Mid-June Status Report: Red Sox Prospects |

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Mid-June Status Report: Red Sox Prospects

By Administrator | June 15, 2006

Tonight I was wondering how my top Red Sox prospects are faring thus far in the 2006 season… so, let’s take a look:

(alphabetically)

Michael Bowden RHP (starter)
Supplemental pick (#47) after the 1st round of the June, 2005 draft (Derek Lowe)
19 years old 6′3″ tall, 215 lbs

4-3, 3.98 52 Innings Pitched 52 Hits Allowed 9 Walks 64 Strikeouts

Bowden is playing for The Greenville Drive (Single-A) of The South Atlantic League. He got of to a slow start, but has picked it up of late… he has added a couple of mph to his fastball (now registering at 95 mph). In his last five starts he is 2-1 with 2 no decisions… in those starts he has pitched 24 1/3 innings, allowing 10 earned runs (3.68 ERA) on 24 hits and only 4 walks, while striking out 26 batters. [NOTE: 5 of the 10 runs he has allowed during the span were allowed in one game]

Clay Buccholz, RHP (starter)
Supplemental pick (#42) after the 1st round of the June, 2005 draft (Pedro Martinez)
21 years old 6′3″ tall, 190 lbs

3-2, 3.61 47 1/3 Innings Pitched 44 Hits Allowed 11 Walks 56 Strikeouts

Buccholz is playing for The Greenville Drive (Single-A) of The South Atlantic League. A former infielder, he has a multitude of pitches including both a 2-seam and a 4-seam fastball, slider, curve and circle change. His fastball tops out in the mid-90s.
in his last four starts, he is 1-1 with 2 no decisions. In those outings he has pitched 20 innings, allowing 9 earned runs (4.05 ERA) on only 16 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 27 batters.

Manny Delcarmen, RHP (reliever)
2nd round pick (#62) in the June, 2000 draft
24 years old 6′2″ tall, 190 lbs

Pawtucket: 0-1, 2.12 17 Innings Pitched 9 Hits Allowed 6 Walks 19 Strikeouts
Boston: 1-0, 5.23 10.1 Innings Pitched 14 Hits Allowed 4 Walks 6 Strikeouts

Delcarmen appears to be on the I-95 shuttle between Boston and Pawtucket… currently he is with the Red Sox. He is a Boston native (Jamaica Plain) who always dreamed of playing for the Sox. He had Tommy John surgery in May 2003… and when he returned to the mound a year later his fastball actually gained velocity (tops out in the high 90s). He has an excellent curveball and a decent changeup. He has average control — in and out of the strike zone — which is what is holding him back from being a premier reliever in the big leagues.

Jacoby Ellsbury, OF
1st round pick (#23) in the June, 2005 draft (compensation from LAA for Orlando Cabrera)
22 years old 6′1″ tall, 190 lbs

.333 (50-for-150), 4 Home Runs and 21 RBI, with 15 Stolen Bases (15 BB / 20 K)

Ellsbury is playing for The Wilmington Blue Rocks (Single-A) of The Carolina League. A center fielder, he was the first of two picks the Red Sox received when the LA Angels signed free agent Orlando Cabrera (also, supplemental pick Jed Lowrie). Jacoby has gap power on offense and is very fast… he projects as a leadoff hitter. He has a reputation as an excellent defender.

Craig Hansen, RHP (reliever)
1st round pick (#26) in the June, 2005 draft (compensation from LAD for Derek Lowe)
22 years old 6′5″ tall, 185 lbs

Sea Dogs: 1-0, 0.82 11 Innings Pitched 4 Hits Allowed 4 Walks 12 Strikeouts
Pawsox: 1-2, 2.92 24.2 Innings Pitched 20 Hits Allowed 18 Walks 18 Strikeouts
Red Sox: 0-0, 13.50 .2 Innings Pitched 2 Hits Allowed 0 Walks 0 Strikeouts

The ‘closer-of-the-future’ is playing for Pawtucket (Triple-A) of the International League. He was drafted out of St John’s University and seemed ticketed to stardom as the Red Sox closer… that was, until Jonathan Papelbon ascended to the throne this year. As a result, a great debate rages — Papelbon or Hansen at closer? Some people believe that you don’t mess with success — and that the team MUST leave Papelbon in the closer’s role. Others believe that Papelbon’s destiny is as a 250 innings ‘horse’ at the front end of the rotation — the team’s ace for the next decade.

Either way, the Red Sox have Hansen in Triple-A learning how to pitch. The organization believes he needs to learn the art of pitching, improve his consistency, and master the command of his pitches before he hits the big leagues on a permanent basis. He possesses a fastball that consistently hits the mid-90s and will top out in the high 90s. He also possesses an excellent high-80s slider. He has the proverbial “closer’s mentality”.

The betting here is that Papelbon becomes an ace at the front end of the rotation and Hansen becomes the sure-thing closer.

Jon Lester, LHP (starter)
2nd round pick (#57) in the June, 2002 draft
22 years old 6′3″ tall, 200 lbs

Pawsox: 3-4, 2.70 46.2 Innings Pitched 43 Hits Allowed 25 Walks 43 Strikeouts
Red Sox: 0-0, 6.23 4.1 Innings Pitched 5 Hits Allowed 2 Walks 2 Strikeouts

The future has arrived in Boston sooner than expected. Due to the trade of Bronson Arroyo in Spring Training and the troubles (performance and physical) experienced in the starting staff, Lester has been promoted to Boston… and it appears he is going to stick around for awhile. He has both a 2-seam and 4-seam fastball that have good movement and regularly hit the low 90’s (topping out in the mid-90s). He also throws a curve ball and a change-up… and he is developing a cutter. He has been compared to former-Yankees and current-Astros lefty Andy Pettitte. He must work on his command and consistency. He has an excellent pick-off move.

Jed Lowrie, SS
Supplemental pick (#45) after the 1st round of the June, 2005 draft (Orlando Cabrera)
22 years old 6′0″ tall, 185 lbs

.214 (24-for-112), 0 Home Runs and 14 RBI, with 2 Stolen Bases (11 BB / 19 K)

Lowrie is playing for The Wilmington Blue Rocks (Single-A) of The Carolina League. He was one of the best college players (Stanford) in America in 2005 (1st Team, All-American)… but he has struggled mightily in his first season of professional baseball. He is one of the reasons there has been discussion of moving Dustin Pedroia to 2B permanently. Lowrie is an excellent fielder with a strong arm and above average range. A switch-hitter, he has excellent power and above-average speed for a middle infielder.

Edgar Martinez, RHP (reliever)
undrafted
24 years old 6′0″ tall, 222 lbs

1-2, 3.14, 7 saves 28.2 Innings Pitched 23 Hits Allowed 6 Walks 30 Strikeouts

Martinez is playing for The Portland Sea Dogs (Double-A) of The Eastern League. He was signed as a catcher… and he couldn’t hit to save his life. But he had a “gun” for an arm… so, in an effort to salvage a professional baseball career, he converted to pitching in July of 2004. Thus far, the conversion has been a remarkable success. His fastball regularly sits in the mid-90s and has hit 97 mph. He also throws a slider and changeup. He is still learning the craft… but he has excellent upside.

Brandon Moss, OF
8th round pick (#238) in the June, 2002 draft
22 years old 6′0″ tall, 180 lbs

.238 (51-for-214), 5 Home Runs and 35 RBI, with 4 Stolen Bases (16 BB / 45 K)

Moss is playing for The Portland Sea Dogs (Double-A) of The Eastern League. He had an excellent year in 2004, but slid backwards in 2005… and when he got off to a horrific start in 2006 people started to wonder aloud whether he has been over-rated as a prospect. I am a BIG fan and I am not numbered among the doubting Thomases. In the last few weeks, the numbers have started trending upwards… and when the season is over I expect he will have had a nice season. He has an outstanding approach at the plate… which complements a good swing and raw power. He is an athletic outfielder with a good arm.

David Murphy, OF
1st round pick (#17) in the June, 2003 draft
24 years old 6′3″ tall, 195 lbs

Portland: .273 (47-for-172), 3 Home Runs and 25 RBI, with 4 Stolen Bases (11 BB / 29 K)
Pawtucket: .338 (23-for-68), 3 Home Runs and 13 RBI, with 2 Stolen Bases (10 BB / 11 K)

Murphy is playing for The Pawtucket Red Sox (Triple-A) of The International League. He is starting to show why he was my #4 prospect in the system coming into the season. He hits from the left and has a sweet swing that reminds me of John Olerud… but he can tend to pull too many pitches. He has excellent plate discipline and patience. He needs to get stronger and add more power in order to be a legitimate corner outfielder in the big leagues. Defensively, he has decent range and an accurate arm.

Dustin Pedroia, SS
2nd round pick (#65) in the June, 2004 draft
22 years old 5′9″ tall, 180 lbs

Pawtucket: .279 (53-for-190), 1 Home Runs and 13 RBI, (24 BB / 18 K)

Pedroia is playing for The Pawtucket Red Sox (Triple-A) of The International League. He has good bat speed, average power (for a middle infielder) and excellent plate discipline. Due to his small frame, love of the game and fantastic instincts he is often compared to former red Sox farmhand David Eckstein. An outstanding defensive player.

Andy Pinckney, 3B
34th round pick in the June, 2004 draft
24 years old 6′1″ tall, 195 lbs

.254 (53-for-209), 4 Home Runs and 20 RBI, with 1 Stolen Base (11 BB / 50 K)

Pinckney is playing for The Wilmington Blue Rocks (Single-A) of The Carolina League. He is still finding his stroke in High-A ball. He has good bat speed and excellent power potential and good speed on the base paths. He has an open stance and will hit to all fields. Good range in the field with a ‘plus’ arm.

Topics: Sox Players |

One Response to “Mid-June Status Report: Red Sox Prospects”

Red Sox Top Ten Prospects: July 1st Edition | SOX1FAN Says:
July 1st, 2007 at 9:14 am
[...] I have long believed that Moss would someday be the Red Sox next right-fielder… and that he would be a better ballplayer than the beloved Trot Nixon. The signing of J D Drew makes me wonder whether he will attain any status with the Red Sox beyond that of ‘trade bait’. I am a huge fan of Moss… and I foresee an outstanding major league career for the 23-year-old. At 6’0”, 205 lb, he is very athletic and possesses above-average speed and an extremely strong arm. He has an excellent approach at the plate and hits to all fields. Among his teammates he is noted for his mental and physical toughness. After an abysmal start in Double-A last year, many pundits questioned his status as a top prospect, but I was not numbered among the “Doubting Thomases” (http://sox1fan.com/?p=694). He rebounded in the second half of the season with a strong finish to conclude a solid season that earned him a promotion to Triple-A. [...]