Boston Red Sox 2024 International Review

Carlos Carrasquel, 3B, Venezuela: Carrasquel grew to 6-foot-4, 195 pounds at 17 and signed with the Red Sox for $590,000. His size, power and potential to translate that power in games stood out as an amateur. It’s solid-average raw power, and with how big he projects to be, there should be bigger exit velocities on the way. It probably ends up a power-over-hit profile, but it’s a sound swing for his age that he doesn’t have to sell out to generate that power. Carrasquel spent time both at shortstop and third base as an amateur but will start his career at third. He has the hands and average arm strength to handle third base, but with how massive he might get, there’s a chance he could end up in the outfield or at first base. 

Dalvinson Reyes, RHP, Dominican Republic: Reyes has the traits scouts typically gravitate to when looking for a young, projectable starting pitcher. He’s 6-foot-5, 200 pounds at 17 with a smooth, low-effort delivery, good arm action and throws a lot of strikes with a fastball that has been up to 92 mph. He has easy mechanics and the look of a pitcher who should throw significantly harder and could still hold a lot more weight. He has huge hands and feel for manipulating his secondary stuff as well with both his slider and changeup. Reyes signed for $450,000.

Edwin Brito, OF, Dominican Republic: Brito, 17, signed for $450,000. He has a strong, stocky build (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) and can whistle the barrel through the zone with above-average bat speed. He’s a righthanded hitter with above-average power, and while some scouts had swing-and-miss concerns, others thought he made enough contact with an approach that should allow him to tap into that power in games especially early on in his career. Brito has a thicker build but runs better than his build suggests with average speed, but he’s most likely ticketed for a corner with an above-average arm that should put him in right field. 

Anderson Fermin, SS/OF, Dominican Republic: Fermin, signed for $400,000, was one of the best athletes in the Dominican Republic. He’s a plus-plus runner whose explosiveness shows up both with his legs and with his hand speed in the batter’s box. At 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, Fermin has a solid swing from both sides of the plate for 17 with gap power that could move up given his bat speed. Fermin’s strengths lie more in his tools and explosion than his polish, with the premium athleticism that should allow him to play somewhere up the middle whether it’s at shortstop, second base or center field. 

Justin Gonzales, OF/1B, Dominican Republic: The first thing that sticks out with Gonzalez is his massive size for a 17-year-old at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds. Gonzales trained as an outfielder but has already moved to first base since signing for $250,000, but he has the power for the position. It’s plus raw power now and has the look of a future 70 tool on the 20-80 scouting scale. There is some rawness to his righthanded swing mechanics, but he could develop into an aggressive, physical slugger in the mold of Franmil Reyes. As a first baseman, Gonzales won’t have many chances to show it off, but he has a plus-plus arm. 

Tavano Baker, OF, Bahamas: The Red Sox signed a trio of players from the Bahamas in this class, with Baker the most notable at $200,000. He was a smaller, skinny player early in the scouting process, growing to a wiry 5-foot-11, 160 pounds with a chance for his tools to keep getting better with more strength. He’s a fluid, quick-twitch athlete who glides around center field with ease as a plus runner and the look of a player who might get faster. Baker could develop into a plus defender and has already made standout plays in Dominican Summer League preseason action, including one where he jumped over the fence to rob a home run. Baker hasn’t faced a ton of advanced pitching in the Bahamas, so he will need more reps at the plate, but he’s a lefty with a fluid swing and occasional doubles pop. 

Shnaider Rojas, RHP, Venezuela: Rojas is 6 feet, 170 pounds with a lot of athleticism and quickness to his actions on the mound. Signed at 17 for $175,000, Rojas has a fast arm that suggests more velocity to come on a fastball that has been up to 92 mph and a curveball that’s ahead of his changeup. 

Juan Medina, RHP, Venezuela: Medina, 17, signed for $140,000. He’s 5-foot-11, 190 pounds with a thick lower half, which isn’t the classic long, lean projection build for a pitcher, but he has the look of a player who could still pack on significant size and eventually throw in the mid-to-upper 90s. Medina gets into his legs with his drop-and-drive delivery to throw a fastball that’s up to 92 mph now and shows feel to spin a curveball. 

Christopher Alvarado, SS, Venezuela: Alvarado isn’t that big (5-foot-10, 160 pounds) but he does generate big bat speed from the right side with a knack for putting the ball in play. It’s a hit-over-power profile, but that bat speed allows Alvarado generates some sneaky pop for his size and at 16 he’s on the younger end of the class, so there could be more extra-base damage in his future. His approach is advanced for his age and he uses the whole field. Alvarado will play somewhere in the infield, with the hands and athleticism to start out at shortstop, but he could move around to second and third base as well. He signed for $135,000. 

Jesus Lugo, OF, Dominican Republic: Signed for $125,000, Lugo is a 17-year-old center fielder who jumps out for his athleticism. He’s a plus runner with an average arm. There’s still some rawness to his game and unorthodox components at the plate, but he’s an explosive player with fast bat speed and potential above-average power as he fills out his 6-foot, 170-pound frame. 

Sleeper Watch

Shortstop Avinson Pinto is a skinny 5-foot-11, 150 pounds and just turned 17 at the end of May, so he didn’t get a ton of attention as an amateur player before he signed for $25,000. He’s a lively, athletic shortstop with plus speed and a talented fielder who has soft hands and nimble footwork. He’s an intelligent player with a short swing from the left side and doubles power. 

One of the other Red Sox signings to watch from the Bahamas this year is Edwin Darville, a shortstop who got $100,000. He’s 5-foot-9, 165 pounds at 17 with short arms that help him keep his lefthanded swing compact with loft and sneaky pop for his size because of his bat speed. Darville hasn’t faced much advanced pitching yet in the Bahamas, so he might need more time for everything to click, but he has offensive components to like. Darville trained as a shortstop but could see more time at second base, with an outfield corner another potential landing spot.