Waiting for Godot: The Official 2013 Prospect thread

[AI]

Hard 8 Starkey (Bands, Pa): Was Ryan lavarnway on the bubble?

John Manuel: I'll take the baton from Jim Callis here ... Lavarnway had a modest amount of support in our internal discussions; no one had him in their top 100 but he had several top 150 supporters. The questions about his defense and how much he'll hit big league pitching kept him out of the list, for me.

DJ (NYC): Xander Bogaerts - % chance he hits 35Hrs at peak. % chance he stays at SS? If not SS, move to 3rd should be seamless, no?

Jim Callis: Considering he has only played a half-season in low Class A, I'd be conservative on Bogaerts. 35 homers = 70-75 power on the 20-80 scouting scale, and that's stretching it. I don't think he'll stay at shortstop, more because of his size than a lack of athleticism, but yes, his tools profile well at third base.

Marcos (NY): Can Xander Bogearts play CF in the future? Can you give me a scouting report on Blake Swihart. Is he the next Buster Posey?

J.J. Cooper: I wouldn't see him making it as center fielder. Xander is more likely to move to a corner, as he's got a chance to end up being pretty good sized. As far as the Swihart scouting report, we've broken him down for subscribers here: http://www.baseballamerica.com/onlin...2/2612768.html In the scouting report we said he had the Posey starter kit. Long way to go to get there though.

BA's Top 100 Chat

[Melo15]

Valentine said that Stolmy Pimentel suffered a lat injury on Monday. He'll be sidelined for a bit.

https://twitter.com/#!/alexspeier

[RedSoxtober]

Iglesias hit two balls over the fence in left field during batting practice yesterday and sprayed several well-hit balls to right field. His swing appeared more fluid than last year, and clearly there was more power behind it.

“I just need to play more, see more pitches,’’ he said. “That’s what is going to help me the most. My biggest goal this year is just to play and be more consistent and more disciplined.’’

Boston Globe

[Melo15]

Roids!

[-Lavigne43-]

Possible breakouts: http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-s...akouts-of-2012

[AI]

Andrews pretty much nailed it.

[AI]

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- If Jorge Soler had been born in the United States, a Red Sox official said Thursday, there’s no way baseball would have been his No. 1 sport.

“With that build, he would have been a linebacker,’’ the official said.

But Soler was born in Cuba, a country in which baseball has no rival, and soon the 19-year-old outfielder will be the centerpiece of an auction in which the Red Sox intend to be serious bidders, the official said.

All of the Sox top talent evaluators, including general manager Ben Cherington, have seen Soler in the Dominican Republic, where they traveled to see several top Cuban defectors, including Yoenis Cespedes. Oakland recently signed 26-year-old outfielder Cespedes to a four-year, $36 million deal, and the Chicago Cubs signed an 18-year-old left-handed pitcher, Gerardo Concepcion, to a $7 million deal.

While the Sox certainly had interest in Cespedes and to a lesser degree Concepcion, the younger Soler has the greatest appeal to them, the official said. “He has incredible raw power,’’ the official said of the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, though he wasn’t quite as ready as others to credit Soler with plus speed and being a plus defender.

At this point, the official said once Soler signs, it would be best to start him in Class A ball, although without having in camp, that’s just a projection.

The Sox official said that there are indications that Soler will establish his residency in the Dominican Republic in a couple of weeks, a required step before clubs can begin negotiating with him. That timetable, as it did with Cespedes, could change, the official said, but the Sox have maintained communication with Soler’s agent, Barry Praver.

“I played against him in Cuba -- he was younger, but he’s a good player," said Boston’s 22-year-old Cuban shortstop, Jose Iglesias, who would have seen Soler when he was 16 or 17.

There are a number of teams interested in Soler, but he could be the centerpiece of an intense competition between the Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs and Theo Epstein, who according to some reports was preparing to make a four-year, $26 million for Soler. The White Sox, Yankees, Marlins, Phillies and Astros are all among the clubs who have been reported to be in on Soler, but the Sox are prepared to make a major push.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-s...on-cuban-soler

[avrpatsfan]

Get it done BC

[corky831]

we wont get him

[jtchilln]

we wont get him

I agree. JH is going to spend this money and sign his brother the professional soccer player.

[RedSox>Yankees]

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- If Jorge Soler had been born in the United States, a Red Sox official said Thursday, there’s no way baseball would have been his No. 1 sport.  “With that build, he would have been a linebacker,’’ the official said.  But Soler was born in Cuba, a country in which baseball has no rival, and soon the 19-year-old outfielder will be the centerpiece of an auction in which the Red Sox intend to be serious bidders, the official said. 

All of the Sox top talent evaluators, including general manager Ben Cherington, have seen Soler in the Dominican Republic, where they traveled to see several top Cuban defectors, including Yoenis Cespedes. Oakland recently signed 26-year-old outfielder Cespedes to a four-year, $36 million deal, and the Chicago Cubs  signed an 18-year-old left-handed pitcher, Gerardo Concepcion, to a $7 million deal.  While the Sox certainly had interest in Cespedes and to a lesser degree Concepcion, the younger Soler has the greatest appeal to them, the official said. “He has incredible raw power,’’ the official said of the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, though he wasn’t quite as ready as others to credit Soler with plus speed and being a plus defender.  At this point, the official said once Soler signs, it would be best to start him in Class A ball, although without having in camp, that’s just a projection. 

The Sox official said that there are indications that Soler will establish his residency in the Dominican Republic in a couple of weeks, a required step before clubs can begin negotiating with him. That timetable, as it did with Cespedes, could change, the official said, but the Sox have maintained communication with Soler’s agent, Barry Praver.  “I played against him in Cuba -- he was younger, but he’s a good player," said Boston’s 22-year-old Cuban shortstop, Jose Iglesias , who would have seen Soler when he was 16 or 17.  There are a number of teams interested in Soler, but he could be the centerpiece of an intense competition between the Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs and Theo Epstein, who according to some reports was preparing to make a four-year, $26 million for Soler. The White Sox, Yankees, Marlins, Phillies and Astros are all among the clubs who have been reported to be in on Soler, but the Sox are prepared to make a major push. 

In doing so, though, they will be without Craig Shipley, who played a vital role in scouting and signing Iglesias. The Sox let Shipley go after Ben Cherington became GM under circumstances that have yet to be fully explained.

Edes

You can jizz now AI

[AI]

I already posted that, look a few posts up.

[RedSox>Yankees]

I already posted that, look a few posts up.

Fail

[RedSox>Yankees]

Hunter Jones has indeed signed and is in minor league camp. Quite rightly, one on the first guys he greeted was traveling sec Jack McCormick

Speier

The Huntsman is back.

[RedSox>Yankees]

http://news.soxprospects.com/2012/02...ry-24.html?m=1

Informative article by the Soxprospects crew.