The Red Sox farm system got a little harder to track this week, and not just because of the usual shuffle from level to level. With the trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, several names in the pipeline have already moved on, which gives this update a different feel. Still, there was plenty happening across the board, from strong debuts to loud offensive weeks and a few arms that kept rolling.
At Triple-A Worcester, Franklin Arias made a quick impression. The right-handed-hitting shortstop went 7-for-22 with two doubles and two homers, drove in six runs, scored twice, and drew four walks against four strikeouts.
He also saw time at second base. For a 20-year-old, that’s a pretty smooth introduction to the level.
John Holobetz also debuted for Worcester on Thursday and handled it well. The right-hander gave up one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out six and didn’t issue a walk while picking up the win.
Blake Wehunt followed up a solid first Worcester outing with an even better week, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits across five innings. He struck out four, walked two, and got his first Triple-A win.
Angel Bastardo kept doing Angel Bastardo things. Over two appearances, he allowed one hit in 2 2/3 scoreless innings, struck out six and walked none.
That extends his streak to five straight scoreless outings, with 16 strikeouts and no walks over eight innings. His season line now sits at a 4.31 ERA, .203 BAA, and 1.24 WHIP in 26 appearances, with 57 strikeouts and 20 walks in 39 2/3 innings.
Double-A Portland had a mix of big strikeout totals and a pair of notable debuts and results. Anthony Eyanson punched out a career-high 10 batters while allowing two runs on four hits in 4 2/3 innings, though he did walk two.
He now owns a 1.32 ERA, .152 BAA, and 0.89 WHIP in 16 games, 15 starts, between High-A and Double-A, with 94 strikeouts and 26 walks in 68 1/3 innings. Eyanson was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Adley Rutschman.
Gage Ziehl turned in a steady outing of his own, giving up one run on six hits over six innings Sunday. He struck out eight and walked one. Ziehl’s numbers now include a 4.33 ERA, .278 BAA, and 1.35 WHIP in 17 starts, plus 96 strikeouts and 18 walks in 81 innings.
At the plate, Ahbram Liendo had a huge week, going 7-for-15 with a double, a homer, four RBI, four runs scored, and a walk-off single. His line now sits at .237/.329/.369 with 10 doubles, two triples, six homers, 45 RBI, 40 runs, and 18 steals. Yoeilin Cespedes also made his Double-A debut Sunday and went 1-for-5, striking out four times while driving in two runs.
High-A Greenville was packed with movement and production. Jake Schaffner made his organizational debut Saturday and wasted no time getting involved, going 3-for-8 with a double, a triple, four RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base.
He also walked twice and struck out once. Owen Hull debuted at the same time and delivered right away, finishing 5-for-10 with two doubles, four RBI, and two runs.
Enddy Azocar put together one of the loudest weeks in the system, going 14-for-25 with three doubles and three homers. He drove in 10, scored 10, and now owns a .286/.341/.540 slash line with 27 doubles, six triples, 18 homers, 63 RBI, 76 runs, and 11 steals between Single-A and High-A. Azocar was also included in Boston's trade for Rutschman.
Maximus Martin added some pop too, going 6-for-16 with a double and two home runs. He drove in 10 runs and scored three.
His High-A line is still modest overall at .171/.211/.371, but he now has one double, two homers, 10 RBI, and four runs in nine games there. Nazzan Zanetello returned from the IL and went 6-for-10 with two doubles and a homer, driving in three, scoring four, and stealing a base.
On the mound, Devin Futrell worked six shutout innings Friday, allowing three hits while striking out eight and walking three. He now has a 3.76 ERA, .233 BAA, and 1.08 WHIP in 17 games, 13 starts, with 95 strikeouts and 16 walks in 83 2/3 innings.
Dylan Brown also had a strong week, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked one, and his combined Single-A/High-A numbers now read a 3.43 ERA, .235 BAA, and 1.27 WHIP with 113 strikeouts and 34 walks in 84 innings.
Kyson Witherspoon gave up one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking one. He’s at a 4.78 ERA, .256 BAA, and 1.39 WHIP in 17 starts, with 78 strikeouts and 34 walks in 75 1/3 innings.
Witherspoon was traded to the Orioles for Rutschman. Marcus Phillips had one of the oddest lines of the week: one run allowed in four innings without giving up a hit, but with six walks and one hit batter.
He struck out five. His season numbers are a 6.54 ERA, .249 BAA, and 1.76 WHIP in 16 games, 15 starts, with 60 strikeouts and 45 walks in 52 1/3 innings.
Single-A Salem RidgeYaks had its own batch of strong performances. Sadbiel Delzine allowed one run on two hits over 4 1/3 innings Friday, striking out five and walking two.
He’s only made two starts in Single-A, but he’s already looking the part. Williams Montero bounced back from a rough first outing last week and allowed one hit over 3 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out four without a walk.
At the plate, Franklin Primera went 6-for-17 with a double and a home run, walking twice and striking out once. He’s slashing .299/.419/.455 with six doubles, two homers, eight RBI, 18 runs scored, 10 walks, and 12 strikeouts.
Adonys Guzman went 5-for-15 with a double and a homer, driving in four and scoring two. His line across Single-A and High-A is .258/.359/.455 with 12 doubles, nine home runs, 30 RBI, and 31 runs scored.
Skylar King closed things out with a 6-for-19 week that included a double, a homer, four RBI, two runs, and a stolen base. He’s now hitting .244/.324/.406 with 15 doubles, one triple, 11 homers, 39 RBI, 50 runs, and 28 steals.
In Other News...
Caleb Durbin Is Making That Mocked Red Sox Trade Look Brilliant
Caleb Durbin did not arrive in Boston with much immediate fanfare after the offseason deal with Milwaukee, and his rough start only made the early criticism louder. But since late June, he has helped steady the Red Sox in the kind of way front offices hope a trade will eventually pay off, turning himself into one of the more productive third basemen in the majors while Bostons overall play has taken a noticeable step forward.
Durbin has not been doing it alone, either, with Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler also contributing to the surge that has put the Red Sox back in the playoff conversation. What once looked like a move ripe for second-guessing now looks like one of the clearest wins of Bostons offseason, and the timing could not be much better with the club trying to keep that momentum going into the final stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Send Clear Message As Franklin Arias Pushes For Boston
The trade deadline made one thing clear for Boston: Franklin Arias was not going anywhere. While the Red Sox dealt away other notable prospects, the 20-year-old shortstop stayed put, a sign the organization sees him as part of the next wave rather than a chip to move for immediate help. Arias has backed up that belief with strong play at Double-A and Triple-A, which only adds to the buzz around one of the systems most interesting young infielders.
Even with that momentum, the Red Sox are treating Arias like a long-term piece, not a quick fix for a playoff push. Craig Breslow has made no secret of his excitement about the way Arias is developing, but the club is not looking to hurry him into Boston right now. For a team trying to balance present urgency with future value, Arias has become a useful reminder that not every answer has to arrive on the same timetable. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Have One Big Franklin Arias Question
With Marcelo Mayer no longer in the organization, the Red Sox suddenly have a lot less clarity about who might hold down shortstop in the years ahead. Andruw Monasterio has been getting looks there lately, but the longer view still seems to run through Franklin Arias, the prospect Boston has kept in Triple-A while he continues to put together a strong minor league season.
Arias has drawn interest from other clubs, which is hardly a surprise for a player who looks like a possible answer at a premium position. Even so, the Red Sox have treated him like more than a throw-in, suggesting they still see a real future for him in Boston. The question now is whether that faith turns into a decision to keep him in the pipeline, or whether the shortstop picture gets murkier before it gets clearer. [Read more 🡒]