Jarren Duran

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #4 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: A line drive-hitting second baseman in college, Duran was drafted by the Red Sox in the seventh round in 2018 with the intention of moving him to the outfield. After a strong full-season debut that resulted in a Futures Game appearance, Duran remade his swing to generate more power at the alternate training site in 2020 and posted dazzling results that led to his first MLB callup last year. But after a solid start that included his first major league home run, his inability to handle fastballs at the top of the zone led to a 35.7% strikeout rate and resulted in a return to the minors.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran’s swing changes have transformed him from a slap hitter who used his double-plus speed to wreak havoc on the basepaths into a hitter who tries to launch balls for home runs. He incorporated a sizable leg lift and stride while lowering his hands to get in a better position to drive the ball in the air, which gave him increased power at Triple-A but made him vulnerable to elevated fastballs in the majors. He has tinkered extensively with his swing and is still trying to find the right balance between hitting for average and power, but he has a chance to be average at both. Duran is a blur at full speed, creating impact as a baserunner and allowing him to out-run indirect routes in center field. He is still learning the position but should emerge as a capable ball-tracker with a below-average arm.
  
  The Future: Duran will likely open 2022 back in Triple-A. Despite his initial struggles, he has demonstrated the athleticism and aptitude to adjust and should re-emerge as the Red Sox’s center fielder of the future.
  
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #5 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 45.
  Track Record: In college, Duran was a second baseman whose speed and offensive performance pointed to bottom-of-the-order or utility skills. Area scout Justin Horowitz believed Duran had more potential based on his bat life and strength and that he could unlock greater defensive impact in the outfield. In his first full season, Duran raced to Double-A Portland, then made offseason swing adjustments that led to eight home runs at the alternate training site.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran’s swing was originally calibrated to take advantage of his plus-plus speed with a flat bat path that resulted in grounders and liners to all fields. Duran has since lowered his hands in his stance, an alteration that allowed him to keep a clear path to turn on inside pitches. With more aggressive swings may come an uptick in strikeouts, but Duran’s plus-plus speed and ability to spray liners on two-strike counts should help sustain solid batting averages. Duran relies more on speed than route efficiency to track balls in the outfield but has shown enough improvement to convince the Red Sox that he has a future in center. His arm is below-average.
  
  The Future: Duran’s speed gives him an avenue to the majors. If his swing adjustments hold, he could become a dynamic power-speed threat.
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #5 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: While Duran had a modest college statistical profile, thenarea scout Justin Horowitz recognized a combination of impressive bat life with the ability to keep the barrel in the zone and game-changing speed that seemed wasted at second base. Now a full-time outfielder, Duran followed an outstanding 2018 pro debut with an even better performance in high Class A Salem in the first two months of 2019, flirting with .400 while showing excellent bat-to-ball skills, speed and occasional thump. While his numbers suffered after a promotion to Double-A, the quality of his at-bats improved.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Duran has an extra gear when he senses opportunity, whether beating out routine grounders or taking an extra base. He takes advantage of that trait with a contact-heavy approach, albeit one in which he sometimes cuts off his swing. While he can make contact when expanding the strike zone, his tendency to do so results in weak contact. Still, his natural strength shows up at times with hard line drives to all fields and occasional long home runs. His bat-to-ball skills allow him to get to a variety of pitch types and locations from righties and lefties. Duran is still adjusting to center field, but his speed allows him to outrun route mistakes to represent at least an average future defender.
  
  THE FUTURE: There's still some debate as to whether Duran's offensive profile is that of an everyday or fourth outfielder. Even with his speed, he must either hit for a high average or show more power to emerge as an everyday player. Still, he has the potential to be a catalyst.
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #12 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Duran combined solid bat-to-ball skills and a good feel for the strike zone with standout speed at Long Beach State. The Red Sox drafted him in the seventh round and signed him for $189,800 with the hope of seeing how the college second baseman might fare in the outfield. In his pro debut, Duran showed not only those traits but also surprising gap power, hitting .357/.394/.516 with 28 extra-base hits in 67 games--one more than he had in his sophomore and junior years combined.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran shows an above-average hit tool, keeping the bat in the zone for a long time and getting the barrel on all pitch types. He also showed the ability to backspin the ball in unexpected fashion in his pro debut to both the pull-side and opposite field. His 70-grade speed allows him to make an impact on the bases and to take advantage of mis-hits, and ultimately should serve him well in center and right field.
  
  The Future: While Duran in college looked like a potential role player, the skill set he showed in a dazzling pro debut suggested a player with the ceiling of a Brett Gardner-type.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #170 prospect in 2018 draft
  Duran does two things. He gets on base, and he flies. A three-year starter at Long Beach State, Duran stole 47 bases in his career and drove opponents crazy beating out routine ground balls for infield singles. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound lefthanded hitter explodes out of the batter's box, posting 70-grade run times on the 20-to-80 scouting scale, and turns singles into doubles and doubles into triples. He lacks over-the-fence power and swings and misses a little much for his profile, but his patient approach gets him on base enough to utilize his speed. Duran never played shortstop at Long Beach State and is an average second baseman with a fringy arm. Some evaluators think he is a candidate to move to center field, but he's very raw there due to lack of experience. Duran's speed gives him a survivable skill he can ride to the big leagues, and evaluators see enough bat for him to be a bottom-of-the-order hitter. He projects to go early on the draft's second day.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #9 prospect in 2021
  Duran made significant swing changes in 2020 while stashed away at the Red Sox’s alternate site, dropping his hands and upping his leg kick in pursuit of added loft in his swing to unlock his ample power more regularly. The early returns suggested Duran boosted his profile with a blend of bat speed, strength and speed. The question now: How much of it can be sustained? Duran excelled against Triple-A pitchers, hitting .262 with 15 homers through 51 games at hitter-friendly Worcester, while also playing for Team USA during Olympic qualifying. But his MLB debut was far less productive. Boston called up Duran in mid July, installing him as an everyday outfield option. Duran hit just .215 and struck out nearly 36% of the time, continuing to tinker with his swing as MLB pitchers exposed holes at the top of the zone and in his approach. Duran’s struggles were indicative of the widening talent gap between Triple-A and the majors this year, but evaluators most bullish on his swing changes maintain he has a chance to be a dynamic power-speed option who can stick in center field with more refinement.
• 
  Ranked Eastern League #13 prospect in 2019
  The former college second baseman has continued to trend positively at both the plate and in the field. After punishing Carolina League pitching, Duran was among the Eastern League leaders in triples (five) and stolen bases (28). Duran has continued to refine his strike zone discipline while showing an above-average hit tool. He puts the barrel on the ball, and while he can post solid or even above-average exit velocities, his level swing means he hits line drives instead of fence-clearing home runs. Duran has near top-of-the-scale speed, which helps him create havoc on the bases. In the outfield, Duran is a sound defender who is improving. He gets excellent jumps on balls and makes the most of his speed. If he continues to improve and figures out how to loft the ball a little more, Duran could find himself as a table-setter at the top of Boston's lineup.
• 
  Ranked Carolina League #7 prospect in 2019
  Duran played just 50 games in the Carolina League before moving up to Double-A Portland, which came as no surprise to Salem manager Corey Wimberly, who had plenty of experience with Duran and had seen his potential. "I had him last year, so I knew what kind of player he is,” Wimberly said. "His makeup is always going to be an edge for him. We saw him shoot through here. He has extra-base power, speed and bat-to-ball skills, and he made strides in the outfield.” Scouts see Duran as an everyday player in the major leagues with elite speed, a lot of line-drive contact and a patient approach at the plate. His swing is somewhat choppy, but it has worked for him. Though some scouts would prefer he played a bit shallower in the outfield, Duran has excellent range and a strong throwing arm.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #91 prospect in 2022

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: A line drive-hitting second baseman in college, Duran was drafted by the Red Sox in the seventh round in 2018 with the intention of moving him to the outfield. After a strong full-season debut that resulted in a Futures Game appearance, Duran remade his swing to generate more power at the alternate training site in 2020 and posted dazzling results that led to his first MLB callup last year. But after a solid start that included his first major league home run, his inability to handle fastballs at the top of the zone led to a 35.7% strikeout rate and resulted in a return to the minors.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran’s swing changes have transformed him from a slap hitter who used his double-plus speed to wreak havoc on the basepaths into a hitter who tries to launch balls for home runs. He incorporated a sizable leg lift and stride while lowering his hands to get in a better position to drive the ball in the air, which gave him increased power at Triple-A but made him vulnerable to elevated fastballs in the majors. He has tinkered extensively with his swing and is still trying to find the right balance between hitting for average and power, but he has a chance to be average at both. Duran is a blur at full speed, creating impact as a baserunner and allowing him to out-run indirect routes in center field. He is still learning the position but should emerge as a capable ball-tracker with a below-average arm.
  
  The Future: Duran will likely open 2022 back in Triple-A. Despite his initial struggles, he has demonstrated the athleticism and aptitude to adjust and should re-emerge as the Red Sox’s center fielder of the future.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Duran made significant swing changes in 2020 while stashed away at the Red Sox’s alternate site, dropping his hands and upping his leg kick in pursuit of added loft in his swing to unlock his ample power more regularly. The early returns suggested Duran boosted his profile with a blend of bat speed, strength and speed. The question now: How much of it can be sustained? Duran excelled against Triple-A pitchers, hitting .262 with 15 homers through 51 games at hitter-friendly Worcester, while also playing for Team USA during Olympic qualifying. But his MLB debut was far less productive. Boston called up Duran in mid July, installing him as an everyday outfield option. Duran hit just .215 and struck out nearly 36% of the time, continuing to tinker with his swing as MLB pitchers exposed holes at the top of the zone and in his approach. Duran’s struggles were indicative of the widening talent gap between Triple-A and the majors this year, but evaluators most bullish on his swing changes maintain he has a chance to be a dynamic power-speed option who can stick in center field with more refinement.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 45.
  Track Record: In college, Duran was a second baseman whose speed and offensive performance pointed to bottom-of-the-order or utility skills. Area scout Justin Horowitz believed Duran had more potential based on his bat life and strength and that he could unlock greater defensive impact in the outfield. In his first full season, Duran raced to Double-A Portland, then made offseason swing adjustments that led to eight home runs at the alternate training site.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran's swing was originally calibrated to take advantage of his plus-plus speed with a flat bat path that resulted in grounders and liners to all fields. Duran has since lowered his hands in his stance, an alteration that allowed him to keep a clear path to turn on inside pitches. With more aggressive swings may come an uptick in strikeouts, but Duran's plus-plus speed and ability to spray liners on two-strike counts should help sustain solid batting averages. Duran relies more on speed than route efficiency to track balls in the outfield but has shown enough improvement to convince the Red Sox that he has a future in center. His arm is below-average.
  
  The Future: Duran's speed gives him an avenue to the majors. If his swing adjustments hold, he could become a dynamic power-speed threat.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 45.
  Track Record: In college, Duran was a second baseman whose speed and offensive performance pointed to bottom-of-the-order or utility skills. Area scout Justin Horowitz believed Duran had more potential based on his bat life and strength and that he could unlock greater defensive impact in the outfield. In his first full season, Duran raced to Double-A Portland, then made offseason swing adjustments that led to eight home runs at the alternate training site.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran’s swing was originally calibrated to take advantage of his plus-plus speed with a flat bat path that resulted in grounders and liners to all fields. Duran has since lowered his hands in his stance, an alteration that allowed him to keep a clear path to turn on inside pitches. With more aggressive swings may come an uptick in strikeouts, but Duran’s plus-plus speed and ability to spray liners on two-strike counts should help sustain solid batting averages. Duran relies more on speed than route efficiency to track balls in the outfield but has shown enough improvement to convince the Red Sox that he has a future in center. His arm is below-average.
  
  The Future: Duran’s speed gives him an avenue to the majors. If his swing adjustments hold, he could become a dynamic power-speed threat.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 45.
  Track Record: In college, Duran was a second baseman whose speed and offensive performance pointed to bottom-of-the-order or utility skills. Area scout Justin Horowitz believed Duran had more potential based on his bat life and strength and that he could unlock greater defensive impact in the outfield. In his first full season, Duran raced to Double-A Portland, then made offseason swing adjustments that led to eight home runs at the alternate training site.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran’s swing was originally calibrated to take advantage of his plus-plus speed with a flat bat path that resulted in grounders and liners to all fields. Duran has since lowered his hands in his stance, an alteration that allowed him to keep a clear path to turn on inside pitches. With more aggressive swings may come an uptick in strikeouts, but Duran’s plus-plus speed and ability to spray liners on two-strike counts should help sustain solid batting averages. Duran relies more on speed than route efficiency to track balls in the outfield but has shown enough improvement to convince the Red Sox that he has a future in center. His arm is below-average.
  
  The Future: Duran’s speed gives him an avenue to the majors. If his swing adjustments hold, he could become a dynamic power-speed threat.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: While Duran had a modest college statistical profile, thenarea scout Justin Horowitz recognized a combination of impressive bat life with the ability to keep the barrel in the zone and game-changing speed that seemed wasted at second base. Now a full-time outfielder, Duran followed an outstanding 2018 pro debut with an even better performance in high Class A Salem in the first two months of 2019, flirting with .400 while showing excellent bat-to-ball skills, speed and occasional thump. While his numbers suffered after a promotion to Double-A, the quality of his at-bats improved.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Duran has an extra gear when he senses opportunity, whether beating out routine grounders or taking an extra base. He takes advantage of that trait with a contact-heavy approach, albeit one in which he sometimes cuts off his swing. While he can make contact when expanding the strike zone, his tendency to do so results in weak contact. Still, his natural strength shows up at times with hard line drives to all fields and occasional long home runs. His bat-to-ball skills allow him to get to a variety of pitch types and locations from righties and lefties. Duran is still adjusting to center field, but his speed allows him to outrun route mistakes to represent at least an average future defender.
  
  THE FUTURE: There’s still some debate as to whether Duran’s offensive profile is that of an everyday or fourth outfielder. Even with his speed, he must either hit for a high average or show more power to emerge as an everyday player. Still, he has the potential to be a catalyst.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: While Duran had a modest college statistical profile, thenarea scout Justin Horowitz recognized a combination of impressive bat life with the ability to keep the barrel in the zone and game-changing speed that seemed wasted at second base. Now a full-time outfielder, Duran followed an outstanding 2018 pro debut with an even better performance in high Class A Salem in the first two months of 2019, flirting with .400 while showing excellent bat-to-ball skills, speed and occasional thump. While his numbers suffered after a promotion to Double-A, the quality of his at-bats improved.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Duran has an extra gear when he senses opportunity, whether beating out routine grounders or taking an extra base. He takes advantage of that trait with a contact-heavy approach, albeit one in which he sometimes cuts off his swing. While he can make contact when expanding the strike zone, his tendency to do so results in weak contact. Still, his natural strength shows up at times with hard line drives to all fields and occasional long home runs. His bat-to-ball skills allow him to get to a variety of pitch types and locations from righties and lefties. Duran is still adjusting to center field, but his speed allows him to outrun route mistakes to represent at least an average future defender.
  
  THE FUTURE: There's still some debate as to whether Duran's offensive profile is that of an everyday or fourth outfielder. Even with his speed, he must either hit for a high average or show more power to emerge as an everyday player. Still, he has the potential to be a catalyst.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  The former college second baseman has continued to trend positively at both the plate and in the field. After punishing Carolina League pitching, Duran was among the Eastern League leaders in triples (five) and stolen bases (28). Duran has continued to refine his strike zone discipline while showing an above-average hit tool. He puts the barrel on the ball, and while he can post solid or even above-average exit velocities, his level swing means he hits line drives instead of fence-clearing home runs. Duran has near top-of-the-scale speed, which helps him create havoc on the bases. In the outfield, Duran is a sound defender who is improving. He gets excellent jumps on balls and makes the most of his speed. If he continues to improve and figures out how to loft the ball a little more, Duran could find himself as a table-setter at the top of Boston's lineup.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Duran played just 50 games in the Carolina League before moving up to Double-A Portland, which came as no surprise to Salem manager Corey Wimberly, who had plenty of experience with Duran and had seen his potential. "I had him last year, so I knew what kind of player he is,” Wimberly said. "His makeup is always going to be an edge for him. We saw him shoot through here. He has extra-base power, speed and bat-to-ball skills, and he made strides in the outfield.” Scouts see Duran as an everyday player in the major leagues with elite speed, a lot of line-drive contact and a patient approach at the plate. His swing is somewhat choppy, but it has worked for him. Though some scouts would prefer he played a bit shallower in the outfield, Duran has excellent range and a strong throwing arm.