2. Jay Groome, LHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 8/23/1998 (19)
2017 teams/levels played for: short-season A-ball Lowell Spinners, low-A Greenville Drive
2017 Stats: 14 GS, 55 1/3 IP, 5.69 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 12.3% BB, 29.6% K
Info: There were few high school pitchers in the last 4-5 years more hyped pre-draft than Groome before the 2016 draft. If you were a draft writer and did a mock draft with Groome not being selected until #7 or #8 in the draft, you were seen as out of your mind and crazy. In the end, Groome was selected 12th overall.
After missing nearly two full months, Groome opened with the Red Sox NYPL club after finishing 2016 there. He moved up to low-A, but the South Atlantic League really ate him up, as he had a 6.70 ERA for Greenville. He also saw the Sally League take him deep at a 20% HR/FB rate.
Groome still has a fastball that can touch the upper 90s, but it’s seemed to flatten out as a pro. He got excellent arm side run on the pitch as a high schooler, but in his time in low-A this season, whether it was from over-throwing or from the lat strain that delayed the start of his 2017, the fastball was quite straight.
Groome was highly regarded for his curve and a sinking change that he didn’t have to use much in high school but had excellent movement. The curve is about the one thing that played on the season, and it helped Groome to generate excellent swing and miss. The issue with the curve is that he does not have great handle on the location of the curve.
While 2017 was essentially a lost season, Groome has the frame (6’6″, 225 pounds) and pitch repertoire to be an elite prospect, so the Red Sox will be very patient with Groome. It would not surprise if he returned to Greenville or if the Red Sox attempted to push him, but Groome may be heading down the path of a guy that Dombrowski moves, and possibly soon.
1. Michael Chavis, 3B
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 8/11/1995 (22)
2017 teams/levels played for: high-A Salem Red Sox, AA Portland Sea Dogs
2017 Stats: .282/.347/.563, 524 PA, 31 HR, 2 SB, 39/113 BB/K
Info: Coming out of high school, Chavis was seen as a possible power hitting shortstop with good hands and a power arm. He’s filled out significantly since, which led to a move to the hot corner in instructional league in his draft season. If it weren’t for Rafael Devers in his own organization, Chavis would be on the tip of the tongue of every Red Sox fan as one of the major pieces of the future.
Chavis struggled in 2015 to put together power and contact in his quick bat, in spite of not having an overly-long bat path, which befuddled Red Sox officials and outside scouts alike. He then had an injury-riddled season in 2016 that was difficult to see positive results, but he did see a ton of loud contact begin to be made.
This season all of that came together for Chavis. After hitting for a 1.029 OPS with Salem in the Carolina League, he was promoted to AA and continued showing excellent power and the ability to get his quick bat around on any pitch. Combined on the season, he hit 35 doubles and 31 home runs.
If it weren’t for Rafael Devers in his own organization, Chavis would be on the tip of the tongue of every Red Sox fan as one of the major pieces of the future
Chavis has worked hard in the field to build himself into a passable third baseman with his biggest issue being on balls that he has to come in on. His big arm still plays well, which could lead to a move to a corner outfield spot as Chavis is more athletic than his stolen base numbers would show.
After a big showing in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit 4 home runs in 92 at bats against some of the best pitching prospects in baseball, Chavis is likely going to be among the top 50 prospects in all of the game. With Devers ahead of him, Chavis is likely looking at either a position change or a role as Dombrowski’s next trade piece.
Next: Newcomer to watch