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| (Photo Source: Boston Globe) |
Much of the talk coming into the 2015 season revolved around the surplus of outfield depth the Red Sox were carrying on their roster.
What was not mentioned as frequently was the tremendous amount of infield talent Boston possesses in its minor league ranks, specifically at Single-A, especially after signing international free-agent Yoan Moncada to a $31.5 million deal back in early March.
Moncada is currently Boston’s highest-rated prospect, ranked seventh in all of baseball by MLB.com. The young second baseman spent the beginning of the season in extended spring training. Since being assigned to Greenville on May 18, he has hit just .229/.311/.321 with only seven extra-base hits. However, it should come as no surprise to anyone that such a young man would need a little extra time to fully transition.
“I was excited to get out of Fort Myers and play [live games],” Moncada told BaseballProspectus.com through his translator. “Since then, I’m just trying to get better and get used to everything.”
Greenville boasts not just one but two top-100 MLB prospects in their infield. There's also 18-year-old Dominican born third baseman Rafael Devers, who is currently ranked 80th. The Red Sox signed Devers as an international free-agent in 2013.
Devers has looked impressive in 62 games for the Drive this season, slashing .306/.372/.479 with five home runs, 19 doubles, 40 runs scored and 36 RBI. Devers will represent the Red Sox in the MLB All-Star Futures Game on July 12 alongside Manuel Margot.
His offensive approach has even garnered comparisons to All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano.
"In terms of the swing itself, I've heard people comp him to Robinson Cano,” Greenville manager Darren Fenster said in an interview with WEEI.com. "Just with the whip that he has from the left side and the path that he has.”
Not listed as one of MLB’s top-100 prospects, but ranked 10th in Boston’s organization by SoxProspects.com, is 19-year old Michael Chavis. Chavis was selected 26th overall by the Red Sox in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Sprayberry High School in Marietta, GA.
Although his slash line of .207/.267/.356 leaves something to be desired, Chavis has shown some ability to drive the ball by slugging six home runs and 13 doubles in his 56 games this season, including a walk-off double in his Greenville debut.
"It [was] a great sign for a kid who, this is his first game under the lights, and to have him come up with the game on the line in the ninth, for him to have the ability to stay calm under pressure and come through with a good at-bat — he smoked a ball that was a couple of feet from being a home run," Fenster told MiLB.com back in April.
With three of Boston’s top-10 prospects just beginning to get their feet wet in the minors and many questions surrounding the Red Sox infield in the seasons moving forward, it should be exciting watching these and several other infield prospects journey through the minors for the next few seasons.
— Forrest Mulheron
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