BA's Midseason Red Sox Top 10

[Snodgrass'Muff]

It's behind a paywall, so I won't post the entire thing, but there were a few very interesting tidbits.
 
 
 

The Midseason Top 10 Prospect lists are compiled from conversations with front office officials and scouts from all 30 teams. Players who have exhausted prospect eligibility or were in the Major Leagues on June 26 are not eligible. Draftees from the 2015 draft are also not eligible.

 
1. Yoan Moncada
 
 

The Red Sox spent $63 million (including a 100 percent tax on his bonus) to acquire Moncada’s services and sent him directly to low Class A Greenville this year after an 18-month layoff. He still shows the power and other tools that attracted suitors—but not without flaws. Moncada is athletic and can run well at times, but there are questions about his effort in the field. And though his power shows up in batting practice, scouts see an in-game swing more geared toward line drives than home runs. He’s on a hot streak now with three home runs in his last four games.

 
2. Rafael Devers
 
 

The 18-year-old’s prowess has drawn rave reviews since the Red Sox signed him in 2013, and for good reason. At low Class A Greenville he’s continued mashing. He shows excellent bat speed and strike-zone discipline, but will need to watch his body to stick at third base.

 
3. Manuel Margot
 
 

Margot started 2015 at high Class A Salem by going three weeks without a strikeout, and in the process continued to show off the impressive tool set that’s made him one of the system’s better prospects. A true center fielder with a ton of range and a strong arm, Margot has reached Double-A Portland and projects as a leadoff-type hitter with some power.

 
4. Brian Johnson
 
5. Henry Owens
 
6. Rusney Castillo
 
7. Javier Guerra
 
 

As pure a shortstop as you’ll find in the minor leagues, Guerra isn’t a glove-only player. He’s got a line-drive swing that helps him project to be an average hitter at the highest level with below-average power. He also displays strong leadership qualities on the field.

 
8. Michael Kopech
 
9. Anderson Espinoza
 
10. Sam Travis
 
 

Boston’s second-round selection in 2014 has shown the same big-time power he did at Indiana while reaching Double-A Portland. More than that, he projects to hit for average as well as power. Scouts also like his athleticism to the point that they believe he could play the outfield if need be.

 
Marco Hernandez is mentioned as a prospect who is rising through the system quickly and they have Chavis and Cecchini falling. They also had write ups on the first five picks from June. Benintendi's was as follows:
 
 
 

The BA College Player of the Year, Benintendi shows a mix of power and speed from a contact-oriented approach and exhibited the skills to make him a true center fielder.

 
The projected lineup for 2018 was C - Swihart, 1B - Devers, 2B - Pedroia, SS - Bogaerts, 3B - Panda, LF - Moncada, CF - Margot, RF - Betts, DH - Hanely with Porcello, Rodriguez, Johnson, Owens and Kopech in the rotation and Light closing.
 
There is lots of interesting information in the full piece.
 
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/midseason-prospect-update-red-sox/

 

[Hee Sox Choi]

Snod, could you post the Cecchini blurb or give us a summary of it?  I'm very curious as to what they have to say about him.  I haven't read anything about him this year and am wondering WTF is going on?

 

[BosRedSox5]

Wow, the book on Travis was that he wasn't especially athletic, but he could hit. It's encouraging to hear that those reports on his athleticism may be wrong and that he might be able to have more positional flexibility than originally thought. 

 

[Snodgrass'Muff]

Snod, could you post the Cecchini blurb or give us a summary of it?  I'm very curious as to what they have to say about him.  I haven't read anything about him this year and am wondering WTF is going on?

 
 
There isn't much other than he's not hitting and he may be pressing after the Sox blocked him with Panda.

 

[jscola85]

Wow, the book on Travis was that he wasn't especially athletic, but he could hit. It's encouraging to hear that those reports on his athleticism may be wrong and that he might be able to have more positional flexibility than originally thought. 

 
Yeah everything read so far suggested he was a "meh" defender / athlete in every sense.  Not sure there's room in the OF, but if he can show a plus glove and baserunning at 1st, it will help mitigate his relative lack of pop for the position.

 

[Plympton91]

What's up with the comment about Guerra having below average power?  For a young kid in a league that depresses power, he's showing plenty of pop in low-A, including, if I remember right, a couple 2 HR games.

 

[ehaz]

I know he just got drafted, but it says a lot about the organization when the Golden Spikes winner can't break into the top 10.  I think that Benintendi will end up being the best pick the Sox have made in years.

 

[Detts]

I know he just got drafted, but it says a lot about the organization when the Golden Spikes winner can't break into the top 10.  I think that Benintendi will end up being the best pick the Sox have made in years.

Betts and Swihart say 'hi'.

 

[JBJ_HOF]

What's up with the comment about Guerra having below average power?  For a young kid in a league that depresses power, he's showing plenty of pop in low-A, including, if I remember right, a couple 2 HR games.

 
8 of his HR have been yanked down the line. Sox Prospects podcast guys were just in Greenville and don't project much power from him, doesn't show it in BP.

 

[Snodgrass'Muff]

I know he just got drafted, but it says a lot about the organization when the Golden Spikes winner can't break into the top 10.  I think that Benintendi will end up being the best pick the Sox have made in years.

 
First quote in the OP states that 2015 draftees aren't eligible for the list.

 

[ehaz]

Betts and Swihart say 'hi'.

Was comparing more to the Marrero/Ball/Chavis drafts since Cherington took over from Theo. But yeah, good point.