Boston Red Sox: Ryan Lavarnway Called Up Early

Welcome to the big leagues, Ryan Lavarnway.

The Boston Red Sox catching prospect, who was recently named by International League managers as the league's best power prospect, was widely expected to be called up in September when major league teams are allowed to expand their rosters. 

Instead he finds himself in Kansas City tonight, batting seventh at the DH position.

It's been a fast track for Lavarnway, a sixth-round pick in the 2008 amateur baseball draft. He comes to Boston as a prototypical Red Sox prospect. 

Yes, he hits for power. In 110 games at both the Double and Triple-A levels this season, Lavarnway has already hit 30 home runs and knocked in 85 runs. He also sports a solid .293 batting average and a gaudy OPS of .931.

His arrival on the scene before September is the product of the usual culprit for promotion to the big leagues—injury. 

David Ortiz is on the bench with right heel bursitis. The Red Sox are optimistically hoping a week off will provide enough time for recovery. Kevin Youkilis, who seems to be positioning himself to fill the void of "guy who's always hurt" once J.D. Drew leaves this offseason, has landed on the disabled list with a back problem.

Enter Lavarnway. 

It's a massive opportunity for Lavarnaway because he's not a DH by nature; he's a catcher. Lavarnway isn't known for having a great fielding pedigree and is considered, at best, an average catcher.

With Jason Varitek nearing the end of his Red Sox career and Ortiz without a contract for next season, Lavarnway has a chance to audition for the backup catcher or even DH role on the 2012 Red Sox roster. 

Filling Varitek's shoes will be daunting, and filling Ortiz's, with his legendary clutch hits and larger-than-life personality, will be totally impossible.

Yet Lavarnway finds himself with first dibs on both roles. He's 24 years old, and he's succeeded at every level of the minors. It's well known that the jump from Triple-A to the majors is the toughest in all of baseball, so Lavarnway will find out just how tough it is tonight in Kansas City.