SoxProspects.com Red Sox Podcast

Chris and Ian are back to wrap up the 2017 season and look ahead to 2018. In news, the club signed some minor league free agents and the major league club got a new manager. How might those events trickle down to other players and coaches in the system? Is Bryce Brentz coming back? Is Carlos Febles moving up to the majors? (As it turned out, the answer to both was "yes.") Plus, the fall and winter leagues are up and running, so we're due for an update. Wrapping up the 2017 season, the guys discussed some season-end awards and the site's official season-end rankings. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 3:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 4:30 - Minor League Free Agent signings wrap up 9:15 - So Long John Farrell; Hello Alex Cora 17:30 - Fall and Winter Leagues 34:15 - Season End Rankings are up 40:00 - State of the System 58:30 - Awards and Final Thoughts on 2017 1:11:00 - System Highs and Lows 1:23:30 - Listener Mail Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us. Players discussed: Deiner Lopez Marcus Walden Jeremy Barfield Aneury Tavarez Bryce Brentz Michael Chavis Josh Tobias Chad De La Guerra Henry Owens Kevin McAvoy Ty Buttrey Bobby Poyner Blake Swihart Sam Travis Chandler Shepherd Rafael Devers Jay Groome Daniel Flores Bryan Mata Tanner Houck Cole Brannen Alex Scherff Jalen Beeks Mike Shawaryn Bobby Dalbec CJ Chatham Danny Diaz Antoni Flores Josh Ockimey Pedro Castellanos Hector Velazquez Brian Johnson Tzu-Wei Lin Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTubeListen on Google Play MusicPodcast Archive

September brings us minor league playoffs, September call-ups in both the majors and minors, and of course, a new set of rankings. Who's fueling the Greenville Drive's playoff run? Why is Chris so fired up about Bryce Brentz? Who did Ian try to rank much higher than the other brass members? Listen and find out! Show notes 0:00 - Intro and housekeeping 4:55 - The DSL Sox made the playoffs? 6:20 - The Greenville Drive are still alive 24:19 - Lowell's September call-ups 29:25 - Boston's September call-ups... and Bryce Brentz staying home 47:10 - September rankings talk & the rankings process Players discussed: Brendan Nail Jagger Rusconi Pedro Castellanos Daniel Gonzalez Hildemaro Requena Everlouis Lozada Kervin Suarez Cole Brannen Bryce Brentz Sam Travis Bryan Mata Travis Houck Michael Chavis Nick Duron Justin Haley Got a question? Something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us. Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing on Patreon! Go to the link for the details. And don't forget the SoxProspects.com Annual Pledge Drive continues. Your help is greatly appreciated. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects

With the calendar turning to September and the minor league season about to wrap up, Chris and Ian discussed the news and took a bunch of your questions! The Arizona Fall League rosters have been released, and the Red Sox are sending an interesting crew into the desert in October. The news highlights included Jay Groome's season ending with an injury, the in-game debut of a 2017 draftee and the on-mound debut of another, and a few transactions of note. And finally, you came through with an 80-grade set of mailbag questions. Why doesn't raw power always actualize in games? Might Mookie Betts ever move back to second base? Where would Blake Swihart rank if he were still eligible for the site rankings? The answers to these and more await! 0:00 - Welcome, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. Plus it's the SoxProspects Annual Drive. 6:45 - Analyzing the Red Sox Arizona Fall League participants 25:30 - Other news 39:10 - Scouting reports from Portland and Lowell 46:20 - Mailbag! Got a question? Something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us. Players discussed: Michael Chavis Chad De La Guerra Josh Tobias Ty Buttrey Bobby Poyner Brian Johnson Henry Owens Brendan Nail Zach Schellenger Zach Scherff Lukas Young Noe Ramirez Steve Selsky Rafael Rincones Jay Groome Taylor Grover Angel Padron Rio Gomez Trey Ganns Enmanuel De Jesus Daniel Gonzalez Dedgar Jimenez Josh Ockimey Yorvin Pantoja Dominic LoBrutto Taylor Ahearn Jeremy Barfield Mike Olt Rusney Castillo Jordan Weems Devon Fisher Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing on Patreon! Go to the link for the details. And don't forget the SoxProspects.com Annual Pledge Drive continues. Your help is greatly appreciated. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Promotions marked the start of August, and having seen Pawtucket, Portland, and Lowell recently between them, Chris and Ian had plenty to talk about. Included in the first-hand talk are the surging (and relevant again?) Bryce Brentz, the new-look Henry Owens, the red-hot Michael Chavis, and 2017 draftees Brett Netzer and Jake Thompson, among others. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. Plus it's the SoxProspects Annual Drive. 9:30 - Josh Ockimey Promotion 14:30 - Early August Promotions Round-Up 21:30 - Blake Swihart is Playing Again 25:15 - Ian's Notes from Pawtucket 49:30 - Chris' Reflections on Portland 1:15:00 - Lowell Lightning Round 1:20:45 - Pawtucket relocation? Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us. Players discussed: Rafael Devers Josh Ockimey Brett Netzer Joan Martinez Juan Florentino Matthew Gorst Blake Swihart Carson Smith Brandon Workman Sam Travis Bryce Brentz Rusney Castillo Jalen Beeks Justin Haley Ben Taylor Williams Jerez Michael Chavis Danny Mars Cole Sturgeon Josh Tobias Chad De La Guerra Henry Owens Kevin McAvoy Jake Cosart Taylor Grover Jake Thompson Nick Duron Marino Campana Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. And don't forget the SoxProspects.com Annual Pledge Drive continues. Your help is greatly appreciated. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

It's the trade deadline. Chris and Ian broke down the trades to acquire Addison Reed for Jamie Callahan, Stephen Nogosek and Gerson Bautista and Eduardo Nunez for Shaun Anderson and Gregory Santos. They bid farewell to Luis Ysla, who was dealt the Dodgers in a move to clear room for Nunez on the roster. They celebrated the promotion of wunderkind Rafael Devers, now hitting sixth in your Red Sox lineup. Devers wasn't the only promotion in the system and the guys tackled all the news and notes surrounding a very busy trade deadline. Plus, we opened the mailbag with your questions, comments and considerations. Listen In! Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. Plus it's the SoxProspects Annual Drive. 9:00 - Red Sox acquire Addison Reed 29:45 - Rafael Devers can hit a little bit 32:45 - Red Sox land Eduardo Nunez 45:00 - Injury Update on David Price and Brian Johnson 51:00 - The return of Justin Haley 55:30 - Other promotion news 59:30 - Luis Ysla, See Ya 1:02:45 - Scouting Tanner Houck 1:07:30 - Listener Mail Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us. Players discussed: Jamie Callahan Stephen Nogosek Gerson Bautista Rafael Devers Tanner Houck Michael Chavis Shaun Anderson Brian Johnson Hector Velazquez Jalen Beeks Justin Haley Robby Scott Edgar Olmos Dedgar Jiminez Kyle Hart Logan Boyd Durin O'Linger Luis Ysla Bryce Brentz Michael Kopech Danny Mars Aneury Tavarez Sam Travis Chandler Shepherd Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. And don't forget the SoxProspects.com Annual Pledge Drive continues. Your help is greatly appreciated. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Chris and Ian battle technical difficulties on a big news weekend. Rafael Devers got upped. They say so long to Pablo Sandoval and Jhonny Peralta. They also discuss the recently shuffled rankings now that the draft and the J2 signing period are in the books. But, the trade deadline looms. Is Todd Frazier on the way? And if so, how much, how much is it going to cost the Red Sox? And will the players who will need to vie for a spot on the 40-man roster ahead of this winter's rule 5 draft be among the guys dealt? Ian spent some time watching Portland before Devers was promoted and drops some gems on the guys he saw. And we get to your emails. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. Plus it's the SoxProspects Annual Drive. 7:15 - News - The Big Promotion 12:45 - Final Draft Signing Update 23:00 - Rankings Update 36:45 - Listener Email on injury updates 49:15 - Trade Deadline Talk 1:00:00 - Possibly Premature Rule 5 Talk 1:06:45 - Quick Hits on Portland Players 1:11:30 - More Listener Mail Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us. Players discussed: Rafael Devers Rusney Castillo Alan Craig Jake Thompson Aaron Perry David Durden Tyler Dearden Andrew Carber Mookie Betts Jackie Bradley Matt Barnes Henry Owens Blake Swihart Travis Shaw Jay Groome Sam Travis Jecorrah Arnold Michael Chavis Tanner Houck Bryan Mata Yoan Moncada Daniel Flores Michael Almanzar Bobby Dalbec CJ Chatham Kyri Washington Cole Brannen Alex Scherff Mike Shawaryn Shaun Anderson Danny Diaz Brett Netzer Zach Schellenger Antoni Flores Tyler Esplin Nelfy Abreu Trey Ball Jalen Beeks Chandler Shepherd Jake Cosart Ty Buttrey Jamie Callahan Danny Mars Yankory Pimentel Aneury Tavarez Bobby Poyner Chad De La Guerra Josh Ockimey Dedgar Jiminez Williams Jerez Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who have provided us with our intro and outro music. With YouTube's bots cracking down on non-existent copyright violations, we're music free for awhile, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take a minute to support them. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

A very special Independence Day edition of the SoxProspects Podcast brings Ben Badler back to talk about the Red Sox's haul of international free agents. The guys talked with Ben about Venezuelan catcher Daniel Flores, the consensus second-ranked prospect in the 2017 class, and the rest of the players who've signed. Chris and Ian also talked about the players traded for international bonus pool money, the latest draft signings, and the latest rankings. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. Plus it's the SoxProspects Annual Drive. 8:00 - Draft Signings Update 13:30 - Trades for international bonus pool space 27:30 - Rankings update 43:00 - Listener emails 50:45 - Baseball America's Ben Badler Got something to say? Make sure to email us. Prospects discussed: Nick Longhi Stanley Espinal Imeldo Diaz Michael Chavis Tanner Houck Bryan Mata Bobby Dalbec Cole Brannen Alex Scherff Tzu-Wei Lin Brett Netzer Zach Schellenger Jay Groome Rafael Devers Sam Travis Bryce Brentz Chad De La Guerra Bobby Poyner Christopher Acosta Daniel Flores Danny Dia Antoni Flores Nelfy Abreu Denny Daza Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Ian and Chris hung out to discuss the latest news on the Red Sox system. The promotion of Michael Chavis and what that means for both Chavis and Rafael Devers headlines the discussion. Will Chavis even be in the Sox system after the trade deadline? The promotion of Tzu-Wei Lin to Boston prompted another discussion of the team's lack of infield depth. There were plenty of draft signings to cover, Ian provided a run down of what he's seen in Lowell so far, and the guys discussed the long road ahead for Jay Groome. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 4:30 - Breaking News - Everybody loves promotions 25:00 - Congrats Tzu-Wei Lin, Major Leaguer 33:00 - Draft Signings update 47:30 - Lowell, oh Lowell 53:00 - The Jay Groome Experience 63:00 - Pawtucket Pitchers 69:00 - Listener Mail Got something to say? Make sure to email us. Prospects discussed: Michael Chavis Rafael Devers Chad De La Guerra Stephen Nogosek Tzu-Wei Lin Tanner Houck Cole Brannen Brett Netzer Alex Scherff Zach Schellenger Tyler Esplin Yoan Aybar Nick Hamilton Stanley Espinal Yorvin Pantoja Juan Florentino Harrison Cooney Jay Groome Jamie Callahan Ty Buttrey Henry Owens Blake Swihart Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Jim Callis of MLB.com joined us for our annual draft review to talk about how the Red Sox 2017 draft class looks coming out of last week's 40 rounds! Chris and Jim talked about the club's picks from the first five rounds and some later round sleepers. Also on the agenda were some general draft questions from our listeners: What qualifies as a successful draft? Why did were more first basemen drafted in the first 50 picks this year? And finally, Jim chimed in on a topic that's been hot on the SoxProspects Forums: Would an MLB team ever blow past the draft bonus cap, and why or why not? And how did that lead to Jim telling a great story on the Red Sox 2005 draft and how that affected the organization for years afterward? Don't miss this episode!! Draftees discussed: - Tanner Houck - Jake Thompson - Alex Scherff - Cole Brannen - Brett Netzer - Garrett Benge - Aaron Perry - Donny Diaz - Charlie Madden

Chris and Ian couldn't wait, so they hopped right on the Podcast Machine to chat about the Red Sox selections in the First and Second Round of the 2017 MLB Draft! Is Missouri right-hander Tanner Houck, the club's first pick, a starter or reliever down the road? What's the projection on Georgia high school outfielder Cole Brannen? Where do these two potentially slot in the rankings? All of this and more in our special, instant reaction edition of the pod!

Another episode, another guest. This week JJ Cooper abandons the bear and joins Chris and Ian for a draft preview extravanganza. JJ discusses players who have been linked to the Sox and touches on some of the more interesting strategies teams have employed in recent years to maximize their talent hauls in the draft. Chris and Ian go deep on the recent spate of promotions. And if it's a new month, we have rankings to run down. Plus your questions are answered. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, Housekeeping, email us and Remeber to check us out on Patreon. 5:00 - Baseball America's JJ Cooper joins the show 48:30 - Latest System News 1:16:00 - June Rankings Talk 1:26:00 - Mailbag! Got a question? You know you do. And your question matters, so Email us. Thanks for all your great questions and keep them coming. Prospects mentioned at length: Bobby Dalbec Josh Ockimey Deven Marrero Bobby Poyner Robby Scott Jalen Beeks Travis Lakins Eduardo Rodriguez Brian Johnson Hector Velazquez Henry Owens Mike Shawaryn Shaun Anderson Ty Buttrey Marcus Walden Noe Ramirez Brandon Workman Kyle Martin Jamie Callahan Ben Taylor Chandler Shepherd Austin Maddox Yeison Coco Ricardo Cubillan Kervin Suarez Everlouis Lozada CJ Chatham Michael Chavis Bryan Mata Rafael Devers Jay Groome Sam Travis Nick Longhi Darwinzon Hernandez Aneury Tavarez Stephen Nogosek Jeremy Rivera Tyler Spoon Jake Romanski Chad Hardy Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Brendan McGair from the Pawtucket Times joins Chris and Ian for the 120th edition of the SoxProspects Podcast. Chris and Ian are in a celebratory mood as we have, thanks to your help surpassed our initial goal on Patreon. And speaking of Patreon, our first Patron chat is coming up soon. If you want to get in on it, sign up at Patreon. Chris and Ian talk about the latest round of promotions, the PawSox stadium situation, some notable players in Pawtucket and discuss the state of the system as we head to the June 1st rankings update. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, Housekeeping, email us and Remeber to check us out on Patreon and a word from Ian about the City United, Manchester in the United Kingdom. 9:30 - Breaking News - More promotions 20:00 - The Pawtucket Times' Brendan McGair 50:00 - Rankings Talk Got a question? You know you do. And your question matters, so Email us. Thanks for all your great questions and keep them coming. Prospects mentioned at length: Bryan Mata Jhonathan Diaz Marc Brakeman Jake Drehoff Jeremy Rivera Sam Travis Bryce Brentz Rusney Castillo Henry Owens Ryan Court Steve Selsky Kyle Martin Rafael Devers Jay Groome Marco Hernandez Shaun Anderson Mike Shawaryn CJ Chatham Michael Chavis Bobby Dalbec Travis Lakins Josh Ockimey Deven Marrero Robby Scott Mookei Betts Xander Bogaerts Andrew Benintendi Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Chris is back from Greenville to join Ian for a news heavy Podcast. Prospects are getting promoted. Chris and Ian analyze all the moves and all the injuries we're tracking in the system. Chris quizzes Ian on the players in the Sox system who launched at least 10 home runs last season. With an extra week, you answered the call and refilled the mailbag with gusto. We have a Devers update and more of your questions. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, Housekeeping, email us and Remeber to check us out on Patreon. 6:00 - Breaking News - Promotions galore 18:30 - Plus a needed demotion 22:30 - Injury bug bites Boston system 40:00 - Michael Chavis has hit 10 bombs 42:00 - Pawtucket update 53:30 - Mailbag time! Got a question? You know you do. And your question matters, so Email us. Thanks for all your great questions and keep them coming. Prospects mentioned at length: Jamie Callahan Travis Lakins Daniel Gonzalez Shaun Anderson Mike Shawaryn Yankory Pimentel Austin Maddox Yoan Aybar CJ Chatham Jay Groome Bobby Dalbec Michael Chavis Trenton Kemp Austin Rei Sam Travis Hector Velazquez Brian Johnson Brandon Workman Rafael Devers Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Now featuring the full episode! The partners in crime, Chris and Ian, have the SoxProspects virtual podcast studio all to themselves. They break down the decision to hold off on rushing Rafael Devers to Boston. They go over why it's Kyle Kendrick and not Brian Johnson or Henry Owens replacing Steven Wright. We cover the 2-8 scouting scale, how options work and speculate on why so many pitchers in the system are mowing guys down. Plus, it's mailbag emptying time. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, Housekeeping, email us and Remeber to check us out on Patreon. 4:30 - Breaking News: Rafael Devers is really good. Why isn't he in Boston? 18:00 - More News: Steven Wright is done, Why wasn't my favorite SoxProspect pitcher promoted instead of Kyle Kendrick? 20:30 - System Promotion Update - Mission Accomplished #FreeAneury 26:30 - Congrats to Shaun Anderson and Austin Rei - SoxProspects' Pitcher and Player of the month 31:30 - Questions from the SoxProspects crew 42:00 - Looking ahead to the July 1 International Signing Period 48:30 - Mailbag time! Got a question? It's time to refill our now empty mailbag. Your question matters, so Email us. Great questions and keep them coming. Prospects mentioned at length: Rafael Devers Brian Johnson Aneury Tavarez Josh Tobias Brandon Workman Michael Chavis Shaun Anderson Austin Rei Tzu Wei-Lin Josh Ockimmey Daniel Gonzalez Hildemaro Requena Jalen Beeks Xander Bogaerts Bryan Mata CJ Chatham Ben Taylor Chandler Shepherd Jamie Callahan Jake Cosart Ty Buttrey Austin Maddox Rusney Castillo Alan Craig Travis Lakins Josh Ockimey Stephen Nogosek Stephen Nogosek Michael Chavis Bobby Dalbec Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @SoxProspects Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Chris and Ian welcome Mike Andrews, the Dude, His Dudeness, or el Duderino - if you're not into the whole brevity thing - to the Podcast just in time to go over the new rankings, because it's May at last. An end to April showers and Pawtucket rainouts. We also crown a new king atop the Sox Prospects ranking leaderboard. Ian, Chris and Mike go over the risers, fallers and all the rankings related news. Ian spends a minute sharing the latest from Pawtucket. And Chris cracks open the mail bag to get to your questions. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - Intros, Housekeeping, email us and Remeber to check us out on Patreon.. 8:00 - May Rankings - The New Top 20 38:30 - May Rankings - Charting 21 - 60 49:30 - It's Mailbag time 1:13:00 - Pawtucket News Got a question? Is it time to challenge the wisdom of the Rankings Committee? Want more depth on Pawtucket and what's up with Henry Owens, Blake Swihart and International man of Mystery Rusney Castillo? Email us. Prospects mentioned at length: Rafael Devers Bobby Dalbec Travis Lakins Josh Ockimey Michael Chavis Roniel Raudes Mike Shawaryn Jalen Beeks Shaun Anderson Aneury Tavarez Ty Buttrey Stephen Nogosek Austin Glorius Lorenzo Cedrola Chandler Shepherd Hector Velazquez Austin Maddox Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @MikeAndrewsSP @SoxProspects Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Ian and Chris welcome Chaz Fiorino to the Podcast and go deep on Portland. We have an update on Rafael Devers. We go into the intrigue of Aneury Tavarez spend more time as a Sea Dog. Chaz and Ian play bullpen bingo with the Portland 'pen. We peer into the mailbag to find out just what we have in both Ben Taylor and Jamie Callahan and we bid a parting tribute to our friend and now former colleague Matt Heugel. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 2:00 - We wish our good friend Matt Heugel a fond farewell. 4:00 - Intros, Housekeeping, email us and Remeber to check us out on Patreon. 6:30 - April in Portland 9:30 - Portland Hitters 27:30 - Portland Starters 41:00 - Portland's 'Pen 58:00 - It's the Ben Taylor Mailbag Got a question? Want to hear more detail about what makes Greenville's rotation interesting? Or maybe you're looking for an update on the best outfield in the system. Email us. Prospects mentioned at length: Rafael Devers Nick Longhi Aneury Tavarez Danny Mars Jordan Procyshen Cole Sturgeon Teddy Stankiewicz Jalen Beeks Trey Ball Luis Ysla Jake Cosart Jamie Callahan Ty Buttrey Ben Taylor Jay Groome Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

Real actual baseball. Minor League season kicked off tonight and with the rains in the northeast, Pawtucket and Portalnd were washed away. And what better time than now to review rosters and dip into the mailbag to answer your questions. Ian and Chris check in on the Portland bullpen quartet. The compare the depth between Salem and Portland. Ian still isn't buying the Roniel Raudes story. Greenville's rotation looks to be the best of the minor league affiliates. Jeremy Rivera's suspension gives the guys a chance to discuss the minor league policies for drug suspensions. And we've got your emails. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 1:00 - Intros, Housekeeping, email us and Remeber to check us out on Patreon. 10:30 - Ian's Misadventures with the Lowell mascot 12:00 - Pawtucket Roster Review 29:00 - Portland Roster Review 43:00 - Salem Roster Review 58:00 - Greenville Roster Review 1:15:00 - Twitter Mailbag - #AskSP Got a question? Want to hear more detail about what makes Greenville's rotation interesting? Or maybe you're looking for an update on the best outfield in the system. Email us or tweet using the hashtag #AskSP. Prospects mentioned at length: Marco Hernandez Steve Selsky Aneury Tavarez Henry Owens Brian Johnson Blake Swihart Joseph Monge Danny Mars Tzu-Wei Lin Jalen Beeks Jacob Dahlstrand Trey Ball Austin Maddox Jamie Callahan Luis Ysla Jake Cosart Ty Buttrey Michael Chavis Josh Ockimey Travis Lakins Roniel Raudes Jay Jason Groome Bobby Dalbec Darwinzon Hernandez Shaun Anderson Mike Shawaryn Hildemaro Rquena CJ Chatham Jeremy Rivera Lorenzo Cedrola Yoan Aybar Eddy Reynoso Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @MattHeugel In absentia @SoxProspects Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music. Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on YouTube Listen on Google Play Music Podcast Archive

With Fort Myers in the rearview mirror, Chris and Ian stick a set of chopsticks into Spring Training. Chris sits down with Sox farmhand and member of the upstart Team Israel team, Mike Myers. Ian elaborates on the Jason Groome experience. Chris and Ian review the A-Ball pitchers and hitters from the end of the Spring Training trip. Chris swerves by his standing rant about how the Rule 5 draft hurts Latin players. Tyler Hill makes another Podcast appearance as the Sox continue to trial him in center this spring. Listen In! Podcast Show Notes 1:00 - Intros, Housekeeping, email us and Remeber to check us out on Patreon. 5:30 - Corner Outfielder Mike Myers on his WBC experience 17:00 - Ian's #Winning Spring Training 20:00 - Updates on the Greenville and Salem pitchers 52:00 - Lightning Round on A-Ball Hitters Got a question? Want to hear more about the new rankings? Or maybe you're looking for some more detail on the A-Ball hitters. Email us or tweet using the hashtag #AskSP. Players mentioned at length: Mike Myers Jason Groome Mike Shawaryn Yorvin Pantoja Mitchell Osnowitz Roniel Raudes Darwinzon Hernandez Joan Martinez Austin Glorius Robby Sexton Tyler Hill Ramfis Berroa Nick Hamilton Bobby Dalbec Jake Romanski Tate Matheney Tucker Tubbs Podcast Twitter Links: @SPChrisHatfield @IanCundall @MattHeugel In absentia @SoxProspects Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Remember to click over to give a listen to The Ludlow Thieves who kindly provide us with our intro and outro music.

From Fort Myers and the delightful Hampton Inn. Chris and Ian deal with the unseasonably chilly weather (for Florida) and talk about the early minors spring training games. We have a Christopher Acosta update. Long-time listener and returning emailer Joe clears the air. Finally, Chris and Ian contemplate the challenge of developing good major league players, even for bullpen positions. Listen In!

With winter weather clinging bitterly to Boston, Chris, Matt and Ian look ahead to their spring training trip. Up first is an overview of what the guys are looking forward to seeing when they get to the balmy summer climes of the Fort. And then from the mailbag, listener Joe calls out the lack of statistical context when judging the flukiness of Rusney Castillo's winter revival. Finally, they lament the end of the beloved Blue Sushi and wonder whether Brahma Sushi can compare.

After a winter hibernation, Chris, Matt and Ian have a backlog of questions and a lot to cover in advance of the staff trip to Fort Myers. It's Spring Training At Last. And many recent top Sox Prospects are in Arizona with the Padres or the White Sox. The time has come to survey the state of the system and some of the Non Roster Invitees to camp. Andrew Benintendi has bulked up. Rafael Devers is in Big League camp along with an interesting mix of post-prospect guys, like Blake Swihart. The guys also review the AFL and discuss the players who were dealt this winter. Plus, Chris Acosta is back. Listen in!

Sound the emergency podcast siren! Dealin' Dave was at it again today, acquiring Tyler Thornburg from Milwaukee for Travis Shaw, Mauricio Dubon, and Josh Pennington, then coming back hours later and landing the white whale from the White Sox in Chris Sale, giving up the system's top prospect, Yoan Moncada, along with Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz. In all, four of the team's top nine prospects coming into the day, with two more on the fringes of the top 20, are headed out, but for a couple of major pieces. What did Chris and Ian think? And how did they answer your questions? Listen in!

Making his fourth appearance on the podcast, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe and Baseball America joined the guys to discuss his recently released Red Sox Top 10 list. How did he pick between Andrew Benintendi and Yoan Moncada? Michael Kopech and Jason Groome? Plus we hit on some other topics, like a potential Mookie Betts extension and what players might be trade fodder for the next Dave Dombrowski deal.

Chris, Ian, Matt, and the returning Mike Andrews marked the end of the season by breaking down the debates that led to our end-of-season rankings! Topics discussed included ranking Yoan Moncada over Andrew Benintendi at number 1 and Jason Groome over Michael Kopech as the system's top pitching prospect, how the system looks compared to past seasons, and highlights from each of the guys' top 60 rankings.

On what proved to be the final day of the Boston Red Sox 2013 season, Chris and Ian recapped the latter's trip to Instructs. Scouting reports included Jason Groome, CJ Chatham, Victor Diaz, Roldani Baldwin, Bryan Mata, and others… even Pablo Sandoval! Plus, we answered a slew of listener questions: Which players might get surprising, aggressive assignments next year? What will the Sox do with all of their minor league third basemen, and will Rafael Devers move off of the position? Who is the next Robby Scott… and what do you take that question to mean? These and more discussed herein!

Coming down the stretch in MLB, that doesn't mean there isn't anything to talk about in the world of SoxProspects! In this episode, the guys wrap up each affiliate's season, discuss the Fall Instructional League roster, and the Padres trade scandal. Plus your emails! Which players might get protected from the Rule 5 draft this offseason (take 2)? What mechanical flaws are immediate red flags? What's the deal with Rafael Devers' 18 steals? Plus, thoughts on Jake Cosart, Austin Glorius, Matt Kent, and more!

Moncada to the majors? September call-ups? First-hand Jason Groome, Bobby Dalbec, CJ Chatham, and Mike Shawaryn reports? And even new rankings? Sounds like a recipe for a podcast, so Chris and Ian got into the kitchen to cook up some prospect talk.

Since the last episode, we've seen Andrew Benintendi make his debut in the majors and Yoan Moncada make his debut at third. Could the latter join his former Portland teammate in Boston, and is anyone else in the minors ready to come up and help the big league club? Like say... in the bullpen? Plus quick hits on why Rafael Devers and Michael Kopech won't get promoted, the trade of Pat Light, Arizona Fall League assignment predictions, and first-hand reports from Lowell. Plus your emails led to discussion of Kyri Washington, Nick Hamilton, Christopher Acosta, Luis Alexander Basabe, and more.

In this week's episode, we have new first-hand updates on Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, and Michael Kopech! Plus, we hit a ton of listener emails: Why can't the Red Sox develop starting pitching? Which Travis - Sam or Shaw - is more likely to be the club's first baseman in two years? How might the Red Sox break in Andrew Benintendi when he gets called up? All this and more await, so hit the download button!

So a few things have gone down over the past 10 days, eh? The guys had a ton to talk about - the trades of Luis Alejandro Basabe and Jose Almonte for Brad Ziegler and, more importantly, Anderson Espinoza for Drew Pomeranz showed why the Prez of Baseball Ops is becoming known to many as Dealin' Dave. Plus, the Red Sox were able to get Jason Groome signed before the July 15 deadline, along with fellow draftees Bobby Dalbec and Mike Shawaryn, so the guys ran down what they thought of the full draft haul and how the Groome signing may have played into the club's willingness to move Espinoza. And with the deadline past, the SoxProspects Rankings were updated - where did all of the new guys fall? And who moved based on what the guys have seen in Lowell, Greenville, Salem, Portland, and Pawtucket over the past few weeks? Listen for all this and more!

The news in this episode was big enough to take up most of the conversation. First, just hours before we recorded, RHP Aaron Wilkerson and 2B Wendell Rijo were dealt to Milwaukee for infielder Aaron Hill and cash. And earlier in the week, Major League Baseball imposed unprecedented penalties on the Red Sox organization for rules violations relating to their acquisition of several international amateur free agents last season. Between those big stories, a draft signings update, and the Top 4 Update, we've got a packed episode!

With all of that draft craziness out of the way, it's time to get back to the grind, and with promotions afoot and new seasons beginning, there was plenty for the guys to talk about. In the Top 4 Update, Yoan Moncada (and his friends Mauricio, Jalen, and Ben) got promoted, Andrew Benintendi is getting his footing, and Rafael Devers is finally coming out of his funk. Meanwhile, the Lowell and GCL seasons have started, and Ian sat on the Spinners' first five games, giving him plenty to report about the best pitching staff that team has had in recent memory. And of course, we read and answered your emails!

With the 2016 MLB draft in the books, our friend Jim Callis of MLB.com came on the podcast to dissect the draft as a whole and the selections made by the Red Sox over the event's three days. Why did Jason Groome fall, will he sign, and what other team might he have had a deal with before the Red Sox plucked him at number 12 overall? How do the five college juniors selected by the Red Sox in rounds 2-6 compare to their selections in that range in past years? Will any of the well-regarded late-round picks sign? Jim answered these questions and more! Help support SoxProspects.com during our annual fundraising drive! Go to http://news.soxprospects.com/2016/06/2016drive.html for the details.

Chris, Ian, and Senior Staff Writer Will Woodward got on the horn quickly to react to the Red Sox selecting prep lefty Jason Groome out of New Jersey and Florida Atlantic shortstop C.J. Chatham in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft on Thursday night. Given that Groome was ranked by many as the top talent in the draft and reportedly fell due to signability and makeup concerns, there was plenty to talk about (and will be in the coming weeks).

It's draft week! To prepare for this year's MLB First-Year Player Draft, which starts on Thursday, June 9, Chris spoke to Baseball America Managing Editor JJ Cooper about a number of topics, including BA's history of draft coverage, the general strengths and weaknesses of this year's draft class, some players who could be on the radar for the Red Sox at pick 12, and whether the club might re-draft some past selections. Plus, in lieu of the Big 4 Update, we spoke with JJ about his thoughts on their starts to the season. Remember, during the draft, be sure to check out our News Page at http://news.soxprospects.com for up-to-the-minute news throughout the draft's three days!

As the calendar turns to June, we've got a new set of rankings to dissect and a bunch of listener emails to answer! We check in on the Big 4, chat about the hard luck that has taken the top two prospects on the Pawtucket Red Sox out of action, analyze Josh Ockimey's great start to the season and corresponding climb to the top 20, review the bullpen arms in Pawtucket and Greenville, and more!

In the unofficial second part of the crew's roundup of the first month-plus of the season, the guys looked at the goings-on in Portland and Greenville. The Sea Dogs are struggling in the standings, but noteworthy mound performances by Aaron Wilkerson and Chandler Shepherd merit discussion and further looks at Williams Jerez, Luis Ysla, Henry Ramos, and Jake Romanski were undertaken. Greenville has been home to many of the season's early pleasant surprises. Among the members of the Drive discussed are Michael Chavis, Josh Ockimey, Roniel Raudes, the Basabe twins, Kyri Washington, Tate Matheny, Austin Glorius, Jake Cosart, and Bobby Poyner. And in the Big 4 Update, the topics included which days - precisely - we might see an Andrew Benintendi promotion (could it be this week?), how much longer Yoan Moncada might spend in Salem (longer than Benintendi, at least), and Anderson Espinoza's record-tying start for the Drive (he gooooood).

It's been a month, but Chris came back from being a big shot andgot back on the horn with Matt and Ian to discuss the season'sfirst month. Things kick off with the first edition of the Big 4Update, looking at whether Yoan Moncada's strikeouts are a concernand why Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers flipped in the siterankings update on May 1. Then the guys gave us their notes fromthe field from the first month. Chris had the latest from Salem,with reports on Moncada, Benintendi, Devers, Trey Ball, and others.Then Ian and Matt responded with the word from Pawtucket on SamTravis and Deven Marrero. Finally, the guys aired it out on whetherit is a good idea for Blake Swihart to start getting reps in leftfield, and what's gotten into the big riser in the May 1 rankings,Teddy Stankiewicz.

Another successful trip to minor league spring is in the books for the SoxProspects.com crew. With fresh scouting and other intel to share, Chris, Matt, Ian, and Chaz got on the horn to talk about what they saw, as well as the All-New, All-Different SoxProspects Rankings! How did the big four of Moncada, Devers, Espinoza, and Benintendi look? What led to big jumps in the standings from Travis Lakins, Christopher Acosta, and Luis Alejandro "Not Just the Other" Basabe? Why has Yankory Pimentel made Chaz rethink everything he knows about scouting? All of this and more await in this episode.

In preparation for our trip to Fort Myers, the guys cleaned out the mailbag, answering your questions about the state of the farm system! Who would they pick for their All-Underrated Red Sox prospect team? How well would Mookie Betts do if he were to go down to A-ball? Conversely, what if Anderson Espinoza were called up to the majors right now? Is Travis Shaw a hall of famer? How does a team develop power arms? These questions and more await!

The guys are pumped that their trip to Spring Training is drawing near, but first, they got on the horn with Friend of the Site Jim Callis of MLB.com to talk about the state of the farm system! MLB.com released its Top 30 Red Sox prospects last week, so we had plenty of questions for Jim, and he had answers. Do the Sox have the best quartet of prospects in the game? Where was Andrew Benintendi on the club’s draft board last June? How will his hand injury affect Michael Kopech’s development and prospect stock? This and more await in another great episode!

Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe has had all the coverage of the early stages of spring training, and he joined us for a conversation about what's been going on! What minor leaguers have already caught Pete's eye? How much work has Yoan Moncada been doing with the major leaguers? Are there really competitions for spots in the rotation and the back of the bullpen? Plus, Peter had a great story about his introduction to covering minor league baseball. The SoxProspects.com Podcast is sponsored by SeatGeek. Download the SeatGeek app and use our code, SP20, to get a $20 refund on your first purchase!

Pitchers and catchers have reported, so it must be time to fire the podcast machine back up! Chris, Matt, and Ian got back on the horn to discuss the (current and former) Red Sox prospects ranked among the game's top 100 prospects by various outlets. Can we learn anything by the rankings of Yoan Moncada, Rafael Devers, Andrew Benintendi, Anderson Espinoza, and Michael Kopech? Also, we got some great reader questions about Moncada, Henry Owens and Brian Johnson, Austin Glorius, Karsten Whitson, the 2016 draft class, and more! Who were our picks for sleeper breakout seasons? Who from last year's draft class are we excited to see in 2016? Listen to find out!

It's ranking season, and that gave us an excuse to get our friend Alex Speier of the Boston Globe and Baseball America to discuss his recently released list of the top 10 Red Sox prospects! We discuss the organization's first-class top 10 and potentially worrisome lack of depth after the top 7, whether the Red Sox gave up too much in the Craig Kimbrel deal, and much more! And as always, thanks to The Ludlow Thieves for our music! Get their new EP Sing Me Back, released Dec. 18, on iTunes!

Well, it did not take very long into the offseason for Dave Dombrowski to make a blockbuster move, as the Red Sox traded four of their top 25 prospects on Friday for Padres closer Craig Kimbrel. If there ever was a time for an emergency podcast, this is it, so Chris, Matt, and Ian got on the horn to discuss the ins and outs of the deal. We have scouting reports on Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, Logan Allen, Carlos Asuaje, and even Kimbrel. Was it an overpay, and even if it was, does it still make sense for the Sox? How much does it matter that the system is so deep and the Sox are set at shortstop and center field? How did the free agent market influence the deal? We leave no stone unturned in our debate!

The long-awaited second half of our season wrap-up hits three of your emails, then goes through our season-end rankings! How high did upstart Venezuelan Anderson Espinoza push into the top five, and why? What led to Luis Alexander Basabe and Logan Allen pushing into the top 15? What else did Ian see at Fall Instructs? Plus, we close with Chris’s interview with 2013 first-round pick Trey Ball, looking back on his season in Salem and the pressures of being the #7 overall pick.

On this episode of the SoxProspects.com Podcast: - It’s time to wrap up the season! We start by taking your listener questions. What players would be the best converting to or from the mound? Do the Red Sox promote players more aggressively than they used to? Why has the top prospect changed so often over the last two years? These questions get answered and more! - We recap the 2015 SoxProspects.com All-Stars. Who did our Forum members vote as the best at their positions in 2015? The answers may … actually they probably won’t surprise you really. - Lastly, we debate our picks for each of the 2015 SoxProspects.com Awards, such as Offensive Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Breakout Player of the Year, and more! Some tough choices here led to some good debate.

In this episode of the SoxProspects.com Podcast: - In Notes from the Field, Chris, Ian, and Chaz share their reports on Pawtucket’s Matt Barnes, Marco Hernandez, and William Cuevas; Salem’s Wendell Rijo, Mauricio Dubon, Teddy Stankiewicz, and Ty Buttrey; and Lowell’s Logan Allen, Travis Lakins, and Yankory Pimentel. - Reviewing the September rankings update, we discuss Yoan Moncada overtaking Rafael Devers at the top and comparing the fast-rising Anderson Espinoza and Andrew Benintendi against the “old guard” of the Top 10. - Finally, we share Chris’s interview with Salem Red Sox second baseman Wendell Rijo. Wendell discussed his rise through the minors so far, changes he’s made to his swing, the difficulties international players face coming to the U.S., and more.

We've got a backlog of listener emails to get to, so what better time than the present to talk about what you want to hear? You guys had some outstanding questions that gave us plenty to talk about. What are the odds of a top prospect becoming a good major leaguer? Which pitchers have the highest ceilings in the system? What players rank as the best in each of the five tools? And of course there's current events: What can we expect from Dave Dombrowski as President of Baseball Ops, and is Jackie Bradley's rebound for real? All of this and more awaits!

This week, we're hitting you with a couple of interviews with members of the Greenville Drive: third baseman Michael Chavis and first baseman/outfielder Nick Longhi. Chavis, a 2014 first-round pick, discussed what it was like sharing third base with Rafael Devers, the pressures of being a first-rounder, and what's with the whole "11:11" thing. Longhi talked about what most listeners of the podcast could probably only dream about - being a Red Sox fan drafted by the Red Sox - as well as a number of other topics including visiting the Dominican Instructional League.