8/22/2023 - Adios DSL & see ya FCL

JM3

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Dec 14, 2019
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Last day of the season for both DSL & FCL.

10 a.m. - FCL - Twins @ Red Sox

10 a.m. - DSL - Rangers Blue @ Red Sox Blue

(?) - DSL - Red Sox Red @ Cubs Red - it says it's canceled due to inclement weather. Not 100% sure if true, but I guess?

6 p.m. - AA - Richmond @ Portland

6:45 p.m. - AAA Worcester (Walter) @ Rochester

7 p.m. - A+ - Greenville @ Hickory

7:05 p.m. - A- Fredericksburg @ Salem

https://www.milb.com/scores/all/all/redsox
 

JM3

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Both DSL games canceled due to inclement weather. Pretty sure that means season over. I'll probably write up my top 10 favorite pitching & hitting prospects later.

Would be fun if they did something like sending YOELY to Salem, but that's probably not a thing.
 

JM3

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FCL running out a lot of interesting pitchers in their final game (even if their lineup includes 0 2023 draftees).

Hayden Mullins (#207 & rising) started in his 2nd game since being drafted in 2022 in the 12th round & faced 7 hitters, striking out 5 of them 1, reaching on an error, & walking the other one. He seems like a guy who should definitely get some A-ball run before the end of the season.

He was relieved by old friend Franklin German (#115) who pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing a walk & striking out 2.

After that, Alvaro Mejias (#199) got into his first game of the season after being injured all year, & it didn't go well. Mejias, a 6'2 inch righty who turns 20 in September, was signed as an IFA for $300k in January '21 out of Valencia, VZ.

He had a pretty good 1st DSL season (3.78 ERA), & a very good 2nd DSL season, posting a 1.23 ERA in 29.1 innings, allowing 16 hits & 7 walks, while striking out 39.

He will end the 2023 season with a 40.50 ERA after allowing 3 runs in 0.2 innings on 2 hits & 2 walks. He actually got the 1st 2 guys out & was close to ending his debut on a happy note.

Simon Pacheco (#203) did not help matters when he came in & walked 2 more, walking in a run before ending the inning.

Matt Duffy (#67), the Red Sox 4th round pick this season out of Canisius, also got his first action of the season. The 6'2 righty who turns 22 in September pitched a 1-2-3 5th inning, picking up a strikeout.

Max Carlson (#137), the Red Sox 12th round pick this season, is in for his season debut in the 6th.

FCL Sox down 3-0.

Drew Ehrhard (#246), the 24 y/o UDFA out of Tampa, is playing his 2nd game of the season (he was 0-4 in his first game).
 

JM3

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Carlson, who turns 22 in September & had a 5.45 ERA this season at North Carolina in 76 innings this season, pitched a 1-2-3 inning with 2 strikeouts.

I forgot to post the SoxProspects scouting stuff on the new pitchers, so will do so now.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Effort in delivery. Long arm swing behind. Quick forward. Utilizes a full wind-up, but will vary timing with it. Comes across body. Jerky mechanics can make hitters uncomfortable.

Fastball: 90-93 mph. Tops out at 95 mph. Pitch shows some life up in the zone. Command and control are inconsistent and come and go.

Changeup: Low-80s. Best pitch. Shows bat-missing ability.

Slider: 81-84 mph. Clear third pitch he does not use often.
Summation: Profiles best in a bullpen role due to primarily relying on two pitches and effort in delivery. Fastball/changeup combination can play when he is commanding them. Needs to find consistency, but has some upside given how good his changeup was at missing bats as an amateur.
https://soxprospects.com/players/carlson-max.htm
 

JM3

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Oh, I guess the only one I missed in that previous post was Matt Duffy:

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Unique arm action that generates a lot of deception. Hooks arm behind and hides the ball well. Gets solid extension.

Fastball: 88-92 mph. Tops out at 95 mph. Advanced command and control. Fastball plays above its velocity due to carry.

Changeup: 78-81 mph. Best pitch. Deceptive arm speed and good separation from his fastball. Advanced feel and confidence in the pitch. Shows substantial late fade.

Slider: 77-80 mph. Varies shape and might be two pitches. Some are more sweepy, others more vertical. Below-average spin rate, but does a good job sequencing the pitch.
Summation: Solid pitchability type with some intriguing pitch characteristics. Fastball is on the light side, but commands it well and shows some carry up. Has the type of changeup that could carry him to at least the high minors. Safer pick with upside if he can add some velocity or show the ability to consistently miss bats in pro ball.
https://soxprospects.com/players/duffy-matt.htm
 

JM3

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Doubt this list will even be in line with my last rankings...just going to go based on feelings & then add where they were on my most recent rankings after.

Most Interesting DSL Hitters
15) 2B Yohander Linarez (Red): .272/.317/.367, .684 OPS, 14/35 bb/k (#195, turns 19 in March)
14) OF Jesus Prado (Blue): 260/.373/.280, .653 OPS, 8/18 bb/k (#200, turns 18 in October)
13) SS Jancel Santana (Red): .207/.335/.277, .613 OPS, 26/40 bb/k (#119, turned 18 a few days ago)
12) IF Raimundo De Los Santos (Blue): .221/.340/.235, .575 OPS, 23/37 bb/k (#174, turns 19 in February)
11) SS Yoiber Ruiz (Blue): .217/.392/.261, .632 OPS, 46/41 bb/k (#81), turns 18 in November)
10) 1B Frederik Jimenez (Blue): .256/.354/.396, .751 OPS, 24/53 bb/k (#170, turns 19 in November)
9) OF Cristofher Paniagua (Blue): .269/.387/.344, .730 OPS, 26/37 bb/k (#160, turns 19 in November)
8) 3B Nixson Cueche (Red): .273/.333/.353, .686 OPS, 11/13 bb/k (#152, turns 18 in March)
7) C Kleyver Salazar (Blue): .240/.378/.347, .725 OPS, 26/25 bb/k (#101, turns 18 in May)
6) C Gerardo Rodriguez (Red): .347/.390/.488, .878 OPS, 8/13 bb/k (#92, turns 18 in December)
5) OF Yosander Asencio (Red): .321/.457/.476, .933 OPS, 21/27 bb/k (#63, turns 19 in November)
4) IF Starlyn Nunez (Blue): .325/.391/.479, .870 OPS, 17/29 bb/k (#37, turns 18 in October)
3) C Andruw Musett (Red): .289/.433/.414, 847 OPS, 30/23 bb/k (#57, turns 18 in November)
2) SS Franklin Arias (Red): .350/.440/.453, .893 OPS, 19/14 bb/k (#26, turns 18 in November)
1) SS Yoeilin Cespedes (Blue): .346/.392/.560, .953 OPS, 14/24 bb/k (#7, turns 18 in September)
 

JM3

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FCL Sox continuing with the new pitcher thing.

Zach Fogell, the 5'11 lefty relief pitcher the Red Sox drafted in the 18th round out of UConn who turned 23 in July, pitched a scoreless 7th, with a hit, a walk & a strikeout.

Here's his scouting report stuff:

Scouting Report: Left-hander was very successful after transition to the bullpen when he transferred to UConn. Throws a fastball, changeup and slider. Command and control need refinement, but has shown bat-missing ability.
https://soxprospects.com/players/fogell-zach.htm
 

The Gray Eagle

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I know their age is factored in to their high rankings, but still, 7 of the top 8 are still only 17 years old-- pretty crazy. They are all a million miles from the majors but having a bunch of guys that young doing well is great.
Too bad Old Man Yosander is already 18.
Kleyver Salazar won't even turn 18 till next May, so a catcher with that walk/K and OBP at that age is pretty impressive, even if he hasn't hit for power yet.
 

JM3

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I know their age is factored in to their high rankings, but still, 7 of the top 8 are still only 17 years old-- pretty crazy. They are all a million miles from the majors but having a bunch of guys that young doing well is great.
Too bad Old Man Yosander is already 18.
Kleyver Salazar won't even turn 18 till next May, so a catcher with that walk/K and OBP at that age is pretty impressive, even if he hasn't hit for power yet.
Yeah, there are definitely some others I would have put higher if they weren't older (like Jose Liriano hit pretty well, but is 20 so didn't make the list). There are a few other guys who still have a chance to pop like Jhoan Solarte who got significant PAs as a 16 y/o this season.

This is my first year really following the DSL so it will be fun for me to see how this crop progresses & to actually see highlights of them in a year or two.
 

JM3

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Sooo...I had Blake Wehunt down as pitching the 2nd inning last Friday, because that's what the MiLB box score said...

2nd inning:

Blake Wehunt (#149), the 2023 9th rounder, $100k signing bonus, pitched a scoreless 2nd, allowing 1 hit & striking out 1. Wehunt pitched for Kennesaw State this season & threw 76.1 innings with a 4.83 ERA, 1.46 WHIP & 9.4 k.9. Wehunt turns 23 in November & is a 6'7 righty.

From SoxProspects:

https://soxprospects.com/players/wehunt-blake.htm

I wonder if they have plans for a 3rd pitch?
Therefore, I was quite confused when I saw he pitched the 8th today, but had no prior stats. So I went back to Friday's box score & now they have Stijn Van Der Schaaf having pitched that inning. Stijn is getting more & more intriguing fwiw, but anyway, that's weird.

So I guess today was Wehunt's actual debut & he pitched a scoreless 8th...allowing 1 hit & striking out 1.
 

JM3

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FCL Sox lost their season finale 3-1. They clinched missing the playoffs yesterday with their g1 loss to the Braves before g2 was wiped out.

Drew Ehrhard was 2-4 with a double.

Angel Pierre & Armando Sierra were 1-3 with a walk.

Kelvin Diaz was 0-2 with a walk, a HBP & a steal (#21).

Fraymi was 1-4 with a double.
 

JM3

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This is much less striated than the hitters...there are a lot of guys who are just similarly interesting to me.

Most Interesting DSL Pitchers
15) Daury Pena (Blue): 9 IP, 1.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 30.8% k/9, 12.8 bb/hbp (#179, turns 19 in October)
14) Daniel Nunez (Red): 32.1 IP, 2.78 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 31.4% k's, 18.6% bb/hbp (#181, turns 21 next April)
13) Ruben De La Cruz (Blue): 24.2 IP, 3.65 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 27.7% k's, 10.7% bb/hbp (#180, turns 19 next January)
12) Ricardo Rodriguez (Blue): 34.2 IP, 4.14 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 20.8% k's, 20.8% bb/hbp (#123, turns 18 in December)
11) Luis Jerez (Red): 33.2 IP, 3.21 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 23.1% k's, 9.7% bb/hbp (#164, turns 20 on Saturday)
10) Juan Henriquez (Red): 42.1 IP, 4.68 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 24.7% k's, 13.5% bb/hbp (#84, turns 18 next June)
9) Alisson Del Orbe (Blue): 29.1 IP, 1.23 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 37.6% k's, 14.5% bb/hbp (#124, turns 22 in September)
8) Nicolas De La Cruz (Blue): 33.1 IP, 3.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 16.2% k's, 16.2% bb/hbp (#89, turns 18 in November)
7) Deybi Salcedo (Red): 13.1 IP, 1.35 ERA, 0.53 WHIP, 39.6% k's, 8.3% bb/hbp (#213, turns 20 next July)
6) Wuilliams Rodriguez (Red): 36 IP, 2.75 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 19.0% k's, 7.5% bb/hbp (#55, turns 18 in November)
5) Obed Balderas (Blue): 39 IP, 2.54 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 15.5% k's, 7.5% bb/hbp (#75, turns 18 next July)
4) Andres Jimenez (Red): 24.1 IP, 2.22 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 29.0% k's, 15.0% bb/hbp (#219, turns 19 next January)
3) Jesus Garcia (Blue): 43.2 IP, 3.30 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 20.2% k's, 9.0% bb/hbp (#61, turns 18 in November)
2) Jose Martinez (Blue): 25 IP, 1.80 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 29.2% k's, 4.2% bb/hbp (#108, turns 18 in January)
1) Gilberto Batista (Red): 40.2 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 33.5% k's, 6.2% bb/hbp (#110, turns 19 in January)

Obviously my Jimenez, Salcedo, Martinez & Batista rankings need updating, & some of the others need tweaking...like overrating WUILLIAMS because of his hot start to the season & cool name.
 

JM3

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JDE hasn't started since last Tuesday, so makes sense that it's his turn.

Also, Jose Ramirez last started last Tuesday, so I would expect it to be his turn, not Elvis Soto, who started last Wednesday, absent injury or something.

Looks like Portland has removed Sterling Sharp from their rotation & are going on a 6-day loop instead of a full week as Grant Gambrell pitched Tuesday & Sunday. Hunter Dobbins pitching Wednesday & Monday therefore makes sense, with CJ Liu pitching Thursday & Tuesday, Coffey pitching Friday & Wednesday, & Wikelman pitching Saturday & Thursday...unless they decide to reintroduce Sharp in to get anyone additional rest.
 

Jimbodandy

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around the way
This is much less striated than the hitters...there are a lot of guys who are just similarly interesting to me.

Most Interesting DSL Pitchers
15) Daury Pena (Blue): 9 IP, 1.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 30.8% k/9, 12.8 bb/hbp (#179, turns 19 in October)
14) Daniel Nunez (Red): 32.1 IP, 2.78 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 31.4% k's, 18.6% bb/hbp (#181, turns 21 next April)
13) Ruben De La Cruz (Blue): 24.2 IP, 3.65 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 27.7% k's, 10.7% bb/hbp (#180, turns 19 next January)
12) Ricardo Rodriguez (Blue): 34.2 IP, 4.14 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 20.8% k's, 20.8% bb/hbp (#123, turns 18 in December)
11) Luis Jerez (Red): 33.2 IP, 3.21 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 23.1% k's, 9.7% bb/hbp (#164, turns 20 on Saturday)
10) Juan Henriquez (Red): 42.1 IP, 4.68 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 24.7% k's, 13.5% bb/hbp (#84, turns 18 next June)
9) Alisson Del Orbe (Blue): 29.1 IP, 1.23 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 37.6% k's, 14.5% bb/hbp (#124, turns 22 in September)
8) Nicolas De La Cruz (Blue): 33.1 IP, 3.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 16.2% k's, 16.2% bb/hbp (#89, turns 18 in November)
7) Deybi Salcedo (Red): 13.1 IP, 1.35 ERA, 0.53 WHIP, 39.6% k's, 8.3% bb/hbp (#213, turns 20 next July)
6) Wuilliams Rodriguez (Red): 36 IP, 2.75 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 19.0% k's, 7.5% bb/hbp (#55, turns 18 in November)
5) Obed Balderas (Blue): 39 IP, 2.54 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 15.5% k's, 7.5% bb/hbp (#75, turns 18 next July)
4) Andres Jimenez (Red): 24.1 IP, 2.22 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 29.0% k's, 15.0% bb/hbp (#219, turns 19 next January)
3) Jesus Garcia (Blue): 43.2 IP, 3.30 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 20.2% k's, 9.0% bb/hbp (#61, turns 18 in November)
2) Jose Martinez (Blue): 25 IP, 1.80 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 29.2% k's, 4.2% bb/hbp (#108, turns 18 in January)
1) Gilberto Batista (Red): 40.2 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 33.5% k's, 6.2% bb/hbp (#110, turns 19 in January)

Obviously my Jimenez, Salcedo, Martinez & Batista rankings need updating, & some of the others need tweaking...like overrating WUILLIAMS because of his hot start to the season & cool name.
I'm kinda digging Del Orbe's metamorphosis too. 44K in 29IP is no joke. And considering the career change, he's still 21. Great build, etc.
 

JM3

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I'm kinda digging Del Orbe's metamorphosis too. 44K in 29IP is no joke. And considering the career change, he's still 21. Great build, etc.
Yeah, it's a pretty fascinating story, which I'm sure the actual details of are even more interesting. Like what made them decide to pick up a hitter the Rangers cast aside after only 16 ABs last year & make him a pitcher, & why didn't the Rangers think of that?

Will be fun to see if he can progress through the system.
 

JM3

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I kind of forgot about the whole year with no IFAs thing...

Abreu’s dream would start to come true in July 2017, when he signed a contract to play in the Houston Astros’ system. But the Astros were not the first MLB organization Abreu agreed to play for. It was actually the Red Sox who were supposed to sign him a year prior, but MLB banned Boston from signing international prospects that season after the team violated rules regarding signing bonuses.
 

JM3

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Just idly scrolling through some of our older IFA stuff:

2009-10: We signed Frankie Montas for $75k in December 2009 & then traded him to the White Sox in the Jake Peavy deal. We also sent out Jose Iglesias to the Tigers in that deal who we had signed for $6.25m in September '09. X was the big get for $400k.

Two other players from that class also made it to MLB - Raul Alcantara ($500k) was part of the Andrew Bailey trade in December '11 & made it to the Majors in 2016. He pitched 46.1 innings over 2 seasons with a 7.19 ERA, & has been pitching in Korea since 2019.

The other is Nefi Ogando, who was traded for John McDonald in August '13. He pitched 19.2 innings over 2 seasons with 3.66 ERA, but has been out of the league since '16.

2010-11: Only player in the entire class to make it to the Majors was RP Jonathan Aro who pitched 0.2 scoreless innings with a hit & a walk for the Mariners in 2016. He signed for $10k. He was traded to the Mariners along with Wade Miley for Carson Smith & Roenis Elias in December 2015.

2011-12: 2 Major League Players - Tzu-Wei Lin ($2.05m) who played 101 games for the Red Sox & 1 for the Twins with a career 63 wRC+ -0.6 fWAR, & Manuel Margot ($800k) who we recall from the Craig Kimbrel trade. In 774 career games he has a 90 wRC+ & has been worth 9.6 fWAR.

2012-13: 3 Major League Players - OF Luis Alexander Basabe ($450k) who got 14 ABs for the 2020 Giants, & was part of the Chris Sale trade in December '16. 2B Luis Alejandro Basabe ($450k) was not 1 of the ones to make it to the Majors, but he was traded to the Diamondbacks for Brad Ziegler in July '16. They were really trying to move on from Luis Basabes that off-season.

The 2nd is Javy Guerra who was also part of the Kimbrel trade. He's pitched 63 Major League innings so far with a 6.43 ERA & -0.7 fWAR. The more interesting thing is that he was originally signed as a shortstop named Javier Guerra, & actually made it to the Majors as a SS in 2018 where he got 16 ABs, before being sent down to A+ the next season to learn how to pitch.

The 3rd is Gerson Bautista who was traded for Addison Reed in July 2017. He pitched 9 innings for the Mariners in 2019 & had an 11.00 ERA.


I will write up some more seasons some other time.
 

JM3

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08/22/23 IF Alex Erro assigned to Portland Sea Dogs from Greenville Drive.
That makes sense with the Elih Marrero injury & having Teel & Rosario at A+. Erro is a C/1B, & is 25.
 

JM3

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JDE hasn't started since last Tuesday, so makes sense that it's his turn.

Also, Jose Ramirez last started last Tuesday, so I would expect it to be his turn, not Elvis Soto, who started last Wednesday, absent injury or something.

Looks like Portland has removed Sterling Sharp from their rotation & are going on a 6-day loop instead of a full week as Grant Gambrell pitched Tuesday & Sunday. Hunter Dobbins pitching Wednesday & Monday therefore makes sense, with CJ Liu pitching Thursday & Tuesday, Coffey pitching Friday & Wednesday, & Wikelman pitching Saturday & Thursday...unless they decide to reintroduce Sharp in to get anyone additional rest.
Ramirez listed on the MiLB page. W for me, L for SoxProspects lol
 

JM3

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Looks like SoxProspects is right about Hunter Dobbins starting, though, per the lineup on MiLB. Will post the whole thing in a minute.