It's a system full of riches
Hottest prospects reflect the depth
With Theo Epstein as general manager, the Red Sox have built one of the best farm systems in baseball. They have pitching prospects in the upper minors in Michael Bowden, Daniel Bard, and Kris Johnson, and positional depth moving up the ranks in Lars Anderson and Josh Reddick.
It's a good situation to be in, whether the Sox need trading chips for major league-ready players for a playoff push or whether young players will contribute to the big league club, as Justin Masterson, Brandon Moss, and Jed Lowrie have done this season.
Though they won't get to play a 15-inning All-Star Game, here's one All-Star team from the Sox' farm system, based not on promise, but on results this season.
Catcher - Luis Exposito, Single A Lancaster. Recently promoted to Lancaster, Exposito spent much of the early season in Greenville, where he hit .283 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs. Reports on his defense have been good, particularly his strong arm. His start in Lancaster hasn't been quite as good offensively.
First base - Anderson, Double A Portland. It's not often that a player is too patient, but that's Anderson. The power-hitting first baseman had a .408 on-base percentage with 46 walks and 64 strikeouts in Lancaster before being promoted this week. Anderson, whom the Sox wanted to be more aggressive in spring training, had a down May, but has hit better than .360 in June and July. He's at .317 for the season with 13 homers and 19 doubles.
Second base - Chih-Hsien Chiang, Lancaster. In an organization a bit short on second basemen, Chiang is having a nice offensive season. He hit .373 in June and is at .394 in July, with two home runs each of the first four months of the season. Those numbers are up quite a bit from the .262 with five homers he hit in Greenville last season. It's hard to overlook Pawtucket's Joe Thurston, but Chiang takes it.
Third base - Michael Almanzar, Gulf Coast League Sox. Too soon? It might be. But in an organization that lacks depth at third base, Almanzar is a potential rising star. Just 17 years old and with 20 games of professional experience, he has hit .367 with six doubles and 11 RBIs. He'll be directed by the organization to work on his foot speed and build up his physical frame in the offseason.
Shortstop - Yamaico Navarro, Lancaster. Navarro ended his stint in Greenville with a .280 batting average, .341 on-base percentage, and .753 on-base plus slugging percentage, hitting seven home runs and four triples. He had a great June, then slowed a bit in July. He also has a .316 average with runners in scoring position.
Outfield - Reddick, Lancaster. Reddick has had a breakout year. Though the organization wants him to be more patient at the plate, there's no question Reddick has been strong offensively with a .353 batting average, .978 slugging percentage, and 15 homers.
Outfield - Jeff Bailey, Triple A Pawtucket. Twenty-three homers at the break isn't too bad. Add a .306 average and the first baseman/outfielder belongs on this list. He's already had two stints in Boston this season, though no hits, and he ranks fifth in the International League in hitting and RBIs (62), and is tied for third with teammate Jonathan Van Every in home runs.
Outfield - Jeff Corsaletti, Pawtucket. This was a highly contested spot, with consideration going to Van Every, Ryan Kalish (Greenville), Bubba Bell (Portland), and Daniel Nava (Lancaster). But Corsaletti, who spent most of the season in Portland, got the nod with a .311 average, 12 homers, 20 doubles, and a .945 OPS. Not bad, especially considering his .382 July before he was called up to Triple A.
Starting pitcher - Bowden, Pawtucket. Bowden dominated at Double A before being promoted. Over his last 10 games in Portland, Bowden was 6-1 with a 1.91 ERA. Improvement of his secondary pitches has aided in his development, but his control is one of his best features.
Starting pitcher - Charlie Zink, Pawtucket. Sure, knuckleball pitchers get on rolls, but this seems to go beyond that. Zink, the other Sox knuckleballer, has wiped out the competition this season, going 11-2 with a 2.22 ERA. He has held batters to a .201 average, which means the knuckler is dancing and the fastball (in the high 80s) is moving. Zink hasn't lost on the road this season, sporting a 7-0 record and 1.73 ERA.
Relief pitcher - Bard, Portland. Bard whipped through Greenville with just two earned runs over 28 innings. He has a 2.87 ERA at Double A, where he's allowed opponents to bat .196.
Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.
