plus breaking ball. He’s tightened up his delivery to let his athleticism show and be consistent with his mechanics. Hope he continues this success into the second half.”

With a projectable 6-foot-4, 180-pound-frame, Monegro throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a mid-90s four-seam fastball that tops out at 95-96 mph, a high-80s slider, and an upper-70s curveball. As noted by publications such as Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, Monegro is more control-over-command at the moment and is still considered a work in progress as a result.

That being said, Monegro will have the chance to put an exclamation point on what has already been an encouraging season with Greenville. The Drive open a six-game series against the Brooklyn Cyclones at Fluor Field on Tuesday night, and so Monegro will more than likely make his High-A debut this week.

(Picture of Yordanny Monegro: Bryan Green/Flickr)