Red Sox Top 20 Prospects Part 1

It’s the middle of winter and there’s not much going on in the baseball world, so I thought it would be a good time to try something new on Sox Therapy. I’ve asked our very own Temple to compile his list of the Red Sox top 20 prospects. Temple, as many of you already know, is sort of our go to guy here on the state of the Red Sox minor league system, so it seemed like a good fit. I have enjoyed reading these, and I hope you do too. Part 1 is below, with three more installments to come over the next couple weeks. --Darren

20. Jed Lowrie (SS); b. 4/17/84: Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the Sox 2006 minor league season was Jed Lowrie.  Lowrie was Boston’s supplemental pick in 2005, out of Stanford.  After getting off to a slow start, Lowrie was plagued by a number of injuries that slowed his progress throughout the season.  He did finish the season on a positive note, hitting .327/.380/.529 in his final month.  He did display adequate enough range and arm at SS that he will not need to be moved off the position anytime soon. Lowrie will have to start the season in high-A Lancaster, where he will try to build on his strong finish to 06. 

Wilmington- 374 AB’s, .262/.352/.374, 54/65 BB/K

19. Kris Negron (SS); b. 2/1/86: One of the most dynamic players in the organization, Negron tops the admittedly shallow SS depth chart.  Allan Simpson rated Negron, a 7th round pick this previous draft, the 25th best JuCo player in the country coming out of Consumnes College.  The Sox organization believes Negron can be a plus defender and hit for moderate power and average while staying at SS.  The day after winning the GCL championship, Negron headlined the Futures at Fenway game by making two spectacular defensive plays to preserve the lead in the 9th. 

GCL Red Sox- 142 AB’s, .261/.340/.373, 12/20 BB/K
Lowell- 28 AB’s, .393/.485/.536, 4/2 BB/K

18. Edgar Martinez (P); b. 10/23/81: A converted catcher, Martinez regressed from the progress he made in 2005.  His fastball lacked its previous bite and his velocity dropped from the mid- to the low-90’s.  The development expected from Martinez’s breaking balls didn’t fully materialize and some questions have arisen about his ability to be anything more than a thrower.  He did show improved control and a willingness to take the ball with the game on the line.  Martinez will most likely start the year in Portland, looking to live up to the initial expectations Sox fans had for him.

Portland- 69 IP, 51 H, 59/18 K/BB, 9 HR, 2.61 ERA

17. Jon Egan (C); b. 10/12/86: A 20-year old catcher drafted in the 2nd round of the 2005 Draft, Egan ran into legal problems the off season after his first summer of professional baseball.  After straightening out these matters and apologizing to his entire team prior to the year, Egan was allowed to return. Egan heated up after a slow start with the GCL Sox, and his OPS increased each month: from .522 to .864 to 1.016.  A 6’4” frame with a solid build, Egan possesses some of the best pure power in the system. Although he was praised for his surprisingly adept glove-work last year, Egan has a long way to go to refine his actions behind the plate.  He should split time at DH and catcher in Greenville in 2007.

GCL Sox- 127 AB’s, .339/.400/.559, 13/36 BB/K
Lowell- 12 AB’s, .083/.214/.167, 1/5 BB/K

16. Felix Doubront (P); b. 10/23/87: “The Prince” made great strides in his first year in the U.S.  Doubront was signed as an international league FA in 2004 for $150,000.  In 2005, he had a stellar season in the VSL, where he led the league with a 0.97 ERA, and was named the Sox Latin Pitcher of the Year. Pitching in the GCL in 2006, Doubront held a respectable 2.52 ERA in 53.2 IP.  Working off of a high-80’s to low-90’s fastball, he uses his advanced breaking and off-speed pitches to fool lower-level hitters.  The Sox had enough faith in him as an 18-year old to call him up to Lowell and let him face collegiate hitters.  Though he saw his ERA nearly double, the experience gave him a glimpse of what hitters will be like at the next level.  Because of his 6’2” frame, there is room for projection, and he will need his fastball to stay consistently in the lower-90’s to succeed as an innings eater at the 2 or 3 spot.  Doubront will likely start the year in Greenville as a 19-year old.

GCL Sox- 53.2 IP, 41, 36/13, 6 HR, 2.52 ERA
Lowell- 11 IP, 7 H, 7/3 K/BB, 1 HR, 4.91 ERA