Minor League notebook: Red Sox prioritize starting pitching depth, Orioles battle key injuries, Josh Lester inks deal with Royals
With the Super Bowl now in the rear view mirror, the NFL season is finally over. The NBA and NHL seasons are in full swing into their second halves. Baseball is finally back this week with the start of Spring Training games.
Full squads have officially all reported to camp and are preparing for the season. More dominos on the free agent market have started to fall and injuries are arising. Depth is being tested early with several organizations and we have even seen the trade market picking up.
Red Sox prioritize starting pitching depth
Boston has acquired starting pitching prospect David Sandlin from the Kansas City Royals for reliever John Schreiber.
Why make this move from both sides?
The Red Sox had the chance to add to its lackluster and thin starting pitching depth in the minor leagues. Sandlin immediately slots in as the third or fourth best starting pitching prospect in their system. They also traded from a group where they have plenty of depth in the major league bullpen, making it similar to having the ability to deal Alex Verdugo when they have plenty of outfielders who were lefties.
Sandlin is projected to start the year in High-A Greenville after only pitching in two games at the level in the Royals organization. The right-hander will join top prospect Luis Perales in the rotation along with Yordanny Monegro, Dalton Rogers, and Matt Duffy.
The downside of the trade is that Boston takes away from a member of its MLB roster for a prospect, a move that shows they might not be as invested in winning in 2024.
Kansas City had the chance to acquire a major league reliever who still has three years of control on his contract. With a lot of attention this offseason on adding pitching with Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, and Will Smith, the Royals should bolster a better pitching staff than the year before. Schreiber will step into a late inning role that the Royals desperately need.
Orioles organization depth tested early
Baltimore has proven right out of the gate that it is never a bad idea to stockpile too much depth in the upper minors.
Starting pitchers Kyle Bradish and John Means are both dealing with injuries and will start the season on the major league IL. 2023 Rookie of the Year winner Gunnar Henderson is dealing with an oblique injury that will sideline him this spring. Catcher Samuel Basallo, who is ranked as the 17th best prospect in baseball according to MLB.com, is dealing with a stress fracture and won’t catch until April.
The Orioles will have to dip down into the starting pitching depth early in the season, which means Cade Povich, Seth Johnson, and Bruce Zimmerman will be competing to fill while Means and Bradish are on the mend.
Basallo is an interesting case for the Orioles. When you are the 17th ranked prospect in all of baseball, there will be a significant amount of hype around you. Basallo plays catcher, but that position won’t be open anytime soon in Baltimore. He did appear in 21 games at first base in High-A to finish the year last season and at just 19 years old, will have plenty of time to develop there before the big leagues.
Josh Lester signs with Kansas City
While we are still on the Orioles train, former Baltimore infielder Josh Lester has signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals this week, reported by Beyond the Monster.
Lester was a key part of a Norfolk Tides championship run last season and appeared in 11 games in the majors last season. The lefty has hit 84 home runs in the minor leagues since 2021, which is good for being in the top 3 in that category.
The 29-year-old will provide left-handed hitting depth for Kansas City down in Omaha and has played both corner infield and corner outfield spots.
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