Call to the pen
Fansided

Boston Red Sox 2018 minor league awards

By Benjamin Chase

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 26: Ryan Brasier #70 of the Boston Red Sox delivers the pitch during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Three of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 26, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 26: Ryan Brasier #70 of the Boston Red Sox delivers the pitch during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Three of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 26, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
Boston Red Sox
PORTLAND, ME – AUGUST 28: Portland’s Bobby Dalbbec at bat against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Tuesday, August 28, 2018. (Staff photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images) /

Boston Red Sox Minor League Hitter of the Year: Bobby Dalbec

Level(s): high-A Salem, AA Portland
Stats: .257/.361/.558, 129 G, 543 PA, 35 2B, 32 HR, 109 RBI, 66/176 BB/K

A dominant pitcher and hitter for the University of Arizona during a title run during his sophomore year of college, Dalbec’s numbers fell off in his junior year, which allowed him to fall to the 4th round of the 2016 draft, where the Boston Red Sox were happy to pick him up.

Dalbec’s long swing will lead to heavy strikeouts and likely a low batting average, but he’s done well to get a good idea of the strike zone at the plate, which will allow for a solid OBP along with those power numbers. His “three true outcome” approach has served him well thus far.

Dalbec plays a very solid third base with an incredibly powerful arm, and if he is moved off of third base, he’d fit well in a corner outfield. He’ll likely open in AA in 2019, but he could get time in Boston to finish the season.

Runners-up

A 7th round pick this June out of Long Beach State, Jarren Duran is a gifted athlete. He showed off that athleticism, splitting time between second base and outfield while hitting .357/.394/.516 across two minor league levels with 14 doubles, 11 triples, and 24 stolen bases over 67 games.

Tanner Nishioka was drafted by the Boston Red Sox out of Pomona College. The Hawaii native had a very solid first full season in the Red Sox system, playing third base primarily for low-A Greenville, though he got a call to AA Portland to finish the year during their playoff run. Nishioka’s final line was .322/.398/.511 with 22 doubles and 11 home runs over 87 games.

Suspended to open the 2018 season due to PEDs, Michael Chavis played in just 46 games in the Boston Red Sox system in 2018, but he showed well in that time. He hit .298/.381/.538 with 14 doubles and 9 home runs, even stealing 3 bases, spending the majority of his time in AA. He’s in the Arizona Fall League, and he’s one to watch for 2019 as he’s likely to move to first base long-term, but his offensive potential is real.

Definitely a misstep in the Cuban market, Rusney Castillo has shown himself to be more of a quad-A outfielder than a star, and he’s still being paid very well until 2020 by the Boston Red Sox. In 2018, he hit very well for AAA Pawtucket, hitting .319/.360/.416 with 31 doubles, 5 home runs, and 13 stolen bases.

Home/Boston Red Sox