Lining Up The Minors

With the big club both playing well and actually being interesting the minors have been under the Walter O’Reilly (IYKYK) a bit.  But as with the big club the early returns are relatively positive down on the farm.  Let’s take a moment to look at the state of things there.

1B - Niko Kavadas - AA - .220/.404/.317 - As stat lines go that is definitely one.  In 109 PA Kavadas has got 64 TTO events; 38K, 24BB and 2 homers.  The K:BB rate is good but to find success the long ball is going to have to be part of Kavadas’ game.  Last year it was, this year it has not been.

2B - Nick Yorke - AA - .273./.405/.485 - So far so good with a revamped swing for the highly touted Yorke.  He has improved across the board flashing considerably more power with his ISO trending; .104—.133—.212 and improved his plate discipline considerably.  I think he is firmly reestablishing himself as a legitimate prospect who may be in the infield mix come 2024.

3B - Blaze Jordan - Hi A - .301/.360/.534 - The selection of Yorke in the first round was seen by many as a means to buy out Jordan with the third round pick.  Jordan is very much a high ceiling/low floor type.  So far the youngster (he doesn’t turn 21 until a week before Christmas) has been very good.  He’s not a guy who generates huge K rates despite his power profile but he hasn’t really translated the power into games prior to this season.  However with 5 homers already this year and 9 in 51 games at Hi A he is starting to find it.

SS - David Hamilton - AAA - .292/.372/.533 - OK so here’s the thing.  I’m assuming that if you are reading this you are already at least conversent in what Marcelo Mayer is doing (tl;dr - hitting the bejeezus out of the baseball).  With that in mind I figured I’d look at a guy who in my opinion probably belongs in Boston sooner than later.  Hamilton isn’t a particularly young, hotshot type prospect (he turns 26 in late September) but he is producing offensively including 7 homers and his speed remains a potent weapon with 20 steals in 24 attempts over 31 games.  His defense is a question mark and with Jarren Duran raking I don’t think the Sox need to push him into the lineup but at some point I’d rather carry a guy who can do a lot of things like Hamilton rather than a guy like Bobby Dalbec who on his best days is a bit limited.

OF - Miguel Bleis - Lo A - .259/.315/.370 - Quite possibly the highest ceiling prospect the Sox currently have and so far he is doing well in his first full season league.  There are warts to be worked out notably the power has yet to come to Salem, VA but the speed has arrived with 11 steals.  What he’s doing right now is continuing to progress and build on the 2022 season that landed him on most people’s top 100 lists.

OF - Ceddanne Rafaela - AA - .236/.263/.327 - Nope, still can’t spell it without checking (forgot an “N”).  Anyway, unlike Bleis he has not yet built on his outstanding 2022 season.  AA is often a spot where the men and the boys separate and it seems that Rafaela’s plate discipline is being exposed.  He has played a bit of shortstop (4 starts) to go with his time in center and it is likely that his profile works better as a utility player.

OF - Roman Anthony - Lo A - .234/.380/.299 - SoxProspects calls the 2022 second rounder an “intriguing power prospect” but so far he has not tapped into that.  To put his age into perspective two days after he was born Kevin Youkilis hit his first MLB home run so he’s definitely a project.

C - Nathan Hickey - AA - .303/.407/.566 - Most of his performance this year has been Hi A based with his AA call up just happening on Tuesday.  He’s a slugging catcher with a questionable defensive portrait.  I guess the dream is kind of a Mickey Tettleton type.  He slugged 16 homers in 328 PA last year and has 4 in 82 this year so he’s bringing the pop.  If he stays behind the plate he’s probably got a future.  Probably won’t hit enough to be a corner infielder.

RHP - Bryan Mata - AAA - So far Mata has had a tough time with more BB than K (27-26) and a 5.61 ERA.  He left his start on Wednesday with a sore shoulder and is expected to miss a few weeks.

LHP - Shane Drohan - AA - The 2020 5th rounder has been tearing it up in Portland so far.  In six starts he has 36 K to just 9 walks and a 1.32 ERA all of which is just flat out stupid.  He has put himself on the fast track.

Others;

- Noah Song still has not pitched for the Phillies at any level and news about him is impossible to find.

- 2023 first rounder Mikey Romero is rehabbing in Fort Myers and has yet to see game action.

- 2022 fourth rounder Chase Meidroth has just been promoted to Portland.  It will be interesting to see how the Seadogs manage both he and Yorke.  The first couple of games have seen Meidroth at third base.

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