2017 Boston Red Sox Top 10 Prospects Insider
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Talent Infusion: Draft Report Card
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SEASON IN A SENTENCE: The Red Sox made David Ortiz’s final season a grand one by going from worst-to-first to claim the AL East title, but Cleveland swept them in the Division Series, holding Boston to seven runs in three games.
HIGH POINT: The Red Sox were only one game up in the East on the morning of Sept. 15, when Hanley Ramirez gave them a dramatic 7-5 victory over the Yankees that night with a walkoff two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth. The victory kicked off an 11-game winning streak that pulled Boston away from the pack.
LOW POINT: The Red Sox leaned on marquee offseason signee David Price to deliver in Game Two of the ALDS after they dropped the opener, but Price got shelled for six hits and five runs in 3.1 innings as the Indians rolled to a 6-0 victory. Price, paid like an ace, fell to 2-8, 5.54 in his postseason career.
NOTABLE ROOKIES: No Red Sox player exhausted his rookie eligibility in 2016. Outfielder Andrew Benintendi and touted Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada, the Minor League Player of the Year, raced through the minors, with Benintendi making his big league debut less than months after the Red Sox drafted him No. 7 overall in 2015.
KEY TRANSACTIONS: Price led the league in innings pitched in the first year of his six-year, $217 million contract. In need of more rotation help, the Red Sox acquired lefthander Drew Pomeranz from the Padres two days after he pitched in the All-Star Game in exchange for their top pitching prospect, righthander Anderson Espinoza. Boston filed a complaint with Major League Baseball, asserting it did not receive all of the relevant information regarding Pomeranz’s medical history. MLB suspended Padres general manager A.J. Preller 30 days over the incident. The Red Sox also acquired infielder Aaron Hill and relievers Brad Ziegler and Fernando Abad in separate trades. Ziegler, who was acquired from the Diamondbacks for minor league infielder Luis Alejandro Basabe and pitcher Jose Almonte, was their most impactful midseason addition, posting a 1.52 ERA in 33 appearances for the Red Sox.
DOWN ON THE FARM: Moncada was named MVP of the Futures Game and won BA’s Minor League Player of the Year award after hitting .294/.411/.507 with 15 homers, 62 RBIs and 45 stolen bases combined for high Class A Salem and Double-A Portland. Salem posted the best record in the Carolina League, helped largely by Benintendi and Moncada early in the season and third baseman Rafael Devers (.282, 11 HR, 71 RBIs, 18 SB) and 100 mph-throwing righthander Michael Kopech (4-1, 2.25, 14.2 K/9) late. Short-season Lowell won its division title in the New York-Penn League, led by 2016 fourth-rounder Bobby Dalbec (1.101 OPS).
OPENING DAY PAYROLL: $199,864,178 (3rd)
— Kyle Glaser
| BEST TOOLS | |
| Best Hitter for Average | Andrew Benintendi |
| Best Power Hitter | Bobby Dalbec |
| Best Strike-Zone Discipline | Andrew Benintendi |
| Fastest Baserunner | Yoan Moncada |
| Best Athlete | Yoan Moncada |
| Best Fastball | Michael Kopech |
| Best Curveball | Jason Groome |
| Best Slider | Michael Kopech |
| Best Changeup | Kyle Martin |
| Best Control | Roniel Raudes |
| Best Defensive Catcher | Austin Rei |
| Best Defensive Infielder | Deven Marrero |
| Best Infield Arm | Rafael Devers |
| Best Defensive Outfielder | Luis Alexander Basabe |
| Best Outfield Arm | Yoan Aybar |
| PROJECTED 2020 LINEUP | |
| Catcher | Christian Vazquez |
| First Base | Rafael Devers |
| Second Base | Dustin Pedroia |
| Third Base | Yoan Moncada |
| Shortstop | Xander Bogaerts |
| Left Field | Andrew Benintendi |
| Center Field | Jackie Bradley |
| Right Field | Mookie Betts |
| Designated Hitter | Sam Travis |
| No. 1 Starter | David Price |
| No. 2 Starter | Rick Porcello |
| No. 3 Starter | Eduardo Rodriguez |
| No. 4 Starter | Michael Kopech |
| No. 5 Starter | Jason Groome |
| Closer | Craig Kimbrel |
| TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org |
| 2007 | Daisuke Matsuzaka, rhp | (Japan) |
| 2008 | Clay Buchholz, rhp | Red Sox |
| 2009 | Lars Anderson, 1b | Dodgers |
| 2010 | Ryan Westmoreland, of | Did not play |
| 2011 | Jose Iglesias, ss | Tigers |
| 2012 | Will Middlebrooks, 3b | Brewers |
| 2013 | Xander Bogaerts, ss | Red Sox |
| 2014 | Xander Bogaerts, ss | Red Sox |
| 2015 | Blake Swihart, c | Red Sox |
| 2016 | Yoan Moncada, 2b | Red Sox |
| TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org |
| 2007 | Nick Hagadone, lhp (1st rd supp.) | Did not play |
| 2008 | Casey Kelly, rhp | Braves |
| 2009 | Reymond Fuentes, of | Royals |
| 2010 | Kolbrin Vitek, 3b | Did not play |
| 2011 | Matt Barnes, rhp | Red Sox |
| 2012 | Deven Marrero, ss | Red Sox |
| 2013 | Trey Ball, lhp | Red Sox |
| 2014 | Michael Chavis, ss | Red Sox |
| 2015 | Andrew Benintendi, of | Red Sox |
| 2016 | Jason Groome, lhp | Red Sox |
| LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY | |
| Yoan Moncada, 2015 | $31,500,000 |
| Jose Iglesias, 2009 | $6,250,000 |
| Rusney Castillo, 2014 | $5,400,000 |
| Dalier Hinojosa, 2013 | $4,000,000 |
| Jason Groome, 2016 | $3,650,000 |
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