Triple-A Pawtucket: Sam Travis (1B)

Sam Travis, who a mystery scout threw the deliriously exciting Paul Goldschmidt comp on earlier this spring, has been doing his part to live up to the hype. Travis has moved quickly through the Red Sox system. He started the 2015 season at High-A Salem where he crushed opposing pitching to the point that he was promoted to Double-A Portland midway through the season. Once there, he continued his impressive output at the plate. While only accumulating 281 PA at Double-A, Travis’ performance this spring (.469/.429/.719, with two doubles and two home runs) pushed the Red Sox to assign him to the Triple-A level to start the 2016 season.

At Pawtucket this season, the 22-year old has been knocking the ball all over the yard. Five of his 20 hits have gone for extra-bases (three doubles, two home runs) and he has collected multiple hits in seven of his first 17 games. His bat is going to need to carry him to the next level, as due to his lack of speed he is likely limited to playing first base and with that is likely not going to be a standout defender. Travis’ lack of speed/athleticism is something that sticks out as making the Goldschmidt comp silly, but really the comparison is merely something to dream on and not to be taken as an expectation of Travis’ future. Regardless, if Travis can keep hitting the way he has this season at Pawtucket, he could see some action in Boston in September and it is probably not too wild to think that he could have a spot at first base in Fenway Park in 2017. It will be difficult to move Gold Glove first-baseman Hanley Ramirez to the designated hitter spot, but doing so and keeping Travis Shaw at third base opens a big league spot for someone like Sam Travis.

Quick updates on Rusney Castillo (OF) and Blake Swihart (C, OF)

Since we last checked in on him, Rusney Castillo has slowed from his torrid hitting pace. He connected for three singles in his last 16 at-bats, earning nary a walk, and striking out three times. At Pawtucket, his ground-out to fly-out ratio is 1.75, so he is still struggling getting the ball in the air.

Blake Swihart was sent to Pawtucket to work on improving his defense, unfortunately his offense has taken a serious slide. He has a .161/.257/.194 line in 31 PA. It is difficult to know how the defensive side of things are progressing, but he has thrown out three of eight base runners attempting to steal.

Double-A Portland: Wendell Rijo (2B) and Teddy Stankiewicz (RHP)

Last year at High-A Salem, Rijo demonstrated the ability with the bat he showed at the Low-A level in 2014 was for real, as he slashed .260/.324/.381 in 455 plate appearances against the better competition. Unfortunately the progression has not continued with his promotion to Double-A. Through the first few weeks of the season, Rijo is hitting a meager .205/.255/.341, a considerable step back from his efforts at the lower levels. He is striking out more, walking less, and because of the low on-base percentage has not had a chance to employ his speed on the bases. We know he can be a threat, as he stole 15 bases last season (in 22 tries) and 16 the season before that (again in 22 tries), but as the old saying goes: you can’t steal first base. There is obviously no need for panic. It is still the early days of the season and Rijo has shown these same sorts of initial struggles when adapting to his new level in each of the last two seasons. He has time to adjust to the better pitching, continue honing his grasp on the strike zone and get back to hitting like he has in the past. Rijo is just 20-years old – quite young for Double-A – and with players ahead of him like Devon Marrero and Dustin Pedroia there is no need to push him through the system quickly.

In addition to having one of the best names in the Red Sox system, Teddy “STANK” Stankiewicz has been dominating hitters. In his three starts this season Stank has thrown 18.0 innings (an even 6.0 in each), allowed only two runs, 13 hits, one walk, and 16 strikeouts. Add all that up and you have a guy with a 1.00 ERA (1.53 FIP). Stank’s tremendous results so far are remarkably different from his 2015 season at High-A Salem. Last year he struggled to strike batters out, posting the lowest rate of his young career, and walked too many batters, posting the highest rate of his career. Together that is a bad combination and clearly contributed to his career high 4.01 ERA (4.03 FIP). While we only have three starts to judge him by this year, he appears to have cured what was ailing him in 2015. If he continues the dominance he has shown in the early going of the 2016 season he should end the season in Pawtucket, with an outside shot of being in Boston at some point in 2017.

High-A Salem: Jalen Beeks (LHP)

While Salem’s offense gets most of the attention, the pitching staff has a few players who have been performing at a really high level in the early going. One example is 22-year old, left-hander Jalen Beeks. Beeks has started three games for the Salem squad, posting 15.2 innings of one run ball. His 0.57 ERA is the fourth lowest mark among pitchers in High-A who have made at least three starts. It is worth noting that his fielding independent mark is much higher (2.53), which suggests he has had considerably good fortune in the early going. For example, his 95 percent left-on-base rate is not sustainable and we can expect that more of the baserunners he is allowing (almost seven per outing) will be coming around to score over his next few starts. Regardless, he has been a bright spot thus far.

Quick updates on the Big-Three:

Since we last checked in with him last week, Yoan Moncada has added six more hits (one double) and one walk to his season total, pushing his line to .350/.474/.483.

Andrew Benintendi has kept pace with Moncada, knocking out six hits in his last four games, four of which went for two-bases. His line is now at .333/.390/.623.

Rafael Devers has continued to struggle, going 1 (a single) for his last 11, walking twice and striking out three times. Hopefully he can get things headed in the right direction soon.

Low-A Greenville: Josh Ockimey (1B) and Austin Rei (C)

The Greenville Drive team can really hit. They have posted 5.67 runs per game over the first 18 games of the season. A major part of the team’s offense is first-baseman Josh Ockimey. Ockimey has already clubbed five home runs, which is tied with three other players for top mark in Low-A, and one more than he hit in 229 PA with Lowell in 2015. He has two doubles and a triple to go with those home runs, all together posting a .629 slugging percentage that is sixth highest among hitters with at least 50 PA. He can really mash. Even better news is that while he can clearly crush baseballs, he is not doing so at the expense of a wildly high strikeout rate. He has struck out 16 times but has impressively walked almost as many times (14). Of course we must recognize the South Atlantic League, in which the Drive play, tends to be favorable for hitters, but Ockimey’s early results are still excellent.

Surprisingly, the Drive’s offense has been as good as it has been despite a slow start from top-10 prospect Austin Rei. Rei did not hit well last season at Lowell (.179/.285/.295) and that has continued in 2016 at the next level. Through his first 52 trips to the plate, Rei has managed a .186/.327/.302 line. The on-base percentage is nice to see, but he is striking out twice as often as he is walking (12:6), which is really troubling. However, the top-10 ranking was not hinged on his offense, but rather his playing a premium position. The BP prospect team suggested that his defense was terrific and how he would provide value to the organization. It is impossible for me to comment on his defense without actually watching Rei over multiple games, but a concerning report at SoxProspects.com outlines his defense being much more variable than expected; combining excellent moments with an inability to catch pitches in the strike zone. These defensive issues could be due to lingering issues with a left-thumb ligament injury. If they continue, essentially tanking his standout tool, his prospect stock could fall dramatically.

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: 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

Triple-A Pawtucket: Bryce Brentz, LF

In the early going of the Pawtucket season, Bryce Brentz has been displaying the raw power described in every evaluation of him. He has three home runs and five doubles in his first 67 plate appearances, good for a .525 slugging, and .237 isolated power (ISO). If he keeps this home run rate up he should get to the 20-homer mark that is projected for him. However, coming with this power is the tendency to strikeout at a high rate. Brentz has gone down by way of the strikeout in 29.9% of his plate appearances this season, which is actively bad, and well up from the rate he posted last season at AAA (21.7%). With this said, it is not as though he does not have any command on the strikezone. He is walking in 10.4% of his plate appearances, which is solid. So it seems as though the higher strikeout rate is due to, at least to some extent, his selling out for power.

Bryce Brentz. The next Johnny Gomes?,

The story with Brentz is that he appears destined for a left-field platoon. He mashes left-handed pitching and has difficulty with right-handed pitching. Against lefties this season he has a 1.152 OPS, and a .713 OPS against righties. It should be noted that all three of his homers this season have come against a right-handed pitcher, but so have the majority of his strikeouts (12/20). His performance against lefties was also impressive last year at AAA, as he had a 1.039 OPS against LHP, and a .698 OPS against RHP. In 2014, his HR split was more in line with his skill set, as eight of his 12 HRs came against a lefty, and so was his strikeout split: 44 of his 58 strikeouts came against a righty. I could go on, but the evidence clearly suggests his primary skill is in hitting lefties.

Brentz has not been much of a defender, nor is he expected to be one. Minor league fielding statistics are of dubious value but Bretnz has posted only one season of more than 0.5 fielding runs above average (FRAA) in his minor league career. In the early going this year he is at 0.5 FRAA. The lack of advanced defense limits his advancement and places him behind teammates like Jackie Bradley Jr., and Rusney Castillo. But, if he keeps hitting left-handed pitching the way he has he could have a spot on a major league roster as a Jonny Gomes-like player, which, as the Red Sox know, is certainly a useful commodity to have on the bench.

Double-A Portland: Luis Diaz, RHP

Diaz, 22-years old, is in his second stint with AA-Portland. Last season, in 77.1 innings pitched he posted a 3.72 ERA, which is fine. But his 4.03 FIP suggests that he had some good fortune along the way. In his 14.0 IP thus far in 2015 he has had the opposite issue. His 5.14 ERA looks pretty bad, but his 3.23 FIP suggests he has been pitching fairly well. His three starts have run the full spectrum. One start was pretty good (5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 6 SO), one was mediocre (4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 2 SO), and one was pretty bad (4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 6 SO). He has done well striking batters out (21.5 K%) and limiting walks (6.2 BB%), but as you can see he has had trouble getting much beyond four-plus innings. This could be by the organization’s design (limiting him to around 90 pitches per outing), or something that he really needs to improve if he intends on continuing as a starter.

High-A Salem: Wendell Rijo, 2B

In 2014 at low-A Greenville Rijo showed off his ability on offense, batting .254/.348/.416 in 473 plate appearances. His six triples, and 16 stolen bases (in 22 tries) demonstrated the speed that he has.

Wendell Rijo, a promising player at the keystone.

This year, moving up a level to high-A Salem, Rijo has continued to hit, posing a line of .244/.277/.489 in 47 PAs. He has one triple in the early going, but still stolen base attempts. He hit nine homers at low-A in 2014, and already has 2 this season for Salem, which is great. But, as you can see in the minimal difference between his batting average and on-base percentage, the issue for Rijo so far has been plate discipline. He has struck out in 27.7% of his PAs, and only walked twice. That walk rate is miserable, and is way down from his rate at the lower level in 2014 (11.8%). His scouting report suggests that he is an aggressive hitter, but this aggression may be getting the better of him so far this year. The good news is that Rijo is still just 19 years old (young for the level), so he has time to adjust to the advanced level of pitching, to learn to ease down his aggressiveness, and to get a better grasp on the strike zone. It is also nice that at this point there is no rush to get Rijo through the system.

Low-A Greenville: Nick Longhi, OF

Longhi, another 19-year-old in the Red Sox system, has started 2015 on a tear at the plate. In his first 14 games (59 PA) at low-A, Longhi is hitting .327/.362/.564. He has two home runs, five doubles, and a triple. He has not walked much, with just three free passes so far, but he has also fanned just six times; basically he has been making a lot of contact. Both his walk- and strikeout-rates are down from what they were at short-season Lowell in 2014. But it is still early, so it remains to be seen if things will continue as they have at the new level, or revert back to being closer to previous marks. Defensively, Longhi is listed as an outfielder but many have projected him to end up at first base, where it is thought that his work with the glove will be better suited.

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

Back in December, we released our Red Sox top ten list, a system we rated as the sixth best in all of baseball. With the advent of the new local sites, we’ve decided to extend out some of these lists by a few extra names, giving you a fuller idea of what is in the system. There’s certainly a lot of front-loaded talent with the Red Sox, but looking at names 11-15, you can see that there’s plenty of depth within this system as well.

Here are the best Red Sox prospects, numbers 11-15.

 11. Deven Marrero, SS

Potential grades: 45 Hit, 40 Power, 50+ Speed, 60 Glove, 60 Arm

Deven Marrero has a chance to be an everyday player.

Even when Marrero was at Arizona State, consistency has not been the shortstop’s friend, as the former Sun Devil infielder’s struggles as a junior saw him go from a potential top five selection to the 24^th pick of the 2012 draft. After two less-than-spectacular seasons in the system, Marrero appeared to figure some things out in 2014, and could be Boston’s – or another club’s – shortstop of the future.

Marrero will never be an offensive stalwart, but made some changes in both his swing-path and approach to give him a chance for a fringe-average hit tool. He’s an assertive hitter who won’t ever pile up the walk totals, but doesn’t end at bats by swinging at pitches out of the zone. His above-average bat speed and strong wrists allow him to put the ball into the gap with the occasional homer to the pull-side, though the swing path and slight build make big power totals unrealistic.

While Marrero is limited offensively, he shines with the glove. He’s only a solid-average runner, but his instincts in the field are outstanding, and his excellent hands and plus arm strength allow him to make the difficult look routine. The lack of offensive upside means he’ll hit at the bottom of the order, but because he’s so good with the glove, I would expect Marrero to become an everyday regular soon, likely in the summer of 2016. – Christopher Crawford

12. Edwin Escobar, RHP

Potential grades: 60 Fastball, 50 Slider, 55 Change, 45 Command/Control

Escobar was the “other” left-handed starter the Red Sox acquired at the 2014 deadline, and while he doesn’t have the same upside of Eduardo Rodriguez, he does have a chance to be a quality member of a pitching staff.

When Escobar is at his best, he’ll sit 90-92 mph with his fastball from a three-quarter arm slot, and the pitch plays up because there’s considerable life to the offering. His best off-speed pitch is a change that doesn’t have a ton of movement, but does offer deception from his arm speed to keep right-handed hitters off-balance. At times the breaking-ball has looked like a solid third offering, but too often he struggles to finish the pitch and it doesn’t offer the depth or bite to be more than an average offering at this point.

In addition to the lack of consistency with his slider, Escobar has a couple other issues that could prevent him from being a starter at the big league level, mainly his command. His arm angle will give left-handed hitters fits so his floor is solid situational left-handed reliever, but at just 22 year’s old there’s still time for him to become a solid backend member of a starting rotation. – Christopher Crawford

 13. Trey Ball, LHP

Potential grades: 60 fastball; 60 Change; 50 Curveball; 50 Command/Control

Trey Ball is looking to recover from a rough 2014.

The main theme after the organization drafted Ball in the 1^st Round of the 2013 Draft was that this arm was going to be more of a work in progress and slower initial developmental burn due to his relatively rawness on the mound. The reports and returns from the field in 2014 supported these original beliefs, with a clear gap illustrated between the present and future.

Ball’s heater presently sits 89-92 mph, topping out occasionally at 94 to 95 mph, but plays down a tad due to his inconsistent present feel for the placing the offering within the strike zone and need to build more stamina. The pitch finds a lot of bats right now. The 20-year-old does flash strong feel for his changeup. Both the arm speed generated and early feel are good clues this offering can emerge as a plus piece of his arsenal down the line. While the curve is a newer piece of the puzzle for Ball, and will flash tight break, it’s largely inconsistent at the moment and lags behind. With continued repetition the offering can complement both his fastball and change, though it’s going to take consistent dedication from the lefty.

Ball is largely a work in progress at present, but the ingredients are here for a mid-rotation starter to emerge at peak. 2014 saw the prospect take strides in the second half of the season, and continued gains in 2015 can see this lefty push as a top 10 prospect within the system. The strides and traction are likely to be subtle during the early career, especially ironing out the feel for the curve and pushing the fastball command towards average levels, but it’s a talent to keep an eye on within the second tier of this system. –Chris Mellen

14. Javier Guerra, SS

Potential grades: 50 Hit; 35 Power; 45 Speed; 60 Glove; 60 Arm

The 19-year-old drew strong reviews for his defensive potential in his stateside debut this past season. Guerra is loose and agile at short, with smooth actions, plus range, and a plus arm. The instincts and reads off the bat are also there. The 2012 international signee has the makings of a defender who can impact the game in the field, with the glove alone possibly carrying him all the way up to The Show. Though Guerra isn’t the most fleet of foot, his feel and look at the position at an early age lead many to believe he’s more than capable of sticking at short, with the chance to increase his defensive versatility if need be as well.

The shortstop flashes solid-average bat speed and the ability to keep his hands inside the ball. Presently, the approach does need a lot of toning down for the bat to keep moving, and the 5-foot-11 Panamanian could stand to further fill into the frame to enhance the quality of contact off the bat. The bat is a likely secondary aspect of Guerra’s game, and will need to close a larger gap for this profile to play as an everyday regular at peak. The stick may just end up light. This is a long-lead player who will require offensive marinating for the full picture of his potential role to come into view, but the glove gives him a good shot to develop into a utility type and carry value even if the bat doesn’t get past fringe-average. –Chris Mellen

15. Wendell Rijo, 2B

Potential grades: 55 Hit; 40 Power; 60 Speed; 50 Glove; 45 Arm

Wendell Rijo should be challenged by his assignment to High-A.

The Dominican second baseman more than held his own as an 18-year-old in the South Atlantic League in 2014, receiving good reports on the progress of the overall game. Despite some moving parts in his pre-pitch setup, Rijo shows plus bat speed and innate bat-to-ball ability, with the hit tool capable of playing solid-average (or possibly more) down the line. There’s a nice look to the ball coming off his bat. The power projects as below average, but he can drive offerings into both gaps, and combined with his plus wheels it can lead to solid extra-base output. The plate discipline and pitch selection are what need the most overall work in the offensive game, and a good developmental push is necessary to keep the bat from stalling at higher levels.

Rijo’s defense is presently on the fringy side, with the 19-year-old occasionally experiencing lapses in the field and needing more focus on his fundamentals. The glove won’t carry this profile, but the framework is there to become an average defender at the keystone. Commitment to the aforementioned needs will be a good sign that this prospect is maturing with his grasp on the overall game. There’s a large gap here, with a placement in High-A likely to lead to uneven results, but the foundation of a regular is in place, and offensive talent for the bat to make some noise if instruction with controlling plate appearances better sticks – Chris Mellen

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