Boston Red Sox Trade Deadline: 5 Young Players the Sox Can't Afford to Deal

Whenever the trade deadline comes around, it's pretty much a given that the Boston Red Sox are going to be the subject of a ridiculous amount of trade rumors.

And more often than not, Sox GM Theo Epstein ends up making a deal.

This year, things are a little different. The Sox are once again front and center in all the trade talk, but nobody in the organization seems to be in much of a hurry to make a deal.

That's the kind of contentment that can only come from having the best record in the American League.

Still, it's not a good idea to take anything for granted with Epstein. He's a crafty one, and he will make a deal if it's a good one. If it's for Carlos Beltran, so be it. If it's for a middle-of-the-road reliever, that's cool too.

This being said, the Sox only have so many players that they can ship out. I'm not about to start complaining about the Adrian Gonzalez trade, but it has left the Sox's farm system relatively empty.

Because of that, Epstein needs to think long and hard before deciding to empty it any more.

Or he could just take a look at this slideshow. It's a simple list of five youngsters that are absolutely vital to the organization's future. They must be kept at all costs.

To find out why, all you have to do is scroll ahead.

5. Felix Doubront, SP

We lead this list off with Felix Doubront, a 23-year-old lefty with a deceptive delivery and stuff that is generally considered to be pretty good.

Despite his young age, Doubront has already been in Boston's system for seven years, as he was first signed as an international free agent way back in July of 2004. A native of Venezuela, Doubront has been knocking on the door for the last two years.

And on occasion, Doubront has been let through the door. He logged 25 innings in the big leagues last year and had a brief cameo with the Sox earlier this season. All told, he's pitched 27.2 innings at the major league level.

The only problem is that Doubront has failed to impress in his time at the show. He has an ERA of 4.55, and has allowed 31 hits and 12 walks in his 27.2 innings. Needless to say, he still has work to do.

So why should the Sox keep Doubront around? Well, primarily because there are only so many talented lefties out there, and Doubront does have talent. His minor league numbers definitely tell us as much.

All Doubront needs is a little more polishing. He's probably not good enough for a rotation spot, but he could be a mainstay in the Sox bullpen if the brass decides to go that way.

4. Will Middlebrooks, 3B

Next up is Will Middlebrooks, a hard-hitting third baseman out of Texas.

Middlebrooks was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2007, but he has perhaps the best all-around prospect the Sox have down on the farm.

He's played his way up to Double-A Portland this year, and he has been very impressive during his time there. At last check, he's batting .310 with 12 home runs and 56 RBI.

And by all accounts, Middlebrooks is only going to get better. He still has to mature as a hitter, but the raw tools are there. He has power to spare, and he will probably have power to all fields at the big league level once he learns how to be more selective.

At this point, Middlebrooks is probably a couple years away from being ready for the show. A good guess would be 2013, which just so happens to be when Kevin Youkilis is due to hit free agency.

He will be 34 when he does, and my guess is that re-signing him will not be an automatic decision.

If we do end up waiving good bye to Youk, we might just be saying hello to Middlebrooks.

3. Ryan Lavarnway, C

Unless I'm totally forgetting someone, the last catcher the Sox actually bothered to develop was Jason Varitek. That was back in 1997, when your humble narrator was a mere 10 years old.

For many years, that was just fine. But at this point, it's pretty obvious that the Sox are going to need to bring up a young catcher of their own sooner or later. Preferably sooner.

That's where Ryan Lavarnway comes into the picture. A 23-year-old out of Yale (yes, that Yale), Lavarnway was a sixth-round draft pick back in 2008 and is now doing work at Triple-A Pawtucket.

The good news: Lavarnway is lighting things up in the batter's box.

He's hitting .377 with the PawSox, with 12 homers and 33 RBI. If you factor in his numbers from Double-A Portland, Lavarnway is hitting .320 with 26 homers and 71 RBI this year.

The bad news: Lavarnway isn't much of a defensive presence behind the plate.

He apparently still has a lot of work to do, which is a little discouraging given the defensive issues Sox catchers have had in the last couple years.

Oh well. If he can hit, there's a spot for him in this lineup. Perhaps he can DH if and when Papi and the Sox part ways.

2. Anthony Ranaudo, SP

Had Anthony Ranaudo not battled a forearm injury in 2010, we probably would not be talking about him right now. That's because he would not have fallen to the Sox in the 2010 draft, as Ranaudo was widely considered to be one of the best arms in last year's draft class.

Well, you're not going to hear the Sox complaining, as Ranaudo has done just fine in his first season as a pro. Between Greenville and Salem, the former LSU Tiger has logged 95.1 innings this season, and he has a combined ERA of 3.87. He's also had the strikeout pitch working, as he has notched a total of 85 K's.

For now, Ranaudo has a fastball that sits in the low 90s. But it will reach 95, and it could go higher if he continues to mature. Thanks in large part to his 6'7" frame, Ranaudo gets good downward action on his pitches, and he already has a killer curveball.

Like all young pitchers, Ranaudo will need some time to develop. In a perfect world, he will be ready for big league service in 2014.

By that time, Daisuke Matsuzaka will be long gone, and even Tim Wakefield might not even be around anymore. Better yet, John Lackey's contract is due to expire in 2015.

In other words, there will be a spot for Ranaudo.

1. Jose Iglesias, SS

Up next is our cover boy, shortstop Jose Iglesias.

If you're a Sox fan, Iglesias should need no introduction. But what the heck, I'll give him one anyway.

Iglesias is a 21-year-old Cuban defector that the Sox signed in September of 2009. Right now, he's not much of a hitter, nor does he project to be much of a hitter going forward. What he can do, however, is field the ball.

Whether you want to talk about his great range, his outstanding hands or his plus arm, Iglesias can just plain pick it. He can already make all the plays, and the consensus is that he has the goods to be a perennial Gold Glove winner.

Seeing as how the Sox haven't had a Gold Glove winner at shortstop since 1979 (Rick Burleson), the idea of Iglesias winning one year after year is a happy thought.

Factor in the reality that the Sox haven't had a mainstay at short since Nomar Garciaparra, and you can see why this guy has to stay in the system.

Now that we're done here, I advise you to go check out SoxProspects.com. That's where the scouting reports came from, and there are plenty more to be found there.

If you want more Red Sox talk, feel free to follow me on Twitter.