It was a big week for the Red Sox farm system with several promotions and top prospects continuing to perform well. The big-league team was off on Monday so we’re digging straight into some news, notes and takeaways.
Matthew Lugo promoted to Triple-A Worcester
Left fielder Matthew Lugo has been remarkably consistent at the plate over the first two months in Double-A Portland and it earned him a promotion this week. For April, Lugo hit .313 with a 1.202 OPS and followed that up in May by hitting .315 with a .998 OPS. This past week, the 23-year-old registered three two-hit games and hit his 11th homer. He led the Double-A Eastern League with a 1.069 OPS. The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier first reported on Lugo’s promotion.
ELEVEN LONG BALLS FOR LUGO! pic.twitter.com/eSN87lG4MB
— Portland Sea Dogs (@PortlandSeaDogs) May 31, 2024
In other Worcester news, right-hander Richard Fitts pitched one of the best games of the season, carrying a perfect game into the eighth inning before allowing a leadoff single. That runner later scored on a throwing error after Fitts exited the game, but he finished with one unearned run allowed on one hit, no walks and seven strikeouts over seven innings. He threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of 22 batters he faced and had just two three-ball counts while registering 15 swings and misses.
The 24-year-old, acquired from the Yankees in the Alex Verdugo trade, has a 3.72 ERA over 10 games, nine starts, in Worcester.
Richard Fitts was in the zone tonight! 🎯
The @RedSox No. 10 prospect struck out seven as he set down his first 21 batters in order for the @WooSox: pic.twitter.com/DwmlUo2hfG
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 30, 2024
On Thursday, lefty Zach Penrod made his Triple-A debut. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and finished with four scoreless innings, allowing five hits (all singles) and two walks while striking out five.
Penrod put in work for the WooSox! pic.twitter.com/n9dDtZeOCh
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 1, 2024
Infielder Chase Meidroth had two three-hit games this past week and is hitting .284 with a .795 OPS in 50 games.
First baseman Niko Kavadas went just 8-for-45 (.178) with 22 strikeouts and 12 walks in 14 games over the final two weeks of May.
Switch-hitter Nick Sogard has played five positions — shortstop, third base, second, left field, and right. In May, he hit .301 with a 1.009 OPS and could be a bench option for the Red Sox at some point this season despite not being on the 40-man roster.
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Reliever Isaiah Campbell has been rehabbing from a shoulder impingement in Worcester. He made five scoreless appearances of one inning each, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out eight. He’s likely close to returning to Boston.
Kyle Teel named Eastern League Player of the Week, Kristian Campbell promoted to Double-A Portland
In Portland, it was a big week for catcher Kyle Teel, who earned Eastern League Player of the Week honors. After an 0-for-5 day on Tuesday, the 2023 first-rounder recorded hits in eight of his next 12 at-bats, including a three-run, game-tying homer in the ninth on Friday and a grand slam in the ninth on Saturday. He reached base five times in the Saturday game, also collecting a double and a single and getting hit by two pitches.
GO DEEPERRanking the top 50 MLB prospects after first two months: Jackson Holliday still tops listTeel hit .357 with a 1.009 OPS in May after hitting .213 with a .678 OPS in April. Teel continues to work behind the plate defensively, learning his pitchers and getting a feel for how to call a game at the upper levels.
Epically clutch weekend for Kyle Teel!
9th Inning Fri: Game-Tying 3-run HR
9th Inning Sat: Go-ahead grand slam!!! pic.twitter.com/NLG5mGPGUw— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 2, 2024
Meanwhile, Kristian Campbell earned a promotion to Double A after a standout start to the year in High-A Greenville. The second baseman/center fielder lost an impressive 34-game on-base streak on Saturday, marking the first time since April 10 the 21-year-old didn’t record a hit or walk.
A 2023 fourth-rounder out of Georgia Tech, Campbell posted three straight multi-hit games this past week, collecting three doubles and a homer, reaching base five times on Friday before snapping the streak the next day. In 24 games in May, he hit .371 with a 1.130 OPS with eight doubles and six homers.
A Greenville Monster shot!
Kristian Campbells 8th HR of the season was a no-doubter and capped off a 3-for-5 day. pic.twitter.com/K7sAA0gwTi
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) May 30, 2024
Shortstop Marcelo Mayer continues his strong start to the season and currently has a seven-game hitting streak going in which he’s gone 8-for-26 (.308) with two doubles and two homers. On Thursday he knocked his 19th double of the season, leading all minor leaguers.
Marcelo showing off that oppo pop!
His 14 XBH in May are the most he's collected in a single month of his pro career. pic.twitter.com/5QoMJ3im1b
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) May 30, 2024
Right-hander Luis Perales, who’s on the Red Sox 40-man roster, had an impressive Double-A debut on Sunday, allowing an unearned run on two hits and a walk while striking out seven over five innings. He threw 47 of his 67 pitches for strikes and registered 12 swings and misses.
Luis Perales was rolling in his Double-A debut! pic.twitter.com/6ts04ZLbjM
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 3, 2024
Center fielder Roman Anthony hasn’t played since May 25 while dealing with rib cage irritation but is expected to return to the lineup this week.
Right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez, also on the 40-man roster, has had two straight rough starts, throwing just four innings and allowing five earned runs each time.
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Miguel Bleis returns for Low-A Salem
In Salem, center fielder Miguel Bleis returned to the lineup Sunday after missing four games while dealing with a tooth/mouth issue that limited him. He went 1-for-4.
Right-hander Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz has had a strong season thus far, with 49 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings, but he had a rough outing on Saturday, allowing six runs, four earned, in three innings. Entering the outing, he had a 3.06 ERA in eight games, seven starts.
Outfielder Nelly Taylor, a 2023 11th-rounder, had an 0-for-4 day with three strikeouts on Sunday but has been on a tear lately. In his last 14 games, the 21-year-old left-handed hitter batted .339 with a .987 OPS with seven doubles, two home runs and 14 RBIs. He’s played all three outfield positions over 42 games in Salem.
Nelly Taylor with some extra bases last night! pic.twitter.com/d7luTbrMoK
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 1, 2024
The DSL season is underway
The Dominican Summer League began on Monday. In case you missed it, in March we took a trip to the Red Sox Dominican facilities to see what life is like there for the players, coaches and staff members.
(Photo of Teel with Greenville last season: Tom Priddy / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)
Jen McCaffrey is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Boston Red Sox. Prior to joining The Athletic, the Syracuse graduate spent four years as a Red Sox reporter for MassLive.com and three years as a sports reporter for the Cape Cod Times. Follow Jen on Twitter @jcmccaffrey
