Minor league thread 2021

RoDaddy

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Don’t see another thread on this so I thought I’d start one if that works as it looks like the minor league regular season will finally start a week from today (May 4). We used to have pretty heavy traffic on these threads/posts in the Minor league forum but it’s been pretty quiet over there in recent years. At any rate, not a great Sox system this year by any stretch but improved - plus we have the 4th overall amateur pick coming soon. Among others, I’m looking forward to seeing Downs, Duran, Houck, Seabald, and Wong (and of course Smiley Ball) in AAA as well as watching this new franchise get off the ground; Casas, Hernandez and Winckowski in Portland; and Jimenez, Groome, Yorke , Bonaci and Blaze Jordan in the lower minors. Really wish we could see Noah Song and Mata as well this year but…
 
Cesar Crespo

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Jorge Rodriguez is worth keeping an eye on too. He has great control and some crazy spin rates. He needs to add some velocity. His most impressive start of 2019 saw him go 5.0 ip, 1 hit, 0r, 12ks/0bb. 10 of those swinging.

Brayan Bello is also a favorite of mine who has added considerably velocity over the years and is still just 21 years old. He finished 2019 on a pretty good 10 game stretch. His best game in that stretch was a 6.0 ip, 5hits, 0r 13k/0bb performance. 10 swinging.

I also love Pedro Castellanos. He's always hit for contact while never striking out or walking. He also has never hit for any power but in 2019, he hit 7 HRs in his last 20 games, along with 4 doubles and a triple in 82 PA. If the guy could ever hit for power, he'd be quite the intriguing prospect.


Chances are all 3 aren't much of anything but something to watch.
 
D

daltonsoxfan

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Looks very much like the big club needs some offensive contribution from someone other than Verdugo, Martinez, X, Devers, and Vasquez. Is anyone close to hitting big league pitching? I'd settle for .250/.330/.390 especially if he can play a corner outfield spot well.
 
Cesar Crespo

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daltonsoxfan said:
Looks very much like the big club needs some offensive contribution from someone other than Verdugo, Martinez, X, Devers, and Vasquez. Is anyone close to hitting big league pitching? I'd settle for .250/.330/.390 especially if he can play a corner outfield spot well.
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Possibly Jarren Duran. He'd had some speed to the team too.
 
The Gray Eagle

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The Athletic has a very detailed write up on the Red Sox minor league teams and their rosters.
https://theathletic.com/2564336/2021/05/03/eight-key-issues-facing-the-red-sox-system-as-minor-league-seasons-resume/

Some highlights:

Jay Groome is going to open in the High-A rotation, but he’s on the 40-man roster and could move quickly.

Director of Player Development Brian Abraham said, “We’re expecting big things. I know he has high expectations for himself. If he performs, I don’t see us necessarily waiting to promote him to get an opportunity at the upper levels. I think it’s important for him to get his feet wet at the full-season affiliate level.”
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Nick Yorke will be the everyday second baseman in Low A, while fellow 2020 picks Shane Drohan and Jeremy Wu-Yelland will be in the Low-A rotation. Last year’s third-round pick, Blaze Jordan, will start the year in extended spring largely because the Red Sox want to give him a chance to play third base every day (they’re not ready to make him strictly a first baseman).
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Downs will continue to play shortstop and second base in AAA, switching with Arauz.

Michael Chavis will play second base and first base. Yairo Muñoz will primarily play the infield.

Connor Wong will only be catching in AAA, though he'll take pregame grounders at other positions.


Current injuries:
• Bryan Mata – Lost for the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

• Connor Seabold – Expected to be activated relatively soon. Currently on the IL with elbow inflammation but actively throwing.

• Hudson Potts – Slugging third baseman acquired in the Mitch Moreland trade will open the season in Double A, but he’s currently on the IL with an oblique injury. He is swinging a bat, though. “Just another guy we don’t want to rush,” Abraham said. “(His recovery) is right in line with our hope.”

• Brendan Cellucci – He’ll eventually pitch for High-A Greenville, but the lefty sprained his ankle at the end of minor-league spring training.

• Danny Santana – He’s not a prospect, but the 30-year-old utilityman could be a big-league option once he fully recovers from shoulder and foot injuries. He’s going to open the season on the Triple-A injured list but on a rehab assignment in High A. The Red Sox feel at-bats are the most important thing for him right now.
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Hairps

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In advance of Houck's start for the WooSox tonight, the SoxProspects guys previewed the work he needs to do to get back to Boston on our podcast: The Opener

Our third number is in honor of minor league opening day and comes from our friends at SoxProspects.com. It’s 8.5, the number of inches more than average that Tanner Houck’s sinker dropped during his short stint with the Red Sox this season. Yet instead of deploying that weapon for the Olde Towne team, Boston’s 2017 1st round pick will be tonight’s opening day starter for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. Some Sox faithful may be tempted to question the assignment, given Houck’s 1.98 ERA and 33 to 10 strikeout-to-walk ratio since debuting last fall, but the Boston front office is willing to sacrifice major league results so that Houck can develop a consistent MLB-quality third pitch. His slider also features some wicked movement — 8.1 inches more horizontal break than the MLB average for the pitch — but that might not be enough. He’s used a four-seam fastball to minimal effect, and he’s not yet comfortable relying on his splitter, a work-in-progress he threw just 3.8 percent of the time in the bigs. For now, he’s the first man up when the Sox need a spot starter, but to break into the rotation full-time, he’ll need to solve the riddle of how best to round out his repertoire.
 
RoDaddy

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Well, 2021 is off to a bad start for the farm: Houck gives up 8 hits in 3 innings in a 6-1 loss and Portland on the short end of 11-2. I'm guessing/hoping Houck's line has a lot to due with his working a lot on his 3rd pitch
 
nomarshaus

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Thanks for posting those! Incredible to see minor league splits back, what's it been 10 years? and it would be very cool if that statcast data turns out to be reliable (and expands to all parks)
 
Heating up in the bullpen

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Greenville Drive's season opener on 5/4 was rained out. So they opened on 5/5 with Jay Groome on the mound. He went 2 IP, gave up 5 R/ER on 6 hits and 3 walks, with 3 Ks. Danny Santana, rehabbing, batted second and went 1/3. Brandon Howlett (2018, 21st round Sox Prospects #40) hit a two run homer to account for the Drive's runs in a 9-2 loss. Tyler Esplin (2017, 7th round, not ranked) went 2/3 with a walk. Luke Bandy (2019, 29th round, not ranked) accounted for the Drive's fifth remaining hit, going 1/3 with a walk from the nine hole. Jacob Wallace (2019, 3rd round by Col, Sox Prospects #28), the player to be named later in last year's trade of Kevin Pillar to the Rockies, pitched the 9th, allowing 3 R/ER on 2 hits, both homers, and a HBP.
 
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Hairps

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nomarshaus said:
Thanks for posting those! Incredible to see minor league splits back, what's it been 10 years? and it would be very cool if that statcast data turns out to be reliable (and expands to all parks)
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Thanks! It looks like MLB plugged that leak pretty quickly, as any trace of MiLB Statcast data is now gone.

Also, FYI, something to track throughout the rest of the MiLB season:

Today’s third and final number is 9, the number of minor league pitchers who threw more than five innings in the first two days of the season. No one has gone more than six. If you think major-league managers are taking it easy on their starters as they transition from a 60-game pandemic-shortened season to this year’s full-length campaign, they have nothing on their minor league counterparts, whose staffs consist mostly of pitchers who have been limited to developmental games for more than 20 months. Pitch counts are strict: Out of 103 games so far, no one has been allowed to throw more than 90. That hasn’t stopped a few hurlers from standing out: Diamondbacks prospect Ryne Nelson, a 2019 2nd-round pick, was one of yesterday’s six-inning guys, striking out six in as many innings for the Hi-A Hillsboro Hops. Former Blue Jays prospect Chase De Jong was even better on Opening Day, punching out 10 of the 18 batters he retired. For Nelson, the outing was the first step in a long process, but for De Jong, it was a reminder to the Pirates front office that he’s ready to be the next guy on the Major League roster.
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https://openerpodcast.wordpress.com/2021/05/06/the-opener-may-6-warning-signs-for-tim-anderson/#more-133
 
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RoDaddy

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Another rough night for the farm, including a 14-0 Drive loss and a 10-1 loss for the 0-3 WooSox. Be glad when they start the home season next Tuesday
 
Cesar Crespo

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Who was the one who posted right after him with the box score line to every game?

I want to say jonasi but apparently that isn't a member.

edit: it is. It just wasn't showing up in the search bar for some reason.
 
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RoDaddy

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Some guy named Z Kelly struck out 8 in 3 innings for Portland

Cool to see Wong hitting 3rd in AAA - I think the organization likes him

The Drive might be real bad this year
 
Jed Zeppelin

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If anyone is on Twitter and isn’t following @RedSoxStats (SoxScout here), I’d recommend doing so. He is regularly posting whatever clips of our prospects may be available. He’s also just a great account to follow for anything Sox-related.

Here is Jacob Wallace, the Pillar PTBNL:
 
Apisith

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Jed Zeppelin said:
If anyone is on Twitter and isn’t following @RedSoxStats (SoxScout here), I’d recommend doing so. He is regularly posting whatever clips of our prospects may be available. He’s also just a great account to follow for anything Sox-related.

Here is Jacob Wallace, the Pillar PTBNL:
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I didn’t know it was SoxScout. But yes, he’s a great follow.
 
strek1

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InsideTheParker said:
Anybody watching the WooSox game? I forgot about it til right now. Brandon Workman pitching. The RFer should have gotten that.
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I've watched the entire thing including opening ceremony. Couldn't believe there was no thread. Sound system for TV was really bad for ceremony. Jim Rice, Pedro, Lonborg and Bob Cousy on hand for the first game in Worcester. James Taylor and son sang Nat. Anthem. Durran with TWO homers. 4 for woosox today. Weird game though. Lots of sloppy fielding. Great looking new ballpark. Was surprised Workman was in action already.
 
InsideTheParker

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Yeah, I wish I hadn't forgotten to watch the ceremony and most of the game. Would have loved to see Taylor and son, and Pedro, of course. Of course, NESN could repeat it in the middle of the night, but of course, no, they need to show Follow the Money over and over and over.
 
RoDaddy

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Cool that the Cooz is still a Worchester boy!

And cool that Duran might be developing a power game. It makes him a much more interesting prospect
 
ehaz

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Didn’t take long for Casas to adjust to AA after a slow start. 2 home runs and a double tonight.
 
BigSoxFan

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ehaz said:
Didn’t take long for Casas to adjust to AA after a slow start. 2 home runs and a double tonight.
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Very encouraging. Could be in AAA by the end of this year with a potential mid-year call up next year, if things go well.

With Casas, Downs, and Duran knocking on the door, things are finally looking up for this system.
 
Cesar Crespo

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Surprised they were so quick to move Casas to 1st but that's his ultimate position.


My binky Pedro Castellanos already has a HR this season, after hitting for power at the end of 2019. He's a big guy with great plate discipline and contact skills. He's hit for next to no power but he is showing signs of late. That would be interesting. They also moved him to LF, he was at 1b.

They have Roldani Baldwin (a C) playing some 3b in Portland this year so they really must not think much of Casas at 3rd.

Hopefully Downs gets going soon too. It's only 36 PA but he's looked ugly. He also completely skipped AA so not entirely shocking.
 
RoDaddy

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Jeter Downs with 3 hits including a dinger. Such a quality talent and we need a future lead off guy - hopefully he takes off from here.

And another leadoff guy Gilberto Jimenez slashing .366/.422/.861 in high A at only 20!
 
Cesar Crespo

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RoDaddy said:
Jeter Downs with 3 hits including a dinger. Such a quality talent and we need a future lead off guy - hopefully he takes off from here.

And another leadoff guy Gilberto Jimenez slashing .366/.422/.861 in high A at only 20!
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.366/.422/.439.... not .861. He is hitting for no power at all and has a .381 BAbip.

edit: oh, you did batting average/OBP/OPS which is incredibly weird.
 
ehaz

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Back to back 2-4 performances by Tristan Casas has got him up to a .341/.383/.568 through his first 11 games of AA.
 
Cesar Crespo

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Durbin Feltman is off to a great start. 4 games, 6.0 ip, 5 hits, 3r/2er. 3.00 era, 0bb/12k. 24 Batters faced (AA)
Kutter Crawford 2 games, 8.0 ip, 5 hits, 1r/1er, 1 HRA, 0bb/12k. 1.13 era. 29 BF (AA)

Brayan Bello 2 games, 11.1 ip, 6 hits, 2r/2er, 3bb/13k. 1.59 era. 41 BF. He's added a bunch of velocity over the years and had a great 2nd half in 2019. He should be in Salem soon. (A)
 
RoDaddy

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Another good night for Duran (home run) and Gilberto Jimenez (2 more hits). Duran's power surge is looking more and more like the real deal, presumably the result of what Sox Prospects calls his 2020 power "swing adjustment"
 
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