Ryan Lavarnway

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #9 prospect in 2012
  Lavarnway won the NCAA Division I batting (.467) and slugging (.873) titles as a sophomore and set an Ivy League record with 33 career homers. The Red Sox paid him $325,000 as a 2008 sixth-round pick because they liked his bat, and even they were skeptical he could make it to the majors as a catcher. He did just that in 2011, when he earned his second straight Boston minor league co-offensive player of the year award. He nearly saved the Red Sox's season in his first big league start behind the plate, providing a much-needed victory in Game 161 by hitting two homers and throwing out a basestealer. Lavarnway generates plus power with a combination of strength and discipline. He works counts, lets pitches travel deep and pounds the ball to all fields. His swing is relatively compact considering his long arms. Lavarnway's defensive improvement is a tribute to his intelligence and work ethic. He lacks athleticism and agility, but he has transformed himself from a dreadful receiver to an adequate one. While his arm strength is just fringy, his quick release and throwing accuracy allowed him to erase 38 percent of basestealers in 2011. Because he has well below-average speed, his only other option is first base. It's still uncertain if Lavarnway can be a big league regular behind the plate, but the Red Sox won't put anything past him. In 2012, he'll serve as Jarrod Saltalamacchia's backup and get 300 or so at-bats while also seeing time at first base and DH.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #16 prospect in 2011
  If the Red Sox could combine Lavarnway's bat with Tim Federowicz's defense, they'd have an easy solution behind the plate. Lavarnway set an Ivy League record with 33 homers in three years at Yale before signing for $325,000 as a sixth-round pick in 2008. He led Red Sox farmhands with 21 homers in 2009 and with 102 RBIs last season, when Boston named him its co-minor league offensive player of the year along with since-traded Anthony Rizzo. Lavarnway has above-average power to all fields and controls the strike zone well. His long arms give him some length to his swing and leave him with some holes on the inside part of the plate, but he makes consistent hard contact. Whether Lavarnway can make it behind the plate remains uncertain. Scouts gave him virtually no chance of catching when he first entered pro ball, and he has worked very hard to develop adequate catch-and-throw skills. He has an average arm but not quick feet, leading to fringy pop times in the 2.1-second range. He did throw out 33 percent of basestealers in 2010. He has a thick lower half and lacks flexibility, so he'll have to continue his diligence to have a shot as a catcher. He'll always be a well-below-average runner. Lavarnway kept on hitting in the Arizona Fall League, and he'll put himself in contention for a big league job in 2012 if he performs well in the upper levels of the minors this season. He and Federowicz will open the year sharing catching duties in Double-A.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #6 prospect in 2012
  A lost season in Boston prompted plenty of roster changes in Pawtucket, which won the IL title anyway. Lavarnway played a big role in the team's regular-season success prior to his August big league promotion, as he provided above-average offense for a catcher while improving his defense. The bat remains Lavarnway's best tool, as he's strong, uses the whole field and has tightened up some of the holes in his swing while maintaining his plate discipline. His natural feel for hitting and strength give him above-average power. He played regularly down the stretch for the Red Sox but has yet to show he can solve big league breaking pitches. After splitting time between catcher and DH in previous years, Lavarnway played regularly behind the plate for the first time in his career in 2012. He has worked diligently to improve his agility and become and average receiver. He'll never be a plus defender and has fringy arm strength, but he has a quick transfer and makes accurate throws, erasing 32 percent of IL basestealers.
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  Ranked Eastern League #15 prospect in 2011
  A NCAA Division I batting champion in his days at Yale, Lavarnway has continued to be a prolific hitter as a pro, adding power to the equation. He has increased his home run total in each of his three full seasons, tying for fourth in the minors with 32 this year. Lavarnway has improved defensively, from not being a realistic big league option as a catcher to being adequate. He's still a below-average receiver who struggles with agility at his size. His arm is average at best, though he did erase 38 percent of EL basestealers. His limited athleticism and well below-average speed preclude a move to anywhere other than first base. However, the strength in Lavarnway's swing makes scouts sit up and take notice. "He has power from foul pole to foul pole," Smith said. "It's pretty hard to ignore."
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  Ranked International League #14 prospect in 2011
  After bashing 14 home runs in 55 games for Double-A Portland, Lavarnway announced his presence with authority in the IL, banging nine homers and 11 doubles in July. He generates above-average power to all fields with a compact swing that allows him to let pitches get deep before he pulls the trigger. A disciplined hitter, he picks out pitches he can drive and has the ability to make adjustments to anything within his hitting area. "He's one of the better true hitters in the league from the right side," Lehigh Valley manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We tried to keep the ball down at the knees and he was still able to square them up and hit them into both gaps." His size works against him behind the plate, and league observers weren't sold on his receiving or his ability to block balls. Though his arm strength is average and he threw out 36 percent of IL basestealers, his release and footwork both have room to improve, as does his game management. The Red Sox praise his work ethic and express confidence that he'll smooth out his defense enough to become a regular.
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  Ranked Carolina League #17 prospect in 2010
  As a sophomore at Yale in 2007, Lavarnway led NCAA Divison I in batting (.467) and slugging (.873). He's still doing damage with his bat and though he spent much of this season as a DH, he showed improvement behind the plate. "His defense has really come along," Boles said. "He's more flexible with his lower half and he received very well. He also has improved his times throwing. He has the work ethic and intelligence, and he has power to all fields with the kind of advanced knowledge of the strike zone that makes pitchers work." Lavarnway generates power with strength and a long swing that does have some holes on the inner half. He threw out 36 percent of CL basestealers despite fringy arm strength and made some progress with his receiving, though he still needs more work. If he puts everything together, he could be a big league regular, but it may be more realistic to project him as an offensive-minded backup who also could fill in at first base and DH.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Lavarnway won the NCAA Division I batting (.467) and slugging (.873) titles as a sophomore and set an Ivy League record with 33 career homers. The Red Sox paid him $325,000 as a 2008 sixth-round pick because they liked his bat, and even they were skeptical he could make it to the majors as a catcher. He did just that in 2011, when he earned his second straight Boston minor league co-offensive player of the year award. Scouting Report: Lavarnway generates plus power with a combination of strength and discipline. His swing is relatively compact considering his long arms. Lavarnway's defensive improvement is a tribute to his intelligence and work ethic. He lacks athleticism and agility, but he has transformed himself from a dreadful receiver to an adequate one. While his arm strength is fringy, his quick release and throwing accuracy allowed him to erase 38 percent of basestealers in 2011. With well below-average speed, his only other option is first base. The Future: It's still uncertain if Lavarnway can be a big league regular behind the plate, but the Red Sox won't put anything past him. They already had Jarrod Saltalamacchia before signing Kelly Shoppach as a free agent, making Lavarnway's immediate future unclear.