The Official 2013 Prospect thread: #1 on the list is Michael Almanzar

[-Lavigne43-]

#17 on the list is Jose Vinicio

19 year old SS with good tools, but he needs to develop physically.

[-Lavigne43-]

#16 on the list is Alex Wilson

26 year old pitcher, he converted to relief after the Aceves, Melancon meltdowns in the beginning of the season. In his first year he didn't take to it as hoped.

[Nomar]

I'm a bigger Maddox fan than Wilson, though Maddox is mostly projection being that he's so far away. But if the Sox use Maddox as a reliever early on, he may get to the majors a lot faster than starters typically do.

[-Lavigne43-]

They won't use him as a reliever early on. He will start until he fails as a starter

[Nomar]

That's not always the case. The Jays are using Stroman as a RP right away. In Lowell and Greenville hell start but I think once he gets to AA there's a good chance that hell be converted. That's pretty much what he was drafted for. He was primarily a reliever at Florida.

[-Lavigne43-]

The Red Sox don't do that. They like converting college relievers into starters, they almost always do that. They think that's the best way to develop secondary stuff and become a better all around pitcher. The only exception I can think of is Hansen, who was viewed as a major league ready closer at the time, and they had a need in the pen. He won't be converted to the pen until he either fails, or is in the high minors and there is a need in the big leagues.

[Nomar]

Yeah Hansen is actually a pretty good comp to Stroman (situationally, not stuff). A good example of what you're saying would be Papelbon. He went through the minors as a SP as most of us remember.

[SoxFan101NlB]

I think the Red Sox usually stretch out every pitching spec to start originally. However, their have been exceptions, Manny Delcarmen?, so I could see them converting him asap.

[SoxFan101NlB]

Damn, Lav you said almost the same thing I did like 20 mins before me haha, but my computer didn't load it until I submitted

[-Lavigne43-]

Delcarmen started for a couple years until he was bleh in A. Hansen was a lot more hyped than Stroman, people thought he was the best reliever on the team after we signed him. This was when we were trying Schilling at closer while he was recovering, so they were really pressured to rush him. I really wonder if we would have started Stroman if we drafted him.

[Nomar]

I was glad we didn't take him, then he was suspended so I was even more relieved. Hansen probably was ruined by his path thru the minors.

[-Lavigne43-]

#15 on the list is Manuel Margot.

18 year old speedy CF'er. As a 17 year old he put up very good numbers in the DSL, and he received rave reviews during instructs. Could shoot up the list with good performance in Lowell.

[RedSoxtober]

That's not always the case. The Jays are using Stroman as a RP right away. In Lowell and Greenville hell start but I think once he gets to AA there's a good chance that hell be converted. That's pretty much what he was drafted for. He was primarily a reliever at Florida.

Too often you're using examples from other organizations and overlaying them as a template for the Sox. You need to get more in tune with the way the Sox work.

Yeah Hansen is actually a pretty good comp to Stroman (situationally, not stuff). A good example of what you're saying would be Papelbon. He went through the minors as a SP as most of us remember.

Of relievers who made it to the Sox through their farm system the vast majority developed as SP at the lower levels and the converted to RP. Just from the 2012 club: Tazawa, Bard, Bowden.
2011: Tommy Hottovoy (just released by TEX, btw)
2010: Dustin Richardson
2009: Delcarmen
2008: Chris Smith

Exceptions: Craig Hansen (2006), Hunter Jones (2009)

[Nomar]

Too often you're using examples from other organizations and overlaying them as a template for the Sox. You need to get more in tune with the way the Sox work.


Of relievers who made it to the Sox through their farm system the vast majority developed as SP at the lower levels and the converted to RP. Just from the 2012 club: Tazawa, Bard, Bowden.
2011: Tommy Hottovoy (just released by TEX, btw)
2010: Dustin Richardson
2009: Delcarmen
2008: Chris Smith

Exceptions: Craig Hansen (2006), Hunter Jones (2009)

Never said that the Red Sox always do that with their relievers, but for a guy who was solely a reliever in college and thought of as a future college going into the draft, I don't see how it's out of the question. Never once did i say that using a player as a reliever early in his minor league career was some sort of template for the Sox.

[-Lavigne43-]

#14 on the list is Jose Iglesias.

23 year old whose glove is as promised, but bat is worse than feared.