Six quick reactions to new SoxProspects update
SoxProspects.com released their latest Boston Red Sox farm system ranking Friday, here are some knee-jerk reactions.
Wake up babe, a new SoxProspects ranking just dropped.
Given the nature of the MLB season thus far, keeping tabs on the future of the Boston Red Sox organization feels even more paramount. While everybody knows about the Big 3 — shortstop Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony and catcher Kyle Teel — several other youngsters are leaving their mark in what’s becoming a powerhouse pipeline.
With that, here are my six biggest knee-jerk reactions to the latest update.
1. Matthew Lugo is officially a guy again.
Even the casual-est of casual farm system fans had at least a vague idea of who Matthew Lugo was entering the season. Those same people, myself included, would also be shocked to know he turned just 23 on May 9.
While his 2023 campaign left a lot to be desired on the field as he hit just five homers in 83 Double-A games with a .677 OPS, he’s rebounded in a huge way this year.
Lugo spoke with Matthew Crory of The Pesky Report at the end of May to talk about what’s changed for him since last season. In short, his swing decisions were a huge part of it.
“That was the first priority for me,” Lugo said. “I worked a lot on my swing decisions, like attacking the pitches where I do damage.
“I feel like last year, I got myself out a lot by swinging at pitches out of the zone and pitches that I really can’t do much with.”
The power uptick with Lugo is especially glaring this season. His best power-hitting output for a full year came in 2022, where he slugged .500, hit 18 homers and posted an isolated power (SLG-BA) of .212.
Across 46 games between Portland and Triple-A Worcester, the versatile Lugo has 13 homers, 39 driven in and a 197 wRC+. His slugging percentage is .694 and his ISO is .376.
Before this update, SoxProspects ranked him as the No. 50 prospect in the organization. On Friday, he jumped to No. 13.
I expected a jump given the kind of season Lugo was having, but not even in my wildest dreams could I have predicted he’d crack the top 15.
2. The fall of Nick Yorke needs to be studied.
It feels almost ironic to say this given his recent promotion to Worcester, in which he’s 4-for-9 with a double and a stolen base, but Yorke dropped from the fringes of the top 10 all the way No. 17.
Perhaps I’m misremembering the player Yorke was when Boston took him in the first round back in 2020, I believe the book on him was he was one of the more polished hitting prospects in his class but couldn’t defend. Now, it seems he’s become the polar — get it?? — opposite.
It felt as though Yorke’s promotion was perceived more as a “sink or swim” scenario for the 22-year-old, as he’d already gotten 703 Double-A plate appearances between this year and last. In that sample, he slashed .263/.343/.415, good for a 111 wRC+.
Fine numbers overall, especially with his documented improved defense, but nothing super inspiring about his future outlook as a big-league hitter.
We’ll see what Yorke makes of it, especially playing his home games in a ballpark that promises offensive production.
3. Kristian Campbell, you are my sunshine.
If you’re just learning who Kristian Campbell is, welcome to Red Sox fandom.
I said it when they drafted him: Campbell was going to be the steal of the 2023 Draft.
So far, he’s made me look like a savant. In 65 professional games, he’s slashing .307/.422/.526 with nine homers, 17 doubles and a 163 wRC+. He’s also held his own defensively with time spent at third base, second base and in the outfield.
I don’t expect his ascension to stop at No. 10, either. I actually thought he’d be No. 8 or so.
4. Ovis Portes, remember thy name.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t know who Ovis Portes was until looking at this update.
The Red Sox signed him in March of 2022 and his volume in-game is very limited — just 43 professional innings. However, in the FCL this season, he pitched 13 innings across four outings and allowed just nine baserunners and struck out 16.
He has a proclivity for Ball 4, with 23 in his 43 innings, but he’s got a live arm and jumping from unranked into the top 30 is pretty impressive.
5. Hickey’s struggles reflected in recent stumble in the rankings.
I’m still a believer in the bat of Nathan Hickey, but it’s been an uphill battle for him in Worcester this year.
Throughout his minor-league career, Hickey’s defense has gone under fire for, honestly, not showing an ability to stick at a position. He projects more as a designated hitter, which is fine, but comes at a much greater need for great offensive production.
In Triple-A, he’s got seven homers and eight doubles, but his wRC+ is 82 and he’s got a career-worst ISO of .172. The strikeouts have plagued the 24-year-old as well, though that’s not so much a new problem as much as it is a worsening one.
More strikeouts and less slug … not going to get it done. He’s still young, but he’s fallen to No. 27 as a result of this.
6. Niko Nukes is … unranked?
Kavadas is still having a tremendous season despite a recent 4-for-32 snag with no homers. Overall, he’s cranked 10 round-trippers with a 146 wRC+ and OBP over .400.
Strikeouts will always be an issue for the lefty slugger, but he’s managed to continue to combat that issue with a proficiency for taking Ball 4.
It’s shocking to see Kavadas fall out of the top 60 considering we’ve seen some graduations this year — Wilyer Abreu and Justin Slaten specifically — but as I said before, this farm system is turning into a powerhouse.
It was just interesting to see that considering how much clamoring people were doing, myself included, for him to get an MLB call-up just a couple of weeks ago.
Red Sox MiLB Notebook: Matthew Lugo’s bat making an instant impact on Worcester, Nick Yorke promoted, flurry of player promotions
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