It’s really difficult to understand what direction the Red Sox front office is trying to move in. They made a statement last September by moving on from CBO Chaim Bloom in favor of Craig Breslow, however not much has appeared to change. That being said, one thing Bloom did during his tenure in Boston was a complete overhaul and replenishing of the farm system.
Since 2020, a mix of draftees and international signings have put their system in a great place, with some really exciting prospects that are already seeming to click. In 2019 they were dead last in organizational farm system rankings, and now they feature one of the better ones around the league. The accumulation of positional talent has mostly been what’s brought their minor leagues to prominence, but now with new management the pitching pipeline is hopefully not too far behind. With the emergence of a young core and future All-Star caliber players, the Red Sox have all the tools to turn things around and start competing again in the next couple of years. (@aj_greene1015)
Eight Prospects1500 writers contributed to this column and rankings including Scott Greene (@Scotty_Ballgame), Tony Bps (@tonybps1), Greg Bracken (@gregbracken07), Shaun Kernahan (@ShaunKernahan), Ben Wilson (@TBDubbs11), Adam Greene (@aj_greene1015), Clint Fasse (@ProspectLarceny), and Jeremy Mahy (@JMahyfam). The writer’s Twitter handle follows each player write-up or paragraph.
Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential to make the majors; possible sleeper candidates for sustained MLB success
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who may make (or have made) the majors but provide minimal impact
J15 international signee Vladimir Asencio, OF would slot somewhere near the end of the top 50 if he had been included in these rankings. Look for him to make the midseason update list.
Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2023
Tier 1
1. Roman Anthony, OF, 19, Double-A
No one outside of baseball’s #1 prospect Jackson Holliday had a bigger breakout season than the 19 year-old outfielder Roman Anthony. He was playing relatively well in Single-A, got promoted in June, and took off from there. There were stretches of the season he was putting up video game numbers, and after arriving in Greenville he slashed .301/.422/.565/.987. His size would lead you to believe he’s not a great runner at 6’2” 200 lb., but he has good range as an outfielder and stole 16 bases. If his production last season is an indication of what’s to come, the Sox have a star in the making with Anthony. (@aj_greene105)
2. Marcelo Mayer, SS, 21, Double-A
Arguably the best all-around hitter and defender in his draft class, Boston couldn’t have asked for more when Mayer was still on the board at #4 in the 2021 draft. He played great through his first two seasons, but saw the number dip in 2023; he was playing well in High-A up until his promotion to Portland, but a shoulder injury on May 7th that he played through noticeably dragged him down. He was subsequently shut down for the season in August. Mayer still has an elite hit tool and plays fantastic defense at short, and he’s someone who can do just about everything. Make contact, get on base, hit for power, defend, and run. Now healthy going into spring, look for Mayer to have a huge bounce back season and re-solidify himself as one of baseball’s top prospects. (@aj_greene1015)
Tier 2
3. Kyle Teel, C, 21, Double-A
While it may sound like I am a broken record talking about guys who had a shot to be drafted high in 2020 had there not been a pandemic, that is simply a fact for this past draft which is a big reason why it was such a loaded class. Teel would have gone early on day two in a normal year, but instead ended up at Virginia and hit over .400 in his final season there. He has a good-sized leg kick and busy hands, but everything gets into the right spot-on time and he could turn into one of the better hitting catchers in the game. Landing a bit closed allows him to fire his hips to generate power, although not much more than average. He has a plus arm and is a quality receiver as a catcher, but is athletic enough to play right, something he did quite a bit his freshman year. The Red Sox have had a ton of different catchers since Jason Varitek retired, but that rotation behind the dish should come to an end when Teel arrives in Boston, likely sometime next season. (@ShaunKernahan)
4. Ceddanne Rafaela, OF/2B, 23, MLB
Rafaela’s stock shot up during the 2022 season for a combination of his glove work in center field as well as a major step forward at the plate. This trend continued into 2023 where his minor league numbers were almost an exact match of those from a year ago. He got called up to Fenway at the end of August and played both positions up the middle, but going forward he’s best suited in center. His glove is already one of the best not just in the minors, but all of baseball. Rafaela strikes out way more than someone with his set of skills should (131 K compared to 30 BB), so that is a concern going into this season. It’s hard to project where most of his time will be in 2024, but with additional improvements with his power and speed, Rafaela is looking at an everyday starting role in the majors. (@aj_greene1015)
5. Miguel Bleis, OF, 19, Single-A
There’s no easy way around it, Bleis has been plagued by injuries so far in his short career. Undoubtedly the best Red Sox international signing since Rafael Devers, Bleis impressed in 40 Complex League games back in 2022, and set himself up for a big 2023. Fast forward to now, that didn’t quite pan out as he was shut down for the season in June with a shoulder subluxation. Bleis still has tremendous upside though, and already posts above-MLB average 104 mph, 90th percentile exit velocity according to Chris Clegg of The Dynasty Dugout. This season is going to be about staying healthy and really showcasing his power, and sprinkling in a decent amount of stolen bases too. (@aj_greene1015)
Tier 3
6. Nick Yorke, 2B, 21, Double-A
Many prospectors seem to be down on Yorke, Boston’s surprising 1st round selection (17th overall) out of high school back in 2020. This is one prospector who’s not. The Red Sox still have excitement and MLB plans for Yorke, and he could be ready to man second base in 2025, if not a late season 2024 call up, unless they do trade him for pitching. Following a somewhat down 2022 after an impressive debut 2021 season, Yorke made some adjustments in the Arizona Fall League where he hit .342 in 19 games and posted a .950 OPS. He carried that over into 2023 and put up a solid campaign for AA Portland, tallying 193 total bases and adding 18 SB. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
7. Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP, 21, Double-A
The prized 21 year-old right hander passed his ten game Double-A debut with flying colors, posting a 2.42 ERA (3.07 FIP), and a blistering 11.73 K/9. The excitement was already high, and now pairing Gonzalez with the Red Sox revamped pitching development program should be extra tantalizing. Tossing 111 IP last year, the only thing keeping him from a certain big league debut in 2024 is how well the team fares and when the org wants to start his clock (such is the 2024 Red Sox reality). Until then, Gonzalez should continue to bulldoze minor league hitters and send his debut anticipation, and prospect stock along with it, through the roof. (@TBDubbs11)
8. Luis Perales, RHP, 20, High-A
Boston has been careful with the Venezuelan righty after a series of injuries beginning in 2021, but he’s shown flashes of being a very good pitcher. Perales is coming off his longest season, where he posted a 3.91 ERA and an encouraging 11.5 K/9. He has what’s widely regarded as the best fastball of any Boston pitching prospect, a slider, changeup, and a cutter that was brand new in 2023. Perales did miss a good amount of bats last season with 115 strikeouts in his 89.2 innings of work, however struggled keeping the ball in the park allowing ten homers. By the looks of it, Perales will get his first shot in the upper minors at some point in 2024. If he continues on the track from the last two seasons, he could find himself even higher in the rankings in the near future. (@aj_greene1015)
9. Blaze Jordan, 1B/3B, 21, Double-A
Jordan is one prospect who’s been putting in so much work to get into better shape this offseason (down to 206 from over 225 not too long ago). Just follow him on TwiX and you’ll see his journey, where he has also shared how he’s overcoming anxiety and depression. How can you not root for one of the top 1B prospects in the game (7th on MLB Pipeline’s list)? Don’t forget, he’s a big baseball card collector too! Last season, Blaze killed it at High-A Greenville (.324/.385/.533 in 73 games with 12 HR) and then added 49 more games for Double-A Portland, where he should start this year. The 2019 High School Home Run Derby champ (at 16, All-Star weekend in Cleveland) could be knocking on the majors door a year from now. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
10. Wilyer Abreu, OF, 24, MLB
In what was a big up arrow year for the outfielder, Wilyer Abreu thrived in his first full season in the Red Sox organization. Playing mostly at Triple-A and holding his own in his MLB debut (85 PA), Abreu showed a patient and all fields approach where he put up wRC+ figures above 130 at both levels. Abreu figures to be squarely in the big league outfield plans this season, where his left handed bat may evolve into a steady run producer with a touch of speed on the bases. (@TBDubbs11)
11. Yoeilin Cespedes, SS, 18, Rookie (DSL)
There is a ton to like with this 18-year-old Dominican after his outstanding initial season in the Dominican Summer League. He does have a bit of a long swing, which works well currently but leaves some questions as to how it will hold up once he gets stateside and sees better pitching. That said, he has shown the ability to shorten it at times and really improve the contact rate, which will be necessary for him to become a genuine big league option in time. The athleticism is solid as is the arm, although none really stand out and his best position will likely end up being left field. He is also somewhat limited in his power upside given his smaller 5’9” frame, so the before-mentioned hit tool is going to be the thing to watch throughout his development. (@ShaunKernahan)
12. Richard Fitts, RHP, 24, Double-A
Move Alex Verdugo to the Yankees and snag one of their top pitching prospects? I’m in for that! That’s how Fitts came to Boston this offseason and he now projects to be in Worcester’s rotation to begin 2024. The 24-year-old spent last year with Somerset (New York’s Double-A affiliate) and led the Eastern League with 163 strikeouts, tied for the league lead with 11 wins, and was third among qualified pitchers with a 3.48 ERA. The Red Sox definitely need pitching, haven’t signed any big name free agents, so Fitts could be in line to be one of those next men up. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
Tier 4
13. Yordanny Monegro, RHP, 21, High-A
14. Nazzan Zanetello, SS, 18, Single-A
15. Chase Meidroth, 3B/2B, 22, Double-A
16. Mikey Romero, SS/2B, 20, High-A
17. Nathan Hickey, C, 24, Double-A
18. Angel Bastardo, RHP, 21, Double-A
19. Justin Slaten, RHP, 26, Triple-A
20. Antonio Anderson, SS/3B, 18, Single-A
21. Bryan Mata, RHP, 24, Triple-A
22. Isaac Coffey, RHP, 23, Double-A
Monegro took a big step forward after a rough 2022, both with his command and results. Zanetello is a toolsy young shortstop who’s results in 38 at-bats didn’t show much, but he has a bright future ahead of him. Meidroth has a good eye at the plate with about average speed and power. Romero dealt with a serious back injury last year limiting him to just 34 games, but with his approach at the plate, he should look better this season. Hickey has real good power with potential for a high OBP but he may be more suited to a DH role. Bastardo hasn’t looked great as a starter and may be better suited to a bullpen role where his stuff may play better, although he had some eye popping Prospect of the Week outings last year, including a 7 IP, 14K gem in July. Slaten was a Rule 5 pick up so he should remain on the big league roster and could be a good source of holds out of the bullpen. Anderson has a solid approach at the plate with potential to develop some power as he matures. Mata has seen his career derailed by injuries, but could be a very solid reliever if he can’t stick in the rotation. Isaac Coffey is a sidearmer who’s had some success in the minor leagues on the mound. (@tonybps1)
Tier 5
23. David Hamilton, SS/2B, 26, MLB
24. Eddinson Paulino, SS/2B/3B, 21, High-A
25. Allan Castro, OF, 20, High-A
26. Jedixson Paez, RHP, 20, Single-A
27. Brandon Walter, LHP, 27, MLB
28. Brooks Brannon, C, 19, Single-A
28. Chris Murphy, LHP, 25, MLB
29. Dalton Rogers, LHP, 23, High-A
31. Isaiah Campbell, RHP, 26, MLB
32. Cutter Coffey, SS/2B, 19, High-A
33. Johanfran Garcia, C, 19, Single-A
34. Niko Kavadas, 1B, 25, Triple-A
35. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, RHP, 20, Single-A
36. Hunter Dobbins, RHP, 24, Double-A
37. Matthew Lugo, 3B/OF, 22, Double-A
38. Corey Rosier, OF, 24, Triple-A
39. Gilberto Batista, RHP, 19, Rookie (DSL)
40. Luis Guerrero, RHP, 23, Triple-A
41. Starlyn Nunez, 3B/2B, 18, Rookie (DSL)
42. Franklin Arias, SS, 18, Rookie (DSL)
43. Christopher Troye, RHP, 24, Double-A
44. Marvin Alcantara, SS, 19, Single-A
45. Kristian Campbell, 2B, 21, High-A
46. Chih-Jung Liu, RHP, 24, Double-A
47. Zach Penrod, LHP, 26, High-A
48. Justin Riemer, 2B/SS, 21, College
49. Tyler McDonough, OF/SS/2B, 24, Triple-A
50. Nicholas Judice, RHP, 22, College
Hamilton has speed for days but has problems at the plate and may be a bench player in the future. Paulino is more hit-over-power with some speed to his game. Castro looks like he could be a solid outfielder with his improving power and eye at the plate. Paez has the looks of a back-end rotation starter. Walter was inconsistent for the major league team last season but still could be a good source of holds if given another opportunity this year. Brannon has a ton of power and could stick behind the plate. Kavadas has some pop in his bat and could be a bench player but, at 25 years old, he pretty much is what he is at this point. Murphy had some flashes of brilliance in Boston last year, but looks to be more of a deep bullpen arm. Rogers had some major command issues last season as a starter. Isaiah Campbell is a solid reliever who could contribute in strikeouts and holds this season. Rodriguez-Cruz looks to be a back-end starter. Cutter Coffey has struggled at the plate, but is still young and could show why he was a 2nd round pick in the 2022 draft. Garcia could be a backup catcher with potential for more. Jimenez’s stock has dipped the last few years after some solid years earlier in his career. Rosier has very little power, but good speed and could be a utility type in the majors. Lugo has average speed and power, and has potential to be a backup/bench type. Batista had a very solid season and is trending upwards on the mound. Arias is a very solid hitter with some speed, but little power as of now. Alcantara is a hit and defense over power type with average speed. Judice was picked up in the Verdugo trade, and projects to be a power throwing reliever. (@tonybps1)
Prospects1500 is your comprehensive dynasty league resource, featuring deep MLB/MiLB top prospect lists, news and rankings.
Adam Greene is a Sport Management and Marketing double major at UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management. His main focus is sport marketing, where he's already had internships with the local Westfield Starfires and Springfield Thunderbirds. He now writes for the Cape Cod Baseball League. From Longmeadow, MA, Adam is a huge Red Sox fan and has been following the team his whole life. When Covid hit, he started paying a lot more attention to the Red Sox minor league teams, and now, follows them almost as much as the big league squad. Follow him on Twitter at @aj_greene1015 and Instagram at the same handle.
President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing in real life. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.
Shaun Kernahan is the MLB Draft correspondent for Prospects1500. When not at a game, chances are the TV and/or tablet has a game on and he has a notepad out taking notes. When not scouting draft prospects, he is the Director of Baseball Operations for the Mile High Collegiate Baseball League, a collegiate wood bat league in Colorado. Shaun can be found on Twitter at @ShaunKernahan.
Tony Bps Spina is a lifelong baseball fan hailing from the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! Tony has loved baseball since 1980 and has followed the Phillies through good and bad times. Tony is married with 3 kids and works for a financial institution but has enough free time to play in 20 fantasy baseball leagues with 75% of them being Dynasty Leagues. He lives a few blocks away from Citizens Bank Park and attends many Phillies games per year in addition to their minor league teams in Lehigh Valley and Reading. He can be reached on Twitter at @TonyBps1.
Ben is an Assistant Editor and also covers the Red Sox and Dynasty/Fantasy baseball content for Prospects1500. He also runs the #2EarlyMiLBMock, an annual prospect-only mock draft, for the Prospects1500 website. Ben is an experienced fantasy baseball player and is a deep league dynasty specialist. He has also contributed at FantraxHQ, RotoFanatic, and retired blogs Real McCoy Minors and Notes from the Sally. Follow Ben on Twitter @TBDubbs11.
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Ben Wilsonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/tbdubbs11/
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Ben Wilsonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/tbdubbs11/
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Ben Wilsonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/tbdubbs11/
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Ben Wilsonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/tbdubbs11/
After the RedSox decent start with a 3-2 record, still have two more games in Oakland, then three games vs Angles before coming home for their home opener. There are a lot of opinions about this west coast trip with 10 games vs. Seattle, Oakland, and Angels. There’s a lot of Sox fans that think they very well could of won one more game in Seattle after blowing two run lead in bottom of 10th inning when Mariners erased the two run lead that Sox had after scoring two runs in top of 10th inning. And don’t forget about the 1-0 loss when, yes they did get dominated by SP for Mariners but what IF Devers was in the lineup the night of that game? One swing of his bat with just one player on base and BAM! Sox win 2-1 nail bitting game! Yes, it’s totally useless to go on and on about “what could of been” so I’ll eliminate that nonsense for the time being. Yes, again the A’s are one of the few A.L. teams that are projected to have a worse record than RedSox. However, since I have followed the Sox religiously since my dad took me and my brother to see a DH against Washington Senator’s, then my Little League Baseball coaches took out team to see the Detroit Tigers on a blistering hot humid Saturday afternoon and we sat on the 3rd baseline and we had decent enough seats so we were not sitting under the roof so the seats had to be field box seats. Tigers beat up on my RedSox and they lost by a score of 7-2? Or something like that? The DH that same season was quite early and our seats were four rows behind the catcher or backstop area!!! Sox won 1st game 3-2 and Sox SP that day was Gary L. Will not try to spell his last name but he was definitely Polish, and several years later my first cousin and her husband Kevin Sullivan bought life insurance from this same guy was making his Major League debut in that 1st game of the DH. Game two was close for most of the game but when Frank Howard the gentle giant of a baseball player launched a BOMB over the green monster, the screen and there’s rumors still to this very day that the same baseball has been seen on a high powered telescope!!! Ha! Ha! Sorry for long text but in that 2nd game our dad asked if we wanted to leave and it was heading for the bottom of the 9th inning with Senator’s enjoying a 8-3 lead.Dad put radio on to check final score and there was a lot of cheering happening and we didn’t understand why until the announcer finally came on the radio still screaming about George Scott’s grand slam in bottom of the 9th to close the gap and it was 8-7 Washington Senator’s. But after Senator’s got final out my brother and I were so psyched about the trip overall Great seats and two exceptional baseball games. That was my very first trip to Fenway Park and since then I can’t be sure how many games I saw at Fenway from 1967-2004. In early September me, my wife, and two daughters purchased tickets from a ticket agent and we were two rows from the field and about 15-20 feet from Pesky’s Pole down the right field line. My marriage was on the rocks then, but my ex was classy enough to actually get along with me and actually communicate with me and actually saying words to ME??? Anyway White Sox were up like 7-3, bottom 9th, K. Millar launched a 3- run BOMB over the Monster, to make it 7-6 ChiSox, then put two more base runners on when the last out was a routine groundout to 1B that ended that game. So in those 3 games I mentioned they were 1-2, however my luck was considerably better in the other 25-30 Sox games I witnessed. One that really sticks out was one of the 5- consecutive years a medical supply salesman gave me 4-tickets for games that were night games during the week but for any hardcore RedSox fans were around in 1987, when local Bostonian Joe Morgan was their manager and the Sox had a streak of like 24-Wins in just 26-games total that we’re played in July- August. Anyway Todd Benzinger pinch hit bottom of 10th inning and Twins had taken a 6-4 lead and Todd B.cane to the plate with two runners on base but two outs and our seats were just two rows away from the 12-rows of field box seats, easy to pick out since there painted bright red. So me and my brothers HAD to accept these four seats that were only 14 rows about 20-30 feet beyond 1st base bag! Benzinger launched a bomb down right field line and we couldn’t see where the ball landed because there was a sell-out crowd that particular night and there wasn’t one fan sitting in their seat when Todd went deep! That was right around the mid-point of that 26 game stretch that RedSox has a 24-2 record and that torrid “W-pace” got Sox into the playoffs and that was during that time period that we didn’t win one single playoff game against both Oakland & Cleveland losing 3-straight games in what seemed to be an entire decade but it wasn’t but it certainly felt like we were never win a playoff game again!!! Later fellow RedSox fans!