I simply dont want to see Boegardts or Marrero blocked or slowed down because Iggy is stuck in AAA. I think they both pass him by as prospects 

i dont see the improvement discussed. I still see lack of pitch recognition, undisciplined on the outer portion of the plate, and a tendacy to lazy some throws. 

I agree he was rushed in AA, but I dont see the improvement regardless of what the BA says

Lets talk some Jose Iglesias....

People forget that Iggy will only be 23 this year.    It's no secrete that Boston had rushed Iggy for his glove with little consideration for his bat.  

In response to ctredsoxfanhugh's comment:

Lets talk some Jose Iglesias....

People forget that Iggy will only be 23 this year.    It's no secrete that Boston had rushed Iggy for his glove with little consideration for his bat.  

I always wonder about the ages of Cuban players. The fact the Sox jumped him to AA always bothered me a bit in connection with his age. Would not be shocked if Iglesias is 26. If he is 23, I expect some solid improvement this year with the bat in AAA.

Lets talk some Jose Iglesias....

I know some people were down on Iggy still being in the top 100 the other day, but I heard one scout on the soxprospects.com podcast made a big argument (actually seemed to somewhat convince the other guys on the podcast) in his favor.

If Iggy starts this season in Pawtucket it will be his 3rd there, and that log jam gives the appearence of a lack of progression, or that he has hit his ceiling.

People forget that Iggy will only be 23 this year.  He was 22 in Boston last year,  (he would be an average age for a prospect in AAA THIS year)  It's no secrete that Boston had rushed Iggy for his glove with little consideration for his bat.  Truth is, they should have kept him in Portland for an extra year. He played in Portland at 20 (Bogaerts will be 20 in portland this year)  and was in Pawtucket by age 21.  Jackie Bradley will be one year older than Iglesias starting in Portland when Iggy was starting in Pawtucket at his age.  Actually Iggy was placed agressively high and has been moved faster than any of our other top prosepct known for their offense.

The Bryce Harpers of the world are very very very rare.  I've been hearing a lot of people saying to not write Iggy off just yet.  It all comes down to whether he is going to get his chance.  He will likely need a year to stink and see some pitches and get better.  I don't know if the team will be patient enough with him for that to happen.  I often wonder how much longer they would have given to Pedrioa before they got rid of him,  because he was bad for a while and then it just came on like a switch. 

In response to rkarp's comment:

I simply dont want to see Boegardts or Marrero blocked or slowed down because Iggy is stuck in AAA. I think they both pass him by as prospects 

i dont see the improvement discussed. I still see lack of pitch recognition, undisciplined on the outer portion of the plate, and a tendacy to lazy some throws. 

I agree he was rushed in AA, but I dont see the improvement regardless of what the BA says

Not trying to contradict what you're saying, but have you seen a lot of him play in Pawtucket this year?  I agree that Bogaerts passess him and shouldn't block him in AAA but I think Marrero will be a little slower moving up than Xander. 

In response to ctredsoxfanhugh's comment:

In response to rkarp's comment:

I simply dont want to see Boegardts or Marrero blocked or slowed down because Iggy is stuck in AAA. I think they both pass him by as prospects 

i dont see the improvement discussed. I still see lack of pitch recognition, undisciplined on the outer portion of the plate, and a tendacy to lazy some throws. 

I agree he was rushed in AA, but I dont see the improvement regardless of what the BA says

Not trying to contradict what you're saying, but have you seen a lot of him play in Pawtucket this year?  I agree that Bogaerts passess him and shouldn't block him in AAA but I think Marrero will be a little slower moving up than Xander. 

I was down in Fla for most of spring training, and was at approx 40 Pawsox games. I had a chance to see Iggy quite a bit over the past 2 years. 

Simply put, I am not that impressed with him. Dazzling in the field, college freshman level at the plate. I saw Marrero 3 times last year. I saw Boegardts approx 30 times. 

Wouldnt surprise me if Boegardts is in Boston mid season. Marrero actually reminds me of Steven Drew when he was in the minors ( which is to say he was very good)

In response to rkarp's comment:

In response to ctredsoxfanhugh's comment:

In response to rkarp's comment:

I simply dont want to see Boegardts or Marrero blocked or slowed down because Iggy is stuck in AAA. I think they both pass him by as prospects 

i dont see the improvement discussed. I still see lack of pitch recognition, undisciplined on the outer portion of the plate, and a tendacy to lazy some throws. 

I agree he was rushed in AA, but I dont see the improvement regardless of what the BA says

Not trying to contradict what you're saying, but have you seen a lot of him play in Pawtucket this year?  I agree that Bogaerts passess him and shouldn't block him in AAA but I think Marrero will be a little slower moving up than Xander. 

I was down in Fla for most of spring training, and was at approx 40 Pawsox games. I had a chance to see Iggy quite a bit over the past 2 years. 

Simply put, I am not that impressed with him. Dazzling in the field, college freshman level at the plate. I saw Marrero 3 times last year. I saw Boegardts approx 30 times. 

Wouldnt surprise me if Boegardts is in Boston mid season. Marrero actually reminds me of Steven Drew when he was in the minors ( which is to say he was very good)

A freshman in college would not hit .269 in AAA.

Iglesias went to the API for conditioning this winter, an excellent choice. Pedroia and Youk were borderline MLB players and then went to the API and immediately came back as much better players. If we look at Iglesias's defensive metrics they are off the charts great. Gold Glove great. He is still learning to hit but he is improving and in the lower minors his numbers were decent. I think this guy is still a potential all star. If we need to trade someone or move someone off the SS position  I'm fine with that. We should not sell this guy short. He is still probably our SS of the future IMO.

He has a joy for the sport. That counts for a whole lot in life. I think this guy is going to keep getting better. If we have to move Bogaerts to the OF or trade someone fine. That's ok, even if it is Iglesias but the guy is probably a starting level mlb SS. Watch.

Check this out. Jose Iglesias saved his team 7 runs defensively in 192 innings played last year at the mlb level. A PLUS 49.8 UZR/150. A pace of over 50 runs per season saved defensively over a hypothetically average SS. That is incredible.

Of course it was a very small sample size but we are talking about runs saved. If an average team scores around 700 runs a year ( just a rough estimate off the top of my head ) this would be one player singlehandedly cutting that total by 50 runs. That is huge. Even saving 20 runs by himself would be huge. Near league best I would think.

If Iglesias can even just get on base at a .330 clip he is an excellent producer at SS.

Arnie Beyeler who's managed Iglesias since they were both in Portland loves the kid. He says he works harder at hitting than any prospect he's managed and that his hand eye coordination coupled with his tremendous work ethic will eventually carry him to an Omar Vizquel type career at the plate.

Which one(s) of these prospects have the best chance at cracking next year's top 100 prospect list?

Brentz

Cecchini

Marrero

Vinicio

B Johnson

de la Cruz

P Light

T Buttrey

M Margot

F Montas

J Callahan

S Mercedes

T Shaw

C Vazquez

T-W Lin

C Kukuk

B Jacobs

A freshman in college would not hit .269 in AAA.

But a college freshman would have a higher OBP than Iggy, who is slightly under .300 in over 800 plate appearances.(the college freshman comment was sarcasm)  For a guy with Iggys eye hand co ordination, his BB% and K rate are embarrassing. I cannot recall any player so over matched at the plate as Iggy was in his 80 plate appearances For the RS. 

1) The average collge frashman or the very best? as I said the college freshman comment was sarcasm to make a point

2) Iggy had a .318 OBP last year. I seriously doubt many college freshman whold maintain that in AAA. his OBP in 2 years of AAA is slightly under .300

3) 80 PAs is a puny sample size. if you are using his 80 mlb PA's Iggys OBP is .200, not .318. granted SSS, but have you ever seen any RS player so over matched at the plate?

We are entering post PED baseball, where players that are 32,33 are again going to be on the down side of their career. Many teams are going to shy away from free agents that are 29 and 30 for fear of paying them in their 35/38 years. Peak performance years are going to revert back to 24 thru 31 years old. Iggy is 23 years old with 1000 minor league plate appearances. From what I can see, this is who he is. 

He rose from .235 to .269 from age 21 to 22, and you are calling him topped out? He may well never hit above .269 again, but come on, there is a vast time period for further improvement on his behalf. I believe, an 80 PA sample size is clouding your judgement. If Iggy can hit .250 with a .310 OBP in MLB along with GG caliber fielding, he will be an asset not a negative.

I say he topped out because while his puny stats are slightly less puny, he is not making the needed adjustments at the plate. he is still doing the same things at the plate he did 3 years ago.

Dont get me wrong, I can appreciate a defensive SS that is no hit great field. But not in Fenway. Iggy plays to a team like San Fran with superior pitching low run games. San Diego. A Fenway team needs to score runs and cannot afford an automatic out in the line up.

One reason we have needed to score so many runs in recent years, is because of poor fielding and pitching. A great-ranged SS can help any pitcher look better. We need to win some low scoring games to have a chance.

too many batted balls at fenway are not in play decreasing the need for defensive players. the guy struck out almost 21% of his PA's for the RS last year (granted SSS).  that is not even Lugo-esque!

In response to RedsoxProspects' comment:

Iglesias went to the API for conditioning this winter, an excellent choice. Pedroia and Youk were borderline MLB players and then went to the API and immediately came back as much better players. If we look at Iglesias's defensive metrics they are off the charts great. Gold Glove great. He is still learning to hit but he is improving and in the lower minors his numbers were decent. I think this guy is still a potential all star. If we need to trade someone or move someone off the SS position  I'm fine with that. We should not sell this guy short. He is still probably our SS of the future IMO.

He has a joy for the sport. That counts for a whole lot in life. I think this guy is going to keep getting better. If we have to move Bogaerts to the OF or trade someone fine. That's ok, even if it is Iglesias but the guy is probably a starting level mlb SS. Watch.

Don't mean to nitpick, but when was Pedroia ever considered a borderline MLB player...or prospect?  By whom?  He was brilliant at ASU, a 2nd round pick, and dominated in the minors at age-appropriate levels.  

His 31-game cameo in 2006 was poor as was his first 20-odd games in 2007, but other than those tiny samples has always been a star player since he was 6 years old (I assume).

Is it possible that going to API in the winter of 2006 turned his career around?  I'd say no, it's not, because his career was doing just fine, thank you.  Maybe it helped a little bit, sure, but:

2004 Golden Spikes Award Finalist

• 2004 First-Team Baseball America and USA Today All-American
• 2003 Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year
• 2003 NCAA Defensive Player of the Year
• Red Sox ML Base Runner of the Month (April 2005)
• Red Sox Minor League "Quality Plate Appearances" Award (June 2005)
• 2005 Post-Season Eastern League All-Star
• 2005 Minor League Special Needs Player of the Year.
• 2005 Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year
• 2005 Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2005 – No. 45
• 2006 Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 – No. 23
• 2007 American League Rookie of the Month-May

In response to RedsoxProspects' comment:

Iglesias went to the API for conditioning this winter, an excellent choice. Pedroia and Youk were borderline MLB players and then went to the API and immediately came back as much better players. If we look at Iglesias's defensive metrics they are off the charts great. Gold Glove great. He is still learning to hit but he is improving and in the lower minors his numbers were decent. I think this guy is still a potential all star. If we need to trade someone or move someone off the SS position  I'm fine with that. We should not sell this guy short. He is still probably our SS of the future IMO.

He has a joy for the sport. That counts for a whole lot in life. I think this guy is going to keep getting better. If we have to move Bogaerts to the OF or trade someone fine. That's ok, even if it is Iglesias but the guy is probably a starting level mlb SS. Watch.

Don't mean to nitpick, but when was Pedroia ever considered a borderline MLB player...or prospect?  By whom?  He was brilliant at ASU, a 2nd round pick, and dominated in the minors at age-appropriate levels.  

His 31-game cameo in 2006 was poor as was his first 20-odd games in 2007, but other than those tiny samples has always been a star player since he was 6 years old (I assume).

Is it possible that going to API in the winter of 2006 turned his career around?  I'd say no, it's not, because his career was doing just fine, thank you.  Maybe it helped a little bit, sure, but:

2004 Golden Spikes Award Finalist

• 2004 First-Team Baseball America and USA Today All-American
• 2003 Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year
• 2003 NCAA Defensive Player of the Year
• Red Sox ML Base Runner of the Month (April 2005)
• Red Sox Minor League "Quality Plate Appearances" Award (June 2005)
• 2005 Post-Season Eastern League All-Star
• 2005 Minor League Special Needs Player of the Year.
• 2005 Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year
• 2005 Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2005 – No. 45
• 2006 Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 – No. 23
• 2007 American League Rookie of the Month-May