Top 10 Red Sox Prospects (#6-10)

In the spirit of the New Year, I thought I'd provide my own ranking of Red Sox prospects. To me, January 1st is just the day that comes after December 31st, but to many the New Year is a symbol of new begins. So I'll play along and look at the future of one of my favorite things - the Red Sox.

6. Nick Hagadone, 22-Year-Old LHP

Hagadone was the Red Sox first round draft pick in 2007. He's a big southpaw, and while he was just drafted, he's already gotten off to a fast start. Hagadone posted an ERA of 1.85, a WHIP of 0.90 and a K/9 rating of 12.21 in 24.1 innings of work at Single-A Lowell. If Hagadone posts similar numbers next year, he'll become the Red Sox next big pitching prospect.

Hagadone has a fastball which tops out at 98 mph. He also has a plus slider at around 83 mph. Mixing in the two, he could find success as a reliever, using a recipe similar to that of Joba Chamberlain. Hagadone's compact delivery would also be conducive to that role. But if he wants to become a major league starter, he'll need to work a lot more on his changeup.

7. Lars Anderson, 20-Year-Old 1B

The casual fan is probably blown away by Anderson's Lancaster numbers from last year. He posted a line of .343/.489/.486. But he did so in Lancaster! That park's like pre-humidor Coors field on crack. Those numbers are useless, and besides, the sample size was small anyways.

I'm not sure I would have put Anderson in this list at all if he wasn't a good defensive first baseman. He'd just be another fumbling power hitting first baseman, and his numbers aren't indicative of Ryan Howard ability. Overall, Anderson is a solid player though. At Single-A Lancaster last year, he posted a line of .288/.385/.443. He also struck out 113 times though in 458 at bats.

If Anderson continues to develop, I think he could be a solid starting first baseman. But unlike other fans, I'm not convinced he's going to be anything special yet. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a major league player, albeit a good one who's left-handed, plays good defense, gets on base, and has some pop.

8. Michael Bowden, 21-Year-Old RHP

Perhaps I'm just spoiled by the Red Sox upper tier prospects, but I'm not really floored by Bowden either. When the Red Sox drafted Bowden in 2005, they had to know he'd be a project. He was an 18-year-old power pitcher with a low-90's fastball, a hard 12-6 curve, and not much else.

Bowden's minor league career reminds me a lot of Josh Beckett's 2006 season. He has a hard fastball, which he throws far too often, and when he does it gets hit hard. On the down side, Bowden's secondary pitches aren't nearly as good as Beckett's. On the up side, Bowden is just as much a perfectionist as Beckett.

Bowden had a decent season at Double-A Portland last year. He had an ERA of 4.28 and a WHIP of 1.43 at Double-A Portland, but I was more impressed by his Single-A line last year. Bowden posted an ERA of 1.37, a WHIP of 0.93 and struck out a batter an inning. That's a great line on it's own, and a crazy line when you consider that he posted it in Lancaster. So I can understand why people like him so much, I'm just not one of those people.

9. Oscar Tejeda, 18-Year-Old SS

For the more patient fan, Tejeda is a very exciting player. The Red Sox signed Tejeda as a Dominican international free agent when he was just 16. In 2007, as a 17-year-old, he began his first minor league season. And the results were astounding for his age. Tejeda hit .298/.347/.394 in Single-A Lowell.

Tejeda's a toolsy guy. He has excellent speed and range. And even at his age, he has a strong arm. Sometimes he tries to do too much, and make throws from incredible angles. That's no different than any other 17-year-old shortstop though.

Will he develop power? That's the question everyone is waiting to find out. If he does, he'll be a truly special player. If not, he could still be a pretty good player. If he could translate his current numbers to the major league level, he'd be an above average hitting shortstop. And he's got plenty of time to figure out just how to do that.

10. Brandon Moss, 24-Year-Old RF/LF

Moss wasn't blessed with pure power or great speed, but he's done a lot with what he has. He's a true student of the game, and if I could only use one word to describe him, it would be "solid". I hope the Red Sox will use him on the 2008 roster as a backup outfielder, because I think he has a lot to offer the team in that role.

Moss is a lefty but he's pretty consistent, no matter the handedness of the pitcher he's facing. He gets on base at a good rate, .363 last year in 133 Triple-A games. He's also got a little pop, to the tune of .471 last year at the same level. And he reproduced those numbers rather well last year in some major league at bats.

Moss would also make a valuable bench player because of his above average speed for a corner outfield. And to keep the runners honest, he's got a rocket of an arm. If he is used on the bench, I think he'll stick around at the major league level. He's not going to replace Manny Ramirez, and Drew's likely to be around for a while. But the Red Sox are teaching Moss how to play first base so he can get playing time with the Red Sox regardless.

Red Sox Still Have Holes to Fill

Since the Red Sox became involved in talks regarding Johan Santana, more than a month ago, they haven't made a single move. Not only do Santana talks require quite a bit of the team's attention, but it prevents the Red Sox from discussing trades involving many players such as Coco Crisp, Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson.

When the new year comes in a couple days, and the Twins return to the negotiating table, the Red Sox will have some decisions to make. The best possible outcome of the new year, would be a quick resolution of the Santana talks, in which Santana is dealt to either the Red Sox or the Mets. That way the Red Sox could focus on filling up the remaining holes in their roster.

If, however, Santana talks continue to be drawn out for weeks to come, the Red Sox options for their remaining needs of a backup catcher, backup corner infielder and backup outfielder may be somewhat limited. And the Red Sox may have to settle with the bullpen they have, rather than adding some additional insurance and depth to their relief staff.

Backup Catcher - If the season began today, the Red Sox would most likely go with minor leaguer Dusty Brown (career stats) as their backup catcher. Brown hit .268/.344/.453 last year at the Double-A level, and is an excellent defensive catcher with a good arm. But he's yet to play more than eight games at the Triple-A level, and the Red Sox may prefer a more proven option.

If the Red Sox retain Coco Crisp, they could deal him for Rangers backup catcher Gerald Laird. Both teams expressed interest in such a trade before the Santana talk began. Laird is another stellar defensive catcher with a great arm. But unlike Brown, he projects to eventually become an everyday catcher, which would make him more appealing to the Red Sox.

Laird hit .310/.380/.562 at the Triple-A level in 2005, but he's yet to come into his own as a major league offensive threat. In 2006, Laird had a solid line of .296/.332/.473 but last year he had a bizarre off year. Not only did he not hit, but he didn't field either, having the lowest fielding percentage of all catchers in 2007.

If the Red Sox trade Crisp in a Santana deal. They could either fall back on a free agent such as Doug Mirabelli or the more expensive Johnny Estrada. Or the Red Sox could attempt a trade for someone like Michael Barrett, who's stock has taken a dip.

Backup Corner Infielder - The only player I know of that the Red Sox have made a formal offer to is Ryan Klesko. Klesko would be a good hitting backup and would provide a left-handed bat off the bench to oppose the right-handed bats of Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell. Defensively, however, Klesko is challenged.

If the Red Sox prefer a more defensive minded option, they could go with free agent Jeff Cirillo. Cirillo is a lefty killer who plays both corner infield spots well. He also hit .340/.375/.500 with runners in scoring position last year, something which could make him a valuable option off the bench for both defense and offense.

Backup Outfielder - Whether or not the Red Sox acquire Santana, they're going to deal Crisp somewhere else. Ellsbury is their center fielder of the present and future and Crisp has said that he won't take a backup role. If Crisp is dealt, Bobby Kielty has said that he'd return to the Red Sox as a free agent. Kielty could provide an alternative to Drew when the Red Sox face lefties, but Kielty didn't hit lefties very well last year.

The Red Sox may prefer the cheaper option of promoting from within. Brandon Moss could be a valuable backup outfielder. He has above average speed for a corner outfielder and has the arm to play even right field. And offensively, Moss has a steady, effective approach at the plate. He hit .282/.363/.471 at Triple-A last year, and .280/.379/.440 in 15 games with the Red Sox.

I like Moss a lot. Even if he never reaches his full potential as a power hitting corner outfielder, I still like his steady, solid approach to the game. He can field, he can throw, he's a patient hitter, and he can hit both lefties and righties. He strikes out a bit too much, but he is only 24 and once he manages his strike out totals, his offensive output could increase quite a bit. I'd like to see what he could do in more time at the major league level.

That covers the major needs of the Red Sox going into 2008. As stated earlier, they may also look to add another reliever. That's more of a luxury than a necessity, however, with Okajima and Delcarmen already on the roster. It's easy to get excited about the Red Sox with all their pitching depth, offense, and good young prospects.

But before getting too excited, you have to remember that there are important spots on the roster which the Red Sox have yet to fill. Once they have found a backup catcher, infielder and outfielder, I'll be able to rest more easily. Although, with the Red Sox great farm system, I have a feeling many of these positions will be won in Spring Training, with Red Sox minor leaguers providing firm competition to any free agents who may be brought in.