Boston Strong Down on the Farm




Every year teams go through injuries, slumps and trades that change the face of the current and future Major League roster. Let's take a look at the top Sox prospects down on the farm. Here are the Red Sox top 5 prospects according to SoxProspects.com:

(1) Xander Bogaerts, SS, Portland: 306 AV/.379 OBP/.412 SLG. The 20-year-old shortstop hit his first homer Thursday, a solo shot in Portland’s 7-4 win at Reading. Friday he hit his second; a 400 foot shot that cleared Hadlock Field. Bogaerts enters the weekend on a 22-53 (.415) tear with eight extra-base hits.

(2) Jackie Bradley, OF, Boston/Pawtucket: .097/.263/.129 for Boston; .278/.381/.333 for the Pawsox. After an eye opening spring training, Bradley isn’t back to full form yet. He has been bothered by a minor shoulder injury. Bradley did have an RBI in Fridays game.

(3) Allen Webster, RHP, Boston/Pawtucket: 0-0 W-L, 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5/1 K/BB in 6.0 IP for Boston; 1-0, 3.21, 1.14, 26K/6 BB in 20 IP for Pawtucket. Last night Webster threw six dominant innings of two-hit ball, striking out nine batters and walking none as the PawSox beat Durham 4-1. Webster has shown he's ready to help the big club if and when he's needed.

(4) Matt Barnes, RHP, Portland: 1-1, 9.00, 2.14, 17/6 K/BB in 14.0 IP. Barnes' ERA is high, but so are the strikeouts per 9. Scouts say Barnes needs work on the command of his secondary pitches.

(5) Rubby De La Rosa, RHP, Pawtucket: 0-0, 7.11, 1.50, 13/8 K/BB in 12.2 IP. The Sox continue to monitor De La Rosa limiting him to 50 pitches or three innings as he builds arm strength and stamina. De La Rosa is just 20 months removed from Tommy John surgery.

Other Red Sox Minor League Notes:
Jose Iglesias, SS, Pawtucket is hitting .242 with 3 HR.
Garin Cecchini, 3B, Salem leads the Carolina League in hitting with a .392 average.
Henry Owens, LHP, Salem has 30 K in 26 IP. Scouts say his curveball is much improved.
Anthony Ranaudo RHP, Portland is 3-0 for the Sea Dogs with his fastball clocking in around 95 mph.
Alfredo Aceves, remember him? Last week GM Ben Cherington sent special assistant Pedro Martinez to oversee Aceves' bullpen sessions. Maybe Pedro got through to Fredo. Aceves pitched well for the PawSox Thursday night tossing over six scoreless innings and 101 pitches against Durham. It looks like Aceves will get the chance to regain his status as a valuable asset on the pitching staff, or he enhances what to this point has been only minimal trade value.

While it's only a month into the season the Red Sox have been relatively healthy and have already had contributions from their young, talented players down on the farm.

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