• C – Jordan Procyshen – 23 yo
  • 2.59/.648 – PAG/APPA  (HiA Salem)  
  • 2016 stats:  .249/.302/.376;  .677 OPS;  16 doubles, 4 home runs. 

The 5’10” – 185 lb. lefty heads up a smattering of Red Sox catching choices this season. In spite of several select catchers offering their fair share of offensive highlights, Procyshen sits more in the prototypical catcher mold. He posted a .991 fielding percentage and caught 42% of would-be base stealers. 

• 1B – Pedro Castellanos – 18 yo
  • 3.45/.811 – PAG/APPA  (DSL2) 
  • 2016 stats:  .326/.394/.496;  .890 OPS;  23 doubles, 20:25 BB:K, 

In his debut season, the lanky Venezuelan led the entire Dominican Summer League in doubles, and ranked fourth in both RBi’s (47) and total bases (117). Castellanos 77 hits also ranked 2nd amongst all short season Red Sox prospects behind DSL2 teammate Yeison Coca. Now, I could have gone the safe route with LoA Greenville’s Josh Ockimey. The 2014 – 5th rounder out of Sts. Neumman and Goretti HS (Philadelphia) was among Red Sox prospect leaders in doubles, home runs and walks.  However, Castellanos’ batting average mixed with his doubles total and above average defense (.985 Fld %) made him a perfect OAS choice. I suspect he’ll see a promotion to the GCL in 2017. 

• 2B – Everlouis Lozada #  – 17 yo
  • 3.66/.785 – PAG/APPA  (DSL2) 
  • 2016 stats:  .298/.390/.391;  .781 OPS;  12 doubles, 17 stolen bases, 35:56 BB:K

The Red Sox second base OAS race was much closer than one might believe.  Three prospects stood out: Lozada, fellow DSL-mate Kervin Suarez and fourth year infielder Luis Alejandro Basabe. The 5’10” – 160 lb. Basabe was eliminated due to the mid-season trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Fellow Venezuelan Suarez fell short of most, if not all of Lozada’s offensive categories. Defensively he has work to do, but with high average, nice pop, good plate discipline a speed to spare, Lozada could secretly climb prospect boards if he successfully builds upon his debut season. 

• 3B – Rafael Devers – 19 yo
  • 3.25/.762 – PAG/APPA  (HiA Salem)  
  • 2016 stats:  .282/.335/.443;  .779 OPS;  32 doubles, 11 home runs, 18 stolen bases. 

Here’s another case where the gap between the have’s and have not’s is too large to ignore. The 6’0″ – 195 lb. Devers is a pure stud in the making, and it almost seems unfair that lefty-swinging Dominican sits in the same organization that just promoted superstar second baseman Yoan Moncada and outfielder Andrew Benintendi. Devers prospect ceiling is enormous and he will probably start 2017 with AA Portland; and could quite possibly sip of small cup of coffee at Fenway next September. 

• SS – Yeison Coca – 17 yo
  • 3.35/.730 – PAG/APPA  (DSL2)  
  • 2016 stats:  .308/.372/.408;  .779 OPS;  9 triples, 12 stolen bases

The Red Sox OAS shortstop race posed the opposite situation that third base and Rafael Devers offered. Three kids stated quite a case including two top 15 prospects. C.J. Chatham, a 2016 – 2nd rounder out of Florida Atlantic University, who posted a combined 3.00/.719 PAG/APPA over two levels (GCL/SS Lowell), and fourth year pro Mauricio Dubon, who logged a combined  3.77/.852 PAG/APPA in a near even time split between HiA Salem and AA Portland.  Now, this is in no way saying OAS choice Yeison Coca backed into being chosen as this years OAS shortstop. The rail thin Coca’s 80 hits led all short-season Red Sox and ranked 5th in the DSL. He struggled defensively with 19 errors, but his bat should continue to be the focal point of his ascension through the ranks. 

• LF – Tyler Hill – 20 yo
  • 3.75/.877 – PAG/APPA  (SS Lowell)  
  • 2016 stats:  .332/.400/.487;  .887 OPS;  14 doubles, 4 home runs, 113 TB

Hill, a 2014 – 19th rounder out of the Delaware Military Academy (DE), entered 2016 after posting a combined 2.53/.657 PAG/APPA in the GCL, then four games for Short Season Lowell of the New York-Penn League in 2015. The 6’0″ – 195 lb. is considered an excellent athlete and has an overall strong set of tools. In 2016, he improved on all offensive fronts. He ranked first in the NYPL in total bases, while sitting within the league’s top 10 in runs (43), hits (77), triples (5), doubles, RBi’s (38) and batting. 

• CF – Luis Alexander Basabe – 19 yo
  • 3.41/.794 – combined PAG/APPA   (LoA Greenville – 3.41/.794;  HiA Salem – 3.80/.826)  
  • 2016 stats:  .264/.328/.452;  .780 OPS;  8 triples, 26 doubles, 25 stolen bases

Aside from uber outfield prospect Andrew Benintendi, the identical twin brother of former organizational mate/current Diamondback Luis Alejandro, L. Alexander Basabe provides quite a comprehensive set of tools. His batting average could use improvement and he needs to cut down on his strikeouts, but with another solid year – he’s yet to score less than a 3.37/.754 PAG/APPA in a season –  the slender Venezuelan could position himself as the new top overall outfield prospect in the system in 2017. 

• RF – Danny Mars – 22 yo
  • 3.19/.758 – PAG/APPA   (HiA Salem) 
  • 2016 stats:  .293/.353/.401;  .754 OPS;  10 triples, 31 stolen bases

Part of the fun of doing the UTR OAS lists is you get to analyze the depth (or lack thereof) in each organization. One statement Jim and I say to ourselves a lot is, “Boy, if only this kid was in a different organization.” Danny Mars fits that description. It’s crazy to think that despite trading away outfielder Manuel Margot to the San Diego Padres in mid -November 2015, the system still boasted extensive depth: Benintendi, Basabe, Henry Ramos, Nick Longhi, Yoan Aybar and Kyri Washington and Tyler Hill. But Mars possesses the tools  – plus-plus speed, good pop and superior defense  –  to work his way through the pack.  2016 was his first in full-season ball and although he doubled his games played, he sustained offensive consistency while posting career highs in each peripheral stat. I believe Mars projects better as a center fielder and he could see a opening day promotion to HiA Salem.