2014 Affiliate Rosters for Opening Day

mabrowndog

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These are pretty much final, though Greenville still needs to do something with one of their pitchers to get down to the 25-man limit. For a comparison to 2013, here's last year's thread
 
Starting pitchers not listed in any particular order. Ditto for relievers. Positional starters are projections only. No info on extended spring training assignments is available yet.
 
* = LHB/LHP
** = Switch Hitter
# = Out of Options
(XX) = Additional positions played (minimum 5 G)
01 to 30 = Baseball America system ranking
 
EDIT - Updated 4/3 for Greenville's roster changes.
 
[tablegrid=] AAA Pawtucket AA Portland A+ Salem A- Greenville SP Allen Webster    4 Henry Owens*     2 Brian Johnson*     15 Cody Kukuk*     21 SP Anthony Ranaudo   11 Mickey Pena* Simon Mercedes     24 Jamie Callahan     22 SP Rubby de la Rosa Mike Augliera Corey Littrell* Teddy Stankiewicz     19 SP Chris Hernandez* Keith Couch William Cuevas Pat Light SP Jeremy Kehrt Mike McCarthy Luis Diaz Myles Smith           RP Alex Wilson     29 Noe Ramirez Justin Haley Joe Gunkel RP Drake Britton*    17 Miguel Celestino Kyle Stroup Mario Alcantara RP Brayan Villareal # Jose Valdez Kyle Martin Sergio Gomez RP Rich Hill* # Michael Olmsted Madison Younginer Jonathan Aro RP Chris Resop # Matty Ott Kyle Kraus Mike Adams* RP Dalier Hinojosa Robby Scott* Austin Maddox Jake Dahlstrand RP Tommy Layne* Nate Reed* Dayan Diaz Raynel Velette RP                   C Christian Vazquez     12 Blake Swihart**     5 Carson Blair Jordan Weems* 1B Brandon Snyder # (3B) Travis Shaw*     25 David Chester Tim Roberson (C ) 2B Heiker Meneses (SS) Mookie Betts     7 Reed Gragnani** Wendell Rijo     18 SS Brock Holt* (2B/3B) Deven Marrero     15 Jose Vinicio** Tzu-Wei Lin*     28 3B Garin Cecchini*     6 Stefan Welch* (1B) Mario Martinez (1B) Carlos Asuaje* (2B) LF Alex Hassan (1B) Henry Ramos** Jonathan Roof (SS/2B) Jesus Loya* CF Corey Brown* Shannon Wilkerson Matty Johnson** Manuel Margot     20 RF Bryce Brentz     16 Bo Greenwell* Aneury Tavarez* Aaron King* DH Ryan Lavarnway (C/1B) Sean Coyle (2B/3B)    30 Ryan Dent (2B/3B/LF/RF) Jantzen Witte (3B/1B)           C Dan Butler    25 Michael Brenly Jayson Hernandez Jake Romanski C   Matt Spring (1B)     IF Mike McCoy # (2B/SS/3B/OF) Derrik Gibson (2B/SS) Dreily Guerrero** (SS/2B/3B/OF) Jimmy Rider (3B/2B/1B) IF     Matt Gedman* (1B/3B) Kevin Mager (LF/1B/3B) UT Justin Henry* (2B/3B/CF/LF) Carlos Rivero (3B/1B/SS/LF)     OF Peter Hissey*   Kevin Heller Zach Kapstein (1B) OF         DL Matt Barnes, RHSP     9 Aaron Kurcz, RHRP Matt Price, RHRP Carlos Coste, C DL John Ely, RHSP Pete Ruiz, RHRP Heri Quevedo, RSP Mike Miller (2B/3B/SS)  DL   Keury de la Cruz, OF* Bryan Johns, IF Jason Garcia, RHP DL     Leonel Escobar, C  [/tablegrid]
 

mabrowndog

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Prospects in the BA Top 30 not assigned to full-season rosters:
 
10. Trey Ball, LHSP
20. Rafael Devers, 3B*
23. Daniel McGrath, LHSP
27. Javier Guerra, SS*
 

Rasputin

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So when Beslow and Barnes are off the DL, the Pawtucket rotation is going to be Webster, Barnes, DLR, Ranaudo, and Workman.
 
That's kinda sick.
 
Plus Vasquez, Cecchini, and Bradley.
 

Merkle's Boner

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I think the expectation is that when Breslow comes off the DL, Workman would be the odd man out and be sent down. The only question in my mind would be whether they keep him in the pen or stretch him back out.
 

Moosbrugger

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Is it not concerning that Trey Ball wasn't sent to Greenville? Does he suck? Did they blow the pick? Is Kohl Stewart starting for the Twins tomorrow?

Sox Prospects describe Trey Ball as "raw". Does that mean "sucks"?
 

jsinger121

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Moosbrugger said:
Is it not concerning that Trey Ball wasn't sent to Greenville? Does he suck? Did they blow the pick? Is Kohl Stewart starting for the Twins tomorrow?
Sox Prospects describe Trey Ball as "raw". Does that mean "sucks"?
Doesn't mean he sucks. I saw him in spring training and based on my observations at the time I thought there was no way he was going to Greenville to start the season. He needs some time in extended spring training. Remember he is a pitcher from Indiana where baseball seasons start later. I think we will see him in Greenville possibly when promotions of others happen early in the season.
 

Rasputin

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Dick Pole Upside said:
Workman is up with the Sox. Would be either Hernandez or Kehrt.
As others have mentioned, that is why I said when Barnes and Breslow are healthy.
 

inoffensiv philosophy

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Anyone know what happened / will happen with J.C. Linares? Soxprospects had him as on the bubble for a spot at Pawtucket this offseason/ST, and obviously he didn't make the roster. So what happens to him now? XST -- are they allowed to do that? Is he just waiting around to be cut? Can a guy just be 'inactive' and sort of suspended in the baseball ether?
 
More interested in the roster situation than in JCL specifically, but he did get a decent signing bonus.
 
Edit: Also, no listing of Steven Wright? Is he not on the AAA DL?
 

jsinger121

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Lose Remerswaal said:
I was a big JCL fan last year, but I don't recall seeing him in any boxscores in ST this year.  Was he even at the facility in Fort Myers?
 
He was at the facility. Probably on the phantom DL because he stinks.
 

jsinger121

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inoffensiv philosophy said:
Anyone know what happened / will happen with J.C. Linares? Soxprospects had him as on the bubble for a spot at Pawtucket this offseason/ST, and obviously he didn't make the roster. So what happens to him now? XST -- are they allowed to do that? Is he just waiting around to be cut? Can a guy just be 'inactive' and sort of suspended in the baseball ether?
 
More interested in the roster situation than in JCL specifically, but he did get a decent signing bonus.
 
Edit: Also, no listing of Steven Wright? Is he not on the AAA DL?
 
 
 
 
Yes, Probably, and Yes
 
Juan Carlos Linares is a JAG at this point in his career. Not someone who will block anybody. 
 

Brianish

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Moosbrugger said:
Is it not concerning that Trey Ball wasn't sent to Greenville? Does he suck? Did they blow the pick? Is Kohl Stewart starting for the Twins tomorrow?

Sox Prospects describe Trey Ball as "raw". Does that mean "sucks"?
 
He pitched seven innings last year. He's working on conditioning and control. No, it does not mean he sucks. I think you'll find very few scouting reports with evaluations on the level of 'he sucks.' More likely, it means 'he is nineteen.'
 

Detts

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The Salem roster really reflects the void of talent that was Greenville last year after Mookie left.  It was just not fun baseball to watch.
 
I'll try to catch a Kukuk/Callahan/Stankiewicz game early in the season assuming it stays warm.  At least the Drive has defense up the middle this year.
 
And of course year 3 of Jordan Weems.
 

Merkle's Boner

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Really excited to see who among Webster, Barnes, Ranaudo, de la Rosa, and Workman, separate themselves from the others this season.  Right now it appears the big club has most confidence in Workman but I would like to see one of those guys take the leap and be a viable SP candidate.  I could see it being any one of those five as each of them, at various times, has displayed crazy stuff and put up great numbers.
 

SaveBooFerriss

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Detts said:
The Salem roster really reflects the void of talent that was Greenville last year after Mookie left.  It was just not fun baseball to watch.
 
I'll try to catch a Kukuk/Callahan/Stankiewicz game early in the season assuming it stays warm.  At least the Drive has defense up the middle this year.
 
And of course year 3 of Jordan Weems.
 
I hope Weems bought a condo in Greenville.  
 

mabrowndog

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inoffensiv philosophy said:
Edit: Also, no listing of Steven Wright? Is he not on the AAA DL?
 
He's actually on Boston's DL, not Pawtucket's. Once he's activated, they'll option him down unless he's somehow needed with the big club. This prevents the Sox from having to burn one of his two remaining minor league options until they absolutely have to, and allows Pawtucket an extra vacancy on their 38-man reserve list.
 
The former is almost certainly a non-issue, since Wright is way, way down on the list of pitchers the Sox would recall for any long-term stints, but such moves are often standard procedure for any players on the big club's 40-man who have options remaining and get hurt before the season begins. But let's say the impossible happens and when he's healthy and activated, he's the only pitcher on the 40-man that's available to replace an injured Boston pitcher. Even more impossibly, let's say the Sox need Wright for the rest of the season and he never gets sent back down. He would still have two options remaining heading into 2015.
 
The latter could potentially allow the PawSox to stash an extra player (Wilfredo Boscan? Scott Cousins?) in extended spring training rather than releasing him. I don't believe he PawSox are close to their 38-man limit, so that's probably not an issue either, but again it seems to be standard protocol for retaining as much organizational depth as possible. Consider them good procedural habits rather than moves the team has to justify with reality.
 

inoffensiv philosophy

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mabrowndog said:
 
He's actually on Boston's DL, not Pawtucket's. Once he's activated, they'll option him down unless he's somehow needed with the big club. This prevents the Sox from having to burn one of his two remaining minor league options until they absolutely have to, and allows Pawtucket an extra vacancy on their 38-man reserve list.
I understand, that makes perfect sense -- thank you.
 
I was not aware that each minor league affiliate had a 'reserve list'. I guess that answers my question about JCL (I was going to ask about Cousins also). I always presumed that if you didn't make any affiliate out of ST you just had to be cut and that was that. Did not realise you could hold onto older, healthy (but crappy) players indefinitely after ST.
 

mabrowndog

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Merkle's Boner said:
Really excited to see who among Webster, Barnes, Ranaudo, de la Rosa, and Workman, separate themselves from the others this season.  Right now it appears the big club has most confidence in Workman but I would like to see one of those guys take the leap and be a viable SP candidate.  I could see it being any one of those five as each of them, at various times, has displayed crazy stuff and put up great numbers.
 
I don't believe his presence on Boston's roster means anything like that. I think it's more a matter of the club seeing in Workman a guy who can readily handle both starting and long relief assignments, and who's shown he can pitch on consecutive days when asked. And yeah, his performances on the big stage last year certainly didn't hurt. He fits the role that's needed right now.
 
Webster, Barnes & Ranaudo are exclusively starters, and so is De La Rosa until later in the season. There was no way any of them were going to break camp with Boston unless there was an injury in the Sox rotation, and even then Cherington might have opted to make Capuano a starter. But all four have much higher ceilings as starters than Workman does, and they all need regular starting work to continue their development. Workman happens to be the guy who can most likely help the Sox in a variety of roles until Breslow returns, and whose development won't be slowed by spot starts and sporadic bullpen use. If Workman hadn't proven effective in relief, I'm not sure he'd be with the Sox right now.
 

mabrowndog

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inoffensiv philosophy said:
I understand, that makes perfect sense -- thank you.
 
I was not aware that each minor league affiliate had a 'reserve list'. I guess that answers my question about JCL (I was going to ask about Cousins also). I always presumed that if you didn't make any affiliate out of ST you just had to be cut and that was that. Did not realise you could hold onto older, healthy (but crappy) players indefinitely after ST.
 
Well, it's not indefinitely (XST ends once short-season ball begins with Lowell and GCL). There are also restrictions for players who've accrued major league service time, which may well rule out Cousins from XST unless he's hurt right now. And in the end, the team might just decide to cut JCL and Boscan loose if they don't feel they'll be in a position to develop further or contribute meaningfully, or if they want to do the right thing with a vet like Cousins by giving him a chance to sign elsewhere. Perhaps someone else (jsinger? amfox?) can clarify the XST and reserve roster rules.
 
The minor league reserve lists operate similarly to the 40-man at the major league level. These are the pools that each affiliate can draw its active players from. Unless something's changed, the limits are still 38 for AAA, 37 for AA, and 35 for all other levels. It's rare for any of them to be full at any time during the season, since teams are constantly shuffling players between levels (injury replacements, promotions, demotions, etc.) and need vacancies to do so (short-term DL stints don't clear spots on the reserve roster). They also play a role in the minor league phases of the Rule 5 draft (AA and AAA), whereby any players not protected on certain reserve lists in the fall can be selected and retained by another club provided they remain at the next-higher level.
 

inoffensiv philosophy

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mabrowndog said:
 
Well, it's not indefinitely (XST ends once short-season ball begins with Lowell and GCL). There are also restrictions for players who've accrued major league service time, which may well rule out Cousins from XST unless he's hurt right now. And in the end, the team might just decide to cut JCL and Boscan loose if they don't feel they'll be in a position to develop further or contribute meaningfully, or if they want to do the right thing with a vet like Cousins by giving him a chance to sign elsewhere. Perhaps someone else (jsinger? amfox?) can clarify the XST and reserve roster rules.
I feel like that's as clear as I will ever need in my day-to-day baseball-following life. Thank you, mab.
 

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mabrowndog said:
I don't believe his presence on Boston's roster means anything like that. I think it's more a matter of the club seeing in Workman a guy who can readily handle both starting and long relief assignments, and who's shown he can pitch on consecutive days when asked. And yeah, his performances on the big stage last year certainly didn't hurt. He fits the role that's needed right now.
 
Webster, Barnes & Ranaudo are exclusively starters, and so is De La Rosa until later in the season. There was no way any of them were going to break camp with Boston unless there was an injury in the Sox rotation, and even then Cherington might have opted to make Capuano a starter. But all four have much higher ceilings as starters than Workman does, and they all need regular starting work to continue their development. Workman happens to be the guy who can most likely help the Sox in a variety of roles until Breslow returns, and whose development won't be slowed by spot starts and sporadic bullpen use. If Workman hadn't proven effective in relief, I'm not sure he'd be with the Sox right now.
Good point on Workman, although I can't forget his consecutive strong starts last summer when he first came up. If one of the five starters were to go down early, I suppose Webster would be first in line to fill the rotation based on past usage. I would love to see Ranaudo get off to a strong start to make that decision a harder one.
 

mabrowndog

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mabrowndog said:
Greenville still needs to do something with one of their pitchers to get down to the 25-man limit. 
 
The Drive ended up placing RHP Jason Garcia on the 7-day DL. They did the same with infielder Mike Miller, replacing him with LF/corner Kevin Mager.