Boston Red Sox: 5 Prospects Who Will Find Their Way to Fenway This Season

Fresh off one of the worst regular season collapses in baseball history, the Boston Red Sox enter 2012 with some fresh, new faces to lead them to their first World Series in five years. 

With iconic faces of the franchise such as Theo Epstein, Terry Francona and Jonathan Papelbon not returning, the 2012 Sox will have a bit of a different look.

And with every new season comes a chance for farm players to play their way onto major league rosters.

The Red Sox are no exception, as they seemingly have half of their lineup filled with superstars and the other half with question marks. Among the MLB's elite, Boston has as much room as anyone to test out some hot prospects on their market.

So, which players in the Red Sox' farm system are poised to make an appearance at Fenway Park next season?

Jose Iglesias, SS

Marco Scutaro's exit from Bean Town this offseason left a gaping hole in Boston's infield, and they were able to fill it up by signing Nick Punto from the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.

If Punto cannot stay healthy for all 162 games, seeing Jose Iglesias  will be a given.

The 21-year-old shortstop is a defensive-minded player and a web-gem waiting to happen, which is what the Red Sox need more than anything at the position. He's pretty fast and is able to get to some balls that would trickle past many shortstops.

He was on the Red Sox roster for 10 games in 2011, where he went 2-for-6. His hitting needs work, but the major league level is the prime place to develop that game.

Ryan Lavarnway, C/DH

Ryan Lavarnway also saw time in Boston in 2011, and he was on the roster for the September collapse.

He only had 39 at-bats, though, including two crucial home runs in a 8-7 win over Baltimore on the eve of getting knocked out of playoff contention.

It is still uncertain if Red Sox great Jason Varitek will return, and Lavarnway would have a guy or two in front of him regardless. But the 6'4", 225 pound rookie has high baseball IQ and does a good job of keeping wild pitches under control.

With the uncertainty surrounding the catcher position, this 2011 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year should become a household name on Boston's roster soon.

Anthony Ranaudo, P

Anthony Ranaudo is widely considered one of Boston's most prized jewels in the farm system, and he has massive potential to be the franchise's next Josh Beckett. 

The 6'7", 230 pound giant was the Red Sox' first-round pick in 2010 after he led the LSU Tigers to a national championship in '09. His fastball tops out at 95 MPH, with the 22-year-old's velocity still increasing.

He also has a great command of the strike zone and has command of pitch placement.

He still has much to prove if he wants to make it to Fenway this season, but the late end of Boston's rotation is questionable and they might need a spark in their playoff push.

I envision Boston doing with Ranaudo reminiscent of what the Tampa Bay Rays did with David Price in 2008—let him pitch in relief to get his feet wet, and ween him into a starter's role in 2013.

The sky is the limit for this kid.

Will Middlebrooks, 3B

How much time Will Middlebrooks will see in 2012 will be directly correlated to how healthy Kevin Youkilis can stay.

Nevertheless, Middlebrooks will have the chance to compete for a roster spot in Fenway.

At 6'4", 200 pounds, the right-hander has good agility for his large frame. He attacks ground balls with a menace and has good anticipation. He was called up to AAA Pawtucket late in the 2011 season and looks to ride that momentum to Boston.

If the injury bug catches up to Youky this season once again, the Red Sox should and will give the 23-year-old some playing time. 

Bryce Bentz, CF

Bryce Brentz is still adjusting to professional baseball, but he looks to be making strides and is working his way up the farm system. Along with Ranaudo, he was a first-round pick in 2010 and has through-the-roof potential.

He is one of the more aggressive batters in the game today, which has it's positives and negatives.

If he can build off his positives—getting big hits, making the right decisions—and eliminate the negatives—going after every pitch, improve his walk-to-strikeout ratiothen he could be the next big bat in Boston's lineup.