MLB.com's updated top 30 Sox Prospects

[Snodgrass'Muff]

Found here. I'll include some of the top ten tidbits, but it's free content so please do click the link and check out the full list. These are very exciting times for prospect hounds. I'll skip the write ups that were posted for the top 100 a couple of weeks back, as the text is the same.
 
1. Yoan Moncada
Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 65 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 65
 
2. Rafael Devers
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 60
 
3. Manuel Margot
Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 65 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 55
 
4. Brian Johnson
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55
 
5. Henry Owens
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 65 | Control: 50 | Overall: 55
 
6. Andrew Benintendi
Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 55
 
7. Javier Guerra
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 55
 
8. Michael Kopech
Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

After the Red Sox whiffed on Andy Yount and Josh Garrett with first-round picks in the 1995 and 1996 Drafts, they didn't take a high school right-hander that early again until 2014. They couldn't resist taking Kopech with the 33rd overall choice and signed him for $1.5 million. He was enjoying a fine first full pro season until he drew a 50-game suspension in mid-July after testing positive for a banned stimulant.
Kopech works out of an unusual delivery that features lot of twists and turns and deep tilt in the back. His mechanics and lightning arm speed produce nasty stuff, starting with a fastball that sits in the low 90s, touches 97 mph and figures to get quicker as he fills out his projectable 6-foot-4 frame. When he stays on top of his breaking ball, it combines curveball depth and slider power.
Kopech had little need for a changeup as an amateur, so it's very much a work in progress. If his delivery doesn't prevent him from throwing quality strikes, he'll be able to pitch in the front half of a big league rotation.

 
9. Anderson Espinoza
Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Even before they gave Yoan Moncada $31.5 million, the Red Sox already had blown well past their bonus pool for the 2014-15 international signing period. They previously landed the top two pitchers on the market, spending $1.8 million on Espinoza and $1.5 million on Dominican righty Christopher Acosta. Espinoza's bonus doubled the previous record for a Venezuelan set by Francisco Rodriguez in 1998.
Espinoza may stand just 6 feet and 165 pounds, but his small stature belies big-time stuff. He already can reach the upper 90s with his fastball and shows the ability to spin a tight curveball. He displays feel for a sinking changeup as well, giving him the three pitches needed to start.
Espinoza has advanced pitchability, too, repeating his delivery and throwing strikes much more easily than a typical 17-year-old. He's so precocious that he needed only four starts in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League to persuade Boston that he was ready to make his U.S. debut.

 
10. Deven Marrero
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

Marrero entered the 2012 season as a candidate to go No. 1 overall in the draft, but a slump dropped him to the Red Sox at the 24th pick. As a rare college shortstop talented enough to play there in the big leagues, he commanded a $2.05 million bonus. He has played as advertised in pro ball, shining with his glove while showing inconsistency with his bat.
Marrero has all the tools and instincts necessary to win a Gold Glove at shortstop. He has smooth actions, reads balls off the bat well, has range to both sides and can make any throw from any angle. He's reliable, too, making just 27 errors in 249 games during his first three pro seasons.
His bat remains a question mark after Marrero followed a .291/.371/.433 first half in Double-A last year by hitting .210/.260/.285 in Triple-A. While he'll probably hit at the bottom of a big league batting order, he does have some wiry strength for gap power and the patience to draw a few walks. He's a savvy baserunner with average speed.

 
Some other interesting write ups...
 
12. Sam Travis
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

Indiana never had been to the College World Series until it rode the power bats of Travis and Kyle Schwarber to Omaha in 2013. After they led the Hoosiers to their second straight Big Ten Conference regular-season and tournament titles last spring, the Cubs drafted Schwarber fourth overall and the Red Sox popped Travis in the second round.
One of the best all-around college bats in the 2014 Draft, Travis continued to produce in his first year as a pro, faring well after a promotion to low Class A and tearing up instructional league. His sound swing and control of the strike zone allow him to hit for average, and his bat speed and strength give him power.
Short, right-handed hitting first basemen don't usually win over scouts, but Travis is an exception. Though he played some third base as an amateur, his well below-average speed and fringy arm limit him to first base. His soft hands should make him a decent defender at first.

 
13. Trey Ball
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

The top two-way player in the 2013 Draft, Ball had the athleticism and left-handed power potential to be a first-round pick as an outfielder. But it became apparent as the spring went on that he was also the best left-handed pitcher available, and he gave up hitting after going seventh overall and signing for $2.75 million.
Ball went 1-7, 7.27 in his first 11 starts in low Class A last year, but the struggles helped make him a better pitcher and he finished with a 2.70 in his last 11 outings. His promising curveball was inconsistent for much of the first half, which forced him to rely more on his changeup, and by the end of the season both were solid pitches. He pitched with a 90-94 mph fastball for much of the year, and his projectable frame bodes well for more velocity in the future.
Thanks to his athleticism, Ball has better body control than most young pitchers with big frames. He's learning to repeat his delivery and could develop solid command. He'll need time to develop but has the upside of a No. 2 or 3 starter.

 
18. Austin Rei
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45

Rei tore a ligament in his left thumb in February but came back and played well enough to push himself into the third round of the 2015 Draft. That made him the University of Washington's highest pick since 2007 supplemental first-rounder Nick Hagadone and allowed Rei to match his uncle Fran Mullins, a 1979 third-rounder who had a brief big league career.
Rei was the best all-around defender among college catchers in the 2015 Draft. He has a strong arm that plays up because he has quick feet and streamlined mechanics. He also has soft hands and is a quality receiver.
He also has some offensive potential, and if Rei reaches it he could be a starter in the Majors. He has a history of hitting in college and summer ball, showing bat speed and a decent approach, and he began to tap into his raw power as a junior. He's a better athlete and runner than most catchers.

 
22. Pat Light
Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 40 | Splitter: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

After setting a Monmouth school record with 102 strikeouts in 2012, Light became the Hawks' highest-drafted player ever when the Red Sox took him 37th overall that June. Signed for $1 million, he struggled with hamstring issues in his first full pro season and got knocked around as a starter in high Class A in 2014. He has enjoyed much more success after moving to the bullpen this year.
Light's fastball hit triple digits on occasion last season, though his velocity usually fluctuated from 90-97 mph. As a reliever, he usually works in the mid 90s, and his heater plays up because it features heavy sink. His fastball alone produces plenty of strikeouts and groundouts.
Light struggled as a starter because he lacked reliable secondary pitches and had spotty command. He has resumed throwing a splitter that he shelved when he entered pro ball, and it arrives in the mid 80s with tumbling action. Once he delivers strikes on a more consistent basis, he'll be ready for the big leagues.

 
Again, the rest of the top ten write ups can be found by clicking on the top 100 link above. The text for them hasn't changed since that was published.

 

[jscola85]

Surprising that they have Marrero, struggling to hit his weight in AAA, ahead of Travis, three years his junior and only a level below and showing himself fully capable of handling AA pitching.  Obviously there's a huge gap in defensive spectrum value but the performance gap is pretty striking.  In fact it's even moreso when you realize that after Marrero's hot start in April, he's hitting for just a .285 OBP and .304 SLG%, with a 24% K rate and 8% BB rate.
 
Perhaps we've been spoiled by having a bunch of solid hitting SS prospects of late like Bogaerts and Guerra, but Marrero's struggles in AAA are severe this season and outside of ~60 PAs in April, stretch back all the way to the point he was promoted to Pawtucket.
 
Then again, maybe Travis hits that same wall in AAA that Marrero has, only he doesn't have his defensive chops to fall back on.

 

[smastroyin]

Thanks Snod.  I do find the Kopech writer-up amusing since I doubt there was a plan to avoid HS RH.  But, they forgot that Casey Kelly mostly pitched.  Also they missed Bowden and Clay who even though it was the end of the supplemental round, were first round picks.  As well, they drafted Buchholz out of junior college which is different but not that different.  And, if it was risk aversion, then they should have avoided lefties, too.  Instead, since 96 they have drafted Curtice, Owens, and Ball.  Also Hagadone and Dumatrait IIRC had not a lot of college.
 
Just a weird statement that is ultimately not that important of course.

 

[billy ashley]

Surprising that they have Marrero, struggling to hit his weight in AAA, ahead of Travis, three years his junior and only a level below and showing himself fully capable of handling AA pitching.  Obviously there's a huge gap in defensive spectrum value but the performance gap is pretty striking.  In fact it's even moreso when you realize that after Marrero's hot start in April, he's hitting for just a .285 OBP and .304 SLG%, with a 24% K rate and 8% BB rate.
 
Perhaps we've been spoiled by having a bunch of solid hitting SS prospects of late like Bogaerts and Guerra, but Marrero's struggles in AAA are severe this season and outside of ~60 PAs in April, stretch back all the way to the point he was promoted to Pawtucket.
 
Then again, maybe Travis hits that same wall in AAA that Marrero has, only he doesn't have his defensive chops to fall back on.

 
You allude to the reason, it's all about the glove.
 
AS imperfect as he is, Marrero would probably be the starting SS on several teams, already. He's probably better than what the following teams are running out:

• The White Sox
• The Padres
• The Twins
• The Brewers

If he hits even  a little bit, he's better than a number of other starting short stops. 
 
In short, it's really hard to find someone who fields short stop adequately. The fact that Marrero is excellent at it makes him one of the 30-40 best short stops in the world. I don't think he'll ever hit much, but the bar is so low for a good fielding SS, I feel pretty confident that Marrero will have an extended major league career, unless he gets hurt. 
 
Sam Travis has a lot more upside, but there are a lot of people who can hit well and play a reasonable first base. The bat has got to carry you far. I wouldn't say that I'm down on Travis but he's probably never going to be a huge power guy. He'll have to come close to maxing out his hit skill to ever be a starting 1b. 

 

[billy ashley]

I would note that in a perfect world, Marrero would not be a starting SS. He would make an awesome defensive replacement/utility player on a contending team. 
 
Otherwise, Marrero is an acceptable cheap option for a team. A team that hopefully is murderer's row 1-8. 

 

[TheReal15]

I'm excited about Light. I didn't realize how good his fastball was. A hard thrower who gets a lot of ground balls certainly sounds like a closer in the making. I know he's just gotten to AAA but is he a candidate for a cup of coffee this September? 

 

[jscola85]

Light has the same issue as Barnes - too many walks.  If the two of them can cut their BB/9 down to around 3 instead of 4+, they'll find success in the majors.

 

[Merkle's Boner]

While I understand rating Moncada above Devers overall, I don't understand giving Moncada a 60 rating on the Hit tool and Devers only 55. Devers seems like such a masher and one of the best pure hitters in the minors. Moncada may be an overall better player due to speed and defense but if he is truly a better hitter than Devers then we have ourselves a superstar.

 

[TheReal15]

Well, if the hit tool is strictly the ability to make contact and get on base, I could see the case for rating Moncada a touch higher. He played two seasons of professional baseball before even coming to the US (granted, it's the Cuban National Series, but still) and he seems to be a little more polished. This season he's taken a lot more walks than Devers in far fewer PA's. 
 
It's all subjective anyway, and maybe different scouts gave opinions on each player. Maybe one guy thinks they're both 60's and one guy thinks they're both 55's. 
 
In any case, let's just hope they live up to their potential. Having both on the same team would be quite a young core. 

 

[jscola85]

Moncada seems to have a more advanced approach at the plate right now, that's pretty apparent.  As exciting as Devers is, he has a sub-.300 OBP in the 2nd half so far, and a BB% under 5% plus a 4:1 K:B ratio in Greenville overall.

 

[billy ashley]

I'm thrilled with Moncada's 2nd half this year but it's worth pointing out that his OBP is boasted by a ton of HBP. He's been hit 9 times in 276 PAs. 
 
The 10% BB Rate is nice, for sure but the .380 OBP may not be very predictive at the moment.
 
It's also worth stating that he's had a hell of a season for anyone but it's even more impressive when you consider his layoff in playing time before this season. 

 

[jscola85]

I am sure some of that HBP is wild pitchers in the low minors, but some guys (Biggio, Youkilis come to mind) have a knack for being willing to get plunked.  Moncada may be a guy like that.

 

[billy ashley]

Oh it certainly can be a skill. Just in the Sally, I'm guessing is that the pitchers are still a little rough.
 
Regardless, the fact that he's walking in 10% of his PAs and that his tools are showing across his line is a massive positive. This is a guy who didn't play at all in 2014. We probably over hyped his expectations. Moncada's 2015 has been nothing but a positive offensively. Defensively, I don't think he's a 2b in the long run just because he's so big and reputed to have a big arm. At 3b or the OF, I still think he has a chance at being a superstar. 

 

[TheReal15]

I am sure some of that HBP is wild pitchers in the low minors, but some guys (Biggio, Youkilis come to mind) have a knack for being willing to get plunked.  Moncada may be a guy like that.

 
Yeah, I coach and you can definitely see who's willing to stand up on the plate and get hit vs. guys who bail whenever a pitch comes remotely close. Even though I coach a really low level, I'm sure those tenancies remain in pro players. 

 

[Super Nomario]

Oh it certainly can be a skill. Just in the Sally, I'm guessing is that the pitchers are still a little rough.

The HBP rate is almost 50% higher in the SAL vs the AL - 1.3% vs 0.9%.