Regardless of how you view this season thus far, it’s still a big improvement from last year. Some of those first-half successes can be attributed to changes made in the offseason, such as signing David Price and Chris Young and trading for Craig Kimbrel (sorry, Carson Smith). But those changes, particularly the trades, also required parting ways with some notable players. Yes, the Red Sox acquired talent, but gone are promising prospects such as Manuel Margot and Javier Guerra, as well as complementary pieces like starting pitcher Wade Miley.

We’ve seen how these moves have worked for the Red Sox, but what about the teams on the other side of the deals? What kind of contributions have the likes Margot, Guerra and Miley made to their new clubs, and what does it mean for those players going forward?

Let’s start with the Kimbrel deal. The Sox sent Margot, Guerra, Carlos Asuaje and Logan Allen to San Diego for the four-time All-Star closer. Kimbrel, as I wrote last week, has become the player the Red Sox were hoping to get. The Padres may be a mess, but they aren’t missing Kimbrel, either. Fernando Rodney owns a 0.31 ERA and 2.32 FIP, and San Diego’s newcomers have shown good potential in the minor leagues.

Manuel Margot

2015: .270 TAv, .147 ISO and 1.1 WARP in 64 games with Double-A Portland; .273 TAv, .138 ISO and 1.7 WARP with High-A Salem

Last season was good, but not great for Margot. This year he’s looked more like the player that made him one of the top prospects in the Red Sox’s organization. He’s spent the entire season with Triple-A El Paso, and has been the leadoff hitter and starting center fielder most of the way. He’s also putting up some of the best numbers of his young MiLB career. Margot is slashing .299/.352/.419 with a .274 TAv., while his speed (21 stolen bases) and defense (14.9 FRAA) continue to be strengths. BP’s Mark Anderson put his MLB ETA at 2017 in his scouting report three years ago. With the Padres out of contention, the 21-year-old Margot may get his chance as early as this September.

Carlos Asuaje

2015: .259 TAv, .123 ISO and -0.6 WARP in 131 games with Double-A Portland

Asuaje didn’t look like a major piece in the Kimbrel deal at the time. He projected as nothing more than a major-league utility player, and his numbers in Portland last year proved just that. Asuaje, however, has found new life in a new system, posting a .296 TAv and 1.3 WARP in El Paso thus far. He also has 25 extra-base hits, including a Pacific Coast League-high seven triples, matching his total from last season. Asuaje’s 2016 numbers are a throwback to his 2014 campaign split between Low-A Greenville and High-A Salem, when he combined for a 5.2 WARP that year. Now he’s starting to see his major-league potential manifest itself in his first crack at Triple-A. Perhaps he’s not far from his big-league debut either.

Javier Guerra

2015: .280 TAv, .171 ISO and 4.0 WARP in 116 games with Low-A Greenville

Guerra put all scouting reports to shame with his offensive production in Greenville last season. As BP’s Wilson Karaman wrote, Guerra is a premier defensive shortstop with a little pop in his bat, but at 20 years old his approach at the plate is still raw. That’s the player he’s been this season. He owns an underwhelming .245 TAv in High-A Lake Elsinore, but does have a 9.9 FRAA. Guerra hasn’t shown quite as much power, however, as he has just eight homers in 282 plate appearances and a .139 ISO, but it’s still a potential strength of his.

Logan Allen

2015: 0.90 ERA, 1.05 FIP and 10.8 K/9 in seven starts in rookie ball; made one start in Class-A Lowell

The Red Sox drafted Allen in the eighth round last June, so there’s little to compare what he’s done thus far to. What we do know is that the 18-year-old is off to a decent start, posting a 3.07 ERA, 2.96 FIP and 8.4 K/9 in 12 appearances (eight starts) for Low-A Fort Wayne. BP’s Grant Jones sees a potential major-league future for Allen, but that’s still a long way from being realized.

Then there’s the Miley trade. Both the Red Sox and Mariners are off to good starts, but no thanks in part to the deal that sent Miley and Jonathan Aro to Seattle in exchange for Smith, who is out for the season, and Roenis Elias, who had a forgettable Sox debut.

Wade Miley

2015: 4.46 ERA, 3.78 FIP and 6.8 K/9 in 32 starts

The Red Sox knew what they were getting from Miley last season. This year, the left-hander has been far worse. Miley owns a 4.74 DRA and 4.82 FIP through 13 starts with the Mariners this season. He’s allowing home runs at a career-high rate (1.5 HR/9) and inducing ground balls at a career-low rate (45 percent). These numbers are all coming with Safeco Field as his home ballpark. As bad as Boston’s starting rotation has been, it wouldn’t be any better with Miley in the fold.

Jonathan Aro

2015: 6.97 ERA, 5.23 FIP and 7.0 K/9 in six games with Boston; 3.14 ERA, 2.42 FIP and 9.2 K/9 in 26 games with Triple-A Pawtucket; 2.82 ERA, 2.78 FIP and 7.7 K/9 in eight games with Double-A Portland.

Aro was a decent reliever throughout his MiLB career with the Red Sox, and he’s continued to be one for Triple-A Tacoma. The 25-year-old righty owns a 2.27 ERA and 3.81 FIP over 23 appearances, while posting a 6.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9. Pretty good, but nothing special. That’s who Aro is, and who he’ll continue to be, even if he works his way into a middle relief role in the majors.

The only other notable player the Red Sox lost in the offseason was Justin Masterson, but the Sox gladly let him walk in free agency after an ugly showing in 2015. This season hasn’t treated Masterson any better. He’s made five appearances (two starts) for the Indianapolis Indians – the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate – and owns a 5.17 ERA and 6.48 FIP. It’s safe to say he’s not due for any more post-Boston breakthrough seasons.

The Red Sox parted ways with numerous players throughout the organization last offseason. Overall, those players have met expectations in their new homes. What does that mean for the Sox? Ultimately very little given the way both offseason trades worked for the teams involved. Both the Red Sox and Padres benefited from the Kimbrel trade, while the Mariners and Sox have yet to get anything out of the Miley deal. Sometimes that’s how trades work. The fun part will be seeing what kind of players Margot and Co. develop into, while the Red Sox hope to get value out of Kimbrel and Smith for the next few years.

Photo by Gregory Fisher/USA Today Sports Images

This year is no exception, as the team is stacked at the top-end of its farm system. Specifically, Boston boasts a foursome of high-ceiling guys in Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi, Anderson Espinoza and Rafael Devers that matches any other foursome across the league. The ceilings of each player differs from one another, but collectively all four have the potential to be core members of a championship team if everything goes to plan. Who among us doesn’t like to dream on that kind of potential?

While the Red Sox have been stockpiling these assets, they’ve also quietly started developing another type of minor leaguer, the kind of guy who goes unnoticed by casual fans and diehards alike. If you look at the recent history of the organization, a seemingly infinite number of high-floor, low-ceiling infielders have come up through the system, or been added from elsewhere. These are, almost by definition, incredibly boring players and understandably don’t get much attention They do hold the potential to provide a ton of value, however, and one can see why the Red Sox have to be happy in developing plenty of the utility-type players.

If you look at the recent history of the organization, a seemingly infinite number of high-floor, low-ceiling infielders have come up through the Red Sox system.

Three main players currently come to mind when I talk about this prospect archetype: Marco Hernandez, Mauricio Dubon and Carlos Asuaje. Deven Marrero could also be included in this group, as his glove bakes in a relatively high ceiling even if the bat comes around. The first three, however, share a lot of interesting similarities. Each can play multiple infield positions, making them valuable bench pieces. Each can run at least a little bit, giving them extra versatility. Finally, each possess line drive-oriented swings with gap-to-gap power to make up for a lack of home-run strength.

None of this makes for a superstar package, but it’s easy to succeed at some level with that toolset at your disposal. While they are never going to be headliners of a farm system (and you never want to allocate your scouting resources to find only players of this ilk), they are highly valuable for any organization for a few different reasons.

The first being that it’s simply easier for everyone if you don’t have to fill out your bench using free agency. Just look back at this past offseason for the Red Sox, when their lack of outfield depth was a glaring hole, and they had to find their fourth outfielder on the open market. It’s not a perfect comparison, as Chris Young is a starting-caliber player against certain pitchers, but ideally teams would be able to develop short-side-of-the-platoon outfielders rather than spending $11 million in free agency.

Most of the time, the group of bench players in free agency is simply terrible. Here is a sampling of last year’s pool: Chris Johnson, Stephen Drew, Mike Aviles, Gordan Beckham, Cliff Pennington. Pennington got a two-year deal! Obviously, these guys aren’t costing a significant amount of money, especially for a team like the Red Sox. However, they do cost some money that is better saved for wooing free agents that provide more impact. Plus, it takes time seeking and working out a trade for these types of players that would be better spent doing anything else.

On top of that, these types of players can also be used as kickers in trades, particularly when you have a surplus like the Red Sox enjoy. You don’t need to look any further than this past winter with the Craig Kimbrel trade. Manuel Margot and Javier Guerra were the headliners and Logan Allen was the pitcher San Diego seeked, but Asuaje was a key part of the deal, too.

Could the trade have gotten done without him? Probably. It would have either taken a more highly rated prospect or simply more time to get it done, though. If it’s a more highly rated guy, like Teddy Stankewicz, for example, then the downside is obvious. This is particularly true if you have to dip into an area of less depth. If you simply try to wait the Padres out, it could work out but it could also allow another team to jump in and get the deal done. Winning every trade is great, but if you’re too stubborn, no trades get done. Obviously, you don’t want to trade every one of these high-floor players, but when you have a bunch of them, they work as tremendous kickers to get desired trade targets without having to play mind games.

Finally, there’s the fact that prospects sometimes develop into better players than we believe. Mookie Betts is the most obvious recent example, but he looked like a stud by the time he got to the high minors. Brock Holt is a better example; he was only supposed to be a utility player as recently as last year. He’s not as good as his All-Star bid in 2015 might indicate, but he’s much better than his minor-league track record would suggest. Dubon best fits this bill among Red Sox prospects, and his performance in the minors has turned heads at every level. The scouting reports still suggest a bench role is in his future, but every strong game provides more hope of a higher ceiling.

The Red Sox and other teams are always going to spend their scouting and development resources on high-ceiling prospects, as they should. These are the players who ultimately make the biggest difference. However, when teams can develop a handful of secondary pieces at the same time, it gives them a chance to build better depth and do some interesting things. It allows teams to spend free agency time and money on high-impact players; it allows teams to more easily make trades; and it gives teams a chance to have their prospects surprise them. With Hernandez, Dubon, Asuaje and possibly Marrero, the Red Sox are seeing this work out to their advantage.

Photo by Bob DeChiara/USA Today Sports Images

It is 2015, and every Major League Baseball trade must have a clear WINNER and LOSER to satiate Baseball Twitter’s need for first takes. Don’t worry about what either team needs. Just ask, what did Team A give up? What did Team B send in return? Did Team A give up more than Team B? Wow, Team A must be run by idiots.

Viewed through this lens, the Red Sox were absolutely hoodwinked by the Padres last night. They gave up two–two!–top-100 prospect types and two more lottery tickets for a relief pitcher. This is exactly what we were worried about when ol’ Star-Loving Dave Dombrowski took the reigns. Theo Epstein never would’ve made this deal. One imagines Ben Cherington becoming physically ill at the thought of this deal. There is indeed a new sheriff in Boston.

Read the rest at Baseball Prospectus.

Photo by Matt Kartozian/USA Today Sports Images

Triple-A Pawtucket: Deven Marrero, SS/2B and Jorge Marban, RHP

Marrero’s ascension to the big leagues was faster than most expected given his low offensive production in Triple-A and the occupied infield spots on the major league club. However, injuries to the likes of Dustin Pedroia and Brock Holt have provided him with multiple call-ups to the Red Sox, even if he’s been limited to seven plate appearances and a pair of pinch-running situations. He’s yet to do much with those opportunities, but the 2012 first round pick is at least making his case for a longer major-league stint when the roster expands in September. Marrero has never projected to be an outstanding hitter, sporting a fringe-average hit tool, so his .244 true average in Triple-A this season isn’t of real concern. However, the 24-year-old has been hot since rejoining the PawSox Aug. 12, batting .307 (16-for-52) over the last 12 games. He’s recorded a base hit in all but one game since being sent back down.

Although it’s a small sample size, and only one of those hits – a home run on Sunday – has gone for extra bases, Marrero’s production should help him further his case for a return to Boston come September. Of course, the true value of Marrero lies in his glove. He’s a plus defender with a strong arm and elite athleticism, making him capable of playing anywhere in the infield. If the Red Sox are smart, Pedroia will barely, if at all, see the field for the rest of the season, and playing Josh Rutledge every day serves no long-term purpose. That should at least open some opportunities for Marrero to play second base. And, of course, any excuse to bench Pablo Sandoval and start someone else at third is a good one. Add in some offensive production on Marrero’s part and his overall value expands.

Jorge Marban’s journey to Triple-A has been a lengthy one. The 26-year-old righty flamed out in 2011 after two miserable seasons in the Rangers organization, and has since seen his baseball career take him through three years in the independent leagues before landing in the Australian Baseball League at 25 years old. He sported a 2.12 ERA and 11.65 K/9 in 24 appearances in Australia before being signed by Red Sox scout Steve Fish, who also managed Marban’s ABL team last November. Since then Marban has rapidly risen through the Sox’s system and is well on his way to earning a shot at the majors in the coming years. He started this season in High-A Salem, but has since worked his way up to Pawtucket after just 32 appearances combined in Salem and Portland, pitching exclusively out of the bullpen. He posted a 1.36 ERA, 3.76 FIP and 7.09 K/9 in Double-A before being called up and making his Triple-A debut Aug. 14.

The results have been encouraging for Marban through three appearances in Pawtucket. He’s allowed just one run over 6.1 innings, striking out nine batters. This isn’t to say Marban is a sure thing, of course. He’s not the savior of Boston’s dreadful bullpen. Although he has his strengths – he mixes a nasty splitter with a mid-90s fastball that creates swings and misses at an impressive rate – Marban’s command is still a concern. He posted a 6.00 BB/9 in Portland and has already totaled three walks in his brief Triple-A stint. He also possesses a slider that needs work. However, considering how long it’s taken Marban just to get to this point, the fact that he’s ascended this quickly and is making a name for himself is encouraging enough for this season.

Double-A Portland: Manuel Margot, OF and Carlos Asuaje 2B/3B

Manuel Margot entered the season as the Red Sox’s third-ranked prospect by Baseball Prospectus. Given his natural bat-to-ball ability, his power potential and his speed and athleticism, it was a well-deserved recognition. He lived up to that hype with a solid stint in High-A Salem, sporting a .271 TAv, .339 wOBA and 113 wRC+ in 46 games before being promoted to Double-A Portland in late June at just 20 years old. Double-A, however, has been a struggle for the outfielder, especially over the past month. Margot is hitting .241 (14-for-58) in August, dropping his TAv to .250 in Portland. At this point, it’s natural to question whether or not he was ready to be promoted. Given Margot is only 20, there is certainly no need to rush him through the system. He’s had a difficult time adjusting to Double-A pitching, and his strikeout rate (14.7 percent) is the highest it’s been at any level since his summer with short-season Lowell two years ago.

Manny Margot. Kelly O’Connor, www.sittingstill.smugmug.com

Margot excels with a fluid swing and an excellent approach. It’d be crazy not to expect his plus offensive tools to lead to results at the Double-A level. One thing hurting him, however, is his aggressiveness early in counts. That’ll catch up to him as he faces better pitching with each promotion, which is evident in the ballooning strikeout rate and the weak contact he’s generating in Portland. These flaws, and his poor numbers in Double-A overall, aren’t to say this season has been bad overall. He’s already totaled 36 stolen bases and 34 extra-base hits for the year. However, his path to the major leagues, particularly as a mainstay, may take more time than the late 2016 ETA that some had projected before the season.

Yes, we just highlighted Carlos Asuaje in last week’s prospect update. But at that time he wasn’t riding a nine-game hitting streak. He’s collected multiple hits in four of those nine games, including a four-hit effort last Wednesday. Asuaje’s numbers haven’t been particularly impressive in his first full season in Double-A, as he owns a .268 TAv and .340 wOBA in 2015. But they’re not bad for a player who projects to be nothing more than a utility player if he can reach the big leagues. Asuaje has primarily played second base this season, but he’s also seen time at third and left field. That versatility alone gives him value to an organization. Offensively he’s shown average hit potential with below-average power, but he’s good at finding the gaps for extra bases. In fact, he leads the Eastern League with seven triples this season and is also in the top half of the league with 22 doubles. His approach and knowledge of the strike zone are also positives.

High-A Salem: Teddy Stankiewicz, RHP

Teddy Stankiewicz appeared to be turning a corner. After a dreadful first three months that saw him get hit hard on numerous occasions, the righty finally started finding consistent success on the mound this season, tossing a pair of shutouts over a four-start stretch in which he struck out at least three hitters per outing. Stankiewicz was back to his early season ways on Friday, however, allowing seven runs over 4.2 innings in what was arguably his worst start of the season. He seemed to struggle with his control in particular, walking one batter, hitting another and throwing two wild pitches. Although he’s been better overall, Stankiewicz is letting pitches get away from him, as he’s hit four batters over his last three starts. That inability to find the strike zone is surprising given his command – he owns a 1.75 BB/9 this season – has been one of his strengths throughout his career. Friday’s letdown upped his FIP to 4.03 for the season.

Every bad outing from Stankiewicz is notable given his failings this season. However, that shouldn’t discount the way he’s improved since mid-July. He was at his best at this time last season in Low-A Greenville and at 21 has plenty of time to develop. Let’s also not forget he came into this season with a whole new delivery, which would naturally lead to a learning curve. Perhaps his next start, which will be one of his final of the season, will be a better indicator of whether it was just a bad start amidst a string of good ones, or a sign that poor outings are still a habit. Regardless, what continues to make Stankiewicz valuable is his ability to eat innings. The righty is eighth in the Carolina League in innings pitched (123.1) and has made at least one fewer start than four of the seven hurlers in front of him. Imagine what those numbers could look like if those innings become more productive.

Low-A Greenville: Rafael Devers, 3B

Rafael Devers is like the film Titanic. It’s nearly impossible to find a bad thing written or said about either of the two. Devers has garnered James Cameron’s film-esque praise throughout this season. Heck, he’s received plenty of attention on this site alone. Devers has earned it, of course, but we’re not here today to spend too much time drooling over his plus hit tools and 30 home run potential (although those have been pretty impressive so far). Since I’m in charge of the next paragraph and I’m no fun, we’re going to be a little picky (I promise, just a little). The one thing that’s been concerning about Devers’ approach lately has been his rising strikeout rate. Although a 17.5 percent K% isn’t terrible for an 18-year-old with plus bat speed and solid mechanics for his age, it’s worth noting this number has gotten progressively worse, whether it be due to a naturally aggressive approach or pitchers finding new ways to attack him. He held a 15.8 percent mark before the All-Star break. He’s struck out at a 23.7 percent rate since Aug. 1.

Should we be alarmed by such drastic spike? I wasn’t sure at first, so I decided to compare it to a player he’s drawn multiple similarities to: Robinson Cano. Cano played a single season of Low-A ball for Greensboro in the South Atlantic League at 19 years old in 2002. His slash line that season (.276/.321/.445) was notably similar to Devers’ 2015 marks so far (.275/.318/.433), but Cano struck out at a less eyebrow-raising 15.3 percent rate that season. So is Devers’ rise in strikeouts a concern? Yes, primarily because that has the potential to only get worse if he’s promoted to High-A next season – unless he can improve his approach. However, if you’re still hoping for Devers to become the next Cano, there’s still plenty of reason for optimism.

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

Triple-A Pawtucket: Matt Barnes (RHP) and Marco Hernandez (SS)

The future is now for Matt Barnes. The Red Sox have announced that he will take the ball tonight against the Indians in place of the injured Steven Wright. We have seen Barnes pitch at Fenway Park this season, but it was as a reliever and, to be frank, it did not go well (6.45 RA9, 5.84 FIP, -7.18 RE24). In his last stint with the big league club he made six appearances out of the bullpen before being demoted back to Pawtucket, where he continued pitching in a relief role. However, about a month ago the Sox decided to stretch him out for work as a starter, hoping to have him reestablish some sense of comfort by implementing his changeup on a more consistent basis. Since the decision was made Barnes has made three extended relief appearances – although performance made one of them a short outing – and two starts, and while the results have been lacking (4.41 RA9, 4.70 FIP, 12/11 K/BB), reports from Red Sox player development have been positive. The Red Sox are suggesting that they view Barnes as a starter and think he is capable of being a productive major league rotation member; something the team is desperately without. With all this in mind, it seems like a safe bet that Barnes will get an opportunity in the rotation for the Red Sox in September.

Marco Hernandez was acquired by the Red Sox in the deal with the Chicago Cubs that sent Felix Doubront to the windy city last summer. He opened this year at Double-A Portland and mashed his way to a promotion in mid-July. Hernandez is not known for his bat, and his numbers at Portland were well outside of what he had shown in his time at the lower levels of the minor leagues. For example, in 2014 at High-A Daytona he slashed .270/.315/.351 with a .328 BABIP, which amounts to a .246 TAv. But in Portland he slashed .326/.349/.482 with a .382 BABIP, all good for a .287 TAv. There is no doubt that the jump in BABIP contributed to his better numbers, but he was also knocking more extra base hits (23 in 122 games at High-A, 30 in 68 games at Double-A), so there was a chance he had figured something out. Since being promoted to Triple-A his production has been more in line with his A-ball numbers, which undoubtedly represents progress given that he is now facing higher caliber pitching. But, it also provides evidence that the great offensive numbers he posted in Portland were likely anomalous. In his 101 plate appearances for Pawtucket he has slashed .258/.277/.381, his BABIP is down to .329, and he only has six extra base hits. Hernandez has had difficulty with plate discipline, having struck out in one quarter of his trips to the plate while only earning a walk three times. Hernandez has a few more weeks to continue his adjustment to the new level. His performance the rest of the way and the Red Sox’s offseason transactions (e.g., a trade involving Devon Marrero) will determine the level at which he is slotted to start the 2016 season.

Double-A Portland: Carlos Asuaje (2B) and Justin Haley (RHP)

Carlos Asuaje is another undersized middle infielder that the Red Sox have found to provide considerable production. He has primarily played second base for the Sea Dogs this season, but has also seen time at third base. Despite his size (he is listed at 5’9”) he looks to be an offensive threat. Across Low- and High-A in 2014, he posted a .310/.395/.528 line, knocking 15 balls out of the yard and showing tremendous discipline at the plate (92/62 K/BB). This season in Portland, while he still hitting better than league average, his numbers have come down a lot from where he was at the lower levels. Some of this drop is expected given the change in level and the advanced pitching and defense that comes with it, but his reduction is considerable. One clear example is in his power numbers. This season he is only slugging .367 with a .117 isolated power. Despite this, he has maintained his advanced ability to make contact and be disciplined at the plate, as is evidenced by his 73/52 K/BB ratio. This is a really positive attribute to see in a player struggling with other aspects of his game; he is not expanding the strike zone to try and make things happen. If Asuaje can get back to hitting for some more power, that, and his defensive versatility, will help him advance toward a major league utility role.

At the end of 2014, Justin Haley made six starts for Portland and pitched pretty well (1.19 RA9, 3.73 FIP). By some measures that performance has not transferred to 2015, as he has a 5.61 RA9, and 3.79 FIP. So his peripherals, as well at least one fielding independent measure, suggests that he has been basically the same guy despite the wild difference in his runs allowed average. Much of this can be explained by the fact that in 2014 he held a ridiculous 95.1 percent strand rate, a mark that has dropped to 64.7 percent this season. Relative to 2014, on a rate basis he has allowed more runners on base and more have come around to score. Some of the base runner issue is BABIP, as 2015 represents the high water mark for Haley’s opponents’ BABIP by a considerable margin, so there is some bad luck involved here. On the whole, this season has presented a challenge for Haley in that he probably feels like he is pitching in much the same way he has previously, but is not getting the same results, which has to be incredibly frustrating. His last outing was easily the best of his season results-wise (7.0 innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, six strikeouts), so hopefully he can build on it over his remaining starts.

High-A Salem: Ty Buttrey (RHP)

The season-to-date statistics for Ty Buttrey at High-A Salem look fairly impressive: 17 starts, 94.2 innings pitched, 4.09 RA9, 3.34 FIP. The odd thing for Buttrey this season is that he seems to consistently string together a few starts in which he only allows one run, but then has a blowup outing where he allows five or more (Eduardo Rodriguez nods sadly). On the season he has nine starts in which he has allowed fewer than two runs, but then has four starts in which he has allowed four or more runs. Taken together he has been bimodal, albeit more good than bad. He has posted a decent 2:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and only allowed two home runs, both of which are strong signs for his future. Avoiding the periodic blowup start will be important for Buttrey’s future, but even with the rough outings considered he has probably pitched well enough to earn a promotion to Portland for next season.

Low-A Greenville: Yoan Moncada (2B)

Through his first 34 games (162 plate appearances) Yoan Moncada was clearly struggling to adjust to his new surroundings. He had a .229/.311/.321 slashline, with only one home run and nine stolen bases in nine attempts. Over his next 30 games (122 PA) Moncada has shown why the Red Sox invested so much in him. He has posted a .333/.431/.545 slashline with five home runs and 26 stolen bases in 29 attempts. Those are extremely impressive numbers, and likely have many clamoring to rush him up through the system. But Moncada still has a lot to learn. For example he will need to demonstrate a stronger command on the strike zone. He is striking out too often (22.5 K%), as he continues to adjust to hitting breaking pitches. His defense, which could be a plus tool, is also a work in progress as he gets more consistent reps. Moncada is an exciting player who has a long way to go before reaching Boston.

Short Season-A Lowell: Andrew Benintendi (CF)

We don’t usually write about players below Greenville, but the Red Sox’s first pick in the 2015 draft is worth mentioning given his remarkable performance to date. Benintendi has played in 34 games for the Spinners, accumulated 147 plate appearances and done real damage in his chances. He has seven home runs, four triples and two doubles, which is an odd distribution of extra base hits but provides an early indication of the combination of power and speed he possesses. To go with that power-speed combination, Benintendi has shown tremendous plate discipline, walking 25 times and only striking out 15 times. Like Moncada, Benintendi is a player for the Red Sox who has a lot of potential and a lot to learn before reaching Boston. Things are quite bright at the lower levels. [Editor’s note: Rumor is Benintendi is headed to Greenville. Woot!]

Photo by Mark L. Baer/USA Today Sports Images

Triple-A Pawtucket: Brian Johnson, LHP and Deven Marrero, SS

Brian Johnson was just highlighted in last week’s post, but it’s hard to ignore Friday’s dominance and where it leaves him among the Red Sox’ top pitching prospects. Pitching in place of Eduardo Rodriguez, who made his major league debut Thursday night, the southpaw struck out nine batters over six perfect innings to lead the PawSox to a 1-0 win over Louisville. Johnson worked under a pitch limit and was pulled after 74 pitches. According to a tweet by Alex Speier, Friday was Johnson’s third perfect outing of his professional career.

Johnson has allowed one run or fewer in four of his last five starts and in all but two of his 10 outings this season, and he’s upped his K/9 to 9.27. The lefty should be next in line to get called up upon the next Sox starter implosion. Although it’s unlikely Johnson will match Rodriguez’s dazzling debut, it’s not unreasonable to think the Red Sox will be more inclined to give another young arm a shot thanks to Rodriguez’s effort Thursday.

Deven Marrero’s adjustment to Triple-A pitching through half of last season and this season has been a difficult one. This season alone he’s hitting .252/.318/.364 with a 25.1 K%. Although was drafted in the first round in 2012 more so for his athleticism and arm strength at shortstop than for his bat, Marrero hasn’t shown the offensive effectiveness necessary to be major league ready in the near future. However, as Marrero has quick hands and a compact swing and the potential to be a competent line-drive hitter. In fact, he’s shown improvement at the plate as he’s in the midst of a five-game hitting streak in which he’s gone 6-for-19 (.315). But the strikeout rate is still a glaring flaw that is likely to get worse at the next level.

Marrero is projected to be a traditional everyday shortstop. He’s a plus fielder – although eight errors through 41 games at short isn’t encouraging – who will be a bottom-of-the-order hitter throughout his career. But in a perfect world for the Red Sox, Marrero will never be an everyday shortstop in Boston – that’s Xander Bogaerts’ job to lose. The 24-year-old’s seen time at both second base and third base, but those positions are locked up long-term with Dustin Pedroia’s recent extension and Pablo Sandoval being signed through 2019. Marrero may be a trade chip more than anything else.

Double-A Portland: Carlos Asuaje, 2B/3B

The Red Sox appear to have another super utility man – Brock Holt 2.0? – in Carlos Asuaje. He’s primarily a second baseman, but has also played at third base and throughout the outfield this season. His versatility will likely be his ticket to the big leagues given his average everyday hitting and fielding potential. Asuaje caught fire over Memorial Day weekend, going 6-for-12 with two homers, four runs and four RBIs in three games. But the 23-year-old has struggled since, going 1-for-13 and striking out three times in his last game Thursday.  Asuaje won’t be asked to put up ridiculous offensive numbers, however. At least not in this organization. He has a solid 12.9 percent walk rate to go with his .372 wOBA and .313 BABIP, which is good enough to suggest he’s going to advance through the minors in the next few years. The only uncertainty is when and where his opportunity will come.

High-A Salem: Trey Ball, LHP

Trey Ball’s professional career has had an underwhelming start. The 2013 first-round pick struggled with his control and was hit hard in rookie ball in 2013 and Greenville last season. He hasn’t been much better in High-A, sporting a 5.47 FIP and 1.37 strikeout-to-walk ratio through nine starts this season. Ball showed signs of potential before another setback in his most recent outing. After allowing just one run over his last 10.1 innings, Ball was tagged for five runs (three earned) on eight hits Friday night, surrendering three walks and a homer.

It’s hard to give up on the 20-year-old so quickly despite the difficulties. The Red Sox probably feel the same way. Ball is a tall left-hander with decent fastball velocity and an improving changeup. He’s 6-foot-6 with a 185-pound frame that is bound to fill out with proper training. Ball’s biggest issue is his command, as his 3.64 BB/9 suggests. But that’s a fixable problem for a young, athletic pitcher.

Single-A Greenville: Michael Kopech, RHP

Michael Kopech may be the most powerful pitching prospect in the Sox’ minor league system. He possesses an explosive fastball that tops out at 98 miles-per-hour and a hard slider to put away hitters. He uses those two pitches primarily to get swings and misses, while his changeup still needs work. As Alex Skillin wrote last month, these attributes make Kopech a high-ceiling pitching prospect. Kopech has been especially overpowering as of late, averaging seven strikeouts over his last three outings and giving up two runs over 14 innings. One of the notable concerns about the 19-year-old heading into 2015 was his command. Kopech posted a 5.93 BB/9 over eight starts in rookie ball last year. He’s down to 3.03 walks per nine innings through his first nine Single-A starts, boasting a 3.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the process.

Command will continue to be a work in progress for Kopech. But like with Ball, it’s something that comes over time with young pitchers of his potential. Besides, when you’re striking out 29.2 percent of the batters you face, any criticism can shrugged off as nitpicking for now.

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

Triple-A Pawtucket: Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP and Rusney Castillo, OF

After hurling 37 innings with a 0.86 ERA and a 2.26 FIP in Portland last season, Rodriguez hasn’t missed a beat this year, dominating Triple-A competition to the tune of a 2.86 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched. The key for Rodriguez ever since coming over to the Red Sox system was his dramatic improvement in limiting free passes. Rodriguez dropped his BB/9 from 3.16 to 1.93 after the Andrew Miller trade in 2014, and it’s gone ever farther down in 2015, as it now sits at a stellar 1.30. The southpaw has developed his secondary pitches very well over the last calendar year, allowing him to hit the bottom of the zone much more consistently, generate (slightly) more grounders and avoid those long fly balls.

While he’s been great in Pawtucket as a whole, his recent games have left something to be desired. Against Columbus and Indianapolis, Rodriguez only registered five innings per and gave up six runs combined in those two starts – matching his total runs allowed from all of April (24.2 IP). One can surmise that’s why Steven Wright was chosen over Rodriguez for the spot start on Sunday, but considering the need for back-end starting pitching on the major league squad, Rodriguez is a good bet to be called up sooner rather than later.

It seems like you hear nothing but great things about Rusney Castillo, but for all of his stats in Pawtucket, the Red Sox have good reason to not think he’s ready for the majors just yet. Despite his .308/.361/.462 in 16 games, Castillo has been described as looking out of sync in the field and in “spring-training mode”. Alex Speier described a three-inning sequence in a game against Indianapolis in which Castillo made several mistakes, such as getting caught drifting too far off of 3rd base and timing a slide so badly that he rolled his ankle on the base itself. Castillo is a great player and he’s ticketed for right field in Fenway sometime this season, but after missing a big chunk of spring training and April with oblique and shoulder injuries, he still needs more playing time until he gets the call.

Double-A Portland: Carlos Asuaje, 2B

What Asuaje lacks in power, he makes up for in plate discipline. The infielder has put up .408 mark in Portland so far, and has taken 24 walks to just 21 strikeouts. He’s a very tough out, as Asuaje makes good contact and his great eye at the plate will make pitchers work. While he can get to first base with no issue, it’s getting to second base in the same inning that’s the problem – Asuaje seldom attempts to steal, and any semblance of the power he showed last year is notably absent now. Between Salem and Greenville last year, Asuaje slugged .526, and so far with Portland, it’s a sub-par .353 with a .084 ISO. Nevertheless, that’s still good for a .294 TAv, and his versatility in the field will make him a good utility player down the line.

High-A Salem: Trey Ball, RHP and Wendell Rijo, 2B

One thing you have to understand about a pitcher like Trey Ball is that he was –  and still is – pretty raw, even for a first-round pick. In Salem, he’s been improving on a few fronts, such as inducing more grounders and improving his fastball command, but he hasn’t taken a major leap just yet. His changeup is his premier pitch, but it needs a good fastball to set it up, and while Ball’s got one velocity-wise, he currently has mediocre-to-decent command with it. If that discourages you, don’t fret: Ball is only 21 years old, has a tall, projectable frame, and is still on a good developmental track. Sometimes, high school pitchers just need more patience than anything.

Wendell Rijo is finding it hard to play to his strengths so far in Salem. He can work a walk and has good speed on the bases, but just cannot get on base in 2015. A .298 OBP limits the young prospect, but when you see that he blew through Greenville with a .273 TAv at just 18 years old, some leeway needs to be given. Rijo checks in at a light 170 pounds, and will need to add some strength to augment his game as he moves forward. Glimpses of his decent gap power can be seen in Salem this season, as he’s hit ten doubles, a triple and two homers in 22 games so far. Rijo projects to be a regular at the keystone, provided he can hit and work on his fielding mechanics.

Low-A Greenville: Yoan Moncada, INF

This isn’t a recap of what he’s done, but more of a step forward for the 19-year-old Cuban. Moncada will make his debut for the Greenville Drive tonight after playing in extended spring training down in Ft. Myers. He would’ve been with the team earlier had he not strained his shoulder sliding into second base earlier this year. Like Castillo in Triple-A, he needed more time to get into game shape. Moncada has been playing second base, but SoxProspects.com has his five-tool potential playing out anywhere in the field, provided he gets consistent reps at the position he’s manning. If that doesn’t get you salivating, Moncada is a switch-hitter with plus contact and plus power. Did I mention he’s still a teenager?

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