Raymel Flores

[jscola85]

Full Name: Raymel Flores
Born: 9/22/1994 (17 years old)
Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic
Height: 5-9
Weight: 155
Bats: S
Throws: R

Not too much out there on Raymel Flores, but he's one of the bigger bonus babies on the 2012 Red Sox DSL squad, so I figured I'd start a thread. Per MLB Trade Rumors, Flores signed for $900k last year and has a strong defensive reputation. At 5-9, I doubt he's projected to be much of a power hitter, but maybe he'll hit a late growth spurt...

Through 9 games (40 PAs):

.316 / .395 / .526, 2 2B, 3 3B, 0/2 SBs

Clearly has some good raw speed if he already has 3 3Bs through just 40 PAs.

 

[jscola85]

Through 23 games (107 PAs):

.270/.420/.472, 2 2B, 8(!) 3Bs, 3/5 SBs, 18/24 BB/K

Raymel is looking mighty interesting so far as a prospect at this point.

 

[jscola85]

Through 37 games (161 PAs)

.254/.392/.391. Flores' power has dropped off significantly, but he's still showing good patience at the plate. That said, there's always a few DSL guys who can succeed by taking advantage of the wildness of the pitchers down there.

 

[jscola85]

Flores has now missed five weeks straight with a strained back. Unfortunate that he's missed so much time, but I think his DSL time was promising enough to say the bonus he got is justified to date. Looks like a GCL player next year.

 

[jscola85]

As expected Flores was assigned to the GCL.  The average (.206) is ugly, but he's still walking like a fiend and when he does make contact he's shown solid pop.  Haven't heard much about his defense for better or worse.

 

[jscola85]

Flores had a tough year, as he slumped at the finish to wind up with a line of:
 
165 PAs, .185/.311/.281 (.592 OPS), 9 XBHs, 9 SBs in 15 tries, 25% K%, 13% BB%
 
Given the bonus he signed for and his relative youth (still just 18), another year to try to figure it out in the GCL seems warranted.

 

[jscola85]

Flores continues to hang around, moving up to Lowell and posting a slightly improved line of .262/.330/.333.  He's walked a fair bit but still striking out at a totally unacceptable rate for a guy with basically no power (~30% of his PAs).  Has been playing 2B for the most part.  SB rate of 13/17 is solid especially since it is only in 55 games.  At 19, he's still quite young (2 years younger than the average NYPL hitter), so I'd imagine given his solid-sized signing bonus that he will get another shot in the system next year, likely in Greenville.  However, without a bit better contact rate, it's hard to see him progressing much further than that.