26 year old starting pitcher Grant Gambrell is one of the last links to the Andrew Benintendi trade back in 2021. After being acquired in the deal, he went 1-6 with a 7.16 ERA for Greenville in 2021 before missing the entire 2022 season due to injury. Last year, he seemed to get stronger with every call-up. He was 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA before going 6-3 with a 3.42 ERA in 15 starts with Portland. At the end of the year, he was 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 2 starts. This is good news for Sox fans as if Gambrell has it figured out, a good two months might have him in Boston at some point this year for a spot start. A fresh arm is never a bad thing.
27 year old Brandon Walter was drafted in the 26th round back in 2019 and clawed his way to Worcester by 2023. He earned a promotion to Boston and got lit up for 17 runs in 23 innings for the Red Sox. If his first go around wasn't successful, his 2024 season in Worcester might go better or worse. Currently he's on the Injured List but Worcester will definitely benefit from his services as long as he's there.
This was a peculiar signing by the Worcester Red Sox. 29 year old Melvin Adon began his ML career with the Dominican League Giants back in 2015 and never really developed into a stud relief pitcher. He was 2-6 with a hideous 7.42 ERA last year for the Sacramento River Cats, SF's triple A team. If he's almost 30 and overmatched in AAA, why would the Sox take a flier on him? He's currently injured to boot so we'll see how this turns out.
27 year old right hander Brian Van Belle was an undrafted rookie free agent back in 2020 and was perfectly mediocre for Greenville and Portland in 2021 and 2022. Last year he was 6-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 13 starts for the Sea Dogs before getting the call to Worcester. He wasn't as successful as he went 5-4 with a bad 6.41 ERA in 12 starts, but that was last year. Its most likely now or never for Van Belle with the classes of 2021, 2022 and 2023 on their way with guys eager to take his spot. Who knows, maybe he'll be good this season.
31 year old veteran minor league starter Jason Alexander had a cup of coffee with the 2022 Milwaukee Brewers going 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 18 games. Last year he was batting practice for the Nashville Sounds going 2-4 with a 5.86 ERA. This is actually where Chaim Bloom's lack of starting pitching depth through the draft the last few years comes back to haunt this year's team. Instead of having prospects to start, they have to rely on guys like Alexander to start games. Who knows, maybe they'll have a good season.
The Sox might have something here with 27 year old right handed pitcher Cooper Criswell. Criswell came up through the Los Angeles Angels system and even got a cup of coffee with them in 2021. In 2022 he went to the Tampa Bay Rays system and had a cup of coffee with them too. Last year he was 4-4 with a respectable 3.93 ERA in 23 games, 17 starts, with the Durham Bulls. He allowed 23 runs in 33 innings in relief for the Rays last year and signed with the Red Sox in December. He's on the 40 man roster so he's a candidate to be brought up if someone gets hurt or sucks.
When the Sox shipped Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees, the centerpiece of that trade was 24 year old right handed starting pitcher Dick Fitts. He was drafted by the Yankees 17 picks after the Red Sox took Daniel McElveny in the sixth round back in 2021 and last year went 11-5 with a 3.48 ERA in 27 starts for the Somerset Patriots in AA. He's going to start the year in AAA and if he's good enough, he may get a cup of coffee this season. The Sox may have to end the Garrett Whitlock or Tanner Houck as a starter experiment sooner rather than later, it would help to replace them in the rotation with guys like Fitts.
This is a bizarre addition mostly because of Bernardino's success last year. He was picked up off waivers from Seattle and became one of the better relievers out of the Red Sox pen. He was 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 55 games and most thought he was a shoe-in to make this year's Sox team. Inexplicably he was cut in favor of Joely Rodriguez on the final day. He won't be here long, especially if Joely falters at the big league level or god forbid someone gets hurt.
Here's another guy that could get the call sooner rather than later. Kelly made the Sox out of Spring Training last year and looked good for 8 games.....and then tore his shoulder, never to be seen again in 2023. This year he's healthy but it remains to be seen how good he can be. He was Worcester's best pitcher in 2022 so him starting in Worcester is most likely to see if he can regain his form. If he does, he'll be back in Boston as soon as someone gets hurt or is ineffective.
Ah, Joe Jacques. After tearing up Worcester as one of their better relievers while posting a 2.54 ERA in 30 games, he got hammered up in Boston. He was 2-1 with a 5.06 ERA for last year's last place Sox. Unlike Kelly & Bernardino, Jacques will only see Fenway again as a last resort. In terms of Worcester's bullpen, he's one of the best so if you follow the minor leagues more than the big leagues, him being back in Worcester is a cause for celebration.
Here's an interesting dichotomy. Lucas was a classic 4-A pitcher his whole career until inexplicably becoming one of the New York Yankees best relievers from 2021 to 2022. Then last year at age 36 he crashed and burned with the Atlanta Braves organization. In Worcester, he could be a dominant lefty specialist but making Boston would take a hell of an effort since he's not on the 40 man roster. Still, he can at least be a mentor to some of the younger guys.
When the Sox jettisoned Kike Hernandez back to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman, who knew it would be Hagenman who would go on to have a better stretch run? He was 4-0 with a 2.78 ERA for Oklahoma City and he went 2-0 with a 3.26 to end the season for Worcester. The 27 year old may not have made the majors yet but he's definitely Worcester's sleeper pick this season.
Its interesting how most of Worcester's pitching staff dominated the minor leagues and is just waiting for the call back to the show while Booser here....didn't. He signed with Worcester before last season and had a mediocre season going 4-3 with a 4.99 ERA in 48 games. He does have a movie quality story behind him though. He retired after the 2017 season and spent 2 years as a carpenter before getting the itch to pitch again. He played indy ball in 2021 before signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in 2022. If nothing else, that's a Disney movie in itself if he even gets a cup of coffee this year.
27 year old Chase Shugart is definitely one of the last of the Dave Dombrowski era picks, taken in the 12th round back in 2018. Quite frankly he's been AWFUL for Worcester the last two seasons, allowing 26 runs in 31 innings back in 2022 and 44 runs in 46 innings last year. With Red Sox GM Craig Breslow cutting guys like Garrett Ramsey, its a wonder why Shugart is still around. Still, it would be a hell of a success story if he were to turn it around this year. If not, there are plenty of guys in Portland that will be more than happy to take his spot.
Luis Guerrero
Jorge Benitez
23 year old right handed pitcher Luis Guerrero has somehow become the odds-on favorite to be the first Chaim Bloom draft pick to reach the majors. Amazing how Nick Yorke was drafted in the first round in 2020 and Marcelo Mayer fourth overall in 2021, but 17th round pick Guerrero might be the one. He was 4-5 with a respectable ERA between Salem and Greenville in 2022 before becoming Portland's closer in 2023 with 59 strikeouts in 49 innings, plus 18 saves. He allowed 4 runs in 4 innings in Worcester at the end of the season but with him throwing 100 mph, he could get the call with another run like he had in Portland.
24 year old left handed pitcher Jorge Benitez is another sleeper pick on this team. He was drafted in the 9th round back in 2017 as a teenager and last season he was 2-3 with a 2.14 ERA in 50 games for the Arkansas Travelers in Double A. For some reason he was released and the Sox signed him in November. Not that AA success automatically translates to AAA success but if he can dominate AAA like he did AA last year, that would be great for the Worcester Sox.
Just like Shugart, the 27 year old right handed pitcher AJ Politi is another one of the last of the Dombrowski picks, chosen in the 15th round back in 2018. Politi looked to have it figured out in 2022 allowing just 20 runs in 69 innings between Portland and Worcester. He was taken by Baltimore in the Rule 5 draft but came back to Boston last March. He had a mediocre season for Worcester going 7-5 with a 4.45 ERA but he can definitely improve on that this year. Worcester has a ton of depth in the bullpen and fresh bodies in Portland so if Politi doesn't move the needle, someone else will. Maybe he will.
Wow, an actual major leaguer. 35 year old Roberto Perez needs no introduction but if you've been living under a rock the last 10 years, Perez was first the backup then the starting catcher for the Cleveland Indians/Guardians from 2014 to 2021, slamming 24 home runs back in 2019. It looks like father time caught up with Roberto as he hit just .149 for Pittsburgh in 2022 and .133 for San Francisco last year. However, with Nathan Hickey and Kyle Teel coming up through the system, he would be a great mentor for them.
28 year old catcher Elih Marrero has been a backup his whole career so it comes as no shock as he'll be considered one of the backups for Worcester this season. Too bad he's on the Development List right now. You can never have enough depth and that's what he's there for.
If Roberto Perez at least had a moment in the sun back in 2019, the 32 year old Tyler Heineman never really had one. He was a well traveled backup catcher playing for Miami, Pittsburgh and Toronto but Sox GM Chaim Bloom sent a sack of money to the New York Mets for him. Just like Perez, he can be a good mentor to younger catchers like a Nathan Hickey. Otherwise, he may just be Worcester's starting catcher this season.
If Luis Guerrero is the odds-on favorite to be the first 2021 draftee to make the majors, 25 year old Niko Kavadas is right up there as well. Taken in the 11th round back in 2021, he blew through the system in 2021 and 2022 before hitting Worcester in 2023. He hit 8 home runs in 48 games but hit a dismal .209. Still, if "launch angle" is what the worthless analytics wants these days, he's perfect for a modern day all or nothing hitter. Triston Casas doesn't have a real backup up in Boston so all it takes is an injury or a pitcher demotion away from him getting the call.
One of former Sox GM Chaim Bloom's first moves was trading for Sogard back in early 2021. He was as good as advertised for Greenville hitting .279 with 14 home runs. He's been perfectly mediocre ever since hitting .250 - .260 between 2022 and 2023 although it looks like he'll be Worcester's starting second baseman to start the season. He hit just 7 home runs last season so it'll be interesting to see how he does with Nick Yorke and Marcelo Mayer on the way.
Chase Meidroth
If Kavadas and Guerrero are the top picks from 2021 to make the Red Sox, then 22 year old Chase Meidroth is the favorite from 2022. He was picked in the fourth round in 2022 and by the end of the year he hit .309 in 19 games for Salem. Last year he started as a house of fire in Greenville hitting .338 before getting called up to Portland. He hit just .255 but clobbered 7 home runs in 91 games. This year he's Worcester's starting third baseman to start the season. You never know when he might be needed in the big leagues.
In terms of speedsters, 26 year old David Hamilton would be right up there with Mickey Rivers or Rickey Henderson.....if he could hit. When the Sox shipped out Hunter Renfroe for Jackie Bradley Jr, the only piece that's worked out has been Hamilton. He stole a Portland record 70 bases in 2022 and 57 for Worcester in 2023 before getting a cup of coffee with Boston. He hit just .121 and stole 2 bases so unless someone REALLY sucks at the big level, you may not see Hamilton again until September. Still, if the Red Sox were any good this would be their Dave Roberts type pinch running threat this season.
Oh boy, its 27 year old former Chicago White Sox utility infielder Romy Gonzalez. Guy has a great glove but he hit just .194 last year for the White Sox last season. Still, he'll probably hit AAA pitching better than the majors and veterans are always useful in the minors. He DID hit 21 home runs in AAA back in 2021 so there's that.
Just like Gonzalez, 29 year old Mark Contreras is another utility player only he was in the outfield. He did hit 18 home runs for the St. Paul Saints back in 2021 and had a cup of coffee with the Minnesota Twins in 2022 but hit just .121. Once again, this is a depth signing and mentor to younger players that come up, if and when Roman Anthony gets to Worcester. Hell, maybe he'll hit 18 home runs again.
Keeping with the theme of 4A players, here's 28 year old Dalton Guthrie. He hit .302 with 10 home runs for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs back in 2022 and earned a cup of coffee with the Philadelphia Phillies that year. Unfortunately for him, he hit just .167 for them and was released. He spent 2023 bouncing around AAA although he did hit .271 with the Gwinnett Stripers last year. Fun fact, his father Mark pitched for the Red Sox in 1999.
If nothing else, the Worcester Red Sox can boast of having one of only three Americans in history to win medals in the summer and winter Olympics. Eddy Alvarez was a speedskater in 2014 and finished second to the Russians who ended up being caught cheating. In 2021, he was on Team USA's baseball team that won the silver in Tokyo. In terms of MLB career, he's a 34 year old utility infielder that had cups of coffee with the Miami Marlins before coming to Worcester at the end of last season. He may not be a gold medalist like Kurt Angle, but dual sport athletes are hard to come by.
28 year old Jamie Westbrook has never reached the majors but he had a hell of a year with Scranton last year in the Yankees system. He hit 21 home runs and drove in 65 runs for the Rail Riders while hitting .294. He did hit 11 home runs for the Toledo Mud Hens in 2022 but last year seemed to be his career year. It would be unfair to expect another year like that but any time you can sign a guy like that as a free agent, its a good move to make.
28 year old catcher Mark Kolozsvary had a cup of coffee with the Cincinnati Reds back in 20222 where he hit just .200. Last year between the St. Paul Saints and Norfolk Tides he hit just .200. He's going to be a backup this year but most likely is only around until Kyle Teel gets there and or Roberto Perez comes off the injured list. Then again, he may play well when he's in the game.
24 year old outfielder Corey Rosier came over from San Diego in the Jay Groome trade that sent Eric Hosmer (and Max Ferguson) to Boston. He was drafted in the 12th round back in 2021 by Seattle eight picks after the Sox chose Christopher Troye. He went to SD in the Adam Frazier trade and hit .283 between Portland and Worcester last year. If Roman Anthony is the outfielder of the future, Rosier definitely is an unsung hero that can contribute to Worcester this year. He's not on the 40 Man but definitely can be with a hot April and May.
Last but not least is 24 year old catcher Nathan Hickey. He was picked in the 5th round back in 2021 and hit 16 home runs between Salem and Greenville in 2022. Last year he hit 19 home runs and drove in 65 runs between Greenville and Portland. As of right now he's the number 1 catcher in the system, unless Kyle Teel leapfrogs him. Still, the last time the Sox had two catchers this hyped were Christian Vazquez and Blake Swihart. Hopefully Hickey can make it to Boston just like those two.
There are no words to describe the Noah Song saga in his life. It should be a movie starring Ryan Gosling really. He spent 4 years at Annapolis in the US Naval Academy before being drafted in the 4th round of the 2019 draft by Dave Dombrowski. The reason he fell so far was he had a commitment to the Navy but the Sox were willing to wait. He was the ace of the Lowell Spinners allowing just 2 runs in 17 innings but then had to report to flight school, as in the real life Top Gun. He spent 3 years in flight school but was picked by the Philadelphia Phillies in the Rule 5 draft before the 2023 season. He made it all the way to AAA with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs but wasn't called up, as per rule he went back to the Red Sox. He started 6 games for the Greenville Drive to end the season. Then in March he blew his arm out and had Tommy John Surgery. He won't pitch this year and may never again. What a shame.
Speaking of pitchers that won't play this year, here's 27 year old right handed pitcher Taylor Broadway. He was a 6th round pick back in 2021 that came over with Reese McGuire in the Jake Diekman trade in August of 2022 and was batting practice for Worcester at the end of last season. Turns out he was pitching with a bad shoulder and he had Tommy John Surgery in October. He won't pitch this year but could be back in the middle of next season. The Sox have a few guys due to come back next year from TJ surgery so who knows how any of them will do.
So this is the 2024 Worcester Red Sox. They have an interesting roster of guys under 30 either 4A or future prospects. A far cry from 25 years ago when they'd have mediocre guys in their 30's all around with maybe a prospect or two. Guerrero, Hickey, Gambrell and Fitts have a great chance to make their ML debuts with a bunch of guys itching to get back to the majors. It won't be long before injuries and bad play have Bernardino, Kelly and Hamilton back in Boston. All in all, look for them to contend in the International League this year. Get your tickets now!
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