So the Red Sox are going for it. Like really going for it, and that deal plus that thought process makes an argument for further trades. We knew the Red Sox needed starting pitching before the Hill trade and now they’ve dealt away Aaron Wilkerson, a Triple-A starter widely thought of as a possibility to join the major league rotation, so that need is that much stronger. It’s undeniable the Red Sox need a better starter, maybe even two better starters if Eduardo Rodriguez isn’t going to help this season. The problem is finding them. They don’t seem to exist out on the market, so instead, Dombrowski should focus on improving the team in a different way: fix left field.

But left field isn’t broken! No, it’s not, but it sort of is. The Red Sox have received good production from left field so far this season, which is strange because if you look at the players they’ve used so far, that might surprise you. To date the most plate appearances have been taken by Brock Holt, who isn’t what you’d call an ideal left fielder. He’s been fine out there for the most part, but when Holt is starting at a position it prevents him from roving around and utilizing the vast array of skills he possesses to the team’s highest and best benefit. Put it this way. Using Holt as a starting left fielder turns an asset into a mediocre left fielder.

Using Holt as a starting left fielder turns an asset into a mediocre left fielder.

So the Red Sox probably need to find someone else. Chris Young was fantastic against both lefties and, bizarrely, against righties this season. Maybe that will continue when he comes back from the Disabled List, but considering he has 5,000 plate appearances in his career that say he’s good at hitting lefties but lousy at hitting righties, it’s probably not best to bet on Chris Young hitting like Chris Young against lefties against righties (got that?) going forward. After Young, Blake Swihart (injured), Rusney Castillo (Triple-A), Ryan LaMarre (DFA’d), and Bryce Brentz (place holder) have played there. None of those guys should be starting in left field on a playoff team.

The team has a .768 OPS from their left fielders this season, and that’s 12th in baseball, which is pretty good. But, sad emoji, that’s likely unrepeatable with the talent they have on-hand in the second half of the season. Brentz has hit since getting called up, something he’s not done in Triple-A, and likely won’t continue to do in the majors with more at-bats. Like Holt, asking Young to start every day is probably asking for failure. So it seems a safe bet that over the second half of the season the Red Sox will experience a downturn in production from left field if they do not make any changes to their current personnel. The Red Sox need a new, better, regular left fielder.

However, they need pitching more. And last year’s first round draft pick, Andrew Beintendi, looks like the real deal in Double-A so far and there’s real hope he can be the long-term solution in left field for the Red Sox as soon as next season, or, maybe more realistically, the one after. They don’t want to acquire a Ryan Braun who would then block Benintendi, or a similar player who would have a long term deal. They also need pitching badly. Did I mention that? They need pitching very badly.

Thing is, there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of impact starting pitching available on the trade market, and that means if a good pitcher is going to come to Boston, he’s going to need to be pried out of his current home. You know those “make me move” offers you see sometimes on real estate websites. Dombrowski is going to have to make some GM an offer he can’t refuse and that offer is almost certainly not going to be a good one for the Red Sox.

Perhaps making minor moves to prop up the team’s starting pitching depth makes sense if it comes with a bigger, better move at a different position of need, like say, left field.

Maybe there is a deal to be had that doesn’t cripple the organization. Maybe there’s something out there that makes sense given all the factors at play. If so I’m sure Dombrowski will find it, but if not, and [spoiler!] I suspect not, perhaps making minor moves to prop up the team’s starting pitching depth makes sense if it comes with a bigger, better move at a different position of need, like say, left field.

The name that springs to mind here is Carlos Gonzalez. He’s enjoying a strong season in Colorado, hitting .319/.368/.556 with 18 homers. The home/road splits are, as always with Rockies players, daunting, but there’s reason to believe once the player gets out of the thin Colorado air entirely he’ll get more used to it and the numbers will positively reflect that. Gonzalez has a year after this season left on his deal and Boston could handle the $20 million hit in 2017. He could be kept to win next year or dealt after this season to help replenish the hit to the minors his acquisition would make. They could make that decision based on their desire to go with Benintendi, or to give him more seasoning in the minors, but ether way it gives the team flexibility and depth in case of injury as well as a serious upgrade in left field. Gonzalez would likely cost a good prospect, but the Red Sox have those to give in the service of winning with David Ortiz in 2016.

Another name to throw out there is Jay Bruce. Bruce is enjoying nice bounce-back season after a few years in the proverbial wilderness, hitting .268/.317/.546 with 18 homers for sad-sack Cincinnati. Bruce isn’t quite the hitter or fielder Gonzalez is, but he’s cheaper (the remainder of $12.5 million this season and a team option for $13 million in 2017) and would likely not cost as much to acquire. Both Bruce and Gonzalez are left handed so, should it be necessary to give them a day off, Chris Young could perfectly spell them against a left-hander now and again.

The Red Sox could get on alright without either of these or countless other guys, but the issue is bang for the buck. A good starter is going to cost a tremendous amount in this trade market, but an upgrade in left field could be as impactful and a lot cheaper. Cheaper doesn’t just mean more money for the team, it means holding on to more and better prospects, something that will help the team both now as they try to win with David Ortiz, and as they move into the post-Ortiz era. So win now, Dave Dombrowski. And yes the Red Sox badly need starting pitching, but mostly they need increased production. A 12-10 win is, after all, still a win.

Photo by Ron Chenoy/USA Today Sports Images

Triple-A Pawtucket: Roenis Elias (LHP) and Bryce Brentz (OF)

Roenis Elias was the second player the Red Sox acquired in the Wade Miley-Carson Smith trade with the Mariners this winter. Elias seemed to fit in among the Steven Wright, Joe Kelly, Henry Owens, and Brian Johnson morass of a fifth spot in the rotation. But then his 10.45 ERA in the spring ensured he would start the year at Pawtucket, and unfortunately things have gotten only slightly better. Through his first 25 innings this season he had a 7.20 RA9 (4.83 FIP). Walking 19 batters while striking out 20 will do that to you. Clearly things have been rough for Elias, and just as his chances of getting another shot in the big leagues appeared to be slipping away, he went out and was pretty dominant in his most recent start. Over 7.2 innings (his longest of the season) he allowed only two runs (both solo home runs), walked nobody (!) and struck out 13 (!). According to a report from Tim Britton of The Providence Journal, Pawtucket pitching coach Bob Kipper noticed a rhythm issue in Elias’ delivery and worked with him to implement a freer approach with how he delivered the ball. Obviously, the early results from this adjustment are positive. If it is truly the change needed to get Elias back on track, maintaining consistency with the adjusted delivery will be crucial. If Elias is unstuck and can return to a moderate level of effectiveness, he provides the Red Sox an option other than Henry Owens to fill an open rotation spot.

Bryce Brentz suffered an oblique strain during Spring Training that kept him out of game action for the first two weeks of the season. Then once he got into the lineup it took some time to get things going. He spent the first part of the season at Double-A Portland, where he accumulated 48 plate appearances and posted a .200/.333/.325 line with two doubles and one home run. That is not a great line, but he was moved back up to Pawtucket and with his promotion came a bump in his offensive production. Over his 48 PA with the PawSox he has posted a .295/.354/.364 line, with three doubles but no home runs. While his batting average has seen the largest jump, largely a result of a correspondingly large rise in batting average on balls in play (BABIP), his power is still lacking. His .068 isolated power this season at Pawtucket, will, if it continues, be the lowest mark of his career (among stints with at least 25 PA). Brentz is projected for considerable power, so this lack of it in the early going is slightly concerning. But it is only 48 PA, so there is not yet any real reason for alarm.

Brentz’s path to the big leagues appears murky. His hit tool is likely his ticket upward, but he needs to hit more than he has this year and did last year (.264 TAv), or at least get back to his lefty-mashing ways of 2014 when he posted a 1.039 OPS against lefties (.698 OPS against righties) if he is going to get called up. His defense is fine, but not outstanding to the point of needing to have him roam the Fenway lawn. According to his fielding runs above average number, which should be interpreted cautiously, he was an above average outfielder last year, but is back below average this year. Regardless, with a defender like Rusney Castillo, a utility guy like Brock Holt, and infielders like Travis Shaw and Blake Swihart all ahead of Brentz on the outfield depth chart, Brentz’s chances to get back to the big leagues with Boston appear grim.

Quick update on Rusney Castillo (OF)

When we last checked on Rusney Castillo, he was struggling at the plate, especially in the power department. That problem has not changed. He has nine hits over the last two weeks – all but one of which are singles – and has walked and struck out twice. Put it all together and his season line now sits at an unimpressive .256/.313/.308. While many (including me) thought Jackie Bradley Jr. was the all-glove, no-bat outfielder in the Red Sox system, at least Bradley Jr. hit at Pawtucket. The same cannot be said for Castillo. This is probably the last time I provide this sort of quick update on him.

Double-A Portland: Aaron Wilkerson (RHP) and Andrew Benintendi (OF)

In 2015, the relatively unheralded Aaron Wilkerson moved from Low-A to High-A to Double-A over the course of the season. In his 119.2 innings between Salem (79.0) and Portland (40.2), Wilkerson posted a remarkable 3.08 RA9, with a 2.13 FIP that suggested he was even better. This year he has picked up where he left off, dominating opponents and posting scoreless innings. To date, he has made seven starts for the Sea Dogs, five of which have been scoreless and only one was a clunker (3.1 innings, six runs, eight hits, three walks, four strikeouts). All told, in his 39.1 innings for the Sea Dogs he has struck out 46 batters while walking 12. His last time out, against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (the Blue Jays’ affiliate), he had arguably his best start of the season, throwing 7.1 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts. After reading about Wilkerson’s domination, it seems as though he is due for a promotion to Triple-A. Well, he had an opportunity earlier this season to start a game for Pawtucket and it did not go too well (4.2 innings, seven hits, three runs, one home run, three walks, five strikeouts). He was sent back to Portland after the outing and his first start back was the clunker I mentioned above; certainly an interesting week for Mr. Wilkerson. In any case, if he continues to impress at Double-A the way he has so far he will get another chance at the next level.

Two weeks ago I campaigned for Andrew Benintendi to get promoted to Portland so that I could watch him play. The promotion came too late for me to see him, but it came nevertheless. He has now played four games for the Sea Dogs and is still adjusting to the higher level. He has been held hitless, a feat that seemed unthinkable at High-A, in three of his four games and has struck out in five of his 16 PA. To put that in some perspective, he struck out just nine times in his 155 PA with Salem this year. Benintendi has done nothing but hit at an advanced level at each stop in his young career, so it seems likely that he will get back to raking soon.

High-A Salem: Trey Ball (LHP)

The Red Sox selected left-handed pitcher Trey Ball with the seventh pick of the 2013 first-year player draft. Since then Ball has struggled to live up to his draft status in ways that other Red Sox seventh-overall picks have (see Benintendi, Andrew). At each of his three stops in the Red Sox system, Ball has posted an ERA over 4.50 with corresponding fielding independent numbers that suggest he has been that bad. Thus far in 2016, Ball has been effective in limiting runs from scoring (1.96 RA9), but his 4.20 FIP portends a return to previous runs allowed marks, as do his career low .203 BABIP and career high 84.8% strand rate. Basically, he has been navigating trouble by having opponents hit it where they are, which probably won’t last.

Generally, Ball’s major issue is walking batters. In 23.0 innings this year he has allowed nine walks (3.51 BB/9). Last year it was even worse, as he allowed 60 walks in his 129.1 innings pitched for Salem (4.18 BB/9). He has to reduce his walk totals if he is going to succeed and move up in the system. In his most recent outing, Ball kept the opponents, Kansas City’s High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, off the scoreboard, scattered five hits, and only walked two batters over a career high seven innings. What’s more is that he struck out six batters, the third highest total in his young career. Ideally this start is an indication he is headed in the right direction, but it is one start and the Blue Rocks are the weakest offensive team in the Carolina League this year.

Updates on Yoan Moncada and Rafael Devers:

Yoan Moncada, like his old teammate Benintendi, is likely to get a promotion soon. He is still dominating pitchers at his level to the tune of a .324/.454/.510 line, and has 29 stolen bases in 35 tries.

Just when it seemed Rafael Devers was coming out of his early season struggles, he had another rough couple of weeks going .182/.234/.205 over his most recent 47 PA. His season line is currently 39 percent worse than average, so he has a lot of work to do if he is going to join his fellow Big Three teammates in Portland.

Low-A Greenville: Luis Alexander Basabe (OF)

The Greenville Drive team’s offense has been great in the early going this season, and that is despite top-prospect Luis Alexander Basabe struggling to consistently produce. Basabe was signed by the Red Sox, along with his brother Luis Alejandro Basabe, in 2012. Luis Alexander spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons in rookie ball, before getting assigned to Lowell last year for his age-18 season. At each level he has produced solid offensive numbers, but has had difficulty thus far at Low-A. His season line is currently .213/.265/.418, which is a bit of a strange line that comes as a result of half of his 26 hits going for extra bases (five doubles, four triples, four home runs). Regardless, a .213 batting average is ugly, and mixing it with a lack of walks is also concerning. He clearly needs to develop better plate discipline, work to earn more walks and focus on attacking pitches in the strike zone. His combination of a high strikeout rate, low walk rate, and below-typical BABIP (.282) could suggest that the low batting average comes as a result of him often making contact on pitches outside the strike zone, which tend to have poorer outcomes. Without access to his swing and batted ball data (i.e., O-Swing%, O-Contact%, exit velocity) I cannot address this hypothesis directly, but the poor plate discipline numbers point to it being plausible. Regardless, given his age, Basabe will spend at least this season with the Drive, so he will have plenty of time and many opportunities to develop into a more well-rounded hitter.

Photo by Kelly O’Connor/www.sittingstill.smugmug.com

Triple-A Pawtucket

Player of the year: Deven Marrero, INF — This selection is telling of the kind of year it was in Pawtucket. The team’s lineup this season consisted primarily of major league castoffs such as Allen Craig and Jackie Bradley Jr., and then there was Marrero trying to earn his first big league callup. Although his numbers weren’t impressive — a .250 true average and .309 wOBA in Triple-A isn’t exactly major league-caliber — the 2012 first-round pick did enough to earn multiple opportunities with the Red Sox this season and should see more as we get deeper into September. Marrero was at his best at the plate toward the end of the season, hitting .306 over his final 24 minor league games, and by playing shortstop, third and second base continued to show the kind of defensive versatility that’s invaluable to a big league club.

Pitcher of the year: Brian Johnson, LHP — This distinction could’ve just as easily gone to Henry Owens. However, Johnson’s season-long consistency stood out in 2015. The 24-year-old made 18 starts in Triple-A, posting a 3.22 FIP and 8.44 K/9 while giving up more than two runs in just four of those starts. The highlight of Johnson’s year came May 29 when he tossed six perfect innings and struck out a season-high nine batters. He did get one forgettable spot start with Boston in July before returning to Triple-A, but the lefty’s season ended abruptly Aug. 2 when he experienced elbow tightness in the fourth inning of what would be his final start of the year. The Red Sox shut Johnson down soon after. Although there was no ligament damage found, it’s unclear what kind of impact the injury will have on him going into next season.

Biggest surprise: Dayan Diaz, RHP — Diaz’s major league dream seemed all but over after an ugly 2013 season in the Cubs organization. But his two years in the Sox’s system have revitalized his career, with this season being his most impressive yet. The righty posted a 1.94 ERA and 7.76 K/9 in 27 appearances out of the bullpen for Pawtucket, using his hard fastball to overpower hitters and a late-breaking slider to keep them off-balance. The 26-year-old’s performance this season propelled his stock within the system and could make him a viable candidate for a spot in next season’s Red Sox bullpen. Diaz’s command starts to fade as he pitches later into games, but he has the type of stuff to be a serviceable back-end arm out of the bullpen.

Biggest disappointment: Garin Cecchini, 3B/1B/OF — Unfortunately for Cecchini, this was an easy choice to make. One year after making his major league debut, Cecchini endured the worst season of his professional career, finishing with a .209 TAv and a 21.3 percent strikeout rate. He did show signs of a turnaround at the plate in August and eventually earned a brief callup to the big leagues again, but the overall product was ugly, especially after a brutal first two-plus months of the season. Cecchini dabbled with left field this season along with his primary spot at third base, but that was about all he did well in 2015. At 24, Cecchini still has time to turn his career back around, but there’s no doubt this year was a major setback.

Double-A Portland

Player of the year: Sam Travis, 1B — Travis’ 2015 got off to an impressive start in High-A Salem, and he hardly slowed down when he was promoted to Portland in late June. The first baseman played 65 games in Portland, sporting a .297 TAv and .376 wOBA, and improving his BB% to 11.7 percent. Travis didn’t take long to adjust Double-A. He struggled over the first week, but hit .318 from July 2 onward, proving his rapid ascension through the system is no fluke. Travis was drafted in the second round out of Indiana in 2014 and has been impressive in his professional career to this point. If Travis can continue to hit at this rate and improve his power, there’s no reason to think he can’t — at 22 — earn a promotion to Triple-A at some point next season.

Pitcher of the year: Jorge Marban, RHP — Pat Light may be the bigger name with greater potential, but Marban’s Double-A numbers were much more impressive over more innings of work. The 26-year-old wasted no time proving he belongs in the Red Sox’s organization after pitching in the Independent League and in Australia from 2012 through 2014. Marban made eight appearances for High-A Salem before being promoted to Portland, where he posted a 1.36 ERA and 3.78 FIP in 24 relief appearances. Those efforts earned him a callup to Triple-A in mid-August and have him on his way to a shot at the big leagues.

Biggest surprise: Marco Hernandez, INF — Hernandez was nothing more than compensation for dumping Felix Doubront off to the Cubs. Expectations were never high for the 23-year-old shortstop, but boy has he shattered those bestowed upon him. Hernandez boasted a .290 TAv, .375 wOBA and led the team in OPS (.832). Meanwhile, he was an everyday shortstop in a farm system loaded with talented infielders. By mid-July, Hernandez was playing in Triple-A Pawtucket, where he’s yet to match his Double-A production offensively. Hernandez has still been solid defensively, however. He’s seen time at second and third base in Pawtucket and has increased his utility potential.

Biggest disappointment: Manuel Margot, OF — It may be unfair to judge a 20-year-old for poor production in Double-A, but given the expectations and where Margot ranks among prospects within the organization, it’s still a disappointment. The fact that he was even promoted from High-A in June was surprising enough. He posted a respectable .273 TAv with Salem, but certainly didn’t seem ready for bigger challenges. Things, of course, only got worse in Portland as he finished the season with a .268 TAv while his K% ballooned to 12.8 percent over 63 games. The good news is he finished the season strong, batting .325 (29-for-89) over the final 22 games, so his status as a top-flight prospect is safely intact.

High-A Salem

Player of the year: Wendell Rijo, 2B — Rijo powered his way into this spot with a strong finish to 2015. The 20-year-old second baseman hit .283 after Aug. 3 to raise his TAv to .264 for the season and make his case for a promotion by some point next year. Rijo isn’t a standout prospect, but he’s young and has plenty of room to grow. One thing that could help Rijo going forward is limiting his strikeouts. He sported a .321 BABIP this season, but also struck out at a 20.7 percent rate. If he can make more consistent contact and improve his plate discipline the rest of his numbers should go up as well. But that’s just one criticism. Overall, there’s much like about Rijo and this season was a step in the right direction.

Pitcher of the year: Ty Buttrey, RHP — This was an important season for Buttrey. The righty was signed to a $1 million overslot deal after being drafted in the fourth round in 2012, but had yet to live up to the promise that came with it. Buttrey, at 22 years old, finally changed that in 2015. He made four dominant starts in Low-A Greenville before being promoted to High-A, and continued to pitch well, finishing with a 3.71 FIP over 21 starts in Salem. One slight on Buttrey heading into the season was that he had yet to fill into his 6-foot-6 frame. He wasn’t exactly overpowering hitters this season — his 6.30 K/9 was down from previous seasons — but his command improved and his walks decreased.

Biggest surprise: Aaron Wilkerson, RHP — Wilkerson is 26 years old and threw his first minor league pitch in 2014, yet he’s quickly become a player worth watching over the coming years. He was signed by the Red Sox out of the independent leagues during the 2014 season. Since then he’s shown the kind of command and strikeout ability that could one day turn him into a major league reliever. The righty started this year in Low-A Greenville, but after five appearances was promoted to Salem and shined, sporting a 1.90 FIP and 9.68 K/P over 17 appearances, 12 of which were starts. He was at his best in May when he posted a 0.71 ERA in 25.1 innings in which he allowed just 11 hits and six walks. Performances such as that earned him a promotion to Double-A Portland in August. He finished with a 2.58 FIP over seven starts.

Biggest disappointment: Trey Ball, LHP — It’s too early to judge Ball as a 21-year-old prospect, especially after just two full seasons as a pro. But Red Sox’s fans concerns over the 2013 seventh overall pick’s performance thus far are justified. Ball’s struggles in 2014 were well-documented. This season was actually worse. Ball owned a 5.13 FIP over 25 starts, and saw an increase in walks and decrease in strikeouts compared to 2014. And unlike last year, he didn’t get better as the season progressed. Ball was solid in his final outing of the season, allowing two runs and striking out six over five innings. However, he posted a 10.80 ERA in his six starts prior. The lefty still has time to fill out his lanky 6-foot-6 frame and further develop his secondary pitches, particularly his curveball, which he started throwing as a junior in high school, but he has much to prove going into next season.

Low-A Greenville

Player of the year: Rafael Devers, 3B — Watching Devers, at 18 years old, blossom into one of the top prospects in the Red Sox’s organization was fun. The third baseman made a name for himself after a scalding hot start to the season in which he hit .382 through June 1. Since then his stock has risen. He garnered much attention on the interwebs and even drew comparisons to Robinson Cano — not bad company at such a young age. Devers eventually leveled out, finishing with a .282 TAv and .352 wOBA, and struck out at a 16.5 percent rate, but there’s no denying his potential. His solid build, fluid swing and plus power make for a nice offensive player. He his a defensive liability, so perhaps a move to first base or to a full-time DH role is in his future.

Pitcher of the year: Michael Kopech, RHP — Kopech’s season was cut short due to a 50-game suspension for illegal use of a stimulant, but it was an exceptional year for the 19-year-old nonetheless. The 2014 first-round pick showed overpowering stuff that could one day put him atop a major league rotation, posting a 9.69 K/9 to go with a 3.34 FIP over 15 starts. He allowed just two total runs over 15 innings in the three starts before his suspension, and gave up no more than three runs — a number he reached in just three outings — in all of his starts. Losing Kopech for the final 50 games was a disappointment for Greenville, but shouldn’t be a setback for the righty as he tries to make quick work of the minor leagues.

Biggest surprise: Javier Guerra, SS — Guerra entered the season as a mid-tier Red Sox prospect, but his value rose considerably after an impressive 2015. It was well-established that Guerra is an outstanding shortstop with good range, instincts and plus arm strength. But his bat was supposed to be his downfall. Well, turns out he can hit, too. Guerra far exceeded offensive expectations both from an average and power standpoint, posting a .280 TAv to go with 15 home runs and a .171 ISO. Guerra’s power numbers stood out the most given he’s still undersized. And at 19 years old, he’s bound to add more strength.

Biggest disappointment: Michael Chavis, 3B — It was a rough first year for Chavis, the team’s top pick in 2014. He struggled both in the field and at the plate this season. But especially at the plate. Chavis held a .244 TAv and struck out at an absurd 30.6 percent rate — 30.6 percent!!! — the latter being by far the most alarming. It’s something that needs to change in the coming years. He did hit 16 home runs and finished with a .182 ISO, but that swing-for-the-fences approach hindered his overall production. Chavis needs to shorten his swing and take more of a line-drive approach in order to improve his baffling average and strikeout numbers.

Top photo by Kelly O’Connor/www.sittingstill.smugmug.com

Triple-A Pawtucket: Garin Cecchini (3B/OF) and William Cuevas (RHP)

No Red Sox minor leaguer has suffered a more disappointing season than Garin Cecchini. Just one year after making his major-league debut, Cecchini’s 2015 has been disastrous at the plate. By early July, his true average was as low as .195, he was striking out at a 27 percent rate, and at one point went nearly two months without a home run. Such struggles were unexpected. In previous years, the 2010 fourth-round pick had shown solid potential, displaying a smooth, line-drive stroke with plus bat speed and quality plate discipline. Some of those skills were even apparent in his brief 11-game stint in Boston last season, when he posted a .363 wOBA.

Cecchini’s chances of taking over as the team’s full-time third baseman ended when the Sox signed Pablo Sandoval. However, he came into this year ready to split time between third and the outfield in Pawtucket – which he’s done all season – and at 24 years old, he seemed primed to get another crack at the big leagues. His numbers through the first half of the season, however, have likely hurt those chances.

Finally, in recent weeks Cecchini’s bat has come to life and in a big way. He sported a .366 on-base percentage in July and has carried that success into August, collecting hits in 10 of his last 13 games — including a pair of multi-hit efforts during the week to raise his TAv to .218. Although it will take more than that to finish the season with respectable numbers, Cecchini is at least showing signs that he can still become a regular big-league player. He’s certainly hitting like it and seems past the shoulder ailment that briefly sidelined him early in the year. His newfound versatility in the field is also a plus. Fortunately for Cecchini, the Red Sox’s final month and a half this season will be virtually meaningless, which means he could earn himself another call-up if he continues to hit well.

When you think of all the promising starting-pitching prospects roaming the Sox’s minor-league system – Henry Owens, Ty Buttrey, Michael Kopech, etc. – William Cuevas can easily be forgotten or overlooked. For those who don’t know much about him, Cuevas is a Venezuelan right-hander who spent two seasons in the DSL after signing as an international free agent in 2008, before finally making his way to the United States. The 24-year-old Cuevas has been far from flashy in that time. At six-feet and 160 pounds, he’s a smaller starter who doesn’t throw particularly hard – his fastball sits in the high-80s, low-90s – and his secondary stuff is still rough. But this season, he has proven to be steady. Through 19 starts in Double-A Portland, Cuevas compiled a 3.27 FIP and a solid 2.22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Those efforts earned him a promotion to Pawtucket, where he made his debut Thursday night.

As one might expect, Cuevas didn’t draw more fans to usual to McCoy Stadium, nor was he electrifying in any way. However, he tossed a quality start, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out five over seven innings. He did walk two and surrender a pair of home runs, but the homers were his first in over a month, as he owned a miniscule 0.38 HR/9 in Portland this season. Cuevas does need to fill out more and mature physically if he wants to further develop his stuff. Right now a skinny righty with no consistently dependable secondary offering won’t cut it. But the first Triple-A outing was an encouraging one and should be enough to earn him more opportunities as the season winds down.

Double-A Portland: Tim Roberson, C and Aaron Wilkerson, RHP

Tim Roberson’s professional baseball career has yet to be spectacular, which may always be the case. There’s a reason why he was signed in 2011 as an undrafted free agent out of Florida Gulf Coast and, at 26 years old, has struggled to earn regular playing time — even at catcher, his primary position, in Double-A Portland.

Roberson did, however, have a nice 13-game hitting streak that was just snapped on Thursday night. Splitting time between catcher and DH, Roberson hit .418 from July 20 to Aug. 5, raising his TAv to .287 for the season. It was a solid run for a guy who projects to be no more than minor-league depth. Until this stretch, he hadn’t produced consistently at the plate throughout his career. Combine that fact with mediocre, though fundamentally sound, catching ability (hence the time at DH) and you have a player who will naturally lose playing time to more promising players. What the hitting streak has done for Roberson is give Portland a reason to play him every day. If he can maintain such production, perhaps he could earn himself a call-up to Triple-A by next season.

If you read our Fenway’s Future series often, you’ll recall the name Aaron Wilkerson making its way to the site in June. At the time he was a relative unknown, a 26-year-old righty who was signed out of the Independent Leagues just a year ago. His performance was noteworthy, splitting time as a starter and reliever, posting a 0.71 ERA over 25.1 innings in May for High-A Salem. After posting a 1.92 FIP over 17 games, Wilkerson earned a call-up to Double-A Portland, where he started in his debut last week. The results, however, were discouraging. Wilkerson lasted just 4.2 innings, allowing five runs, five hits and three walks in the effort.

Wilkerson’s disappointing start shouldn’t be too surprising. Although he has performed well for most of the season, he hasn’t replicated that success as a starter recently, as evidenced by his 5.14 ERA over his last seven starts. But it does confirm what should be expected of him. Wilkerson has a low-pitch repertoire but possesses a hard fastball and can accumulate strikeouts at a rate that makes him best served as a reliever. If he’s going to continue to climb the organization over the coming years, it’s probably going to be after he settles into the bullpen, although he could still be good for the occasional spot start.

High-A Salem: Wendell Rijo, 2B

Before the season, BP Boston ranked Wendell Rijo as the No. 15 prospect in the organization. Much of that had to with his plus bat speed, solid contact potential and overall speed that’s led to a quick ascension through the organization despite suffering an ACL tear in 2012. The real question was – at 19 years old – how would he handle the challenge of High-A ball? Thus far, the offensive numbers have been OK. He’s posted a .253 TAv and .321 wOBA through 84 games, but no one would call it outstanding. He’s still a work in progress in the field, too; he’s yet to hone the necessary fundamentals to one day become an everyday second baseman. But Rijo’s shown overall improvement as the season’s progressed. That’s most evident in his recent surge offensively. Rijo has hits in six of his last seven games, four of which have been multi-hit efforts, batting .448 in that span. While it’s only a short burst, it provides a reason to believe he could develop into a solid contact hitter, even if he’s not taking walks at the same rate he was in Low-A Greenville last season, when he boasted an 11.8 percent walk rate.

Low-A Greenville: Danny Mars, OF

We’ve stuck to theme of prospects on hot streaks throughout this post, so why stop now? Danny Mars’ journey to this point has been unique. He was drafted by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, right out of junior college, and missed the first half of this season with a hand injury. This means Mars has seemingly been a step behind his entire pro career — until one looks at his production through 17 games in Greenville thus far. The 21-year-old owns a .389 wOBA since joining the Low-A club July 17 and rode a nine-game hitting streak, which included four multi-hit games before coming up empty last Tuesday.

There’s enough reason to like Mars’ overall potential, too. He’s an athletic outfielder who is versatile enough to play all three spots. He has a solid line-drive approach to help him shoot the gaps. The one knock on Mars is his lack of strength, something that in time he’ll need to develop to have a chance at becoming an everyday outfielder. Although Mars’ swing isn’t designed for power, the added strength would still be beneficial to his offensive approach.

Triple-A Pawtucket: Henry Owens, LHP

After yet another baffling Red Sox loss Thursday afternoon, NESN aired that night’s PawSox game against Rochester. With Henry Owens on the mound, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to inject some optimism back into the hearts of ever-frustrated fans. The left-hander hardly did that, allowing four runs over five innings in a 4-1 Pawtucket loss. It was the second straight start in which the 22-year-old gave up four runs. It dropped his ERA to 3.49 and FIP to 4.41 through 11 starts this season.

Owens came into the year as one of, if not the, Sox’s top pitching prospect and a hopeful to reach the big leagues as early as September. Although that all may still be true, it hasn’t looked that way for parts of 2015. Owens’ walk rate (5.76 BB/9) and strikeout rate (7.43 K/9) are both at their least productive in his professional career and he’s still prone to getting himself into trouble. However, the dropoff is not as concerning as it appears. Owens hasn’t dazzled like many hoped or expected, but he hasn’t had any major clunkers either. The high walk numbers and shortened outings are simply part of a young pitcher adjusting to a new level of competition, while Owens is also trying to improve his secondary stuff, most notably his curveball which is still a work in progress.

Owens is still just one year removed from cruising through the Eastern League. He needs to develop better command and his secondary pitches, but he’s still a potential middle-of-the-rotation starter in the coming years. No need to panic.

Double-A Portland: Jose Vinicio, 2B and Jorge Marban, RHP

Jose Vinicio was signed as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic, and has made a gradual rise through the Red Sox system since. Last week, a month before his 22nd birthday, Vinicio was finally called up to Double-A Portland. He’s a rangy, above-average infielder who played exclusively at shortstop before this season. This year he’s seen more time at second base, including in his first two games in Portland.

While his glove and speed are his strengths, Vinicio’s bat is still a work in progress. He posted a .223 TAv in 31 games in High-A Salem. He’s a switch hitter with good bat speed despite a lack of power. But Vinicio finished strong at the plate before his promotion, going on a seven-game hitting streak that included five multi-hit games. Vinicio has three hits in his first eight Double-A plate appearances.

Jorge Marban’s journey to the Red Sox farm system is a unique one. The right-handed pitcher started off in the Rangers organization before spending the last three years in the independent leagues. The Sox discovered Marban during winter ball in Australia, and he’s turned into a nice signing this season. Between High-A and Double-A, Marban’s worked 10 straight scoreless appearances out of the bullpen over 16.2 innings. He’s yet to give up a run in his six Double-A outings, posting a 2.63 FIP and 9.28 K/9.

High-A Salem: Aaron Wilkerson, RHP

Aaron Wilkerson isn’t a typical Carolina League pitcher. The 26-year-old right-hander was signed out of the independent leagues just last year with limited hope for a fruitful professional career. But if Wilkerson’s performance last month showed anything, it’s that he won’t be disappearing any time soon. Wilkerson had perhaps the best statistical month of any Sox minor league pitcher in May, posting a 0.71 ERA in 25.1 innings in which he allowed just 11 hits and six walks. His strength is compiling strikeouts, which was evident in the 38.2 percent strikeout rate he boasted in those five appearances, three of which were starts.

Wilkerson didn’t pick up where he left off in his first start of June Friday night, allowing four runs on six hits in 2.1 innings of relief. Despite Wilkerson’s rough outing, the numbers suggest he’s been strong overall. He sports a 1.44 FIP and is an impressive strikeout pitcher with decent velocity  –  his fastball usually hovers around the low-90s. His 11.39 K/9 and 5.83 strikeout-to-walk ratio are notable enough to assume he’ll continue to advance through the system, although he may need to settle as a full-time reliever if he wants a shot at the major leagues in the future.

Low-A Greenville: Mauricio Dubon, SS/2B

Few players in Greenville have hit the ball better of late than Mauricio Dubon. The 20-year-old is coming off a six-game hitting streak and has a hit in seven of his last eight games, including three multi-hit games. The streak upped his TAv to .281 and his wOBA to .352. At 6-feet, 160 pounds, Dubon’s smaller frame makes him primarily a contact hitter, but he’s turned his plus speed into runs, scoring 13 times over this eight-game stretch. A 26th-round pick in 2013, Dubon appears to be surpassing expectations so far. Along with his hitting coming around, Dubon has been a reliable fielder at both second base and shortstop, using his range and above-average arm strength as assets.

Photos by Kelly O’Connor, www.sittingstill.smugmug.com