Deven Marrero

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #8 prospect in 2016
  After he spent the second half of 2014 at Triple-A Pawtucket, Marrero returned there in 2015. Though he did make some strides, he didn't show the offensive step forward that many anticipated in repeating his level. Nonetheless, he continued to show standout defense at shortstop and in his first career exposure to second and third base. Marrero still represents a special defensive infielder who shows aptitude, instincts and an excellent clock in the field. His feel for the game, rather than pure athleticism or speed, makes him an impact defender at a position where offense is a bonus. At the plate, even with modest offensive results in 2015, scouts saw a diminished hitch and quieter approach that allowed his hands--the strength of his game on both offense and defense--to track the ball for respectable contact. Marrero won't be confused for a power hitter, but evaluators see a player with at least the ceiling of a valuable utility player, with the possibility that he'll deliver enough offense to sustain a place at the bottom of the lineup. With Xander Bogaerts entrenched as Red Sox shortstop, Marrero's future role in Boston probably is utility infielder--or trade chip to a team seeking a defensive upgrade at shortstop. Safe
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #9 prospect in 2015
  A down offensive year as a junior caused Marrero to fall to the Sox with the No. 24 pick of the 2012 draft, and in an injury-filled 2013 season, it appeared that his struggles at Arizona State might have been a harbinger. But after spending the final month of 2013 in Double-A without a single extra-base hit, a healthy Marrero showed far greater offensive impact--including some pop--in repeating in Portland. Marrero's calling card is his defense, where he combines standout range to both sides (the result of positioning and instincts as opposed to speed) with tremendously consistent hands and a strong throwing arm to create a potential Gold Glove defensive package. Offensively, most view him as a future bottom-of-the-order hitter but with a respectable floor given his ability to keep the barrel in the zone and line the ball from gap to gap with the occasional ability to turn on a pitch and drive it. He has required adjustment time in his transitions between levels, but he's also shown the aptitude to adjust. Marrero stands a good chance of being an everyday big league shortstop for a number of years. Marrero will likely get most of 2015 to establish himself in Pawtucket before starting a very interesting conversation about the Sox-- shortstop position for 2016.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #15 prospect in 2014
  College shortstops who project as big league regulars are rarely available in the draft, and so the Red Sox jumped at the chance to select Marrero in the 2012 draft after a modest offensive performance as a junior left him available at No. 24. He projects as a bottom-of-the-order hitter who can serve as the defensive anchor of an infield. His instincts and intelligence permit him to have above-average range with great hands and a strong, reliable arm. It's a defensive package that compares favorably with what the Red Sox received from Stephen Drew in 2013. Marrero's offense was modest in 2013, when he hit .252/.338/.317 between high Class A Salem and Double-A Portland. He shows good strike-zone judgment and keeps the bat head in the zone with a clean swing that yields liners up the middle with some doubles. His baseball acumen, meanwhile, permits him to be an above-average runner, and he went 27-for-29 in stolen base attempts in 2013 despite average speed. Marrero is a solid bet to be a big league regular, even if one with second-division potential. He will return to Double-A in 2014.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #10 prospect in 2013
  Marrero entered 2012 as a potential No. 1 overall draft pick, but he lasted until No. 25 after hitting just .284 as a junior at Arizona State. A rare college shortstop who looks like a good bet to remain at the position, he signed with the Red Sox for $2.05 million. His cousin Chris was a Nationals first-rounder in 2006 and has appeared briefly in the majors. Marrero reads balls well and has fluid actions at shortstop, with the above-average range and arm strength to make all the plays. He can improve his focus and consistency on defense, though that can be said of most players entering pro ball. Marrero hit better with wood bats in summer play than he did with metal bats during the college season, and the Red Sox think he'll produce at the plate. He stays inside the ball well, controls the strike zone and may flash enough pull power to hit 10 homers a year. With solid speed, a quick first step and keen instincts, he could add 20 steals a year. He isn't in Iglesias' class defensively, but Marrero is a plus defender with much more offensive upside. Those two represent Boston's future at shortstop if Xander Bogaerts outgrows the position. Marrero figures to skip a level and start his first full pro season in high Class A.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #14 prospect in 2012 draft
  As a junior in high school, Marrero played on a loaded American Heritage High (Plantation, Fla.) team that included third baseman Nick Castellanos, now with the Tigers, and first baseman Eric Hosmer, now with the Royals. Like Hosmer, Marrero committed to Arizona State, and after he slipped to the 17th round of the 2009 draft he headed to campus. Marrero has always been able to flash the leather, and he is this year's surest bet to stay at shortstop, with great range, easy actions and above-average arm strength. He shows promise with the bat, but he has been inconsistent this year and was batting .276/.335/.414 over his first 174 at-bats. Marrero has been frustrating for scouts this spring, not just because he has underperformed but because he has looked so nonchalant doing it. Scouts say Marrero has played without energy this year and has shown off his above-average arm strength only when he needs to. He has above-average raw speed but doesn't always go at full speed on the bases. Marrero shows power in batting practice, but profiles more as a gap hitter at the next level. While there questions about his bat, he still figures to be a first-rounder because there are so few surefire shortstops in the draft.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #20 prospect in 2015
  Marrero has steadily worked his way up the minor league ladder since being drafted 24th overall in 2012 as a glove-first shortstop still developing as a hitter. He added to his profile this season by playing second and third base--either one a more likely destination for him with Xander Bogaerts manning shortstop in Boston--and by being a more consistent (though not spectacular) hitter. Marrero has all the tools to play shortstop, including plenty of range to both sides, soft hands and a strong arm. He still may not hit enough for an everyday role, but he does show a knack for the finer points. For example, he can work the ball to all fields, hit behind runners and is a hit-and-run candidate. Plus he matched his career high with six home runs. Marrero didn't tire down the stretch as he had before and made his major league debut in September, playing 10 of his 25 games at third base. He's an average runner whose speed plays up because of his instincts on the basepaths.
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  Ranked Eastern League #19 prospect in 2014
  Francisco Lindor got most of the ink coming into the year as the premier defensive shortstop in the EL. Once the games got going, it became clear that Marrero was neck-and-neck with the Akron wunderkind. Armed with a college pedigree, Marrero possesses an uncanny ability to slow the game down and get to spots on the field most shortstops wouldn't think about being, such as waiting at home plate to back up the catcher on a foul pop with a runner on third. Besides his glove, Marrero also showed plenty of aptitude with his hitting and on-base skills this season in Portland. Evaluators noted his ability to grind out at-bats and reach base, which showed up in his .371 on-base percentage before he was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket late in the season. If there was a knock on Marrero, it was that he rubbed a few evaluators the wrong way with an air of confidence that sometimes bordered on brashness that manifested on the field by occasionally playing a little too flashy.
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  Ranked Carolina League #13 prospect in 2013
  Marrero challenged top prospect Francisco Lindor as the best defensive shortstop in the CL this season. However, he failed to address any concerns about the development of his hit tool. The 24th overall pick in 2012, Marrero has all the makings of a big league defender: soft hands, range to both sides and a cannon of an arm. A hard-working student of the game, he positions himself well in the field and has the drive to get better. ?What I like about Deven is that he asks the right questions,? Salem?s McMillon said. ?Instead of going through the motions, his questions are more probing. He?s a smart guy and a cerebral guy. His positioning on hitters, his anticipation of things?they?re off the charts. In my opinion, he could go play shortstop in the big leagues now.? In the batter?s box, Marrero takes a clean path to the ball and has the potential to hit for some power, but he does?nt regularly barrel the ball because of timing issues in the back of his swing. Typical of most young hitters, he can be lured out of the zone with breaking pitches off the plate. Marrero?s solid speed plays up on the basepaths because of his instincts and first-step quickness.
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  Ranked New York-Penn League #7 prospect in 2012
  Once considered a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick, Marrero hit .284/.340/.436 at Arizona State this spring, causing some scouts to question his bat. But he was also the safest bet to stay at shortstop of any player in the draft, so the Red Sox were thrilled to land him with the 24th overall pick and sign him for $2.05 million. He showed off a solid all-around tools package in his pro debut, with his defense remaining his calling card. "He was born to play the infield," Lowell manager Bruce Crabbe said. "He's got all the actions of a shortstop, he's got arm strength, he plays on the run well. He positions himself well defensively--he's not scared out there. His instincts jump out."" Offensively, Marrero stays inside the ball well with a line-drive, gap-to-gap stroke, and he flashes occasional power to his pull side. He controls the strike zone well and excels at working counts, and he could become an average hitter if he he can smooth out a little hitch in the back of his swing. He's a solid runner with good first-step quickness and baserunning instincts.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Marrero entered 2012 as a potential No. 1 overall draft pick, but he lasted until No. 25 after hitting just .284 as a junior at Arizona State. A rare college shortstop who looks like a good bet to remain at the position, he signed with the Red Sox for $2.05 million. His cousin Chris was a Nationals first-rounder in 2006 and has appeared briefly in the majors. Scouting Report: Marrero reads balls well and has fluid actions at shortstop, with the above-average range and arm strength to make all the plays. He can improve his focus and consistency on defense, though that can be said of most players entering pro ball. Marrero hit better with wood bats in summer play than he did with metal bats during the college season, and the Red Sox think he'll produce at the plate. He stays inside the ball well, controls the strike zone and may flash enough pull power to hit 10 homers a year. With solid speed, a quick first step and keen instincts, he could add 20 steals a year. The Future: He isn't in Iglesias' class defensively, but Marrero is a plus defender with much more offensive upside. Those two represent Boston's future at shortstop if Xander Bogaerts outgrows the position. Marrero figures to skip a level and start his first full pro season in high Class A.