Boston Red Sox Preliminary Prospect List
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 12:03 AM EST
62 comments
Starting on the Red Sox now. The next team after that will be the Phillies.
Preliminary Red Sox list after the jump.
Michael Almanzar 3B
Lars Anderson 1B
Michael Bowden RHP
Fabio Castro LHP
Felix Doubront LHP
Luis Exposito C
Tim Federowicz C
Stephen Fife RHP
Jordan Flasher RHP
Reymond Fuentes OF
Derrick Gibson INF
Alex Hassan OF
Peter Hissey OF
Jose Iglesias SS
Brandon Jacobs OF
Ryan Kalish OF
Casey Kelly RHP
Ryan Lavarnway C
Che-Hsuan Lin OF
Chris McGuiness 1B
Roman Mendez RHP
Will Middlebrooks 3B
Adam Mills RHP
Daniel Nava OF
Stolmy Pimentel RHP
Eammon Portice RHP
Max Ramirez C
Josh Reddick OF
David Renfroe SS
Jason Rice RHP
Dustin Richardson LHP
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Junichi Tazawa RHP
Mark Wagner C
Kyle Weiland RHP
Ryan Westmoreland OF
Fabian Williamson LHP
Alex Wilson RHP
Madison Younginer OF
Who am I missing?
0 recs |
62 comments
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What do people think about Max Ramirez?
What type of hitter is he supposed to be in the majors?
Check out my website, it has scouting reports for all the Orioles' top prospects and is updated daily. www.oriolesprospects.com
Follow me on twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Dec 13, 2025 12:06 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Pretty good hitter
Contact skills sort of worry me, but he’s not really a catcher. They may use him there a little, but he’s a backup catcher at best.
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 12:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So 1st base?
Power hitter?
Check out my website, it has scouting reports for all the Orioles' top prospects and is updated daily. www.oriolesprospects.com
Follow me on twitter @orioleprospects
by ravensfan3 on Dec 13, 2025 12:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He's probably a 1B/DH
That’s the best fit for his skills/tools, at least. Since he’s at most a bench/platoon player for them anyway, its not really an issue. He can certainly be a backup catcher. Just in terms of player value, not usage, I felt its important to note he’s not a very good catcher…
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 12:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Jason Place?
I am not sure if he belongs on the list or not. I think if he can somehow cut down on the K’s he could become a solid major league Pro.
Yadi is my hero
by Big Phil on Dec 13, 2025 12:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Still has impressive tools
Ive given up hope, to tell you the truth. Still, he always puts together stretches that make you think he’s going to break out. He has some power (doesnt use a lot of it). They changed his swing a lot after drafting him and he really has never impressed with the bat since. Lots of Ks.
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 12:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Drake Britton is someone else you might want to take a look at.
I assume Navarro is just an accidental omission… not that I’m high on him at all…
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 12:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Also Kendal Volz, though his mechanics are kind of a mess. High ceiling and he was team USA's Closer two years ago...
And David Mailman is worth a look, too. Above average tools. Doesnt really impress me, but decent little player.
Oscar Tejeda’s stock has dropped, but he’s another.
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 12:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
BP didn't have him in their top 15....
But I agree, he is probably somewhere in the 12-15 hole on my list.
by soccerman0 on Dec 13, 2025 12:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I dont at all think he's a top 15 or even top 20 guy...
but, hey, lots of those on this list…
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 12:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
navarro
yeah navarro should be on there. though I don’t think he’s that good.
I though about Volz too.
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 12:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Jeremy Hazelbaker
Should just be in with the “other” C prospects at the end, but I think he merits a mention.
"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it." - Mark Twain
by JM Barten on Dec 13, 2025 1:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
He gets overshadowed by Iglesias
But Jose Vinicio was one of the top international signings this year.
by James F on Dec 13, 2025 1:52 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Ryne Miller. . .
just a bullpen guy, and wasn’t in a closer role this year, but has some dirty stuff. . .he had the best stuff of all the arms at the cal league /carolina league all star game. . .
by SoCalSoxFan on Dec 13, 2025 4:06 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Shannon Wilkerson
He has some good tools.
by Bravesin07 on Dec 13, 2025 8:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Some names that have a ceiling (some already metioned ;) )
Navarro
Drake Britton
Jason Place (still young enough to get it together)
Ryan Dent (only 20 2009 ML Defensive player of the year)
Oscar Tejeda - SS with nice arm bat still behind but only 19
Manny Rivera - dominant in 1st season in US ball 90+ FB nasty K/BB rate & groundball tendencies…. will shoot up the system
by frenchredsox on Dec 13, 2025 8:43 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
list
Michael Almanzar 3B
Lars Anderson 1B
Michael Bowden RHP
Drake Britton LHP
Fabio Castro LHP
Felix Doubront LHP
Luis Exposito C
Tim Federowicz C
Stephen Fife RHP
Jordan Flasher RHP
Reymond Fuentes OF
Derrick Gibson INF
Alex Hassan OF
Peter Hissey OF
Jose Iglesias SS
Brandon Jacobs OF
Ryan Kalish OF
Casey Kelly RHP
Ryan Lavarnway C
Che-Hsuan Lin OF
Chris McGuiness 1B
Roman Mendez RHP
Will Middlebrooks 3B
Adam Mills RHP
Daniel Nava OF
Yamaico Navarro SS
Stolmy Pimentel RHP
Eammon Portice RHP
Max Ramirez C
Josh Reddick OF
David Renfroe SS
Jason Rice RHP
Dustin Richardson LHP
Manny Rivera RHP
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Junichi Tazawa RHP
Oscar Tejeda SS
Mark Wagner C
Kyle Weiland RHP
Ryan Westmoreland OF
Fabian Williamson LHP
Alex Wilson RHP
Madison Younginer OF
That’s the current list. However, I have to cut at least one of those players and preferably 3, for space reasons. Who should go?
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 10:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I recommend
Jordan Flasher RHP
Chris McGuiness 1B
Jason Rice RHP
"I'd like to f*ck Sandra Bullock." - Pedro Martinez, explaining his secret ambition to Sports Illustrated for Kids.
by OCD SS on Dec 13, 2025 10:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
decisions
OK< i’m cutting Chris McGuiness, who is interesting but not as interesting as some of the others and who wasn’t superb in the New York Penn League.
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 10:55 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
two more
i still need to cut two more.
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 10:55 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
castro
Although Castro is on the 40-man, I’m cutting him in favor of Ryan Dent.
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 11:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
from the list a few posts up
i would cut Castro, Flasher, and Hassan.
Such a deep system.
by Jimothy on Dec 13, 2025 11:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
flasher
I’m goign to cut Flasher. But I’ll keep Hassan for now./
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 12:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
lars
Lars Anderson comment. Thoughts?
Something went seriously wrong with Lars Anderson last year. We’ll start with the positives first. He retained command of the strike zone and continued to draw a good number of walks. He hit well in April (.293/.341/.453) and June (.298/.404/.405). And that’s about it. Statistically, things got worse after June, and he was extremely ineffective in the second half of the season, hitting just .154/.250/.208 after the All-Star Break. What happened? No one seems to be quite sure, although the second half performance collapse was so stark there has to be some sort of direct cause. Injuries were likely one factor: he was bothered by a bad hamstring and a sore back at various times, although he played through it. Scouts report that his swing developed mechanical flaws, short-circuiting his power. At times he was too passive at the plate. Another possible factor: Anderson is a very bright "self-aware" type, and tends to put pressure on himself when things go badly. One theory is that he got into an injury-induced slump and couldn’t work himself out of it, pressing too hard to make up for lost time, which just made it worse. Sabermetrically, his BABIP last year was just .296, compared to .384 in 2008 and .370 in 2007, so it looks like some bad luck was involved too. Skeptics believe that his 2008 breakout season was an illusion, a creation of Lancaster and simple good luck after his promotion to Portland. I’ve been pro-Lars since he was a high school star, so I don’t want to accept the negative interpretation just yet. However, if you add his ’08 and ’09 Double-A performances together, you get a 160-game line of 580 at-bats, 36 doubles, 14 homers, 92 walks, 157 strikeouts, .252/.356/.386. That’s not enough power for a first baseman obviously, although the walks are nice. Lars is still young and let’s see what he can do with better health and a fresh start in 2010. Grading him is tough. He has to be downgraded, but how low do we go? Grade B- seems like a reasonable compromise to me.
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 12:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
lars
B- sounds reasonable after his horrid season last year. He was missing pitches in his wheelhouse and rolling over a lot of balls. Something clearly was not right. I still see him as a player with decent upside. OBP around .375 with 20 homers. I see him bouncing back next year and getting himself back into top 5 prospect status in the system. As of now I have Rizzo ahead of him for 1B though.
by Jimothy on Dec 13, 2025 12:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Lars.....
You summed it up well john - the major problem isn’t the BA but the REAL lack of power outside the CAL league.Is he a Overbay or will he re find that “Cal” swing - judging his age/level situation a B- seems fair…..
by frenchredsox on Dec 13, 2025 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That's not the part that worries me at all
He actually has tons of raw power and just doesnt know how to use it.
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 7:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He's overrated
How can we call him a slugger when his career batted ball data goes like this:
GB%: 54.3 !!!!!!!
LD%: 15.9
FB%: 29.5
He’s stiff and slow so he won’t hit for avg and his HR/FB ratio needs to be in the 16+% to total more than 20 Home runs!
To zobrist; verb – to overlook the superiority of a person or object based on misleading sensory or conversational factors. e.g. "My teacher totally zobristed me on that paper – I’d included all the points he asked for but I didn’t drone on about Grover Cleveland enough. He’s totally biased towards Cleveland. What’s worse is that Danny Dukowski got an A, and his prose style is terrible. He’s a total Victorino." deadspy3 - Amazin' Avenue
by bloodysock04 on Dec 13, 2025 5:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I was gonna leave that... but sadly, I cant.
Don’t want to look like a homer, but I do get explaining this over and over…
1) Batted ball data for minor leaguers is 90% B.S.. The batted ball data is not kept consistently. The league average LD rates are sometimes ridiculously absurd numbers. People need to stop it with this minor league batted ball stuff. Firstinning.com is doing far more harm than good at this point.
2) Scouting >>> Incredibly unreliable batted ball data for minor leaguers. Scouting > Numbers for minor leaguers, much of the time. Players are human beings and rarely follow lineal development patterns.
3) Lars isnt actually that stiff and slow. He moves very well for a big guy and the reports on his athleticism were pretty good up until this year, when the back and hammys slowed him down. No one would confuse him with Desmond Jennings, but he’s not a big stiff. This “slow and stiff” stuff came from a KG quote in a chat at the beginning of the season, before we knew about the back injury and it just kept snowballing. Here’s what KG had to say about him a couple weeks back:
He plays a good first base and runs well for his size, and he’s athletic enough that some wonder if he could handle left field.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9762
Boom goes the dynamite. Let’s STOP with the “slow and stiff” stuff, already. He looked slower and stiffer than he did in the past, but he was someone who moved exceptionally well for someone his size then. Its just down a notch from last year. His mobility and speed are pluses for a guy his size, not a mark against him.
4) The ability of Lars to hit for AVG is not at all in question. He has shown an ability to hit for a very high AVG, and shows no major platoon split, either. He still projects as a .300 hitter in the majors. Again, from KG:
Anderson has combined plus power, the ability hit for average, and patience in the past, only the latter showed up in 2009, as his understanding of the strike zone is excellent, and he’ll rarely chase bad pitches.
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 8:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
This.
Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.
by Frederick0220 on Dec 13, 2025 8:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So what are the negatives with Lars...?
Well, first off, the way he handled struggling this year was a major disappointment. He let a bad slump and a couple injuries explode into a bad year - and if reports are to be believed, its in large part b/c he’s a bright, sensitive kid who overthinks things. It was his first big slump and he handled it VERY poorly. Remember when the Rays were afraid of Longoria’s development b/c he never had a slump? This was what they were afraid of happening at the MLB level.
Secondly, the physical issues - but this has been incredibly overstated.
Thirdly, the bat doesnt impress as much as it had in the past - which was sort of expected, considering it appeared he was the beneficiary of a good bit of luck in 2008.
I still like Lars a lot, though, and mostly b/c of three mitigating factors:
1) Age - He was one of the youngest players in the Eastern League this year. Plenty of time to bounce back.
2) Approach - His approach at the plate is phenomenal and extremely advanced. Even in his struggles he didnt completely fall apart in terms of discipline.
3) Raw Power - His raw power (READ: Not game power) is very, very impressive. He has no clue how to use it, though. When he learns to turn on pitches and use that power he’s still going to be pretty scary (assuming the mental and physical issues turn out…)
So, still a guy with a pretty high floor of a patience and power slugger who can play a good 1B. Ceiling is what has to be adjusted down after last year, since before his ceiling was really sky high. Its still pretty good, if you ask me. Its hard to get behind the guy too hard since he was flailing at the plate and stuggling this year, but he’s a great buy low guy and someone you should really watch how he starts next year.
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 8:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
sounds Berkman-esque
Is that a good comp for his ceiling?
by rmarx on Dec 13, 2025 8:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
you kind of defeated your own defense of Lars by linking to that article
“Scouting >>> Incredibly unreliable batted ball data for minor leaguers. Scouting > Numbers for minor leaguers, much of the time”
Then in that BP article you link to, we have:
Scouting reports on Anderson were disturbing this year, as those that had never seen him before wondered what the big deal was about, and those that saw him in the past saw a much stiffer player both at the plate and in the field.
by jibs on Dec 13, 2025 8:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
No...
Im not denying that his stock has dropped, and I certainly understand why John would give him a “B-.” This year raised plenty of question marks. That wasn’t my point at all.
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 8:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Could you send me an e-mail?
I’ve got something I wanted to ask you about. I’ll post this again somewhere else in case you miss this.
I just got on twitter.Follow me at http://twitter.com/JDSussman
I'll be trying to post lines and analysis as much as possible.
Remember: baseball guys... baseball...
by JDSussman on Dec 14, 2025 4:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Anderson has a Paul Oneil type of pressure on himself
He was throwing bats and helmets in the dugout when I saw him play in late april. He hit a monster homerun, his first of the year and it felt like the money was off his back in his expression.
by Bravesin07 on Dec 13, 2025 1:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'm going to mention Yunior Ortega's name.
He’s only played 1 year (and in the DSL), but he won’t turn 19 ’till around the end of next season, and he had a REALLY GOOD year at the DSL. 1.84 ERA, 58:15 K:BB in 63.2 IP.
An unproven commodity, but he’s infinitely more interesting to me than a Jordan Flasher
USG
by Ben Buchanan on Dec 13, 2025 2:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Also, Ken Roque
Who had 150 very good ABs between the GCL and Lowell last year as a middle infielder. He’s shown good patience at the plate with some nice extra-base power/speed. A tad old for his league though.
USG
by Ben Buchanan on Dec 13, 2025 2:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
think john said no DSL players
baseball rules.
by doublestix on Dec 13, 2025 3:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yeah
Yeah, no DSL guys. Just don’t have the room.
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 4:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Alas
Well, my Roque suggestion still stands.
USG
by Ben Buchanan on Dec 13, 2025 7:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Younginer is a pitcher, not an outfielder
Also, I can’t see ranking Younginer and not Parthemore. They’re pretty comparable talents, IMO.
by RedSoxFaithful on Dec 13, 2025 4:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
younginer
I know. that’s a typo. He’s a pitcher on the list.
I considered Parthemore but I have to draw the line somewhere and more people are going to want to know about Younginer.
by John Sickels on Dec 13, 2025 10:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Roman Mendez
Is the biggest sleeper on this team he is going to break out BIG this year.
by Pelferized on Dec 13, 2025 4:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
If youre really jammed for room...
you could certainly keep Max Ramirez on the Rangers (though Im sure theyre just as tough).
The trade is almost certainly going through, but it hasnt gone through yet, and its not 100% to happen…
by alskor on Dec 13, 2025 7:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I think it will be even harder to cut down the Rangers list that the Boston list
Probably not tbe best direction to go. Might be easier to just to keep it as is
JD’s like, "you want some fucking pitching? Here’s all the pitching you can stand. Now choke on it, bitches!"- RCCook
by laxtonto on Dec 13, 2025 8:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think the Lowell trade (if it goes through)
Was REALLY good for the Sox if Ramirez works out. Sad to say as an Orioles fan.
Check out my website, it has scouting reports for all the Orioles' top prospects and is updated daily. www.oriolesprospects.com
Follow me on twitter @orioleprospects and discuss the Orioles' prospects in my forums
by ravensfan3 on Dec 13, 2025 10:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
that's a big limb
if a prospect works out, it will be a good trade. . . the sox will eat 9 mil of a 12 mil contract, I think Texas did pretty good in dealing a pretty good hitting prospect, but is blocked all over the diamond. . . Lowell was hurt and had a decent year, so he should hit in Texas, and Texas gets him for 3 mil, not a bad move
by SoCalSoxFan on Dec 13, 2025 10:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I see 38 players are listed, John.
Jason Place has got to be in there, somewhere.
I know he has disappointed thus far, but it’s still too early to give up on a toolsy 1st rounder who reached AA at 21 years-old.
Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.
by Frederick0220 on Dec 13, 2025 10:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Ehhh
Should he be on the list? Perhaps. Too early to give up? Definitely not.
Who loves orange soda?
by Kenan and Kel on Dec 14, 2025 12:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
A little premature on Max Ramirez
since that trade hasn’t gone through
by wolf9309 on Dec 13, 2025 11:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, and I don't think it will.
Lowell may need thumb surgery, which means the deal might not happen.
"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it" ~ Mae West
by Blicks on Dec 14, 2025 1:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Lars
I saw him a bunch last year in AA, and I just don’t see the power at all. Not even in BP. Hell, not even in the AA All Star game HR Derby … I think he hit one or two … I watched him in 9 different games last year, and he just never drove the ball with any authority at all … I know, I know, SSS
As a Sox fan, I hope they trade this guy while he still has some value left, because I have a sinking feeling that after this year, he will have none.
by mgugs46 on Dec 14, 2025 10:10 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Garret Anderson won the Home run Derby once
Just saying…
You’re name has 2k9 in it — what are you some 8 year-old who makes Pillsbury Doughboy cookies and jerks off to that bullshit video game with Tim Lincecum on the cover--
Frederick0220
by Mets2k9 on Dec 14, 2025 11:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Insanely Deep System
Totally agree with Flasher and McGuiness; I don’t even have them in my top 60.
I would readily cut Hassan, Mills, and Portice. But I would want to see Randy Conseugra (19 y/o RH from Colombia with a 2.98 ERA, 9.73 K/9 and 3.10 GO/AO in the GCL), Ryne Miller, and Kenneth Roque, and Drake Britton and Jason Place, too.
Then there’s Jose Vinicio, who got a huge bonus but about whom we know very little.
The list of C prospects who would quite likely be included if they were in a weaker system is massive. You’ve got Chi-Hsien Chiang (.356 / .417 / .598 in his last 96 PA to rescue an otherwise lost year in high-A at age 21), Zack Daeges, Mitch Dening, Brock Huntzinger, David Mailman, Jeff Natale (terrific defense in a SSS according to TotalZone, and he’s always been able to hit), Dennis Neuman, Wilfredo Pichardo, Ryan Pressly, Jason Thompson, and Tyler Wilson. (And folks like Aaron Bates, Randor Bierd, and Andrew Dobies among the low-upside.)
It’s almost certain that one or more of the guys who are left out will have a good enough year that people will be looking them in vain next July …
by emvan on Dec 14, 2025 6:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Knew I Left Someone Out
I also have Kendal Volz in the top 45.
Hassan, Mills, Portice, the C prospects I mentioned, Richie Lentz (forgot him, too), and Tug Hulett bring you to 61. Bates, Bierd, Dusty Brown, Castro, Dobies, Robert Manuel, Ramon A. Ramirez, Angel Sanchez (great mlfa signing, he’s a solid MLB backup SS) — that’s a pretty good group for your #62-69 prospects.
by emvan on Dec 14, 2025 6:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Michael Almanzar
He seems to have really fallen off the prospect radar after a pretty brutal season. He’s still interesting, but I wonder if this is his last season of prospect relevance unless he really turns it around.
by Ophidian on Dec 14, 2025 7:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Anybody know anything about....
SP Chris Province
just got dealt to the Twins for the PTBL for Boof Bonser…
The only things I know about him are that he is a ground ball pitcher who was old for his league last year 24 in AA
will be 25 and probably in AAA for the Twins…..
Rene Tosoni is good.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Dec 14, 2025 8:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
He’s a reliever who had a 3.29 GO/AO last year. Former 4th round pick.
He had a rough start last year; his 2.60 ERA was something sky-high and then 1.50 starting May 28. Pretty good shot at being a 10th or 11th man in 2011.
by emvan on Dec 15, 2025 12:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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