Red Sox Bring Up Rafael Devers
As the trade deadline approaches, the Red Sox have apparently decided to fill their hole at third base with an internal option.
Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced Sunday that top prospect Rafael Devers will be called up from Triple-A Pawtucket and make his major league debut on Tuesday in Seattle.
“Our people said, ‘Well, why would you try that (trade)? Why don’t you try him?'” Dombrowski said, according to ESPN. “He’s in a position. We think he can do it. The request for some of the guys that would be minimally better for us have been very large, and so we think that he gives us as good a chance as anybody we’ve had a chance to acquire—for third base.”
Devers, 20, ranked No. 6 on the BA Midseason Top 100 prospect update.
SCOUTING REPORT
Devers has played this entire season at the tender age of 20, but his skills are well beyond his age. The native Dominican hit .300 with 18 home runs, 56 RBIs and a .944 OPS at Double-A Portland, was promoted to Triple-A and hit .400 in nine games, and was summarily brought up the majors.
Devers is one of the most talented offensive prospects in the game, with a potent lefthanded swing geared for both average and power. He is a plus hitter whose power has grown every year, giving him the opportunity to be a middle-of-the-lineup force at his peak.
Devers has promising tools defensively but is much less polished than on the offensive side of the ball. While he showcases a plus arm and scouts believe he will eventually become an above-average defender at third base, he had 16 errors in 72 games this season and a subpar .917 fielding percentage.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Devers has the talent to make an immediate offensive impact and will get the chance to prove he is ready for the pennant race as Boston’s third baseman. There will naturally be an adjustment period and his defensive rawness is likely to show up at times, but Devers’ pure hitting ability is capable of providing a needed boost to the Red Sox hot-corner production.
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