When your season is a 162-game grind, having this kind of depth is hugely important. Injuries are going to happen and players are going to underperform for long stretches, giving you needs that you didn’t anticipate in February and March. As such, it’s important to complement your major-league depth with plenty of reinforcements on the farm. We all know about how highly regarded this Boston farm system is, but that’s in terms of overall talent. Do they have the proper depth in the upper levels to help out the big-league squad at any position where a need may pop up?

Catcher

We’ll start behind the plate, because that’s usually where people start this kind of thing and I have a crippling inability to think for myself. It’s here where the Red Sox possess an impressive amount of depth that will be the envy of the league barring any sort of trade. Boston wasn’t one of the best teams in the league here last year, but they’ll likely be returning a Blake Swihart/Ryan Hanigan duo that looked much better down the stretch. On top of that, they’ll also have Christian Vazquez back from his Tommy John rehab. The defensive wizard will probably work the rust off in Triple-A, but he’ll be ready whenever an injury occurs and gives the Red Sox maybe the best third catcher in the league. Sandy Leon accepted his assignment to Pawtucket after the season, giving them even more depth behind the plate. This will not be a worry this winter.

Infield

As I mentioned before, the Red Sox have two perfect backup infielders in Holt and Shaw, as they can both handle multiple positions and have shown an ability to thrive in an everyday role. However, if/when they need to step into the starting lineup, that will open up empty bench spots. In Pawtucket, they look like they’ll have some middle infield options, but the corner infield could be more iffy. Starting up the middle, Deven Marrero is the obvious guy to look to. He’s a plus defender and came up for the first time in 2015. There’s still plenty to worry about with his bat, but as a third option coming from Triple-A he works just fine. However, Marrero is also a possible trade candidate, which could leave a hole. Luckily, Boston acquired Marco Hernandez as the player to be named later in the Felix Doubront deal a couple years ago, and he looks like a future utility player. While he doesn’t possess the same kind of glove as Marrero, he plays good defense at both second base and shortstop. Hernandez has also showed off solid bat-to-ball skills in the minors and should see some MLB time in 2016.

On the corners, things are a little less certain, as Boston’s depth depends on some reclamation projects. Chief among them in Allen Craig, who was outrighted off the 40-man roster once again. The only way he’ll see the majors again is if he lights the International League on fire over the first month or two of the season. Garin Cecchini never reached the heights of Craig, but he’s also fallen pretty far from his top prospect days, and 2016 could be his last chance to earn a permanent spot on a major-league roster. Finally, Sean Coyle was one of the dark horses to play a role on the 2015 team, but injuries and underperformance in the minors nixed that idea. It doesn’t look likely that any of these players will bounce all the way back in 2016, but there is some hope here that at least one can get back to (or finally reach) a respectable level.

Outfield

I alluded to this above, but this is the weakest area on the roster in terms of depth. Their current starting trio is full of youth and potential, but there’s not a lot of that in Pawtucket right now. On Opening Day, the only player who will be ready to step right in from Triple-A appears to be Bryce Brentz. That says about all you need to hear about the situation. Manuel Margot spent a good portion of last year in Double-A and should see Pawtucket at some point in 2016, but he’s not a viable depth option until at least July. That’s if he even stays with the organization. Expect the Red Sox to dip their toes into the minor-league free agent pool to find some extra outfield depth.

Rotation

This is the antithesis of the outfield, as Pawtucket’s rotation should be filled with viable rotation depth for the majors. There’s a chance that Henry Owens, Brian Johnson and Steven Wright all start the year in that rotation, and they are likely to be three of the top four backup starting pitchers, along with Joe Kelly. You can never have enough starting pitching, of course, and they could look for some more depth to add to this group, but it’s not a dire need at this moment if they add some quality to the top.

Bullpen

Like the rotation, the Red Sox should have plenty of relief arms handy in the Pawtucket bullpen. We saw the same pattern in 2015, as there were plenty of options to call upon when a fresh arm was needed. Of course, the issue was that none of those arms were particularly good. They’ll likely be looking at a similar cast of faces in 2016, at least to start the year. Heath Hembree, Jonathan Aro and Edwin Escobar will lead the way, although Pat Light and Jorge Marban should be able to provide some depth as well. Later in the year, Brandon Workman could be back in the mix and guys like Madison Younginer and Williams Jerez could have taken an unexpected step forward. Bullpen depth changes and evolves quickly and often, but as of right now there is some solid depth to pick from in case of injury.

★★★

The Red Sox are going to be focusing on the David Prices of the world this winter, but every year we see the best teams in the league rely on strong depth. Injuries happen to every ball club, and players who start the year in the minors have to play unexpectedly large roles in the middle of the season. Boston appears to be prepared for this scenario at most positions, with corner infield potentially being an issue and the outfield looking particularly shallow. While most of your attention can be paid to the big names, don’t forget about the depth pieces that get brought in to supplement the fringes of the roster.

Photo by Greg M. Cooper/USA Today Sports Images

Of course, Cecchini’s 2015 was the stuff nightmares are made of and, rather ironically, the opposite of how well his brother Gavin performed for the New York Mets. In his second tour at Triple-A, Cecchini’s offense completely fell apart. To start, Cecchini — an on-base fiend in the lower minors — posted a .286 OBP against not-quite-big-league competition, and supplemented that with a .296 slugging percentage. When he hit, and that wasn’t often, he sure didn’t hit for power. When he didn’t hit, he didn’t walk all that much either.

If Cecchini were particularly young for the International League, perhaps you could write off his Pawtucket numbers, or chalk it up to injury. Unfortunately, Garin is a reasonably healthy 24-year-old who posted a nigh-disturbing -2.2 WARP in Pawtucket. To put that in perspective, Garin was more than two wins worse than the type of guy that any Triple-A team can find on the open market. Most of that is due to his horrid .209 True Average (TAv) — remember, .260 is roughly equivalent to league-average — but the rest is due to the fact that he’s been playing the less difficult defensive position of corner outfield rather than third base at times. Yeah, his defense isn’t so hot either.

Here’s a quote from BP’s July 29th “What the Scouts are Saying” column, which illustrates the nut of Cecchini’s 2015: “Playing the outfield and looks dead to me. I am very underwhelmed watching him this year.”

Not awesome.

Next year will be Cecchini’s age-25 season, and things, frankly, aren’t looking so good. He’s on the cusp of losing his prospect status, and may be a guy who’s looking for a new home in 2016. Don’t expect to find him on a Sox Top 10 prospects list … in fact, don’t expect to find him on any team’s Top 10 Prospects list, unless he somehow ends up in Anaheim.

I don’t point out how bad Cecchini’s been out of some weird sense of schadenfreude, but to illustrate the point that some prospects tend to wash out before having any sort of impact in the big leagues. It’s a fact of life, and it’s not one of my favorite things. (Growing up following the Mets during “Generation K” has scarred me permanently.) I sincerely hope Garin figures out how to be a big league regular at some point, but the odds don’t look good today.

So here’s the bright side, at least for the greater Red Sox nation: Cecchini washing out appears to be something of an anomaly over the past few years, not the rule.

Look at the current Boston roster, and you’ll see guys at critical positions playing damn good baseball. Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Blake Swihart all play mission-critical roles in the present (ugh!) and the future (yay!) of the franchise. Henry Owens and Eduardo Rodriguez … and maybe even Brian Johnson(!) … look like they can hold down consistent rotation spots.

In fact, if you were to examine the 2014 Baseball Prospectus Boston Red Sox Top 10 Prospect list, you’d find that six of the ten players on that list (Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley, Owens, Swihart, Betts, and Christian Vazquez) look like really nice big leaguers already. Eduardo Rodriguez didn’t make the Sox’s list, but he was high up on the Orioles’ list. Jason Parks used to write that Prospects Will Break Your Heart, but precious few of the guys from Boston’s minor league system (Bryce Brentz, maybe Matt Barnes) have done that recently.

I wondered how true this might be of other teams with solid-to-great farm systems, much like the one Boston’s had for the past couple of years. I took a quick look at the Rangers, the Astros, the Cubs and the Twins.

The Cubs are a prime example of a team that has gotten a ton of early success from their prospects … and taking a look at their 2014 list of top guys shows us a number of players who are already contributors, much like the Sox. There’s Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler on the list, and Javier Baez, who’s starting to come on (finally). Plus, Addison Russell was added mid-way through the season, and Arodys Vizcaino has finally turned into a late-inning reliever, albeit for the Braves. At the same time, the Cubs feature more than a couple of guys who have watched their stocks fall (Albert Almora, or Arismendy Alcantara, anyone) or are still too far away (Dan Vogelbach, Pierce Johnson). All in all, the Cubs have done pretty well.

The Rangers converted some of their prospect depth (Jorge Alfaro and Nick Williams) from the 2014 list into Cole Hamels, and Rougned Odor, Chi Chi Gonzalez and Joey Gallo look strong. The Astros are getting big contributions from Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Lance McCullers, but may take hits on Mark Appel and Jonathan Singleton. And the Twins may have hit on Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano (duh!), as well as Eddie Rosario and Jose Berrios (maybe!), but they haven’t quite fared as well as the Sox across the board yet.

The trick is to acquire enough good-to-great prospects that you can absorb the disappointment when one or more don’t look so hot any more.

The Red Sox’s success with young players has mirrored or exceeded these other squads, not to mention the fact that Boston has been able to reload their farm system as well as, or better than, all these other teams — without selling off major parts.

Every one of these other stocked farm systems has seen a position player, if not multiple players, fail to achieve the lofty goals set for them. Alcantara, Luis Sardinas, Singleton, Josmil Pinto … it almost never fails. Some prospects just don’t really pan out, at least the way we expect. Garin Cecchini is just part of this process.

It’s also still possible that Cecchini could turn out to be useful — I just wouldn’t put a whole lot of money on it. I quickly reviewed the last few years of hitters who performed as poorly as Garin in the International League and played the outfield. Do you remember Pawtucket’s very own Che-Hsuan Lin (2012)? How about Ronald Bermudez (2011 and 2013)? They hit about as well those seasons as Cecchini did this year, and they’ve not exactly lit the world on fire. Cecchini certainly might not either.

Not every top prospect makes it, so it stands to reason that some of the middle-of-the-road guys are bound for failure too. The trick is to acquire enough good-to-great prospects that you can absorb the disappointment when one or more don’t look so hot any more. Cecchini’s career isn’t over yet, and there’s still a chance that he could end up as a useful big-league cog. But even if he doesn’t — and it really doesn’t look like he will at this point — Sox fans should be happy they’ve struck gold on so many other players.

Photo by Kim Klement/USA Today Sports Images

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

Allen Craig

Here we have someone who is definitely not a prospect, but is far and away the most interesting player who’s up with the Red Sox this September. Craig was half of the return from the disastrous John Lackey trade, and played so poorly after coming to Boston that he was sent to Triple-A Pawtucket after just four months with the team. He racked up 166 plate appearances between the end of the 2014 and the start of 2015 and he managed a microscopic .427 OPS in that time. Four qualified batters have a higher OBP than that this season. So, yeah, he’s been pretty bad.

To make matters worse, he didn’t exactly light the world on fire in Triple-A. Although his .274/.368/.350 looks solid enough on the surface, it is mostly terrible with context. Crag is a 30-year-old former All-Star who’s received MVP votes in two different seasons. For a guy with a career .160 ISO with two seasons of .200+ ISO’s under his belt, that lack of power against Triple-A pitchers is disconcerting. His plate approach becomes far less impressive when you recognize the competition he’s been facing.

This may be Craig’s last chance to show anything with the Red Sox, and it’s not even clear how much of a chance he’ll get. The outfield is full at the moment. First base is also full, with Hanley Ramirez transitioning there soon and Travis Shaw earning consistent playing time. With that being said, Boston will make sure that Craig gets his time, because they need to know if he made any strides in the minors. While he’s not an exciting September call-up in the traditional sense, he may be playing for his career, and that’s certainly worth watching.

Garin Cecchini

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

If there were such thing as a minor-league version of Craig, Cecchini may be that guy. He soared through the minors earning accolades from all over for his tremendous hit tool. While his defense was never his strong suit, it was passable. He looked like a guy who would hit for high averages while drawing plenty of walks, a profile that had many drooling despite a relative lack of power. Over the last couple of years, though, his stock has dropped precipitously and now it’s not clear that he’ll even have a major-league career. He’s had a miserable season in Pawtucket, and it’s no sure thing that he’ll even get the call this month. He’s 24 years old and the time is ticking for him to make good on his promise. The Red Sox have a busy offseason ahead, and Cecchini could serve as a throw-in in some major trade. Boston may be smart to give teams a chance to see him more consistently against major-league pitching.

Deven Marrero

Although he was drafted just three years ago, the former first-round pick is already 25 and on the verge of being a major-league player. Even if he’s just a utility player, he’s good enough defensively to carve out a role at the highest level. The bat is far behind the glove, but like Cecchini, Marrero could serve as a minor piece in a major deal this winter. When teams don’t have the top prospects to call up this month, this next best thing is to have pieces to showcase for trades. Marrero will give them a chance to give Bogaerts some rest down the stretch. Even if he doesn’t showcase himself well enough for a trade, it will be exciting enough to watch him play shortstop.

Pat Light

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

Everyone who writes or talks about the Red Sox has one opinion in common: Boston’s bullpen flat-out stinks. As such, any semblance of help from the farm in this area would be nice to see in September. For the most part we’ll be seeing familiar faces coming up from Pawtucket from the Jonathan Aro, Noe Ramirez, Heath Hembree and Edwin Escobar group. However, there are some other names who have a chance at seeing some time this year, and Light is the headliner of this group. A former starting pitcher, he’s taken a huge leap this year since transitioning to the bullpen. He’s now striking out more than a batter per inning between Double-A and Triple-A, pumping his velocity up to the high-90’s. Dave Dombrowski has a lot of work to do with this relief corps, so it would behoove him to see if any of his young arms can contribute in a meaningful way next year. In that case, Light is the number one name he has to get some eyes on.

Dayan Diaz/Jorge Marban

For the last names, we turn once again to the bullpen. I group Diaz and Marban together because neither is likely to play the type of major role that Light has the potential to play, but either one could carve out a smaller role for himself in 2016. Diaz likely has the best chance of the two. At 26, he’s been in the organization for two years now, and has moved up relatively quickly. As a fastball-first pitcher, he’s been able to rack up the strikeouts in the minors, but his command and control have been issues. He’s been better in shorter outings, however, and he’s been outstanding in Pawtucket this season. Next year, he could solidify the role that was occupied by a revolving door of Hembree, Aro and Ramirez this season.

Marban is a much newer name than Diaz, as he was plucked from Independent League ball prior to this season. He’s had a meteoric rise through the system, starting the year in Salem before ending up in Pawtucket by season’s end. Although his strikeout numbers won’t blow you away, they’re high enough to get by, and his control has helped him put up great numbers. His ceiling isn’t on Light’s or Diaz’s level, but he’s done enough to earn a chance in a bullpen that is full of subpar arms.

For a bad team, the Red Sox are severely lacking in intriguing September call-ups, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Craig may be playing for his career. Cecchini and Marrero could showcase themselves as lower-end pieces in trades coming this offseason. Light, Diaz and Marban could earn themselves a role in the uncertain 2016 bullpen. The most interesting players to watch this month have already been on the roster, but the newcomers will be worth your time as well.

Photo by Nick Tuchiaro/USA Today Sports Images

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.

In terms of selling, the situation for the Red Sox is dire. This team was built to win, and had the prospects and money to afford top-tier starters when the deadline came calling. Since the whole winning thing isn’t happening, Ben Cherington’s best course of action is see who has interest in any one of the guys whose contracts are up at the end of the season. Unfortunately, most of them are scuffling. His hands are effectively tied.

But what if the Red Sox decided to become buyers anyway? Obviously they wouldn’t go for rentals, but what if the Sox looked for players who will still be under contract for the next season or longer? This line of thinking isn’t too outlandish when you look at the resources the organization still has.

Their impressive collection of prospects is still intact. Guys like Deven Marrero and Garin Cecchini are effectively blocked at the major league level, and the Red Sox have no reason to start them over the players blocking them. There are even guys deeper in the system, like Carlos Asuaje, who are likely to be beaten out by better, younger players at the same position, such as Yoan Moncada. The trade chips are there.

They’ll have some money to work with after the season ends. Contracts will expire – most notably Mike Napoli’s, if he’s not traded – and who knows if the front office will try to trade a big contract for salary relief. B-Ref projects Boston’s salary in 2016 for just under $160 million, and that includes all potential contract options being picked up – which is essentially $23 million for another year of Buchholz and Ortiz. You could fit an entire big contract in the gap between that and the luxury tax threshold, should the Sox care to stay under it.

Having taken inventory on Boston’s resources, the discussion comes down to potential targets. Two young pitchers who should get more attention than they do are Tyson Ross of the Padres and the Braves’ Julio Teheran.

Ross isn’t even eligible for arbitration until 2016, and the Padres have been listening to overtures concerning his availability. While he boasts a 3.45 ERA, Ross has been rolling with a 2.75 FIP despite a high opposing BABIP and a BB/9 in the fours. I don’t know about you, but any pitcher who can strike out nine or more per 9 IP with a ground ball rate over 55% gets me salivating.

Teheran doesn’t exactly seem like a big candidate to be traded, but the Braves are acting like he’s still available. He’s had a rough year so far, but apart from his most recent start against the Orioles, he’s looked much better in July. Teheran’s contract isn’t even his rookie deal anymore – the Braves signed him to a six-year, $32 million contract. That means no arbitration, and the most expensive he’ll be is $11 million in 2019. Young, relatively inexpensive pitchers are usually worth a gamble.

The Red Sox don’t have to sit on their hands and wait for someone to offer a bucket of Dubble Bubble for either Napoli or Alejandro De Aza.

Sure, there are other options out there, like Carlos Carrasco and even Aroldis Chapman. However, the point is that there are options. The Red Sox don’t have to sit on their hands and wait for someone to offer a bucket of Dubble Bubble for either Napoli or Alejandro De Aza. They can go both ways. Cherington can rid the team of expiring contracts while still reeling in a pitcher who is under contract for 2016 or longer. It’ll be a step in the right direction, and could jump-start the offseason retooling period that is expected to happen.

The Rangers just presented a good example of this. Their acquisition of Cole Hamels wasn’t solely for 2015 – it was so they could pair him with Yu Darvish and have a killer starting pitcher duo in 2016. Texas can still sell as well, since Yovani Gallardo seems like a prime candidate to be shipped off to a team such as the Giants. The Red Sox can do this. It’s not unheard of. This type of management at the deadline isn’t crazy.

The trade of Shane Victorino was a good first step. While Josh Rutledge shouldn’t be the answer to anything except “Who did the Red Sox get back in that trade?” it gave Rusney Castillo two months to get acclimated to the majors. Now’s the time when the hard choices have to be made. The Red Sox have until this afternoon to decide whether to try and get a pitcher they desire, or be content with only selling what little they have. They have the ability and the resources to get what they need for 2016 now. The Red Sox have everything to gain from buying and selling at the same time.

Photo by Winslow Towson/USA Today Sports Images

Triple-A Pawtucket: Garin Cecchini, 3B and Deven Marrero, 2B

At the end of the 2014 season, Cecchini got a brief stint in the majors, appearing in 11 games. There was at least some discussion this offseason that Cecchini could be the starting third baseman for the 2015 season. Then the Red Sox signed Pablo Sandoval to a five-year contract in November, blocking Cecchini’s advancement to the major leagues within the Red Sox organization. This season at Pawtucket, Cecchini has only played in 22 of the team’s 32 games, a result of a shoulder injury that landed him on the disabled list. Generally, Cecchini has not performed very well. In 92 plate appearances he has a .171 TAv. A real issue is that he is striking out a lot, 28 times so far this year, and only has three walks.

One potentially positive development is that Cecchini has moved around the diamond more this season, including accumulating some experience in the outfield. He has played nine games at third base, three games at first base, and nine games in left field. This is certainly a test of Cecchini’s versatility, and for a team that is already flush with outfielders this seems like an effort to show potential trade partners what Cecchini can do in the outfield. It is also possible the Red Sox are grooming Cecchini for a role as a bench player. Regardless of where he is playing defensively, Cecchini’s hitting numbers are going to need to dramatically improve for him to get another chance in the majors, as he’s always been viewed as a bat-first player.

Deven Marrero.

Marrero is in a similar developmental place as Cecchini. He is one of the top Red Sox prospects, ranked 9^th by Baseball America, and considered a strong candidate to impact the major league team by the Baseball Prospectus team. Unfortunately, he is blocked by Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, and Dustin Pedroia at second base. He is projected as a plus defender, but there are plenty of questions surrounding his bat. This season at Pawtucket, however, he is hitting well: .281 TAv, 8.6% walk rate, and nine extra base hits in 105 PAs. These marks are all better than they were last season, when he had a .190 Tav, 5.9% walk rate, and 12 extra base hits in 202 PAs. This improvement at the level is nice to see and if he keeps hitting like he is so far this season, he could be a really intriguing player for a team that is looking to acquire middle infield help.

Double-A Portland: Simon Mercedes, RHP

Mercedes was used as a starting pitcher while at High-A Salem last year, but this year at Portland has only been used as a relief pitcher. Things have not been going smoothly thus far. In seven appearances (20.1 innings pitched) he has allowed 11 runs, nearly equaled his hits allowed (11) and walk (8) totals, and only struck out 14 batters. I say only 14 batters because on a rate basis, his current rate is lower than the rate he posted in Salem last season by a little over three percent. The advancement in levels likely accounts for much of that decrease but I would expect that his moving to a relief role would increase the strikeout totals. Though he has served as a reliever, Mercedes has been used in extended outings, typically 2-3 innings, so it is not necessarily the case that he can just come in for an inning and let his fastball burn. With that said, if he is going to end up with a role in the major leagues he will needs to start showing swing-and-miss stuff. His 4.00 FIP suggests that he has pitched better than his 4.43 ERA, but the 4.00 FIP still leaves something to be desired. It is still early days, so the 23-year old Mercedes certainly has time to get things on track.

High-A Salem: Teddy Stankiewicz, RHP, and Ty Buttrey, RHP

Thus far, Stankiewicz has shown that his promotion to High-A was justified. In six starts he has a 3.86 ERA and 2.98 FIP, has struck out 19 batters, and only walked seven, which is a fine ratio. His rates (14.0 K%, 5.2 BB%) could use some improvement, but still look promising. He has yet to allow a home run this season, and has only given up eight extra-base hits. Stankiewicz is only 21-years old, so he is still slightly young for the level, or at least on an appropriate developmental track.

Stanky refuses to allow homers.

Stankiewicz’s new teammate, Buttrey, made the jump from Low-A Greenville to Salem after making just four starts this season. But those four starts were excellent. In 22.0 innings pitched he posted a 2.45 ERA, 3.24 FIP, struck out a batter per inning, and only walked three. Since joining the Greenville squad Buttrey has made two starts: a rough debut (5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 HR, 6 BB, 3 SO) and a solid second outing (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 0 BB, 6 SO). All told he is currently sitting with a 2.25 ERA and 3.32 FIP, which looks pretty nice. Buttrey is eight months older than Stankiewicz, and so is again on a reasonable developmental track. If he can consistently look like the pitcher in his second outing for Salem, he could move up another level later this season.

Low-A Greenville: Michael Chavis, 3B

Michael Chavis is 19 years old and his performance thus far shows some of the struggles that can be expected from players his age. In 99 PAs Chavis has a .207 TAv, and is striking out a third of the time. These marks place him well below league average as an offensive contributor (77 wRC+). Half of his 18 hits have gone for extra bases (six doubles, three homers) which seems promising, except for his only having 18 hits which sort of limits the excitement. Chavis will have time to develop at this level and, as noted in his scouting report at SoxProspects.com, may see his position change to second base or the outfield.

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