Antoni Flores

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #9 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Red Sox signed Flores out of Venezuela for $1.4 million in 2017 based on the attraction of his all-around tools as well as his feel for the game. He stood out in the Dominican Summer League enough to convince the Red Sox to promote him to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League after just 13 games, but a conservative course with lower-half injuries limited him to just two games in the GCL.
  
  Scouting Report: Flores has shown the Red Sox a consistently strong feel for hitting with advanced plate discipline and a good feel for getting the barrel on the ball, with strength gains allowing him to post higher-than-expected exit velocities. He was wiry at the time he signed, somewhat akin to a young Alcides Escobar, but Flores has already filled out quite a bit. As he continues to do so, there’s a chance he will outgrow shortstop and move to third base. Still, his potential to develop into an above-average shortstop stood out in a system that is light up the middle. At least one rival evaluator viewed Flores as the best prospect in the entire system.
  
  The Future: Flores seems like a candidate to join short-season Lowell in June, though he has a chance to push for low Class A Greenville at some point in 2019.
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #17 prospect in 2018
  The Red Sox signed Flores for $1.4 million based on a diverse complement of tools, including a shortstop's athleticism and arm strength and an advanced feel to hit with potential doubles power. He's also been praised in the past for his knowledge of the game, which is advanced for a player his age. Flores has a skinny frame now, but there's plenty of room for projection still. Some liken the wiry shortstop to a young Alcides Escobar, identifying a player whose future will be on the left side of the infield with enough offensive potential to give him a chance many years down the road of emerging as an everyday option. One minor ding scouts found was with Flores' throwing arm. Its overall strength was solid-average, but he tended to throw from a lower, less accurate slot. The lack of power or elite speed limits Flores' upside, but his feel for the game gives him the potential to make the most of the tools that he does have and to emerge as a big league regular.