Boston Red Sox minor league players

This is a partial list of players in the Boston Red Sox minor league organization:

C. J. Chatham

Connor James "C. J." Chatham is an American professional baseball shortstop in the Boston Red Sox organization. Chatham was drafted 51st overall in the 2016 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He made his professional debut for the GCL Red Sox and was later promoted to the Lowell Spinners, where he hit .259/.319/.426 with four home runs in 108 at bats. In 2017, Chatham missed a majority of the season due to injury and only had 19 at bats all season.^[1] He started the 2018 season with the Class A Greenville Drive, where he batted .307 in 19 games. In May, Chatham was promoted to the Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox.

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Michael Chavis

Michael Scott Chavis is an American professional baseball third baseman who plays in the Boston Red Sox organization.^[2] The Red Sox selected Chavis out of Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia, as their first pick (26th overall) of the 2014 MLB Draft.^[3]

Committed to Clemson University before being drafted, Chavis won the home run derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic in 2014. As a senior, he won Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year honors for Georgia, with a slash line of .580/.663/1.197 in 28 games, including 13 home runs, nine doubles. one triple, 37 RBIs and 30 runs, while stealing 21 bases.^[4]

Chavis started his professional career with the Rookie Level GCL Red Sox in their 2014 season. He struggled early this season, but ultimately finished his rookie year with an average of .269 (36-for-134), one home run and 16 RBIs in 39 games.^[2] He then belted a homer and drove in five runs in three playoff games, to help the Red Sox clinch the Gulf Coast League championship.^[5]

Chavis opened 2015 with the Class A Greenville Drive, where his main asset was power, as he hit 15 home runs on the year to led the Red Sox system. But he also had 144 strikeouts in 435 at bats to just 29 walks, while slashing .223/.277/.405 with 58 RBIs in 109 games.^[2] He came back to Greenville in 2016, and had a tremendous start to the year until a thumb injury sidelined him in late April. Upon his return, his numbers steadily eroded, and he finished his time in Greenville with a .244/.321/.391 line, eight homers and 35 RBIs in 74 games before being promoted to Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox late in August.^[2] He hit .160 (4-for-25) with five runs and one RBI in just seven games.^[2]

After two inconsistent and injury-plagued seasons, Chavis had a breakout campaign in 2017. In 59 games with Salem, Chavis slashed .318/.388/.641 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs in 250 plate appearances prior to being called up to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. The promotion came after he was named the MVP at the Carolina League All-Star Game, where he went 1-for-3 and drove in both of the North Division's runs in a 2–0 victory at Salem Memorial Ballpark. At the time, Chavis led the league in homers, RBIs, slugging percentage (.641) and run scored (50), while ranking second in extra-base hits (36), and third both in average and total bases (143).^[2] Overall, Chavis finished with 31 homers, 35 doubles, 2 triples, 94 RBIs, 89 runs and a .282/.347/.563 line in 126 games between Salem and Portland. He became the first 30-homer player in the Red Sox minors since Ryan Lavarnway (34) and Bryce Brentz (30) in 2011.^[6] He finished the year rated as the Red Sox' No. 2 prospect, according to MLB.com.^[7]

On April 6, 2018, Chavis was suspended for 80 games without pay due to testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance enhancing drug,^[8] brand name Turinabol.^[9] He has stated that he never knowingly consumed anything on the banned substance list.^[8][9] After serving his suspension, Chavis made his 2018 debut with the Class A Short Season Lowell Spinners on July 2.^[9] He was later assigned to Double-A Portland.^[10] On August 24, Chavis was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Chavis will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[2]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Jake Cosart

Jake Edward Cosart is an American professional baseball middle relief pitcher who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League system. Listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 175 pounds (79 kg), Cosart bats and throws right-handed. He is the younger brother of pitcher Jarred Cosart.^[11]

Cosart was selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Seminole Community College in Sanford, Florida. Undrafted as a Texas Clear Creek High School outfielder in 2012, Cosart did not play as a freshman at Duke University and was transferred to Seminole because he wanted an opportunity to pitch.^[11] He made the most of that chance, showing arm strength similar to his brother Jarred, posting a record of 5–3 with a 5.34 ERA in 11 starts and two relief appearances.^[11] But after working with an 88–92 mph fastball in two seasons as a professional starter, the Red Sox organization realized early on that his powering fastball would play out of the bullpen.^[11]

Cosart debuted in 2014 with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox and went 0–1 with a 2.25 ERA over 16 innings in seven starts, while holding opponents to a .132 batting average against. He then was promoted to Short Season A Lowell Spinners in 2015 and was untouchable in his New York–Penn League debut, as he struck out three and walked three over four hitless innings.^[12] But he struggled the rest of the season, ending with a 2–2 record and 5.45 ERA in nine starts, striking out 27 and walking 20 in 33 innings of work.^[11] Cosart subsequently recaptured the velocity he showed at Seminole and became a full-time reliever. His fastball sits at 94–97 mph and can reach 99 with some cutting action. In addition, he throws a 75–80 mph curveball and 84–86 changeup as secondary pitches.^[13]

Cosart had a revival with the Class A Greenville Drive in 2016, doing a much better job of attacking hitters with his best repertoire. Through 16 games at Greenville, he posted a 4–1 record with a 2.05 ERA and three saves, while allowing 12 earned runs and 36 hits in 52⅔ innings, with 76 strikeouts, 25 walks and a .193 batting average against.^[14] He represented his team in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game^[15] and earned a promotion to the High-A Salem Red Sox in August. In eight pitching appearances with Salem, he retired 56 of 75 batters he faced, allowing two runs on seven hits and 11 walks, while striking out 28 in 18 innings for a 1.00 ERA and a 50% strikeout rate. Overall during 2016, he stuck out 104 batters in 70⅔ innings.

Cosart move to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 2017.^[11] At Portland, he went 5–2 with two saves and a 3.10 ERA in 38 games, striking out 52 and walking 41 in 49⅓ innings, and improving to a .163 batting average against.^[11] He finished the year rated as the Red Sox's No. 25 prospect, according to MLB.com.^[7] Cosart started the 2018 season with Double-A Portland, where he had an 8.41 ERA in 11 relief appearances. In late May, he was reassigned to High-A Salem, where he make 18 relief appearances with a 3.65 ERA. In early August, Cosart was returned to Portland.

Cosart will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[11]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Nick Decker

Nicholas Decker (born October 2, 1999) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Boston Red Sox organization. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 200 pounds (91 kg), he both throws and bats left-handed.

Decker attended Seneca High School in New Jersey and was committed to play baseball on scholarship at the University of Maryland.^[16] He played in the 2017 Perfect Game All American Classic, where he received a lot of exposure with draft scouts.^[17] He was drafted by Boston in the second round (64th pick overall) of the 2018 MLB Draft. Rather than attending Maryland, he chose to sign with the Red Sox for a $1.25 million signing bonus.^[18] Decker played briefly with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox during the 2018 season, appearing in two games and going 1-for-4 (.250) at the plate.

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• SoxProspects.com
• Collins, Matt (June 5, 2018). "Getting to know Nick Decker". overthemonster.com. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
• Boston Red Sox minor league players on Twitter

Tyler Hill

Tyler Phillip Hill (born March 4, 1996) is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League system. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 195 pounds (88 kg), he bats and throws right-handed.^[19]

Hill was selected by the Red Sox with their 20th overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft out of Delaware Military Academy in Wilmington, DE, where he was a three sport standout before graduating in 2014.^[20][21] As a senior, Hill hit .432 with six home runs and 18 stolen bases, driving in 29 runs while scoring 29 times. He was committed to play baseball at Wilmington University, but opted to sign with the Red Sox instead.^[19][20]

Hill played in just four games during his 2014 debut season with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, being ruled out due to a hamstring injury he suffered in a game.^[20] He returned to the GCL Red Sox in 2015 and hit .250 with 16 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 39 games,^[19] before gaining a promotion to Class A Short-Season Lowell Spinners in late August. In limited action, he hit .400 (6-for-15) with four runs scored and two steals in four games with the Spinners.^[19]

Hill opened 2016 at Lowell, and he improved considerably over his previous two seasons. Hill connected at least one hit in 11 of his first 13 games, including six multi-hit contests and a slash line of .321/.36/.491 during the month of June.^[22] But Hill was even better in July, when he led the New York–Penn League in batting average (.432), hits (35), total bases (50) and slugging (.617).^[22] His very solid month of July included both an 11-game and an eight-game hitting streak over a total of 22 game appearances,^[22] being named by Minor League Baseball as the July Player of the Month Award winner in the league.^[23] Besides, he was selected to the annual NYPL All-Star Game.^[24] Hill finished the season in strong form, leading the NYPL hitters with a .332 average and 113 total bases through 61 games with the Spinners, while ranking second with a .508 slugging percentage and a .887 on-base plus slugging. Besides him, only four other players hit at least .300 during the regular season.^[25]

Following his breakout campaign at Lowell, Hill joined the Greenville Drive in 2017. During his full season in Class A, he had a .272/.342/.390 slash line in 119 games, finishing first in stolen bases and fourth in hits (125) in the Red Sox' minor league system, while posting the seventh best runs scored (65) among all regulars.^[26] Hill began the 2018 season with the Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox.

Hill will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[19]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Matt Kent

Matthew Allen Kent (born September 13, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League Baseball system. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 180 pounds (82 kg), he bats and throws left-handed.^[27]

The Red Sox selected Kent in the 13th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Texas A&M University, where he pitched for the Texas Aggies and improved gradually each season. In 2015, he went 9–1 with a 2.76 earned run average in 98 innings pitched,^[28] leading the team in innings and K/BB ratio (7.0), while posting the lowest ERA of any A&M pitcher to collect at least 55 innings.^[29] Likewise, Kent played three collegiate summers with the Rochester Honkers of the Northwoods League. In the 2015 season, he was named Northwoods League co-pitcher of the year and ranked fourth on the league's top 200 prospects,^[29] after going 3–3 with a 2.09 ERA and 69 strikeouts in ​77 ²⁄₃ innings.^[28]

Kent uses a three-quarters arm slot and has a repeatable delivery, and even though his fastball is clocked consistently at 84–88 mph, he attacks the strike zone efficiently to produce swing and miss offerings. His fastball is followed by a slider at 78–82 mph, as well as a solid changeup with fade at 76–80 mph.^[27]

The left-hander made a promising debut with the Class A Short Season Lowell Spinners in 2015, as he went 7–1 with a 1.86 ERA and one save in 14 long relief appearances, striking out 35 and giving up 10 walks in ​48 ¹⁄₃ innings of work.^[29]

Kent earned a promotion to the Class A Greenville Drive in 2016, where he settled into a starter's role for the rest of the year. As a result, Kent allowed a 1.50 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP in over two starts and 12 innings for Greenville before joining the Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox a few days later.^[29] At Salem, Kent tossed 156 innings, going 10–7 with a 3.69 ERA and striking out 120 against 33 walks. He also produced quality starts in 22 of his 26 assignments,^[29] including a complete game and the most innings pitched in the Carolina League.^[30] After that, he started the decisive Game 3 for Salem in the Carolina League South Division Championship Series, which was won by the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 2–1. Kent, who did not factor in the decision, was dominant in ​6 ²⁄₃ scoreless innings for the Sox, scattering four hits while not walking a batter and striking out five.^[31] Overall, Kent compiled a record of 10–7 with a 3.54 ERA in 28 starts, striking out 125 batters while walking 37 in 168 innings. Moreover, he led all Red Sox minor league pitchers in starts, innings, and least home runs allowed (4), while ending fourth in wins, ERA and strikeouts.^[32]

Kent spent the 2017 season with Salem, appearing in 28 games (all starts) while compiling a 7–7 record with 4.23 ERA, 142 strikeouts, and 38 walks in 164 innings pitched. Kent started the 2018 season with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. He was sent to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox for one start in late July, a no decision, and then returned to Portland.

Kent will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[27]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Travis Lakins

Travis Clay Lakins is an American professional baseball starting pitcher who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League system. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 180 pounds (82 kg), he bats and throws right-handed.^[33]

The Red Sox selected Lakins in the 6th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, signing him for an above-slot bonus of $320,000.^[33] Lakins flashed struck out three batters in just two shutout innings during his only appearance with the Short Season A Lowell Spinners in 2015. He then pitched for the GCL Red Sox, but only in the playoffs.^[33] In his brief stint, Lakins showed a quick arm from a three-quarters arm slot, offering a three-pitch mix with a fastball-curveball-changeup combination, with his fastball sitting at 92–94 mph and topping out at 96 with a bit of sink and run. The curveball flashed plus-potential at 75–76 mph with two-plane, tight rotation and hard snap, while the changeup ranged 83–87 mph and also showed plus potential with late dive away from left-handed hitters when down in the zone. Besides, he used a heavy mix of curveballs and changeups both early and behind in counts, showing consistency with the secondaries pitches and refined command and control overall.^[7]

In 2016, Lakins was promoted two levels up to High Class A full season Salem Red Sox. In the month of April, he led the Salem pitching staff with a 3–1 record and a 2.13 ERA in four starts, striking out 26 and walking 10 in ​25 ¹⁄₃ innings of work.^[33] In early August, Lakins was placed on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation and did not pitch for the rest of the season. He went 6–3 in 19 starts and a relief appearance, featuring a 5.93 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 36 walks in 91 innings.^[33]

Lakins spent 2017 with both Salem and the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, posting a combined 5–4 record with a 4.21 ERA in ​68 ¹⁄₃ innings between both teams.^[34] He finished the year rated as the Red Sox' No. 13 prospect, according to MLB.com.^[7] Lakins started the 2018 season with Double-A Portland. At the end of July, he was promoted to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.

Lakins will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[33]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Danny Mars

Danny J. Mars (born January 22, 1994) is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League system. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 195 pounds (88 kg), he is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.^[35]

The Red Sox selected Mars out of Chipola College in Marianna, Florida for their sixth-round pick of the 2014 MLB Draft. A speedy outfielder and line-drive hitter, Mars posted a strong season with the Chipola Indians, while collecting a slash line of .380/.460/.584 with four home runs, 35 runs batted in and 25 stolen bases in 48 games. He also showed advanced recognition skills as a disciplined hitter, based on his 1.45 walk-to-strikeout ratio (29-to-20) in 166 plate appearances.^[36] He had committed to play at Florida State University, before being selected by the Red Sox.^[35]

Mars made his professional debut with the Short Season A Lowell Spinners in June 2014, hitting .311, which was 4th in the New York–Penn League. This would be followed with a promotion to the Low A Greenville Drive, where he completed his first professional season. Mars was slated to open 2015 at Greenville after a stint in extended spring training, but would eventually make his way to the GCL Red Sox.^[37] He then rejoined the Drive during the midseason, slashing a .258./315/.303 line with 19 steals in 50 games.^[35]

In 2016, Mars was assigned to the High-A Salem Red Sox, where he slashed .293/.353/.401 and stole 31 bases in 108 games. Mars had a career-night on August 8, when he recorded the first six-hit game for Salem in 32 years. He went 6-for-7 and drove in a career-high five runs, including two doubles and two triples, as he fell a home run short of the cycle in the 13-inning, 12–11 victory against the visiting Lynchburg Hillcats.^[38] Mars was injured after that and finished the season among the top-10 Red Sox prospects in several categories, ranking second in stolen bases behind Yoan Moncada (45), third in triples (10) to Aneury Tavárez (13) and Andrew Benintendi (12), seventh in hits (120), eighth in batting average and runs scored, and tenth in OBP. Mars was selected to join the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League during the postseason.^[39]

Mars spent 2017 with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs where he compiled a .304 batting average with six home runs and 47 RBIs with a .754 OPS in 119 games.^[40] Mars started the 2018 season with Double-A Portland.

Mars will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[35]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or Sox-Prospects.com

Bryan Mata

Bryan Eduardo Mata (born May 3, 1999) is an Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization.

Mata signed with the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent in January 2016 for a $25,000 signing bonus.^[41] He made his professional debut that summer for the DSL Red Sox and spent all the whole season there, compiling a 4–4 record, a 2.80 ERA, and a 1.20 WHIP in 14 games started. In 2017, he played for the Class A Greenville Drive where he posted a 5–6 record with a 3.74 ERA in 17 starts.^[42]

MLB.com ranked Mata as Boston's fourth best prospect going into the 2018 season.^[43] Playing for the Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox, Mata was the sole Boston prospect selected to the 2018 All-Star Futures Game,^[44] where he pitched an inning of scoreless relief, allowing one hit while walking one and striking out one.^[45] In 17 starts for Salem, Mata was 6-3 with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP.^[46]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or Sox-Prospects.com

Roniel Raudes

Roniel Antonio Raudes Meza (born January 16, 1998) is a Nicaraguan professional baseball pitcher who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League Baseball system. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 160 pounds (73 kg), he bats and throws right-handed.^[47]

The Red Sox selected Raudes in the 2014 MLB International Draft, signing him a bonus of $250,000.^[47] Raudes throws an 89–91 mph fastball with a maximum speed of 93 mph. According to Red Sox scouts, he should throw harder once he adds some muscle to his skinny frame and physically matures without losing much athleticism.^[48] He also has a pair of promising secondary pitches, with his downer curveball at 74–76 mph presently ranking ahead of his fading 82–84 mph changeup.^[47]

Aside from Anderson Espinoza, Raudes had the best season of any BoSox minor league pitcher in 2015. Only 17 years old, Raudes led the rookie-level Dominican Summer League with a very significant strikeout-to-walk ratio (63-to-3) in ​53 ²⁄₃ innings, which he concluded with a 3–0 record in four rookie-level Gulf Coast League starts, while allowing two earned runs for a 0.90 ERA in 20 innings. He was selected to the DSL All-Star Team and also was ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox' number 24 prospect after the season.^[49]

In 2016, Raudes joined the Low-A Greenville Drive, where he posted an 8–2 record with a 3.78 ERA in his first 14 starts and represented his team in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.^[50] His first career highlight came on August 18, when he shut out the Kannapolis Intimidators, 2–0, completing seven innings in the longest start of his professional career, striking out four batters while only allowing four hits and one walk.^[51] Overall, Raudes went 11–6 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 24 starts, with 104 strikeouts and 23 walks in ​113 ¹⁄₃ innings. He finished third in wins in the Sox minor league system while posting the sixth-best ERA among starters.^[32] At 18, Raudes showed consistency in Greenville as the youngest pitcher in the league, as he had a chance to emerge as a mid-rotation starter as he matures physically and mentally.^[52]

Raudes spent 2017 with the Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox where he pitched to a 4–7 record and 4.50 ERA in 23 games started.^[53] He finished the year rated as the Red Sox' number 12 prospect, according to MLB.com.^[7] Raudes began the 2018 season with Salem.

Raudes will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[47]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Teddy Stankiewicz

Theodore J. Stankiewicz (born November 25, 1993) is an American professional baseball starting pitcher who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League system. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 215 pounds (98 kg), he bats and throws right-handed.^[54]

Stankiewicz was originally selected by the New York Mets in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft, but did not sign. He then was selected by the Sox in the second round of the 2013 draft out of Seminole State College in Oklahoma. He signed and played for the Low-A Lowell Spinners, ending with a 2.29 earned run average in three starts.^[54]

In early February 2014, Stankiewicz, in an attempt to pass an SUV on US Highway 377 near Bowlegs, Oklahoma in Seminole County, swerved into the left lane, hit an oncoming vehicle, and killed the driver, Daniel Dillon.^[55]

Stankiewicz spent the 2014 season with the Class A Greenville Drive, where he posted an 11–8 record with a 3.85 ERA in 34 starts, striking out 102 batters and walking 29 in 160⅓ innings of work, leading the Drive rotation in starts, wins, ERA, strikeouts, innings, SO/W (3.52) and WHIP (1.21). He was named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week during the period of June 9–15.^[54] He then joined the Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox in 2015, going 5–11 with a 4.01 in 25 starts, including a complete game shutout along with 77 strikeouts and 32 walks in 141⅓ innings.

Stankiewicz made his next step up the ladder to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 2016. On August 2, he pitched the first complete-game one-hitter in Sea Dogs history, while striking out seven and did not issue a walk en route to a 3–0 shutout over the Erie SeaWolves. Perfect during 5⅓ innings, Stankiewicz allowed a single to Grayson Greiner before retiring the next 11 batters in a row.^[56] Stankiewicz closed his season with six innings of shutout ball, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out eight batters. He picked up the win, improving to 5-9 with a 4.71 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 25 starts, including 97 strikeouts and 39 walks in 135 innings.^[54]

Stankiewicz returned to Double-A Portland in 2017 and spent the whole season there, compiling a 5–6 record and 5.03 ERA in 25 games (23 starts).^[57] Stankiewicz started 2018 with Double-A Portland. He made one appearance in June with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, allowing six runs on seven hits in two innings of work.

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Cole Sturgeon

Cole Michael Sturgeon (born September 17, 1991) is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League system. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 180 pounds (82 kg), he bats and throws left-handed.^[58]

The Red Sox selected Sturgeon out of the University of Louisville in Kentucky, for their 29th pick in the 10th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. A two-way player for the Louisville Cardinals, Sturgeon was a two-time All-State selection and two-time Region Player of the Year and four-time Academic All-State. Additionally, he earned honors twice as All A State Tournament Most Outstanding Player during his preparatory career at Owensboro High School.^[59]

Sturgeon hit .325 and slugged .468 in 63 games as a senior at Louisville, including two home runs, 31 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a .410 OBP. He also posted a 3–0 record and a 2.06 ERA in 24 pitching appearances, striking out 35 batters in 34 innings of work. Previously, he was the leadoff hitter in 50 of 51 games for the Wareham Gatemen and was a key ingredient as the club won the wooden-bat Cape Cod Baseball League title in 2012. Sturgeon batted .307 with six home runs, 19 RBIs, 43 runs scored, 11 doubles and two triples in 50 total games with Wareham (regular season and playoffs combined), while going 2–0 with a 3.18 ERA and one save in eight relief appearances, including 11 strikeouts in 11⅓ innings.^[58]

Sturgeon debuted professionally with the Short-Season A Lowell Spinners in June 2014, posting a .276/.300/.414 slash line in seven games before being promoted to the Low-A Greenville Drive on July 7. He hit .284 in 48 games for the Drive, ending with a .283 average, 10 doubles, two home runs, 31 runs, and 30 RBIs in the two stints. He showed his versatility by being able to play all three outfield positions, and saw most of his playing time in center field and right field.^[58]

Sturgeon opened 2015 with the Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox, earning a promotion to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in the midseason. On July 3, Sturgeon had his first pitching appearance as a professional with three scoreless innings of relief for Portland, earning the win and scoring the winning run, to give the Sea Dogs a 16-inning walk-off victory after five hours and nine minutes of action. With his effort, Sturgeon became the 15th position player in the franchise's 22-year history to also pitch in a game, as well as the third to earn a win while doing so.^[60] The steady oufielder hit a .245/.285/.333 line and collected a .974 fielding percentage in 104 games between Salem and Portland, competing at four levels in less of two years.^[58]

In 2016, Sturgeon started the season by playing two games with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox before being assigned to Portland. In 117 games for the Sea Dogs, Sturgeon slashed .267/.312/.370 with 40 RBIs and 36 runs scored. He committed just six errors in 273 chances while playing all outfield positions and posted a .985 fielding percentage overall.^[58] Sturgeon spent the 2017 season with Double-A Portland, where he batted .264 with six home runs and 52 RBIs in 118 games played. He opened the 2018 season with Double-A Portland, where he batted .365 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in 31 games. In mid-May, he was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket. At the end of July, he was hitting .220 with Pawtucket, and was briefly assigned to Short-Season Lowell in early August.

Sturgeon will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[58]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Jantzen Witte

Jantzen Connery Witte [witty] (born January 4, 1990) is an American professional baseball corner infielder who plays in the Boston Red Sox Minor League system. Listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 195 pounds (88 kg), he bats and throws right-handed.^[61]

Witte, who started playing baseball at three years old, also played tennis from when he was six until his freshman year of high school. As a result, he is described as possessing an unusual swing that is a byproduct of his tennis background.^[62] At the field, he has a solid-average defensive profile and good glove work at both first base and third base.

The Red Sox selected Witte in the 24th round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Texas Christian University, where he played four seasons for the TCU Horned Frogs baseball squad from 2010–2013.^[61] During this period, he was a member of three TCU conference champion teams and a tournament championship title. In 2012, he earned Academic All-Mountain West and second-team All-Conference honors.^[61] In 2013, he was named Big 12 co-scholar Athlete of the Year, second-Team All-Big 12, and first-team Academic All-Big 12 as a senior, after starting all 57 of the Horned Frogs' games,^[63] hitting .293 (61-for-208) with 15 doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 34 RBI.^[61]

In his 2013 professional debut season, Witte hit a combined .168 batting average in 33 games for the rookie class GCL Red Sox and the Class A Short Season Lowell Spinners. He improved considerably with the Class A Greenville Drive in 2014, hitting a .330/.418/.554 slash line with a .972 OPS in 65 games, earning a selection to the South Atlantic League All-Star team.^[61] He finished the year with the Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox, where he slashed .296/.340/.451 in 65 games.

In 2015, Witte slashed .283/.363/.414 for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 85 games and was named to the Eastern League All-Star team.^[61] Witte opened 2016 at Portland, where he appeared in 11 games, batting .359 with two home runs and seven RBIs. He was promoted to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox in April,^[63] where he hit .258 with two home runs and 25 RBIs in 100 regular season games.

Witte again played for Pawtucket in 2017, batting .242 with three home runs and 24 RBIs in 80 games played; he missed nearly four weeks starting in late July due to a strained left calf. Witte opened the 2018 season with Triple-A Pawtucket, where he batted .217 in 13 games. He was then assigned to Double-A Portland in mid-May, where he batted .272 in 66 games. He returned to Pawtucket on August 4, then was reassigned to Portland on August 24.^[63]

Witte will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December 2018.^[61]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors), or MiLB.com, or SoxProspects.com

Full Triple-A to Rookie League rosters

References