|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jan 22, 2024 15:50:36 GMT -5
January 22, 2024 at 12:00 PM Fall/Winter Roundup: Koss homers as Caguas wins 21st LBPRC title
Red Sox minor league action in the winter season has come to an end with the Roberto Clemente League wrapping up its season. Caguas took home the championship.
-----
Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC) Caguas captured its 21st LBPRC championship, winning the series five games to three. It was a productive series for both Sox farmhands, as Christian Koss (pictured) played in seven of the eight games for Caguas. He went 5 for 20 with a home run, three RBI, and a stolen base. His home run and all three of his RBI came in Game Two, when Caguas exploded for 13 runs in the win. He also picked up a single and a stolen base in the eighth and final game of the series, a 4-1 Caguas win.
Left-hander Jorge Benitez appeared in four of the eight games on the mound for Caguas, totaling 4 2/3 innings pitched. He surrendered six hits, three runs, three walks, and struck out seven. In Games One and Six each, he tossed a scoreless inning with no walks and two strikeouts. He picked up the save in Game Six as well. In the final game of the series, he threw two innings and allowed one run with three strikeouts.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jan 24, 2024 12:25:31 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats 22 players are +/- 2 spots difference between the Sox Prospects Top 30 and the new Baseball America Top 30.
Castro, Dobbins, Slaten, and Rodriguez-Cruz have 3-5 spot differences.
Guerrero, Mata, Hoppe, Alcantara, Brannon, Murphy, Ascencio, and Arias appear on one of the lists. 12:47 PM · Jan 24, 2024
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 27, 2024 14:03:23 GMT -5
February 27, 2024 at 9:00 AM Fort Report: Mata injures hamstring; Anthony and Teel make spring debuts
With exhibition games already underway, the SoxProspects.com team is back with the first Fort Report of the spring. Following Monday's walk-off win over the Phillies at JetBlue Park, the Red Sox are 3-1 in Grapefruit League play and 4-1 on the spring overall after defeating Northeastern University last Friday. Because Opening Day is still more than a month away, there are still plenty of important decisions that need to be made in the coming weeks. Having said that, here is a rundown of some key things that have happened since Boston held its first full squad workout eight days ago:
Mata injured Bryan Mata (pictured, left), who is competing for a spot in the Sox' Opening Day bullpen, has been shut down from throwing due to a right hamstring strain. The right-hander sustained the injury during a fielding drill last week and will be sidelined for the time being, per manager Alex Cora.
Mata, 24, was once heralded as the premier pitching prospect in the organization but has dealt with a plethora of injuries since being added to Boston's 40-man roster in November 2020. The native Venezuelan is now out of minor-league options, meaning he must make the Red Sox' 26-man roster out of spring training or he will otherwise be exposed to waivers. To that end, he is in the same predicament as fellow righty Justin Slaten, who was acquired from the Mets following December's Rule 5 Draft.
Anthony, Teel make Grapefruit League debuts Sunday's win over the Twins at JetBlue Park provided Red Sox fans with a potential glimpse of the future, as top prospects Roman Anthony (pictured, bottom right) and Kyle Teel both appeared in a major league spring training game for the first time in their respective careers.
Anthony, Boston's starting center fielder, went 0-for-1 with two walks, a run scored, and a strikeout out of the nine-hole. Teel, meanwhile, replaced starting designated hitter Masataka Yoshida in the bottom of the sixth inning and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
Rodriguez brought back on minor-league deal Veteran reliever Joely Rodrigue was re-signed to a minor-league contract late last week. The 32-year-old lefty received an invite to major-league camp after posting a 6.55 ERA (4.71 FIP) with 14 strikeouts to six walks in 11 relief appearances (11 innings) for the Red Sox as part of an injury-riddled 2023 campaign.
In addition to Rodriguez, the Sox also have southpaws Jorge Benitez, Cam Booser, Lucas Luetge, and Helcris Olivarez in camp as non-roster invitees. At present, Boston is relatively thin when it comes to left-handed relief options. Brennan Bernardino appears to be a lock to make the team after standing out last season, but the same cannot be said for the likes of Joe Jacques, Chris Murphy, or Brandon Walter.
Hendriks signed to two-year contract On the topic of injured relievers, the Red Sox signed three-time All-Star and reigning American League Comeback Player of the Year Liam Hendriks to a two-year, $10 million contract last Tuesday. The deal includes a mutual option for 2026.
Hendriks, who recently turned 35, underwent Tommy John surgery last August and is therefore not a lock to pitch this season. As the right-hander explained to reporters in Fort Myers, however, his goal is to return to a major-league mound around the July 30 trade deadline.
Getting to know David Sandlin Last Saturday, the Red Sox traded reliever John Schreiber to the Royals for pitching prospect David Sandlin. A former 11th-round draft selection of Kansas City coming out of the University of Oklahoma in 2022, Sandlin debuted at No. 13 in our organizational prospect rankings. You can read the 23-year-old righty's scouting report in its entirety by clicking here.
Latest podcast On episode No. 305 of the SoxProspects Podcast, Ian Cundall and Chris Clegg discuss the acquisition of Sandlin as well as the signings of Hendriks and fellow rehabber Michael Fulmer. They also go through what they believe the top pitching prospects in the system need to do in order to take a step forward in their development. You can listen to the episode in its entirety by clicking here.
Key links Shane Drohan, who the Red Sox lost to the White Sox in December's Rule 5 Draft, underwent nerve-decompression surgery on his left shoulder last Thursday. The 25-year-old southpaw is expected to begin a throwing program after the end of spring training, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
After a whirlwind 2023 that saw him resume his professional baseball career, Noah Song is back with the Red Sox in Fort Myers and is vying for a spot with Double-A Portland or Triple-A Worcester to begin the 2024 season. As he recently explained to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, the 26-year-old Naval Academy product has been working to make up for lost time and development this spring.
In case you missed it, Ian went really in-depth in analyzing how the Red Sox' draft strategy has affected their ability to develop homegrown pitching as of late. It's an insightful read that is well worth your time.
Also, our annual top 60 countdown is ongoing and you can follow along on our X/Twitter feed (@soxprospects).
Minor-leaguers in major-league games Each year, we track the players who are not in major-league camp who get pulled over for MLB games. Here is the list, with current ranking in parentheses, of the 31 minor-leaguers who have been featured through the first five games of the spring:
Pitchers: Brendan Cellucci, Theo Denlinger, Jordan DiValerio, Zach Fogell, Gabriel Jackson, Nathan Landry, CJ Liu (56), Zach Penrod (39), Cody Scroggins, Dylan Spacke, Nate Tellier, Brian Van Belle, and Ryan Zeferjahn (54),
Position players: Roman Anthony (1), Alex Binelas, Kristian Campbell (47), Allan Castro (15), Juan Chacon, Nick Decker, Max Ferguson, Blaze Jordan (20), Niko Kavadas, Christian Koss, Matthew Lugo (55), Elih Marrero, Tyler McDonough (43), Tyler Miller, Eddinson Paulino (18), Phillip Sikes, Karson Simas, and Kyle Teel (3).
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 30, 2024 7:55:48 GMT -5
March 30, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Gonzalez homers twice as Worcester blows four-run Opening Day lead
3/30 Cup of Coffee: Triple-A Opening Day was on Friday, one week before the rest of the full-season affiliates. Worcester was in Pennsylvania to face Lehigh Valley and held an advantage until the bottom of the ninth, but the game unraveled quickly.
-----
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 8, Worcester Red Sox 4 Worcester had a 4-0 lead headed into the bottom of the ninth, but Lehigh Valley made it interesting as Joe Jacques entered the game. Four singles and two walks later and three runs were in for the IronPigs, with Andrew Politi responsible for putting out the fire, as the bases were still loaded and there were no outs. He walked the first hitter that he faced, then Rodolfo Castro hit a walk-off grand slam to cap off an eight-run frame. Grant Gambrell (four innings), Jorge Benitez (1 2/3 innings), Luis Guerrero (1 1/3 innings) and Brennan Bernardino (one inning) combined to throw a three-hit shutout until the final inning. Gambrell, who struck out seven, gave up all three knocks and Guerrero didn't allow a baserunner.
Eddy Alvarez opened the scoring in the fifth with a single, while Romy Gonzalez (pictured) homered twice and David Hamilton also went yard. The output opened up the four-run lead that wasn't quite big enough, as those four accounted for all of Worcester's hits.
Player of the Day: It's hard to argue with two home runs. The Red Sox claimed Romy Gonzalez off waivers in January from the White Sox. He hasn't hit for much power in the past two years, but he did go deep 24 times between Double-A and Triple-A in 2021, partially due to a fringe-average hit tool. Gonzalez was at first base on Friday night but can play all over the field, which is a big part of his value. For now, he's got half of his team's hits and RBI on the season.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 31, 2024 7:22:21 GMT -5
March 31, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Van Belle terrific on mound, Hamilton homers again
For the second straight night, Worcester was the only team in action. They grabbed their first win of the season behind a terrific pitching performance from starter Brian Van Belle (pictured)
-----
Worcester Red Sox 5, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 2 The Sox capitalized on a wild pitch from old friend Austin Brice in the ninth inning to take the lead. Nick Sogard singled later in the frame to drive in a pair of insurance runs. David Hamilton belted a home run for the second consecutive night, while right fielder Mark Contreras singled, walked, and stole two more bases to give him three thefts on the year already. Chase Meidroth also singled, walked, and scored a pair of runs.
Brian Van Belle was outstanding in his first start of 2024, tossing five shutout innings with no walks and six strikeouts. Zack Kelly threw a clean sixth inning, while Cam Booser ran into a bit of trouble. He surrendered two earned runs over two innings but punched out four without issuing a free pass. Chase Shugart picked up the save with a shutout ninth inning to seal Worcester's first victory of 2024.
Player of the Day: Brian Van Belle gets the nod after five terrific innings. Between Portland and Worcester last season, he appeared in 27 games (25 starts) and had a 4.46 ERA.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 1, 2024 8:16:00 GMT -5
April 1, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Hickey crushes first Triple-A homer as Worcester earns series win
The WooSox were yet again the only one of Boston's minor-league affiliates in action on Sunday. Thanks to some timely hitting from the likes of Nick Sogard, Nathan Hickey (pictured), and Romy Gonzalez, they ended the weekend on a positive note.
-----
Worcester Red Sox 6, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 2 The WooSox closed out the first weekend of the Triple-A season by picking up a series victory over the IronPigs on Sunday afternoon. Romy Gonzalez recorded his second multi-hit game in three tries, going 2 for 5 with a double and two-run triple out of the three-hole. Leadoff man Nick Sogard, meanwhile, went 1 for 4 with a walk and go-ahead RBI single. Batting between Sogard, and Gonzalez, Nathan Hickey crushed a 435-foot two-run shot in the fourth inning for his first home run of the year. Corey Rosier, Dalton Guthrie, and Eddy Alvarez each doubled while Niko Kavadas drew a team-high two walks.
Jason Alexander got the start for Worcester on the mound and was solid in his organizational debut. The veteran right-hander went the first four innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, zero walks, and four strikeouts. Both of those runs came on a two-run homer off the bat of Kody Clemens in the bottom of the third. In relief of Alexander, Justin Hagenman picked up where he left off in Fort Myers by fanning two of the nine batters he faced over three perfect frames to ultimately earn the winning decision. Lucas Luetge and Andrew Politi then combined for two more scoreless innings to end it.
At 2-1, the WooSox will now return to Worcester for their home opener against the Buffalo Bisons at Polar Park on Tuesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. eastern time.
-----
Player of the Day: Nathan Hickey recorded both the first hit and home run of his Triple-A career on Sunday. The 24-year-old also made his first start of the season at catcher after going 0 for 4 while serving as Worcester's designated hitter on Friday. He is currently ranked as the No. 17 prospect in the organization.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 3, 2024 8:58:23 GMT -5
April 3, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Criswell delivers five scoreless in first outing
The WooSox were again the only game of the day, falling to 2-2 in their home opener. Cooper Criswell (pictured) was the bright spot, turning in a terrific outing for his first start of the season. The bullpen was also great for Worcester in the loss.
-----
Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 2, Worcester Red Sox 0 (10 innings) Cooper Criswell made his organizational debut and followed the lead of all of Boston's starters at the big league level. The right-hander tossed five shutout innings on 74 pitches. He only allowed four hits and one walk while punching out five. Our own Ian Cundall was in attendance and noted Criswell's deceptive delivery and the use of a promising sweeper. Joe Jacques and Zack Kelly each tossed a scoreless frame, with Kelly touching 96 MPH on his fastball. Lefty Jorge Benitez was also great on the mound, throwing two innings without allowing a hit, walk, or run. He struck out three. At the plate, the Sox' bats were silenced, picking up just two hits in 10 innings. Romy Gonzalez singled and has now hit safely in three of his first four games this year. Mark Contreras had the other knock, a single.
-----
Player of the Day: Cooper Criswell gets the nod in his first Triple-A start with the Red Sox. Acquired as a free agent in December, the 27-year old Criswell spent last season with Tampa Bay. He was with Triple-A Durham for the whole season and posted a 3.93 ERA in 84 2/3 frames. He struck out 80 with 23 walks and a 1.30 WHIP. He had a nice spring training as well in 2024, posting a 2.95 ERA with 17 strikeouts and three walks in 18 1/3 innings.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 4, 2024 11:18:18 GMT -5
April 4, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Fitts' 2024 debut postponed due to weather
4/4 Cup of Coffee: The only minor-league game scheduled for Wednesday was postponed due to rain and sleet in the Worcester area. Richard Fitts (pictured), acquired from the Yankees in December's Alex Verdugo trade, was in line to make his organizational debut but that will now have to wait.
-----
Buffalo Bisons (TOR), Worcester Red Sox (PPD) As previously mentioned, Wednesday's contest between Buffalo and Worcester at Polar Park was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a single-admission, seven-inning doubleheader beginning at 3:35 pm Eastern Time on Friday afternoon. The two sides are slated to play a single game on Thursday, though the forecast does not look promising.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 5, 2024 7:50:04 GMT -5
April 5, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Nope, weather still stinks
4/5 Cup of Coffee: Miserable weather caused Worcester to be postponed for a second consecutive day. However, rain nor snow nor even fog has stopped the intrepid SoxProspects.com team, which published its season-opening rankings.
Friday should see some baseball action. Worcester's attempt at a doubleheader appears fraught, as does Portland's opening day at Hadlock Field. However, the Greenville Drive, featuring fast-rising Kristian Campbell (pictured), and the Salem Red Sox both appear in good shape to kick off their seasons.
Photo Credit: Kristian Campbell by Kelly O'Connor
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2024 8:53:45 GMT -5
April 6, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Minor League Opening Day
Cup of Coffee 4/6: It was Opening Day for the rest of the full-season affiliates, though Portland isn't going to play until at least Sunday with winter weather rolling through coastal Maine. Worcester was able to clear its field to play a frigid doubleheader, while both of the Single-A affiliates went into extra innings in their first games. Romy Gonzalez had five RBI in Game 1 for Worcester, while each of the Garcias in Salem had multi-hit efforts, as well.
-----
Worcester Red Sox 9, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 7 (7 innings) In the first half of a chilly doubleheader in Worcester, the Red Sox withstood a six-run seventh to come away with the victory as Nathan Luke's grand slam wasn't enough. Five of the runs went on Lucas Luetge's tab, while it was AJ Politi who surrendered the big fly. Richard Fitts performed admirably as a starter, scattering six hits and an unearned run over 4 1/3 innings of work. He walked two and struck out three. Offensively, Worcester recorded just seven hits but worked eight walks to help facilitate scoring. Romy Gonzalez was 2 for 3 with a triple and a grand slam of his own, while Eddy Alvarez and David Hamilton reached base three times.
Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 5, Worcester Red Sox 0 (7 Innings) The Bisons pitching staff cleaned up the free passes and the runs dried up for the Red Sox, resulting in a shutout in the second half of the twin bill. Buffalo burst out for a 5-0 lead after the top of the third and all five went on Grant Gambrell's ledger, but he battled to contribute five innings of work. Chase Shugart and Luis Guerrero each had one walk and one strikeout in a hitless frame. Nathan Hickey had two of his team's six hits, all of which were singles.
-----
Portland Sea Dogs vs. Hartford Yard Goats, PPD (Weather) Hadlock Field was covered in snow, which made for unplayable conditions. Saturday's matchup has already been moved, as well.
-----
Greenville Drive 5, Greensboro Grasshoppers (PIT) 3 (10 Innings) The Grasshoppers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one inning, but Greenville clawed back and won it with a pair of runs in extra innings. All three runs were charged to Luis Perales and the bullpen combined for just two hits allowed over nine shutout innings. Nathan Landry, Conor Steinbaugh, Caleb Bolden and Jonathan Brand each held it down for the Drive. Ahbram Liendo had three hits, including a three-bagger, while he was joined in the multi-hit club by Juan Chacon and Ronald Rosario. Luis Ravelo also knocked a two-run homer in the 10th to secure the win.
-----
Carolina Mudcats (MIL) 6, Salem Red Sox 4 (10 Innings) None of the four games on the day went the standard length, as Salem scored a run in the 10th, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback. Johanfran Garcia was the headliner offensively with a 3-for-4 performance, including a double. Jhonstynxon Garcia had two hits as well. The start went to Matt Duffy and Carolina scored a pair of runs over his 3 1/3-inning outing on three hits and a pair of walks. In relief, Zach Fogell and Denis Regullio each had a scoreless appearance.
Player of the Day: A grand slam makes for a pretty big day, especially when paired with a triple. That's the kind of day Romy Gonzalez had, doing so in just seven innings for Worcester in a win. Coming to Worcester in January by way of the White Sox system, Gonzalez showed off his power/speed combination on Friday with the seven total bases. That's valuable and the speed in particular is helpful for a player who can play several different positions.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 7, 2024 10:44:29 GMT -5
April 7, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Early terrific for Greenville; Bleis shows his patience
4/7 Cup of Coffee: All three affiliates struggled on Saturday, with each pitching staff allowing at least six runs. Brian Van Belle could not follow up on his great season debut, and Elmer Rodriguez only lasted three innings for Salem. Connelly Early (pictured) was terrific for Greenville, though the bullpen let that game slip away late.
-----
Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 10, Worcester Red Sox 6 Two more hits from Romy Gonzalez paced the offense, but the pitching staff struggled to find the strike zone in a loss to Buffalo. Brian Van Belle lasted only 3 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks. Justin Hagenman was tagged for four runs over two innings, and Joe Jacques allowed one run on three walks over 1 1/3 innings. Zack Kelly was the only pitcher to hold Buffalo scoreless, but he also issued three walks in two innings.
The game's most exciting play was Mark Contreras stealing home as part of a double steal with Jamie Westbrook. Niko Kavadas reached base three times with a single and two walks, and Nathan Hickey went 2 for 5. The WooSox played one man short as David Hamilton traveled to Anaheim to join the big league club after Trevor Story injured his shoulder.
-----
Hartford Yard Goats (COL) @ Portland Sea Dogs, PPD (snow) As previously announced, Saturday's game was postponed due to snow that fell earlier in the week. They are expected to begin their season on Sunday.
-----
Greensboro Grasshoppers (PIT) 6, Greenville Drive 5 Reidis Sena allowed six runs in relief, including a walk-off three-run home run, as the Drive dropped to 1-1. Starter Connelly Early was dominant, retiring the first nine batters as he cruised through four scoreless innings. He allowed just one single and one walk while striking out six. Cooper Adams kept Greensboro off the board in his three innings before turning the ball over to Sena. On offense, Caden Rose made the most of his professional debut going 1 for 4 with a solo home run. Ronald Rosario went 2 for 4 with a double, and Karson Simas went 1 for 3 with a double, walk, and a stolen base.
-----
Carolina Mudcats (MIL) 6, Salem Red Sox 2 Salem managed just four hits as they fell to 0-2. Elmer Rodriguez had a shaky start to his season, allowing three runs on seven hits over three innings. He walked three and struck out four. Nathanael Cruz was excellent in relief, striking out three over two shutout innings. Francis Hernandez struck out six over four innings but allowed three runs on three hits.
Leadoff batter Miguel Bleis worked three walks as part of an 0-for-1 night that also saw him swipe his first base. Johanfran Garcia went 1 for 4 and drove in a run, and Albert Feliz had a single and a sacrifice fly.
-----
Player of the Day: Connelly Early needed just 55 pitches to get through four shutout frames in Greenville's loss to Greensboro. Boston's fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft out of the University of Virginia, Early is currently the 47th-ranked prospect in the system. The 6-foot-3 left-hander has a potential plus changeup while mixing in a curveball and cutter to accompany his low-90s fastball.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2024 9:50:08 GMT -5
April 8, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Bastardo and Criswell impress on mound; Big Three debuts in Portland
4/8 Cup of Coffee: Though the big-league club secured a series win in Anaheim, Boston's minor-league affiliates struggled again on Sunday and went 0-4 as a group. Despite getting another strong start from Cooper Criswell (pictured), Worcester dropped its third straight to Buffalo. After getting snowed out on Friday and Saturday, Portland was shut out by Hartford in its season opener as Roman Anthony accounted for two of the Sea Dogs' three hits. Elsewhere, Greenville fell to Greensboro in a rubber match while Albert Feliz hit his first home run of the year in a losing effort for Salem.
-----
Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 10, Worcester Red Sox 5 Cooper Criswell was solid yet again in his second start of the season for Worcester. The 27-year-old righty allowed just one earned run on four hits, two walks, two hit batsmen, and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings of work. Of the 82 pitches he threw, 50 went for strikes and 11 were whiff-inducing. Out of the WooSox bullpen, Chase Shugart and Brennan Bernardino combined to surrender nine runs (eight earned) in just 1 1/3 innings. On the flip side, Lucas Luetge and Andrew Politi put together 2 1/3 scoreless frames of relief.
Tyler Heineman led the way offensively by going 4 for 4 with one walk and one run scored out of the eight-hole. Niko Kavadas drew a team-high two walks and made his only hit of the day count by crushing a 389-foot two-run blast in the ninth inning for his first homer of the season. Eddy Alvarez also hit his first home run in a WooSox uniform while Jamie Westbrook doubled and scored a run as part of a 2 for 5 effort. Mark Contreras, who went 0 for 4 with a walk, stole his seventh base of the year to put himself in a three-way tie for the second-most in the International League thus far.
-----
Hartford Yard Goats (COL) 1, Portland Sea Dogs 0 Angel Bastardo was the tough-luck loser for the Sea Dogs on Opening Day at Hadlock Field. The 21-year-old right-hander was impressive in his 2024 debut, yielding only one earned run on two walks and three strikeouts over five strong innings. He retired the final seven batters he faced in order and finished with 67 pitches (44 strikes). In relief of Bastardo, Theo Denlinger and Christopher Troye each amassed two scoreless frames out of the Portland bullpen. Together, they gave up just one hit and three strikeouts while recording seven punchouts.
The top third of Portland's starting lineup featured the top three prospects in the organization. Playing in an affiliated game together for the first time, Roman Anthony went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles and two strikeouts, Marcelo Mayer went 1 for 4 with a double and stolen base, and Kyle Teel went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Additionally, Blaze Jordan was hit by a pitch while Eddinson Paulino, Mickey Gasper, and Tyler McDonough each drew a walk.
-----
Greensboro Grasshoppers (PIT) 7, Greenville Drive 2 Ronald Rosario paced the Greenville lineup on Sunday by going 2 for 4 with an RBI double out of the cleanup spot. Bryan Gonzalez also drove in a run with a fourth-inning RBI single that plated Eduardo Lopez. Like Gonzalez, leadoff man Cutter Coffey went 1 for 4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Miguel Ugueto swiped his first bag of the year as well, though he and Tyler Miller both committed throwing errors.
Hayden Mullins got the start for Greenville in his High-A debut. The 23-year-old lefty went the first 2 2/3 innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit, three walks, one hit batsman, and two strikeouts. Only 29 of the 60 pitches he threw went for strikes. Out of the Drive bullpen, Gabriel Jackson and Cade Feeney were both tagged for three runs (all three of Jackson's runs were unearned). Jonathan Brand, on the other hand, struck out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect bottom of the eighth.
-----
Carolina Mudcats (MIL) 10, Salem Red Sox 7 A five-run eighth inning went for naught as Salem was unable to avoid getting swept by Carolina. Luis Cohen had a difficult time of things in his full-season debut, surrendering five runs (four earned) on six hits, one walk, and three strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings. Max Carlson did not fare much better, as he too allowed five runs (three earned) in 2 1/3 innings. After Denis Reguillo recorded the final out of the fifth, though, Austin Ehrlicher and Jojo Ingrassia combined for four scoreless frames of relief in their respective professional debuts.
Miguel Bleis and Albert Feliz accounted for Salem's only extra-base hits on Sunday. The former went 1 for 5 with a double and run scored while the latter went 1 for 3 with a walk and three-run home run for his first big fly of the year. Marvin Alcantara reached base twice and drove in two runs. Jhostynxon Garcia did not record a hit but he walked, stole a base, and scored a run. Antonio Anderson also drew a walk and scored one run while Nelly Taylor collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly.
-----
Player of the Day: He may have been saddled with the losing decision, but Cooper Criswell still put forth another fine outing for Worcester at Polar Park on Sunday. Through two starts for the WooSox now, the North Carolina product owns a 0.87 ERA with nine strikeouts to three walks over 10 1/3 innings in which he has held opposing hitters to a .229 batting average against. He could be in consideration for a call-up soon if the Red Sox opt to go with a six-man rotation for a stretch of 13 games in 13 days from April 9-21.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 9, 2024 7:50:17 GMT -5
April 9, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Alexander eclipses Mets with six no-hit innings
4/9 Cup of Coffee: The WooSox were the only team in action as part of a rare Monday contest to celebrate the path of the solar eclipse through Syracuse. Jason Alexander (pictured) had a cosmically dominant performance, departing after six non-hit innings and supported by a Nathan Hickey-led nine-run outburst.
-----
Worcester Red Sox 9, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 0 The Syracuse Mets hosted a solar eclipse party and then played as though the sun remained in darkness. Jason Alexander went six innings without allowing a hit, striking out seven against two walks in his second Worcester outing. Jorge Benitez followed with a perfect seventh before allowing the Mets first hit with one out in the eighth inning. Luis Guerrero finished off the one-hitter, striking out one in a scoreless ninth.
Alexander had plenty of support from the WooSox lineup, notably from designated hitter Nathan Hickey. Hickey blasted a solo home run in the first as part of a 2-for-5 effort. Chase Meidroth singled, walked, and stole a base, and Tyler Heineman scored three times, drawing a pair of walks and getting hit by a pitch.
-----
Player of the Day: The sky was angry on Monday as The Path of Totality passed overhead, and it felt the presence of Jason Alexander. The veteran righthander was unhittable in his second WooSox start, needing just 71 pitches (48 for strikes) to get through his six hitless frames. Signed as a minor league free agent to provide innings in the Worcester rotation, Alexander has struck out 11 and allowed only three hits in 10 innings across his first two starts.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 10, 2024 13:24:06 GMT -5
April 10, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Anthony, Mayer, Teel all notch multi-hit games
4/10 Cup of Coffee: The big three prospects at the top of Portland's lineup, Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kyle Teel (pictured), all had big nights at the plate, leading to eight Sea Dogs runs in a tough loss to Reading. Kristian Campbell went deep in Greenville's loss, and Salem rode three good pitching performances to a win.
-----
Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) 9, Portland Sea Dogs 8 The Sea Dogs' studs at the top of the lineup had a big offensive showing in this one. Leadoff hitter and number one prospect Roman Anthony went 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. Marcelo Mayer had a couple hits as well to go along with a walk and a sacrifice fly. Anthony and Mayer each have an OPS north of 1.000 to begin the season. Kyle Teel had a big night as well, going 2 for 4 with a double, a walk, and three RBI. Nick Yorke, who started in left field for the first time in his career, added three hits of his own, including a double.
Wikelman Gonzalez really struggled with his control in his first start of the season, walking five over two innings. The right-hander allowed three runs and struck out just one. Jacob Webb had a solid outing out of the bullpen, allowing just one run on a solo shot over two innings of work. He struck out two and did not walk anybody. Brendan Cellucci also got the only two hitters he faced out.
-----
Bowling Green Hot Rods (TB) 7, Greenville Drive 3 Dalton Rogers made his season-debut and had a very up-and-down outing. The lefty walked five and allowed four runs over 3 2/3 frames, but struck out six and gave up just two hits. Conor Steinbaugh had a good outing out of the bullpen with 2 1/3 shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts. Caleb Bolden also fared well with 1 2/3 scoreless frames with two strikeouts of his own. At the plate, Kristian Campbell belted a solo home run, his first of the year. Allan Castro also doubled and drove in a run, while Ronald Rosario and Eduardo Lopez each picked up a couple of singles.
-----
Salem Red Sox 4, Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 2 After falling behind 2-0, RBI singles from Miguel Bleis and Antonio Anderson in the fifth inning got the Sox back into it. In the seventh, Marvin Alcantara walked with the bases loaded for what proved to be the game-winning RBI. Anderson, Johanfran Garcia, and Nelly Taylor all had multiple-hit games, while Andy Lugo doubled and scored a run. Taylor swiped two bases as well. Jedixson Paez made his first start of the campaign and pitched well, allowing two runs (one earned) in four innings. He surrendered eight hits, but walked none and punched out five. The bullpen was great as well, starting with Zach Fogell, who did not allow a run over 2 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Isaac Stebens finished off the final 2 1/3 frames without allowing a run or a walk with four strikeouts.
-----
Player of the Day: Kyle Teel gets the nod, reaching base three times with a single, double, and a walk, while driving in three runs. The 2023 first round catcher posted an OPS north of .930 at all three levels he played in last season. Over 26 games combined, he hit .363/.482/.495.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 11, 2024 11:31:02 GMT -5
April 11, 2024 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Sandlin debuts in Greenville; Tucker ignites Salem's late rally
4/11 Cup of Coffee: Boston's minor-league affiliates went 1-3 on Wednesday. Naoyuki Uwasawa debuted and Nathan Hickey homered again as Worcester fell to Syracuse. Matthew Lugo and Phillip Sikes each had two hits in Portland's loss to Reading. David Sandlin was charged with the losing decision in his first start for Greenville. Jhostynxon Garcia, Nelly Taylor (pictured), and Natanael Yuten enjoyed multi-hit performances as Salem defeated Delmarva.
-----
Syracuse Mets (NYM) 3, Worcester Red Sox 2 Naoyuki Uwasaka made his first start for Worcester on Wednesday night. The Japanese right-hander allowed three earned runs on four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts over five innings. He finished with 79 pitches (52 strikes). Zack Kelly and Cam Booser combined for five punchouts across three scoreless frames of relief. Both of Worcester's runs came by way of the long ball. Nathan Hickey went deep for the second straight game and the third time this season as part of a 1 for 3 showing. Nick Sogard also homered in the top of the sixth for his lone hit of the contest. Mark Contreras went 2 for 4 with a double.
-----
Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) 5, Portland Sea Dogs 1 Isaac Coffey lasted 4 2/3 innings in his season debut for Portland. The 23-year-old righty surrendered four runs (three earned) on four hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. Ryan Zeferjahn also made his first appearance of the year and scattered a pair of hits while striking out three over two scoreless frames of relief. Matthew Lugo provided the only offense for the Sea Dogs by clubbing a solo homer in the top of the third. Both he and Phillip Sikes had two hits in the loss.
-----
Bowling Green Hot Rods (TB) 5, Greenville Drive 1 David Sandlin went just 2 2/3 innings in his organizational debut at Fluor Field. The No. 12 prospect in the system yielded four runs (three earned) on four hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Half of those runs came on a two-run homer in the top of the third. Jonathan Brand and Cade Feeney impressed out of the bullpen, combining for four punchouts over four scoreless, no-hit innings. Juan Chacon led the way offensively, going 1 for 2 with a triple, a walk, a run scored, and one stolen base. Luis Ravelo also doubled in the losing effort.
-----
Salem Red Sox 9, Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 5 Noah Dean was sharp in his first start of the season for Salem. The 23-year-old southpaw struck out six and walked only two over four scoreless, no-hit innings. He finished with 55 pitches (39 strikes) and induced 13 whiffs. Royman Blanco was credited with the winning decision after recording the final five outs of the contest without surrendering a run.
Jhostynxon Garcia went 2 for 4 and opened the scoring for the Red Sox by mashing his first home run of the year. Nelly Taylor also drove in a pair of runs as part of a 2 for 4 showing in which he stole a base. Stanley Tucker doubled in a pair of runs while Natanael Yuten scored one run on two singles. Miguel Bleis recorded a two-run triple, scored a run, drew a walk, stole a base, and threw out a runner at third base from center field.
-----
Player of the Day: Following Wednesday's 2 for 4 performance, Nelly Taylor is now riding a four-game hitting streak for Salem that has bumped his batting average up to .316 to start his first full professional season. Selected by Boston in the 11th round of last year's draft out of Polk State College, Taylor is currently ranked as the No. 50 prospect in the organization.
|
|