Cam Booser is showing promise in his first spring training with the Red Sox
With Opening Day quickly approaching, the Red Sox’s roster will look very different than just a year ago. They have added veteran pieces and said goodbye to homegrown stars. Boston has also added intriguing depth pieces such as Cam Booser. The lefthander is expected to start the regular season in the minors, but he has been lights out in spring training.
In four appearances, Booser has not allowed a run and struck out three batters. He has been nearly unhittable and held opponents to a .091 batting average. While Booser's sample size is small, he has been one of the team's best relievers. In his first few weeks in the Red Sox organization, he is making a great first impression.
Booser began his professional career with the Twins in 2013 before retiring in 2017. However, his retirement was short-lived. He pitched in the Independent League in 2021 before joining the Diamondbacks organization for the 2022 campaign. In 97 career minor league games, he has posted a 4.70 ERA and allowed 108 hits.
While his numbers don’t jump off the page, the Central Arizona College product does throw 100 miles per hour. That is valuable in any bullpen. The main thing for Booser will be improving his control. In his career, Booser has walked 114 batters, which has sometimes gotten him in trouble. So far this spring, he has shown encouraging signs as the 30-year-old has been able to limit baserunners.
With Booser expected to begin the season in Portland, he will have time to work on his craft only two stops from the majors. He has had success in the past and posted an ERA under 3.50 in four of his six seasons in the minors. In that span, the hard-throwing lefthander has struck out 173 batters in 134 innings of work.
During the 2023 campaign, Booser will be a player to watch. He could be an option when injuries arise due to his ability to strike out batters. The former Diamondback and Twin has opened eyes in camp and is no longer flying under the radar.
Regardless of how the season plays out, Booser is ready for whatever adversity comes his way. In high school, he broke his femur and fractured a vertebra. His injuries continued to pile up in college as Booser had Tommy John surgery as a freshman and tore his labrum as a Junior. He is no stranger to adversity and is just happy to be back to playing baseball.
In an interview with the Athletic last year, Booser said, “My worst day at the field is better than my best day at the job site. “To me, it’s all about perspective. As long as I have a jersey, I’m going to be happy.”
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