Soxprospects.com Podcast

With the short season clubs starting to get into full swing, Chris and Ian have a lot to talk about as we enter the busiest time of the year. The guys discuss what the Chris Owings signing means for the organization's roster depth, Michael Chavis' adjustments, Rafael Devers becoming one of the club's best players, and some draft signings to open things. Ian provides some updates from Lowell's opening weekend on Antoni Flores, Nick Decker, Gilberto Jimenez, Nick Northcut and more. Chris then takes over, analyzing some of the early returns from the DSL and looking at quick starts from Bryan Gonzalez, Albert Feliz, Brainer Bonaci, and more. A listener email asks about Jarren Duran's raw power and whether Decker could rise in the rankings. Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. And as a reminder, we're in the midst of our Annual Donation Drive. We need your help and every contribution makes a difference. 6:00 - Chris Owings and the infield depth 10:00 - MLB upd

The 2019 draft is in the books, and it’s time for Chris and Ian to break it all down! Off the heels of our recap of the first two picks, we examined trends and discussed noteworthy players selected in rounds 3-40. Plus, we’ve got new June rankings, including a new top prospect, and the guys broke it all down. And as always, we answer your listener emails!  Listen in!   0:00 – Intro, and it’s the SoxProspects.com Donations Drive. 5:15 – Transactions highlighted by Bryan Mata and Marco Hernandez returns 10:18 – Mike Shawaryn, reliever 11:55 – The Michael Chavis update and the Boston first base situation 20:40 – 2019 Draft Recap 43:35 – Triston Casas at #1, and the rest of the June rankings update 1:01:40 – Listener Mailbag: Eduard Bazardo, comparing Chavis and Shaw, drafting pitchers, and Jay Groome   Players discussed: Bryan Mata Marco Hernandez Brian Johnson Mike Shawaryn Michael Chavis Josh Ockimey Sam Travis Dylan Hardy Cameron Cannon Matthew Lugo Ryan Zaferjahn Noah Song Jaxx Groshans Brock Bell Chris Murp

It's that time of year: the Red Sox are adding some new blood to the system! On the first night of the 2019 MLB Draft, Boston selected Arizona shortstop Cameron Cannon and Puerto Rican shortstop Matthew Lugo. Chris and Ian hopped on for some SoxProspects After Dark analysis of the picks, plus some quick thoughts on outfielder Jarren Duran's promotion to Portland and a mea culpa on missing Greenville right-hander Thaddeus Ward when they discussed pending promotions last week. Listen in! Players discussed: Cameron Cannon Matthew Lugo Jarren Duran Thaddeus Ward Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us. Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. Podcast Twitter Links: • @SPChrisHatfield • @IanCundall • @SoxProspects Subscribe on iTunes (please rate and review!) Subscribe on Stitcher (please rate and review!) Listen on Spotify

Fresh off his tour of Athens and the Hellenic Republic (many olives were crushed) Chris rejoins Ian to get back into the groove in our first podcast of the summer. With Memorial Day in our rearview mirror, the guys turn their attention to the draft coming up next week. They pivot to Michael Chavis who will not be heading back to Pawtucket any time soon. Next Chris and Ian tackle the likely prospect promotions to hit in the coming weeks. Ian notes the worrisome shoulder issue that has sidelined Bryan Mata. And the guys close out the show with a quick peak into the mailbag to talk about the new baseballs in Triple A, the scouting scale and two prospects who look to be in line for big league gigs in the coming years. Plus, we welcome back the Ludlow Thieves. Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon  where you can get updated scouting reports right after we go to the park by signing up to contribute at the $2 or higher level. 5:00 - Early draft talk 9:00 - Michael

Chris is ready for his trip to Greece and all the Feta cheese he can eat. But before it’s wheels up, he and Ian cover a lot of ground in the first podcast of May. First up is a look at the way power numbers at AAA are going to impact various fringy power guys in the Sox system. Then they talk about the new second baseman with the big club. This kid has got plenty of raw and is showing it in games. Chris brings up a provision in the CBA regarding rehab assignments, which leads us into an injury update. Finally, the guys break down the new May Rankings. Lots to cover and so little time, so Listen in! 0:00 – Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon where you can get updated scouting reports right after we go to the park by signing up to contribute at the $2 or higher level. 5:00 – An early mailbag 15:45 – Your new starting second baseman: Michael Chavis 20:00 – Rehab rules and injury updates 27:00 – May rankings update 55:00 – Timing for promotions Players mentioned in the show

We have a lot to discuss. Chavis is up. Swihart is out. And Christian Vazquez is…playing second base? You know, all these moves, it’s starting to feel like the Sox might be scuffling and scrambling and oh yeah. It’s time, isn’t it? Panic mode engaged! Chris and Ian wade into the fray to break down Chavis’ debut. Chris rants about how poorly the Red Sox handled Blake Swihart in the last couple of years. And then the guys get back to the system. We meet Marcus Wilson, who comes to the system in the Swihart deal. Plus, both Ian and Chris got to the ballpark. The guys break down several prospects with extended scouting reports. And speaking of trips to the ballpark, did you know you can get updated scouting reports right after we go to the park by signing up at Patreon and contributing at the $2 level? Visit Sox Prospects on Patreon for the details. No mailbag today, but get your emails and tweets in for our next episode, but for now Listen in! 0:00 – Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out

Yeah, about that World Series title defense—Chris and Ian have some thoughts. First up, now is not the time to panic. As Ian notes, the West Coast swing always presents challenges. And second, minor league baseball is back. The full-season affiliates are playing games and the guys are dialed in to break down the rosters and share more thoughts from camp. (Speaking of camp, make sure you check out our new Patreon benefit – Game Updates.) Ian goes over his impressions of a stacked Portland roster. They discuss the talent in Greenville, highlighting the depth of teenage talent in the system. The break down the rest of the system, plus the guys who stood out in camp who did not make a full season roster. And the guys bust open the mailbag to close out the show. Listen in! 0:00 – Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon 3:00 – The big club’s struggles to start the season 9:30 – Opening rosters decisions 1:14:30 – Mailbag Players mentioned in the show Colten Brewer Brian Johnson Br

JetBlue is bustling. There’s new grass on the field. The Sox are playing and getting geared up for the defense of their World Series victory. (It never gets old saying that) And with Spring in the air, Chris, Ian, Mike and the team are getting ready for their annual trip to the Fort. In this preview episode, Chris and Ian talk about the prospect stars from the first few weeks of major league camp, with Michael Chavis and Darwinzon Hernandez off to particularly hot starts. Then they break down the guys they are most looking forward to seeing on the back fields of minor league camp. And to close it out, they break open the mailbag to talk about the highest ceilings in the system. Listen in! 0:00 – Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon, where we are adding a new perk for our Patreon supporters 9:45 – Spring Training camp stars 27:30 – Who we want to see in camp 57:45 – Mailbag Players mentioned in the show Michael Chavis Darwinzon Hernandez Bobby Dalbec Jonathan Diaz Roldani

Pitchers and catchers have begun to arrive in Fort Myers. Baseball is back and so are we. Chris and Ian bust open the mailbag to answer your questions. Would the Red Sox ever use an opener? Chris and Ian go deep on that, and the state of starting pitching development in the Red Sox system. The guys bat around some timelines for Michael Chavis’ debut. They look at the bullpen (again). Ian talks about the ultimate role of Mike Shawaryn. They discuss the Trey Ball hitting project. Jay Groome is throwing again. And finally, Chris and Ian take a look at the latest Sox system rankings from Keith Law at ESPN.com and from Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen at Fangraphs. Listen in! 0:00 – Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon [http://patreon.com/soxprospects]. 12:00 – Emails 26:45 – Twitter Mailbag 51:00 – More Outside Rankings Players mentioned in the show Esteban Quiroz Colten Brewer Brian Johnson Durbin Feltman Chase Shugart Thad Ward Jay Groome Tanner Houck Alex Scherff Jake T

The countdown to Spring Training is on, and what better way to get geared up for the season than with a special guest: Red Sox VP of Amateur Scouting Mike Rikard! Mike shared insights on his career in the game-including almost 15 years with the Red Sox, the scouting process, and running a draft. With four drafts as the organization's scouting director under his belt, the guys also asked about some of his more noteworthy picks like Andrew Benintendi and Jay Groome, as well as the well-received class of 2018. Plus, Chris and Ian briefly discussed some of the team's slew of recent minor league signings. Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 5:30 - Late winter news 16:45 - Meet Mike Rikard 37:00 - Picking Benintendi 42:00 - The Groome draft 47:00 - Early returns on 2018 51:00 - What's ahead More Podcasty Goodness Alert: Catch Ian on the Over the Monster Podcast Players mentioned in the show Bryce Brentz Daniel Schlereth Jenrry Mejia Trey Ganns Taylor Ahear

Happy New Year! Chris and Ian kick off 2019 with a very special guest. They welcome the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier (@alexspeier) back to the podcast for his unofficial annual appearance. Alex writes up the Sox top 10 prospects for Baseball America and holds court on the state of the system and all things Red Sox. Chris and Ian ask about Alex’s recent articles (check out the links below). He shares what makes this year’s rankings so unusual. Chris goes over both the depth at the corners in both the upper and lower minors and what the future of front office looks like. The guys wrap things up with a lightning round that highlights the most intriguing players in the system today. Listen in! 0:00 – Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 3:30 – Overhauling the Red Sox pitching infrastructure 16:30 – Alex’s Top 5 22:00 – System depth at the corners 29:00 – Looking at the future of the front office 34:00 – The rest of the off-season 41:00 – Lightning round Make sure you check out

Chris and Ian and all of us at SoxProspects want to thank you all for a great 2018. But before Ian sets off for the UK and Chris journeys to Florida, we wanted to leave a final (maybe) SoxProspects Podcast present for you. The guys review the Winter Meetings and the Rule 5 Draft. Chris addresses Dombrowski’s comments on the bullpen as he and Ian applaud how well positioned the team is on staffing the pen. They quickly run through the late year moves and transactions. Two excellent questions in the mailbag round out the show. Have a very happy holiday season, but before you do… Listen in! 0:00 – Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 3:30 – Winter Meetings and Rule 5 Draft Recap 17:15 – Building a better bullpen 30:00 – Offseason to date overview 37:00 – Mailbag Players mentioned in the show Andrew Schwaab Anyelo Gomez Tyler Hill Josh Ockimey Austin Maddox Brian Johnson Hector Velazquez Matt Barnes Ryan Brasier Colten Brewer Travis Lakins Durbin Feltman Robby Scott Tony Ren

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Thanksgiving leftovers linger in the fridge and the last of the pumpkin pies has been finally eaten. And with the calendar poised to turn to December, we toss another log on the fire turn our eyes towards that most magical of wintry festivals. Yes, the hot stove is crackling and the winter meetings loom on the horizon. Chris and Ian start off with the 40-man roster. They break down the players protected from the rule V draft as well as the big name left exposed. They review the Arizona Fall League results. And then they take a look at the top 20 prospects and predict who gets dealt, who plays in Fenway next year and who stays down on the farm. Finally, we turn the show over to you and crack open the mailbag for some great questions. Listen in! 0:00 – Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 4:50 – Rule 5: Reyes protected, Ockimey not 33:00 – Arizona Fall League Wrap-Up 44:00 – Top 20 in 2019: MLB contributor, trade bait, or farmhand 1:

Give it up for your 2018 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. Chris and Ian get together to share the latest news from the system. After a quick recap of the Arizona Fall League and the goings on in Venezuela, they get down to how to assemble a World Series title team. They review the top player development stories in the system. They review the draft to end all drafts - 2011. They laud the deep scouting work done that brought guys like Robby Scott and Hector Velazquez. And finally, they take a short look at what the offseason ahead brings. Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 3:30 - Postseason roster considerations 8:30 - News from the Fall/Winter leagues 23:00 - Minor League Free Agents 25:30 - Building a World Series winner 1:27:30 - Red Sox Gold Glove winners Players mentioned in the show Michael Chavis Darwinzon Hernandez Bobby Dalbec Josh Ockimey Esteban Quiroz Mike Shawaryn Josh Taylor Enmanuel De Jesus Christopher Acosta Justin Haley Dustin

End-of-season rankings … season is upon us, and the full complement of the SoxProspects brass is ready to chat about it. Chris and Ian welcome back The Dude himself, Mike Andrews, to the virtual studio for an extended discussion of the state of the Sox system. All topics are fair game: why Michael Chavis remains the consensus top prospect, why Darwinzon Hernandez jumped both Tanner Houck and Bryan Mata to become the top (healthy) pitching prospect in the system, the differences that put Antoni Flores ahead of CJ Chatham, the huge jumps by breakout players from Instructs for whom we don't even have headshots, and more. It sure seems like the depth, at least, is back, but is the system still down on the whole? We'll break it all down. Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 3:00 - Rankings Update 1:05:00 - Josh Taylor and the Rule 5 Draft 1:11:15 - Mailbag/Twitter/Forum Questions Players mentioned in the show Michael Chavis Triston Casas Jay Groome Bobby Dal

Last year, the Sox cancelled Instructs following the damage from Hurricane Irma. And we love Instructs. It's a fresh look at players who we haven't seen since Spring Training and a first look for guys who are new in the system.  Ian went to Instructs. And he liked what he saw. Chris and Ian went deep on some of the guys and lightning round through all the players in Instructs. They welcome Chris Becerra to the front office. And they wrap up the show with a trip into the mailbag. Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 2:30 - What is the fall Instructional League 13:30 - Ian's Instructs Reports 30:00 - Instructs Lighting Round 57:00 - Chris Becerra joins the Front Office 59:00 - It's mailbag time Players mentioned in the show Antoni Flores Gilberto Jimenez Yoan Aybar Francisco Lopez-Soto Joan Martinez Andrew Politi Yasel Santana Zach Schellenger Alex Scherff Chase Shugart Lane Milligan Justin Qiang Triston Casas Pedro Castellanos CJ Chatham Andre Colon Dann

Our minor league revels now are ended for 2018. Before we turn our attention to the big club and their quest to break the franchise record for wins in a season, Chris and Ian wrap up the minor league season. They preview the Arizona Fall League, highlighting the strong contingent of Sox Prospects who will play for Mesa. They begin to game plan the off-season, before getting down to the in-depth review of the system at season end. Ian concludes that the system is coming back, thanks to a great draft and high volume of international signings. But first, Chris and Ian welcome unofficial podcast ombudsman and Senior Web Editor Matt Picard to refute Chris' slanderous comments about Kevin Youkilis. Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. 2:30 - In defense of Kevin Youkilis 10:30 - Mailbag 26:30 - Arizona Fall League Rosters 36:00 - High Minors Recap 48:30 - Mid Minors Recap 56:50 - Low Minors and Draft Recap Players mentioned in the show Kevin Youkilis Michael

Join Chris and Ian as they sort through the people's mailbag. They share their thoughts on the WooSox (Narrator: WooSox?) What do you think about WooSox? We'd like to know. Ian declared victory in the what is a prospect debate. He also saw Mike Shawaryn shove at Pawtucket. Then Chris cracked open the mailbag. They compare Bobby Dalbec and Michael Chavis. Ian and Chris agree that the logjam of players in corner spots will resolve itself soon enough. They go deep on Pedro Castellanos and his power profile. Plus does Denyi Reyes have enough stuff to go with his fantastic control? Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. And thanks for your support in the SoxProspects Donation Drive 5:30 - We hate WooSox 16:30 - We asked. You answered, what's a prospect 18:30 - Latest from Pawtucket 27:50 - The people's mailbag 29:30 - Chavis vs. Dalbec 41:30 - The corner infield logjam 59:00 - Will Pedro Castellanos tap into his power 1:15:45 - International Spending and the lux

It's August, and the Red Sox are rolling. Chris and Ian break down the Kinsler trade. Now that the trade deadline has passed, the Sox are promoting prospects. Ian saw a few of the new guys at Pawtucket and reports on how they look. The guys throw down over what kinds of minor league players should be classified prospects. Should a 30-year-old journeyman minor leaguer be ranked alongside a 16-year-old Venezuelan amateur? Let us know your thoughts by dropping us a line. Speaking of your mail, Chris and Ian wrap up the show by opening the mailbag and answering your questions. Listen in! 0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. Plus, it's the SoxProspects 2018 Donation Drive 3:30 Welcome to Boston, Ian Kinsler 16:00 Promotions 39:00 August rankings 42:30 What is a prospect 59:00 Mailbag Players mentioned in the show Ty Buttrey Williams Jerez Tony Renda Travis Lakins Durbin Feltman Mike Shawaryn Josh Ockimey Antoni Flores Ryan Brasier William Cuevas Denyi Reyes CJ Chatham

The trade deadline is right around the corner. With one swap in the books, Chris and Ian bid farewell to Jalen Beeks. They look ahead to potential upgrades to the big-league club, whether in the bullpen or at the keystone. Ian has been to Lowell and updates us on the progress of several promising young players in short-season ball. Then Chris and Ian break down the mid-season re-rankings from Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, in particular why their top fives look a bit different than ours. Ian talks about why Jay Groome is his number two guy in the system. Chris explains the challenges hitters with a first base-only defensive profile face. And the guys debate whether a hitter can shove. Despite Ian's claim to the contrary, they can't. Pitchers shove. Hitters rake. (Chris's note: Thank you, Joe) Listen in! Podcast Show Notes  0:00 - Intros, housekeeping, email us and remember to check us out on Patreon. Plus, it's the SoxProspects 2018 Donation Drive 03:30 - Beeks-Eovaldi trade analysis 24:00 - Latest f