Boston Red Sox: Player By Player Analysis on Youngsters

With the recent call-ups of Lars Anderson, Yamaico Navarro and Robert Coello in the past few weeks, it is obvious that Theo Esptein and the Red Sox management are giving a few guys “try-outs” at the major league level in order to prepare for future seasons. The Red Sox have now seen six players make their big league debuts for them this season, and while some have shown promise, others have not. Here’s my take on a bunch of the more intriguing youngsters in the organization and their shot at making it big with the Sox.

Ryan Kalish:

Kalish was brought up at the trade deadline in order to excite the Red Sox nation, and, despite his recent struggles, has been more valuable to his team than, say, Lance Berkman has been to the Yankees. He has shown some flaws offensively, but those should be able to be worked out in time judging by the high character and work ethic that he’s shown. Ryan has plus speed, a plus arm, and has made some spectacular plays in the field. Kalish will be an all-star caliber fan-favorite for the Red Sox for the next decade or so, a better version of Trot Nixon, and will hit .290 with about 25 HRs during his prime, while playing gold glove defense.

Verdict: Franchise player, future all-star, untouchable and will start somewhere in Boston next year.

Yamaico Navarro:

I may have some bias against Navarro since he was the only Sea Dog player to refuse to give me an autograph this season, but I see Navarro as no more than a borderline back-up infielder in the future. One major plus is his versatility, as he is able to play multiple positions well, but other than that he is just very average. Good enough, probably, to hang around in the majors for a little while, but the Sox already have Bill Hall who should be able to fill that role for a bit longer.

Verdict: Will start next year in AAA, eventually be given the opportunity to replace Hall as the utility infielder, if he’s not traded before hand, where he’ll become a utility man for someone else.

Daniel Nava:

Nava’s story is one that Hollywood has probably already begun writing a script for. His grand slam in major league at-bat #1 is one of the most memorable moments of the season. Daniel is also a good enough player to be a major-leaguer, though I don’t think he comes close to being good enough to be the starting left fielder for an organization like Boston. I wouldn’t mind Nava sticking around to come off the bench here, but he may want to find a place where he can start long-term in a smaller market organization.

Verdict: Back-up outfielder for a big market team, or possible starter for a small-market team, but never good enough to cement a spot in a big league starting lineup.

Lars Anderson:

I think Lars (along with Jacoby Ellsbury), should be one of the top guys on the trade market for Theo this off-season. There are just too many holes in his swing for him to be a productive major league hitter, especially given his below average defense. A team may take a chance on him due to his power potential, and Boston can get something in return. Worst case scenario, he ends up in Pawtucket for the rest of his career.

Verdict: Not going anywhere with Boston, possible trade bait for another team.

Felix Doubront:

Dubi has shown some very good stuff this season since being called up in June. He was solid, though not great, in his two spot-starts, and then responded greatly to his transition to the bullpen in August, where he was impressive for Boston in that role. I think Felix has potential to be a starter in the Red Sox rotation at some point, but there aren’t really any openings right now so he may settle into that relief role and take over for Okajima for a year or two.

Verdict: He’ll be the lefty out of the bull-pen for a year or two before being reevaluated a la Joba Chamberlain. As a starter he has #3 or #4 potential.

Michael Bowden:

Bowden has been a top prospect in Boston for a while now but has never really lived up to the hype. He was pretty decent in the spot start he had with the team in 2008, but, despite his very good stuff, he has really struggled ever since the Sox experimented with him in the bullpen. In the long run I see Bowden either as a long-reliever in the back of a bull-pen or a spot starter for some team, whether it be the Red Sox or someone else, having a decent career that never quite lives up to the hype.

Verdict: Long reliever for Boston or possible #4 or #5 starter for another team if dealt.

Josh Reddick

Reddick’s a strange case. At times he’s been the most dominant hitter in the Sox organization, while at others he’s been flat out miserable. It’s not like Lars Anderson, though, who has always struggled at the higher levels of the minors. Some of Josh’s best hitting streaks have included this spring training with the big club and last month in AAA Pawtucket. With the emergence of Ryan Kalish, though, Reddick’s inconsistency will make it hard for him to ever have a concrete job in Boston, and he will most likely be dealt.

Verdict: May have a few very good seasons elsewhere that have Red Sox nation shaking their heads at Theo, but will not have close to as consistent as a career as Kalish.

Dustin Richardson

Richardson has been a solid lefty out of the bullpen, which, considering Okajima's failures, has been something they really have needed. He’s good enough to provide that role for a major league ballclub, but Doubront may be just a little bit better.

Verdict: Will have a career as a left-hander out of the bullpen somewhere, but it may not be in Boston for that long.

Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo, and Jose Iglesias

These three should emerge, as Ryan Kalish did this season, around this time next year. All three of these guys have potential to be stars in this league. Kelly could max out as a very productive #2 or #3 starting pitcher, Rizzo could be the power hitting bat that the Sox wanted from Lars Anderson, and Iglesias looks like an acrobatic and dynamic defensive short-stop in the mold of Ozzie Smith or Omar Vizquel.

That being said, all three could become duds as well, as Kelly has struggled in AA this season, Rizzo has not posted a very strong batting average despite good power numbers, and Iglesias has shown to be a bit weak with his bat. These three guys, plus Kalish, are the Red Sox future, similar to what Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, and Jed Lowrie were a few years back.

Hopefully they can live up to their expectations.

My projections for the 2011 Red Sox Roster are as follows:

C- V. Martinez

1B- K. Youkilis

2B- D. Pedroia

SS- M. Scutaro

3B- A. Beltre

LF- ACQUISITION (Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth would be at the top of the list)

CF- R. Kalish

RF- J. Drew

DH- D. Ortiz

Bench- McDonald, Nava, Hall, Saltalamacchia, Lowrie

SP- Buchholz, Lester, Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lackey

CP- Papelbon

RP- Bard, Doubront, Atchison, Acquistion, Acquisition, Richardson