ESPN

Garin Cecchini is hard not to notice on a baseball field, no matter the circumstances.

You’ll hear him shouting back and forth with teammates during infield drills before games, and hours later he’ll still be calling encouragement to his pitcher from third base in a near-empty stadium during extra innings.

But this year with High-A Salem, after a solid if unspectacular full-season debut in 2012 with Greenville, Cecchini is making opponents, teammates and scouts alike take note of his bat -- and he’s doing it pretty much every day.

“His consistency is just unbelievable, really,” Salem second baseman Sean Coyle said of his teammate and high school friend Cecchini. “Every day, he feels the same. He doesn’t come out and say, 'Man, I’m feeling really good today,' and he never comes out and says, 'Man, I’m feeling really bad today.' "

That consistency -- Cecchini had at least one hit in 20 of his first 26 games -- earned him SoxProspects.com Player of the Month honors for April. In the first month of the season, he batted .392/.478/.709 with three home runs, 13 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases, which put him among the Carolina League’s offensive leaders and garnered national attention.

As of Tuesday, Cecchini is hitting .379/.467/.670 with four home runs -- matching his 2012 total with Low-A Greenville. Through 27 games, Cecchini has more walks (17) than strikeouts (16).

Cecchini, a fourth-round pick out of Barbe (La.) High School, attributes his success so far in 2013 to a simple understanding that if he puts himself in good situations at the plate, his abilities will allow good things to happen.

“I am seeing the ball well,” he said. “God has given me the ability to hit, and that’s the biggest thing that’s clicking for me is just trusting what He’s given me -- and trusting that I’m going to see the ball and get a pitch that I’m going to hit.”

In the past, he found himself jumping at the ball and swinging at pitchers’ pitches, not his own. Now, Cecchini said he tries to “not necessarily (go) deep into counts, but get a pitch that you can hit and drive with authority, and hit a line drive with backspin.”

By honing his selection and swinging at more hittable pitches, Cecchini has seen a spike in the power numbers that eluded him in a 2012 season where his four home runs seemed to loom larger than his impressive 38 doubles.

“He’s performed probably better than he expected so far in this early sample, and you’d think that he’d have a high ceiling based on what he’s done last year and the small sample this year,” Salem manager Billy McMillon said.

With Low-A Greenville in 2012, Cecchini hit .305/.394/.433 with 51 stolen bases and 46 extra-base hits. Though he’s an aggressive base runner who has 10 steals in 13 attempts this season, Cecchini profiles as an average runner.

Cecchini is listed at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds -- down from his listed weight at draft time of 215 pounds -- but his strong lower body provides leverage for his easy swing from the left side.

His bat speed allows him to let balls on the outer half of the plate get deeper into the strike zone, as evidenced by his display in Salem’s 10-3 loss last week to Wilmington. Against tough left-hander John Lamb, Cecchini sent the ball down the left field line in each of his first three at-bats, demonstrating his approach of letting outside pitches get to his back knee to hit them the other way.

In his first at-bat, Cecchini poked a ball down the line that rolled into the corner for a double. In the third inning, he hit the ball a bit harder, one-hopping the short bullpen wall in left field for his second double of the game. And on the first pitch of his at-bat in the sixth, Cecchini drove a ball into the bullpen for his third homer of the season. Lamb isn’t a hard thrower -- his fastball tops out at 86 m.p.h. -- but Cecchini timed him well and made better contact in each at-bat.

Cecchini didn’t have trouble acclimating to his new level initially, but the challenges in High A have begun as Salem repeats opponents in the eight-team Carolina League. Salem played two four-game series against Wilmington one week apart, and Cecchini saw pitchers making adjustments as his batting average in the season series crept towards .500.

“I got one fastball on the first pitch,” Cecchini said. “They’re throwing curveball, changeup, split-finger. It’s a cat-and-mouse game. They’re going to make adjustments to you, it’s a matter of how quickly you’re going to adjust to them, and then they’re going to make adjustments to you. How can you bounce back and make [the next] adjustment?”

But whether it’s the cat-and-mouse game at the plate or the tedious pregame grounders at third, that Cecchini spends his days and nights on a baseball field means he’s at least starting in the right place.

“I love everything about it,” he said. “I feel like if you’re not having fun playing baseball, then what are you going to have fun doing in life?”

Jon Meoli is a senior columnist for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @JonMeoli.

Here are your Red Sox minor league notes for the month of April, including a look at how the top prospects in the system performed, some rising and falling prospects, and other miscellaneous notes. (SoxProspects.com prospect ranking in parenthesis)

Top Position Prospects

(1) Xander Bogaerts, SS, Portland -- .306/.379/.412 with 0 HRs
(2) Jackie Bradley, OF, Boston/Pawtucket – .097/.263/.129 for Boston; .278/.381/.333 for Pawtucket
(6) Bryce Brentz, OF, Pawtucket -- .272/.343/.522 with 5 HRs
(7) Garin Cecchini, 3B, Salem -- .392/.478/.709 with 3 HRs and 10 SBs
(9) Blake Swihart, C, Salem -- .254/.329/.365 with 0 HRs
(10) Jose Iglesias, SS, Boston/Pawtucket -- .450/.476/.550 for Boston; .242/.288/.419 with 3 HRs for Pawtucket
(11) Deven Marrero, SS, Salem -- .294/.400/.451 with 0 HRs and 5 SBs
(17) Keury De La Cruz, OF, Salem -- .256/.306/.400 with 1 HR and 5 SBs
(18) Brandon Jacobs, OF, Salem -- .195/.304/.325 with 1 HR
(19) Sean Coyle, 2B, Salem -- .317/.377/.730 with 7 HRs and 6 SBs

Bogaerts started off the season cold (hitting .171 through April 15), but hit .400/.489/.625 over the final 10 games of the month ... Bradley isn’t back to full form yet after being sent down to Pawtucket on April 18, and he was bothered by a minor shoulder injury at the tail end of the month ... The Salem prospect contingent has been extremely impressive early on, with Cecchini leading the Carolina League in batting average, OBP, and OPS, Coyle leading the league in slugging percentage and second in home runs, and De La Cruz second with 19 RBI ... Marrero has been on the disabled list since April 23 with a minor hamstring injury.

Top Pitching Prospects

(3) Allen Webster, RHP, Boston/Pawtucket -- 0-0 W-L, 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5/1 K/BB in 6.0 IP for Boston; 0-0, 3.21, 1.14, 17/6 K/BB in 14.0 IP for Pawtucket
(4) Matt Barnes, RHP, Portland -- 1-1, 9.00, 2.14, 17/6 K/BB in 14.0 IP
(5) Rubby De La Rosa, RHP, Pawtucket -- 0-0, 7.11, 1.50, 13/8 K/BB in 12.2 IP
(8) Henry Owens, LHP, Salem -- 2-1, 2.08, 0.88, 30/8 K/BB in 26.0 IP
(12) Brian Johnson, LHP, Greenville -- 0-1, 3.38, 1.78, 8/8 K/BB in 10.2 IP
(13) Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, Portland -- 3-0, 0.83, 0.74 26/5 K/BB in 21.2 IP
(14) Brandon Workman, RHP, Portland -- 4-0, 2.73, 0.71, 34/6 K/BB in 29.2 IP
(15) Drake Britton, LHP, Portland -- 2-4, 4.44, 1.40, 25/8 K/BB in 24.1 IP
(16) Alex Wilson, RHP, Boston/Pawtucket -- 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP 4/3 K/BB in 6 IP for Boston; 1-0, 10.12, 1.88, 3/1 K/BB in 2.2 IP for Pawtucket

Webster showed improved command in April, together with a well-developed ability to mix his plus fastball, changeup, and slider ... Barnes struggled mightily with his command over the month, which has been his best asset in the past ... De La Rosa has been on a 50-pitch or three-inning limit with Pawtucket ... Owens’ early success can partially be attributed to a significantly improved curveball ... Meanwhile, Ranaudo has had tremendous success with his 91-94 mph fastball, which he’s been able to locate well lower in the zone early on to get a lot of swing-and-misses ... Workman took a perfect game into the seventh inning on April 30.

Risers

(24) Travis Shaw, 1B/3B, Portland -- .282/.441/.385 with 0 HRs
(25) Jeremy Hazelbaker, OF, Pawtucket -- .311/.366/.568 with 5 HRs and 4 SBs
(27) Michael Almanzar, 3B/1B, Portland -- .319/.367/.560 with 5 HRs

Shaw continues to show a good approach and knowledge of the strike zone, and currently has the third-most walks in all of the minor leagues with 23 ... Hazelbaker has always had a solid power-and-speed combination, and if he continues to make improvements to his plate approach, he’ll solidify his status as a future major leaguer ... Following up a solid 2012 season with an impressive April may have put Almanzar back on scouts’ radars.

Fallers

(21) Jose Vinicio, SS, Greenville -- .195/.244/.299
(26) Brock Holt, IF, Pawtucket -- .152/.237/.152
(44) Juan Carlos Linares, OF, Pawtucket/Portland -- .230/.356/.361

While he’s still only 19, it was expected that Vinicio would come out of the gate stronger considering he’s repeating the Low-A level ... Holt’s offensive performance was abysmal in April, particularly considering that he hit .344 between Double-A and Triple-A in 2012 ... The fact that the 28-year-old Linares received a demotion to Double-A on April 19 doesn’t bode well for his future in the organization.

April notes

As of May 1, here are your batting and pitching leaders in the Red Sox minor league system (cumulative stats, min. 60 plate appearances or 20 IP).

Average: Cecchini at .392, Pawtucket IF/OF Justin Henry at .338, Pawtucket 1B Brandon Snyder at .324, Almanzar at .319, and Coyle at .317.

Home runs: Coyle at 7, and Brentz, Almanzar, Hazelbaker, and Snyder, all at 5.

Stolen bases: Cecchini with 10, Salem OF Felix Sanchez with 9, and Coyle, Portland OF Peter Hissey, and Greenville OF Cody Koback, all with 6.

ERA: Ranaudo at 0.83, Owens at 2.08, Workman at 2.73, Pawtucket RHP Terry Doyle at 2.93, and Portland RHP Keith Couch at 3.15.

Strikeouts: Workman with 34, Owens with 30, Greenville RHP Frank Montas with 27, and Ranaudo with 26.

Five players got the call to Boston from the minor leagues in April -- Wilson, Webster, RHP Steven Wright, RHP Daniel Bard, and C Ryan Lavarnway.

While there were several minor league level promotions when the affiliates broke camp at the outset of the month, there were no legitimate level promotions in April, which is typical. Seven players were added to full season rosters from extended spring training: LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith and RHP Charlie Haeger to Pawtucket, LHP Mathew Price to Salem, and RHP Yunior Ortega, IF Kevin Mager, UT Dreily Guerrero, and OF Jose Colorado to Greenville.

On the injury front, Boston had David Ortiz, Stephen Drew, Franklin Morales, Craig Breslow, John Lackey, and Joel Hanrahan all in the minor leagues on rehab assignment at various points in April. Minor leaguers on the disabled list include Pawtucket OF Alex Hassan (calf), OF Mitch Maier (wrist), Portland RHP Aaron Kurcz (elbow), RHP Chris Balcom-Miller (undisclosed), OF Peter Hissey (hand), Salem SS Deven Marrero (hamstring), Greenville RHP Pat Light (undisclosed), IF Mike Miller (quad), and OF Kendrick Perkins (calf).

Industry scouts grade a prospect's tools on the 20-80 scale, where 20 is poor, 30 is well-below major league average, 40 is "fringe-average," 50 is major league average, 55 is referred to as "solid-average," 60 is above-average (or "plus"), 70 is well above-average (or "plus-plus"), and 80 is elite (80 grades are rarely handed out). For prospects, a 50 is actually a very good grade, as it's an impressive accomplishment to profile as major league average in any given tool.

Here's a look at the players with the best tools in the Red Sox minor league system, as graded by the SoxProspects.com scouting staff. Note that this list omits minor leaguers who have graduated from prospect status such as Rubby De La Rosa, Daniel Bard and Ryan Lavarnway.

POSITION PLAYERS

Best contact hitter
1. 3B Garin Cecchini -- 60
2. SS Xander Bogaerts -- 55-60
3. OF Jackie Bradley Jr. -- 55

Notes: Cecchini profiles as around a .300 hitter with a 60 grade. A 55 grade projects a player to hit in the .280 range. Another hitter to keep an eye on is Low-A Greenville catcher Blake Swihart, who could be a 50-55 hitter in his peak years.

Best Present Power
1. SS Xander Bogaerts -- 50
2. OF Bryce Brentz -- 50
3. 1B David Chester -- 50

Notes: Bogaerts and Brentz are the best power hitters in the system as of today. Chester, a 24-year-old first baseman playing at Greenville, has tremendous power and fringe-average plate discipline, but his other offensive tools are below-average. The other top present power hitters in the system are 3B/1B Michael Almanzar and OF Keury De La Cruz.

Best Projected Power
1. SS Xander Bogaerts -- 65
2. OF Bryce Brentz -- 55
3. 3B/1B Michael Almanzar -- 55

Notes: Bogaerts is a potential 30 home run bat; there were only twenty-seven 30 home run hitters in the majors in 2012. While a 55 grade profiles a player in the 20-25 home run range, Almanzar still needs to make significant strides with plate approach, pitch recognition, and maturity to get to that stage. High-A Salem OF Brandon Jacobs also grades out with a 55 for projected power, and has similar strides to make.

Best Plate Discipline

(Read full post)

From the outset of camp, it looked like Pedro Ciriaco had locked up Boston's utility man bench spot. But that didn’t stop Brock Holt from trying to win the job and make the organization think twice before sending him down to minors. The infielder apparently did a pretty good job too, as he made it to the last wave of cuts and was optioned to Triple-A on March 28.

“I know going in there, they told me I'd have a shot to make the team as a utility guy, and I was looking forward to that chance,” Holt said at media day for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox on April 2.

“I went in there, and Ciriaco had a good camp as well, and he kind of established himself last year when he went up and did well. I knew going into it that it was kind of a long shot, but I'm happy to be here in Pawtucket, and I'm ready to get going and hopefully be back up there soon.”

That goal was nearly achieved before the minor-league season even began, as Holt was seen in the Red Sox locker room before Wednesday's game against the Yankees. He was likely there in case Dustin Pedroia's thumb injury in the opener proved worse than initially expected, as Holt made it to nearby Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for Pawtucket's Opening Night on Thursday.

Holt came over from the Pirates during this offseason in the deal headlined by closer Joel Hanrahan. The rumors were swirling before the deal, but Holt was just as surprised as anyone that he was included when the trade was finalized.

“I knew Hanrahan was getting dealt,” the 24-year-old said. “And I knew someone was probably going with him, but I had no idea my name was being tossed around. But when they told me, I was excited about the new opportunity, and I'm glad to be here.”

Meeting his Red Sox teammates was just one of the new experiences for Holt, the 24th-ranked prospect in the system according to SoxProspects.com, this spring.

“It was my first time being in big league camp,” said Holt. “I wasn't ever in big league camp with the Pirates. So to be in that atmosphere, around guys like that -- working with Pedroia and guys like that -- helped me out a lot. It gave me some confidence going into this year.”

The former ninth-round pick in 2009 is not a complete stranger to the major leagues, achieving relative success in 24 games with Pittsburgh last season. He began the 2012 season in Double-A, but after batting .322 there, then .432 in 24 Triple-A games, the small-statured infielder put up a line of .292/.329/.354 in 65 at-bats with the big league club.

As the numbers show, he’s a strong contact hitter and has decent plate discipline, though he lacks much pop, topping out at three home runs in his best season so far in minors. One National League scout referred to Holt as “hitterish,” explaining that he’s the kind of player that tends to show up in the box score with a couple hits and a walk on any given day. Holt, who is listed at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, also brings a reputation as the kind of “dirt dog” player that fans love.

Holt began his season with Pawtucket well in Thursday night’s Opener, going 2 for 4 with an RBI and a walk in a 10-inning victory over the Yankees’ affiliate. He batted leadoff and played shortstop, but don’t expect that to be his permanent position on the team. One of Holt’s strengths is his ability to play multiple positions at an average-to-better level. He’s played mostly second base and shortstop throughout his minor league career, the former being where scouts like his defense best, and he mixed in a new position this spring.

“I've been at short a lot of the time in the minor leagues, but I was at second a lot of the time this spring,” he said. “And I actually played a few games at third, and I hadn't done that before. So that was kind of a new experience, and it went well. As long as I'm in the lineup, it doesn't really matter where I'm at, just as long as I'm in there.”

“Between third, short, and second, he's going to get playing time,” said Pawtucket manager Gary DiSarcina, who is starting his first year with the team. “I know he's probably more comfortable playing short; he's played a lot of second base, but I think shortstop is his natural position. The big league team had him bouncing around up there during some camp games, and we'll see how it plays out.”

The lack of big league depth on the major league roster at the third base position has made it necessary for the team to investigate its options there. Right now, Ciriaco would be the main backup to Will Middlebrooks, but it’s not his strongest position. In fact, beyond Middlebrooks, Drew Sutton was the only other natural third baseman in camp this spring. For this reason, Holt saw some time at the hot corner, and will continue to do so with the PawSox.

“There's no doubt he's going to be seeing a lot of time on the left side of the infield,” said DiSarcina. “I think the transition going from second to short to third, it's difficult because you're bouncing around. We'll try to get him over [at third] as much as possible. Drew Sutton's going to be our third baseman, and we'll try to give him blows and get Brock over there. Get him used to the angles, and used to how quickly the ball gets on you down there. He's definitely got the arm strength to play third.”

Holt said the only goal he has for the season right now is to stay healthy. While some might be bitter about being sent down after feeling so close to making the team, Holt is taking it in stride, and not worried about the pressure of being just a call-up away from The Show.

“I'm just going to enjoy my time here and play the game like I'm capable of doing,” he said. “[If I] play my game, I think everything else will take care of itself.”

The Red Sox full-season minor league affiliate rosters were announced today. Here’s a look at the rosters for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, High-A Salem Red Sox, and Low-A Greenville Drive.

Pawtucket, Portland, and Greenville all open their respective seasons on Thursday, April 4, while Salem gets underway on Friday, April 5. (SoxProspects.com ranking in parentheses).

PAWTUCKET
Pitchers: Allen Webster (4), Rubby De La Rosa (5), Chris Hernandez (33), Steven Wright (42), Terry Doyle, Alex Wilson (16), Chris Carpenter (43), Jose De La Torre (44), Oscar Villarreal (N/E), Pedro Beato (N/E), Graham Godfrey (N/E), Anthony Carter, Jeremy Kehrt
Catchers: Ryan Lavarnway (N/E), Dan Butler (41)
Infield: Brock Holt (26), Drew Sutton (N/E), Mark Hamilton, Jonathan Diaz, Justin Henry, Jon Hee, Brandon Snyder
Outfield: Bryce Brentz (24), Jeremy Hazelbaker (32), Alex Hassan (35), Juan Carlos Linares (37)

PORTLAND
Pitchers: Matt Barnes (3), Anthony Ranaudo (13), Brandon Workman (14), Drake Britton (15), Keith Couch (45), Daniel Bard (N/E), Miguel Celestino (40), Brock Huntzinger (47), Chris Martin, Pete Ruiz, Will Latimer, Kyle Kaminska
Catchers: Christian Vazquez (27), Matt Spring, Albert Rosario
Infield: Xander Bogaerts (1), Travis Shaw (28), Kolbrin Vitek (34), Michael Almanzar (48), Heiker Meneses (49), Ryan Dent, Derrik Gibson
Outfield: Peter Hissey, Ronald Bermudez, Shannon Wilkerson, Tony Thomas

SALEM
Pitchers: Henry Owens (9), Noe Ramirez (38), Mickey Pena (39), Kyle Stroup (51), William Cuevas (50), Heri Quevedo (52), Mike Augliera, Mike McCarthy, Nefi Ogando, Matty Ott, Nathan Striz, Robby Scott
Catchers: Blake Swihart (8), Carson Blair, Leonel Escobar
Infield: Garin Cecchini (7), Deven Marrero (11), Sean Coyle (31), David Renfroe, Michael Flacco, Jose Garcia, Nick Natoli
Outfield: Keury De La Cruz (17), Brandon Jacobs (18), Henry Ramos, Felix Sanchez, Matty Johnson

GREENVILLE
Pitchers: Brian Johnson (12), Pat Light (21), Frank Montas (22), Cody Kukuk (23), Austin Maddox (54), Justin Haley (55), Francisco Taveras (56), Kyle Kraus, Madison Younginer, Braden Kapteyn, Jason Garcia, J.B. Wendelken
Catchers: Jordan Weems, Jayson Hernandez, Tim Roberson
Infield: Jose Vinicio (19), Mookie Betts (53), David Chester, Nick Moore, Boss Moanaroa, Mike Miller, Bryan Johns
Outfield: Kendrick Perkins (57), Drew Turocy, Cody Koback, Aneury Tavarez

N/E = Not eligible to be ranked as a prospect

Editor's note: This is the fifth of a five-part series on depth in the Red Sox farm system.

In the last installment, we look at the outfield. The conversation starts with Jackie Bradley Jr., who's with the Red Sox in New York ahead of Opening Day Monday. The next best outfield prospects in the Red Sox system include a free-swinging power-hitting right fielder, two athletic A-Ballers with high ceilings, an upstart Dominican prospect who has yet to debut stateside, and three outfielders seemingly set to start the season with Triple-A Pawtucket.

POTENTIAL STARTERS

Bradley, 22, has been a tour de force this spring, and the hype would lead you believe that he's a slam dunk to be enshrined in Cooperstown. While that may not be the case, Bradley is an outstanding prospect that profiles as a long-term everyday center fielder for a first division club, and possibly an occasional All-Star. On offense, he has an advanced approach, plus bat speed, a smooth swing plane, slightly below-average power, and slightly above-average speed. He still has some areas to develop, but at this stage he looks like a player who could hit .290 with 12-15 home runs and 15 stolen bases per year. He's also quite polished defensively, projecting as a plus-to-elite center fielder. Bradley has strong instincts, makes excellent jumps, has a plus arm, and above-average range. Ultimately, he should be a permanent fixture in the Red Sox outfield over the long-haul, even if he bounces back-and-forth between Boston and Pawtucket in 2013.

Bryce Brentz, 24, hit .290/.349/.465 with 17 home runs between stops in Double-A Portland and Pawtucket in 2012. He's an average contact hitter with excellent power and an overly aggressive approach. While he may hit 20-25 home runs home runs if given the chance, he'll also likely strike out 125-plus times per year. On defense, he has a plus arm, a solid glove and decent fundamentals. He's shown flashes of makeup issues over his minor league career, but overall his ceiling is that of an everyday right fielder and a No. 6 hitter for a competitive team. He should spend most of 2013 with Pawtucket, working on toning down his plate approach.

POTENTIAL BENCH PLAYERS

Keury De La Cruz, 21, is also somewhat of a free swinger at the plate. While he posted an impressive line with Low-A Greenville and High-A Salem in 2012, hitting .307/.350/.533 with 20 home runs and 21 stolen bases, his overly aggressive approach will be tested at Double-A and above, and he'll likely need to make significant adjustments. Beyond approach, he has the tools to develop into a fringe-average major league hitter. The former Red Sox Latin Program Player of the Year has the makings of an average defender, but it's worth noting that he was moved from center field to corner outfield in 2012, which diminishes his value. He currently projects as a contributing bench player for a midlevel team. In 2013, he's expected to start the season back with Salem, with an eye toward a mid-to-late season promotion to Double-A.

Brandon Jacobs, 22, has made a nice transition from football to baseball, despite struggling through some unfortunate injuries. That said, he's still a raw player with a ton of projection at this stage, including plus-to-better power potential. He'll need to focus on shortening his swing and being more selective with off-speed stuff in 2013. Jacobs is slated for a return engagement with Salem, but a placement in Portland is not out of the question. On defense, he profiles as a left fielder without the ability to cover center or right field, which limits his versatility.

Manuel Margot, 18, could probably be listed as a potential starter, but he's so far away at this point that it's difficult to lump him in that category. The Dominican center fielder spent 2012 in the rookie level Dominican Summer League, where he hit .285/.382/.423 and stole 33 bases in 68 games. Margot is an impressive athlete with strong instincts, an above-average bat, average power potential, elite speed, plus defensive skills and a slightly below-average arm. He has the potential to develop into a leadoff hitter for a playoff team, but he could also never make it past A-Ball.

Others to watch: The PawSox outfield should include Jeremy Hazelbaker, Alex Hassan and Juan Carlos Linares, each of whom could be called on to fill in with the big club in the right situation. Two additional prospects to keep an eye on are Williams Jerez, a raw 20-year-old center fielder with solid all-around tools, and Kendrick Perkins, a well-built former football player with plus power potential. Both are on the cusp between short-season Lowell and Greenville.

Editor's note: This is the fourth of a five-part series on depth in the Red Sox farm system.

In this installment, we look at the corner infield position. Compared with other positions, the Red Sox are somewhat limited in terms of minor league depth at this spot. The only player that profiles as a potential major league regular is 3B Garin Cecchini, who has yet to play above Low-A. The best of the rest include two potential bench bats and a former first-round pick who has yet to live up to his draft pedigree.

POTENTIAL STARTERS

Garin Cecchini, 21, hit .305/.394/.433 with Low-A Greenville in 2012. A fourth-round pick in 2010, Cecchini has impressive offensive tools, including a sweet left-handed swing, excellent bat speed, developing plate discipline, and average speed. He profiles as a .300 hitter with continued development, and while his present power is below-average, he has slightly above-average power potential over the long run. On defense, he still has some work to do, but he’s developing into a solid-to-average third baseman. Overall, he has the tools and the drive to develop into an All-Star at the hot corner, but he’s at least two seasons away from the majors. He should spend most of 2013 in High-A Salem.

POTENTIAL BENCH PLAYERS

Travis Shaw, 22, is capable of playing both third base and first base, but profiles better at first. The son of former major league pitcher Jeff Shaw, he has a well-filled-out frame, a high baseball IQ, and excellent fundamentals. On offense, he has shown impressive plate discipline at the A-ball levels, but his patient approach will be tested at the higher levels, as it was with Double-A Portland in the last quarter of 2012. He’ll need to show he can put the bat on the ball against advanced pitching in a return stint with the Sea Dogs in 2013. Shaw’s ceiling is a capable backup, but he may also be able to serve as an average regular on a small-market club during his peak years.

Kolbrin Vitek, 23, was selected in the first round (20th overall) of the 2010 draft. He has yet to live up to that draft billing, either from a scouting standpoint or a performance perspective. His offensive tools just haven’t shown much development since coming out of Ball State. As for performance, in three minor league seasons he’s put up a career line of .270/.340/.377. On defense, he’s yet to show that he can be a capable third baseman, and therefore may be better suited for right field. All that said, he does have polished mechanics, a solid approach, average power potential, and a strong arm. But he’ll need to make ample strides in 2013 to avoid hearing the “bust” label. He’ll likely open the season with Portland.

Mauro Gomez, 28, was the MVP of the International League in 2012, hitting .310/.371/.589 with 24 home runs for Triple-A Pawtucket. The big first baseman also managed to hold his own in limited time with Boston. At this point, he doesn’t profile as a major league regular due to his overly aggressive approach, but he could make an impact in short bursts if he gets called up as an emergency injury replacement. However, he may also be the leading candidate to be the next player removed from the 40-man roster when space is inevitably needed, so there’s no guarantee he’ll be with the organization for the entire season.

Others to watch: 1B Mark Hamilton and 3B Drew Sutton should split corner infield time with Gomez at Pawtucket, both serving as emergency depth. Also, 1B/3B Michael Almanzar has all the tools in the world, but he seemingly lacks the drive and work ethic to make it to the majors. However, hitting .300 for Salem in 2012 may have earned him a promotion to Portland for 2013. First baseman Boss Moanaroa and 3B/1B David Renfroe should break camp with Salem along with Cecchini. Both are still young with considerable tools, and are worth keeping tabs on.

Editor's note: This is the third of a five-part series on depth in the Red Sox farm system.

In this installment, let’s take a look at the middle-infield depth in the Red Sox organization. The system is fairly well stacked up the middle, with a number of potential impact players, including a projected All-Star, some potential starters, and more than a handful of raw high-ceiling players that could develop into productive major-leaguers.

POTENTIAL MAJOR LEAGUE STARTERS

SS Xander Bogaerts, 20, is the top prospect in the organization, profiling as an All-Star caliber player. On offense, he projects to be a solid-average contact hitter with plus power. While he still needs some work on pitch recognition, his bat is close to major-league ready. On defense, Bogaerts may get the chance to break into the majors as a shortstop and it’s certainly not out of the question that he’s able to stick at the position, but it’s still more likely that he’ll end up at third base or left field. This is not because he’s “too big” to play shortstop at the major league level, or to make room for the other shortstops in the organization. It’s because his agility, fluidity, and footwork on defense are below-average compared with other major league shortstops. While he still has plenty of time to develop, these tools tend to be the type that diminish as players grow into their frames. And while errors are by no means a true indicator of future defensive performance, it’s still worth noting that Bogaerts has averaged 44 errors per 162 games over his minor league career (extrapolating out to 29 errors per 162 games in 2012). The major league average for shortstops was 19 per 162 games; the worst was the Dodgers, with exactly 29 shortstop errors in 2012. All that being said, it’s certainly not out of the question that he sticks at short, as he’s known as a smart, hard worker who will put in the necessary work in his developmental areas. In 2013, Bogaerts is expected to break camp with Double-A Portland.

SS Jose Iglesias, 23, has opposite issues. His defensive prowess is well known and doesn’t need to be reiterated. On offense, he has excellent bat speed and a smooth swing, but he’s extremely impatient, struggles with off-speed stuff, and his power is well below-average. Another year of development time in Triple-A Pawtucket may help him improve his approach, which has improved somewhat this spring. For now, Iglesias profiles as a passable No. 9 hitter that gets by because of his glove.

SS Deven Marrero, 22, was Boston’s first-round pick (24th overall) in 2012. After the draft, he spent the 2012 season in short-season Lowell, where he hit .268/.358/.374 with 2 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He projects as a slightly above-average contact hitter with doubles power and solid speed on the base paths. Marrero is above-average defensively, with fluid actions, very good range, a decent glove, and an above-average arm. Some have questioned his level of engagement, as on occasion he has shown an aloofness reminiscent of JD Drew. Overall, he could develop into a solid No. 7 hitter with above-average defense. Marrero is likely to start the 2013 season with High-A Salem, but Low-A Greenville is not out of the question.

POTENTIAL MAJOR LEAGUE ROLE PLAYERS

SS/2B Brock Holt, 24, was acquired from Pittsburgh in December with Joel Hanrahan for Mark Melancon, Stolmy Pimentel, Jerry Sands, and Ivan De Jesus. He’s a gap-to-gap contact hitter with minimal home-run power, average plate discipline, slightly below-average speed, and decent defensive skills. Likely to start the 2013 season playing second base for Pawtucket, Holt projects as a utility infielder over the long term, with the ability to be a respectable spot starter.

SS Jose Vinicio was signed to a $1.95 million bonus on his 16th birthday in July 2009. Now 19, he still has yet to mature much physically. He’s outstanding defensively and projects to stick at the position long-term. On offense, Vinicio has good mechanics from both sides of the plate and he’s at the beginning stage of developing a solid approach, but he’s so small that he’s not able to put much power behind the ball. If and when he develops physically, he could make substantial offensive strides. He’ll start 2013 in either Greenville or Salem.

SS Tzu-Wei Lin, 18, received a $2.05 million bonus when he signed as an international free agent out of Taiwan in June 2012. Another defensive-minded shortstop, Lin makes average contact and has below-average power, plus speed, and solid fundamentals. He’ll likely start 2013 in Lowell.

2B Sean Coyle, 21, is a small-frame second baseman who was drafted in the third round in 2010. He has solid offensive and defensive tools, but he had a subpar season in 2012, hitting .249/.316/.391 with Salem. He’ll likely return to Salem this season, and he’ll still be on the level younger side for the Carolina League. Like Vinicio and Lin, Coyle has the potential to develop into a major league regular, but as of today profiles as a role player.

Others to watch: IF Jonathan Diaz will provide emergency depth in Pawtucket; IF Heiker Meneses, a 21-year-old Venezuelan capable of playing several positions, will likely start the season in Portland; 2B Mookie Betts, an athletic infielder selected in the fifth round in 2011, should start the season in Greenville; SS Mike Meyers, 19, hit .337 in 30 games with the rookie-level GCL Red Sox in 2012; SS Raymel Flores was given a $900,000 bonus in 2011 and is expected to play in the Gulf Coast League this season; and SS Wendell Rijo, 17, is slated to be the starting shortstop for the rookie level DSL Red Sox in 2013.

BOSTON, Mass. -- Since Jason Varitek first showed signs that he was beginning to age several years ago, Red Sox fans have been clamoring to identify the team’s catcher of the future. Prospect followers have bet on a number of players to come up the ladder -- from those since traded, such as Tim Federowicz, to those still around like Ryan Lavarnway, to those still farther down the system, like Christian Vazquez. But the team may have finally found that future stalwart in 20-year-old Blake Swihart.

Swihart was selected in the first round of the 2011 draft with the pick Boston received as compensation for departed free agent Adrian Beltre. Though Swihart was considered one of the top catching talents in that draft, it was not a position at which he actually had much experience.

“I started practicing catching my junior year [of high school],” said Swihart at the Jimmy Fund’s recent New Stars for Young Stars fund-raiser. “But even my junior and senior year, I played shortstop in high school. So I didn't start catching until I got drafted really.”

Swihart has the distinction of being the highest-profile Red Sox draftee to receive an over-slot bonus before the current collective bargaining agreement took effect, which greatly curtailed such tactics. The high schooler out of New Mexico was a superb raw athlete who would have likely gone higher in the draft were teams not scared off by his strong commitment to the University of Texas. Boston was able to buy Swihart out of that commitment though by giving him a $2.5 million bonus, well above the slot recommendation for the 26th overall pick.

Making a full-season team out of spring training, as Swihart did with Low A Greenville last year, is always a positive sign for a draftee fresh out of high school, especially one that played only two professional games in 2011. But it is more impressive that he caught 66 games after having little in-game experience at the position before being drafted. That full immersion into catching paid dividends.

“Big strides,” he exclaimed when asked how much progress he made defensively last season. “And then this offseason I've just improved even more and hopefully next season I can [keep improving].”

Catcher is one of the hardest positions to develop, and it often takes extra time for catchers to climb their way up through the system. In addition to it being one of the harder positions to master physically, catching requires a certain level of mental fortitude and leadership to guide pitchers through a game. Those intangibles, Swihart said, were where he made the most improvement defensively last season.

“Learning how to call the games, learning the pitchers,” he said.

This offseason, he said he's been working hard to stay in touch with the pitchers to keep those relationships strong.

Though he is a top-notch athlete and has a plus arm, he will need to overcome some early questions relating to his build. He's listed at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, but is thin in his lower body. Scouts look for a bigger base and legs in order to stand up to the rigors of catching; how Swihart’s body fills out as he ages will be something for scouts to monitor. Otherwise, he has excellent reflexes, fluid actions, and uses his quick feet to move well laterally.

Still, if Swihart does move off the position, it will not necessarily cause a hit to his value. He played mostly shortstop and some outfield through his senior season in high school. SoxProspects.com scouts see his most likely destination as either third or second base if he does move from behind the plate, conjuring comparisons to Craig Biggio on that side of the ball, and his bat is projected to be good enough to play at either spot. Less athletic catchers that are limited to first base or designated hitter face much more pressure to perform on offense if they need to move from behind the dish.

“That's not my call,” he said on the possibility of changing positions. “I just have to keep doing what they tell me. And hopefully I'll get to the next level at whatever they want me to play.”

With the bat, Swihart showed great potential in Greenville last season, even if his final line of .262/.307/.395 is not overly impressive. The switch-hitter with a sweet swing from both sides of the plate was young for the league, possibly leading to April struggles culminating in a .178 average for the month. He was able to show a great ability to adjust, however, batting .281/.312/.425 with six of his seven home runs coming after the calendar turned to May.

Swihart has plus bat speed, and with work on his plate approach he could be a .300-type hitter who can belt around 20 home runs at the major league level. The catcher pointed to pitch selection as the area where he felt he made the most progress offensively last season, a positive sign for any young hitter.

Another factor in his potential offensive upside is that he did not begin hitting from the left side of the plate until his junior year of high school. Still learning the intricacies of switch-hitting, Swihart has plenty of room for growth in that way.

“[Batting] lefty, I just had to re-learn everything I knew from the right side,” he said. “Pitch selection [was a major challenge as a left-handed batter]. I had to learn when it was a strike and when it wasn't.”

It appears his work learning to hit lefty already paid off last season, as he batted .271 against right-handed pitchers and just .232 from his natural side facing southpaws. His strikeout and walk rates were better as a right-handed hitter though, showing that aforementioned learning curve on pitch selection as a lefty. It is worth noting as well that he had just 82 at-bats as a righty, so it is a fairly small sample size.

Swihart projects to start the season at High A Salem this year. The catcher said he is just looking to improve all around this season, and if he continues to do so, he could be the answer to a question many Red Sox fans see as currently unanswered.

On Monday Keith Law ranked the 30 MLB minor league systems, with the Red Sox checking in at No. 17. Next up is his list of the top 100 prospects in baseball (Insider access required).

Red Sox fans will be pleased to see shortstop Xander Bogaerts check in at No. 5.

Here’s part of what Law writes about Bogaerts:

A year ago, Bogaerts looked like a high-ceiling bat who'd have to find a new position, most likely third base, but a year of full-season ball at shortstop with continued work on maintaining his conditioning has his odds of remaining in the middle of the field up over even money. And a shortstop who can hit like this is a pretty special commodity.

Three other Red Sox prospects show up in the top 100 (to read Law's Insider analysis on each player, click on the links below):

-- No. 40, CF Jackie Bradley Jr.
-- No. 62, RHP Allaen Webster
-- No. 79, RHP Matt Barnes

Check out Law's complete top 100 (Insider), with analysis for each player.

BOSTON, Mass. -- It is tough to imagine how 2012 could have gone worse for Anthony Ranaudo. His season started late and ended early due to injuries, and in between was nothing to write home about either. However, speaking recently at the New Stars for Young Stars fundraiser in Boston, the 23-year-old right-hander is optimistic and feeling completely healthy heading into next season.

After achieving relative success in his first season with the Red Sox in A-Ball, Ranaudo strained his groin in spring training heading into 2012 and did not make his first start until May 15. It was anything but smooth sailing once he arrived at Double-A Portland though, as he posted a 6.69 ERA in just nine starts. The former first-round pick gave up exactly as many walks as he had strikeouts, and allowed more hits than he had innings pitched. He made his final start on July 3 before being shut down with shoulder fatigue after tossing just 37 2/3 innings.

"I don't even know if frustrating is the right word," Ranaudo said. "That's just the beginning of how I felt."

Ranaudo began the year as the second-highest ranked prospect in the system on SoxProspects.com, which can be attributed to the significant bonus of $2.55 million he received out of the draft along with the promising results and raw stuff he showed in 2011. He now sits at 17 in the rankings after a nightmare season. It is not out of the question though that he quickly rise back into the top 10 this season if he shows good health and a return to form.

SoxProspects.com scouts who watched many of his Portland starts last season saw inconsistency with his mechanics leading to inconsistent results. Even inning-to-inning he would look different. In the same game his fastball would sit 91-93 mph, touching as high as 95, then in other innings be 89-91. The curveball, which can be a devastating strikeout-pitch for him, would suddenly lose effectiveness. When his stuff lost crispness, our scouts saw him having problems repeating his delivery, including his front side flying open early at times.

The jump from A-Ball to Double-A is among the biggest of a prospect's journey to the majors, so that may be one reason for the decline in Ranaudo’s results. But there was also a regression in his pure stuff due to the mechanical issues, which can be at least partially attributed to the shoulder fatigue he experienced. Also, tall pitchers like the 6-foot-7 Ranaudo can sometimes take longer to develop because longer arms and legs make repetition of mechanics harder. He did not necessarily see this as a major factor though.

"It is what it is and I can't really do anything about [my height], whether it's negative or positive," said the LSU product. "I just try to use my advantage as best as I can. I try to throw downhill strikes and attack the zone that way."

Since injuries derailed his 2012 season and caused him to pitch so few innings, this offseason Ranaudo had the opportunity to throw for Caguas in the Roberto Clemente Baseball League, Puerto Rico’s winter league. The fatigued shoulder felt strong heading into it for him.

"It was a lot of fun," he said on his time in Puerto Rico. "I had a great team out there and a great set-up. I was healthy, my shoulder and arm felt great. I bounced back well and I had a lot of confidence in my stuff. So it was a good trip for me."

The trip seemed far less positive to the casual observer from afar though. He posted a 6.75 ERA and headed home after 9 1/3 innings over four starts because of a re-aggravation of his strained groin. When looking more closely at his numbers, they are skewed by one start in which he gave up six earned runs. He gave up no runs in his other two full starts and finished with seven strikeouts to just two walks.

The injury, which might be a red flag otherwise, is not something that has Ranaudo worrying.

"I kind of re-aggravated my groin at the end, a little bit," he said. "It was not nearly as severe as it was in the spring. I've been doing physical therapy and everything, and learning some things that hopefully can knock it out so it really won't bother me ever again."

Ranaudo is not anticipating getting a late start to spring. He's expecting to follow the Red Sox normal spring program for pitchers and be ready to start this season on time, likely again with the Portland Sea Dogs. He did not hesitate before saying the only goal he's focused on this season is staying healthy.

"Try to make all the starts that they ask me to make," he said, expounding on his 2013 goals. "Let my results dictate how the rest of the season goes as far as where I [pitch]. Hopefully just keep getting better every time I go out there.

"I'm hoping I can put [2012] behind me and just focus on 2013. I learned a lot from 2012, things I can do along my career to keep me healthy and on the field."

For more prospect coverage go to SoxProspects.com

Can’t wait for baseball season to start? To hold you over, here’s a look at what the Red Sox full-season minor league affiliate rosters might look like when the minor league season opens on April 4.

TRIPLE-A PAWTUCKET RED SOX
The PawSox' roster should be filled with some top prospects, a couple former top prospects still on the cusp of becoming full-time major leaguers, and some veteran major league insurance type players. Ryan Kalish and Ryan Lavarnway could both make the major league club out of spring training, while top prospects Allen Webster, Rubby De La Rosa, Bryce Brentz, and Jose Iglesias could make an impact on the big club later in the season.

Projected Lineup
Position, Name (Age) – How Acquired [SoxProspects.com ranking]
CF Ryan Kalish (24) - Drafted in the 9th round (2006) [PP]
2B Brock Holt (24) - Acquired in trade from Pittsburgh (2012) [16]
DH Juan Carlos Linares (28) – International free agent (2010) [36]
C Ryan Lavarnway (25) - Drafted in the 6th round (2008) [PP]
RF Bryce Brentz (24) - Drafted in the supplemental 1st round (2010) [6]
1B Mark Hamilton (28) - Minor league free agent (2013) [NR]
LF Alex Hassan (24) - Drafted in the 20th round (2009) [42]
3B Drew Sutton (29) - Minor league free agent (2012) [PP]
SS Jose Iglesias (23) – International free agent (2009) [10]

Rotation Candidates
RHP Allen Webster (22) - Acquired in trade from LA Dodgers (2012) [4]
RHP Rubby De La Rosa (23) - Acquired in trade from LA Dodgers (2012) [5]
LHP Chris Hernandez (24) - Drafted in the 7th round (2010) [34]
RHP Steven Wright (28) - Acquired in trade from Cleveland (2012) [41]
RHP Terry Doyle (27) - Minor league free agent (2012) [NR]
RHP Graham Godfrey (28) - Acquired in trade from Oakland (2012) [NR]

DOUBLE-A PORTLAND SEA DOGS
The Sea Dogs should begin the 2013 season with the three top prospects in the system in Xander Bogaerts, Matt Barnes, and Jackie Bradley -- but Bogaerts and Bradley could be in Pawtucket by mid-season. Additionally, Boston's Double-A affiliate should have a handful of other complimentary prospects in Brandon Jacobs, Travis Shaw, Christian Vazquez, Drake Britton, Brandon Workman, and Anthony Ranaudo.

Projected Lineup
CF Jackie Bradley (22) - Drafted in the supplemental 1st round (2011) [3]
3B Kolbrin Vitek (23) - Drafted in the 1st round (2010) [37]
LF Brandon Jacobs (22) - Drafted in the 10th round (2009) [19]
SS Xander Bogaerts (20) – International free agent (2009) [1]
1B Travis Shaw (22) - Drafted in the 10th round (2009) [27]
C Christian Vazquez (22) - Drafted in the 9th round (2008) [28]
DH Michael Almanzar (22) – International free agent (2007) [46]
RF Peter Hissey (22) - Drafted in the 4th round (2008) [NR]
2B Heiker Meneses (21) – International free agent (2008) [47]

Rotation Candidates
RHP Matt Barnes (22) - Drafted in the 1st round (2011) [2]
LHP Drake Britton (23) - Drafted in the 23rd round (2007) [11]
RHP Brandon Workman (24) - Drafted in the 2nd round (2010) [12]
RHP Anthony Ranaudo (23) - Drafted in the supplemental 1st round (2010) [17]
RHP Keith Couch (23) - Drafted in the 13th round (2010) [48]
RHP Miguel Celestino (23) - Acquired in trade from Cleveland (2010) [49]

HIGH-A SALEM RED SOX
Salem will have a large contingent of the organization's "next wave" of top prospects, highlighted by Garin Cecchini, Blake Swihart, Henry Owens, Jose Vinicio, and Keury De La Cruz. Meanwhile, Sean Coyle, David Renfroe, Kyle Stroup, and Henry Ramos are candidates for possible bounce back seasons, each having played against older competition in prior years.

Projected Lineup
LF Keury De La Cruz (21) - International free agent (2009) [18]
2B Sean Coyle (20) - Drafted in the 3rd round (2010) [33]
3B Garin Cecchini (21) - Drafted in the 4th round (2010) [7]
1B David Renfroe (22) - Drafted in the 3rd round (2009) [NR]
C Blake Swihart (20) - Drafted in the 1st round (2011) [8]
RF Henry Ramos (20) - Drafted in the 5th round (2010) [NR]
DH Boss Moanaroa (21) - International free agent (2008) [NR]
CF Cody Koback (22) - Drafted in the 10th round (2011) [NR]
SS Jose Vinicio (19) - International free agent (2009) [20]

Rotation Candidates
LHP Henry Owens (20) - Drafted in the supplemental 1st round (2011) [9]
RHP Noe Ramirez (23) - Drafted in the 4th round (2011) [38]
LHP Mickey Pena (22) - Drafted in the 6th round (2011) [39]
RHP Kyle Stroup (22) - Drafted in the 50th round (2008) [NR]
RHP Mike McCarthy (25) - Drafted in the 14th round (2011) [NR]
RHP Madison Younginer (22) - Drafted in the 7th round (2009) [NR]
RHP Luis Diaz (20) - International free agent (2009) [NR]

LOW-A GREENVILLE DRIVE
This roster could be set in any number of ways. Brian Johnson and Pat Light should dominate competition and end up in Salem by mid-season. Expect Deven Marrero to come into his own in his first full professional season. Otherwise, any of Mookie Betts, Kendrick Perkins, Williams Jerez, Ty Buttrey, William Cuevas, Austin Maddox, and/or Justin Haley could break out in 2013.

Projected Lineup
2B Mookie Betts (20) - Drafted in the 5th round (2011) [58]
DH Mike Miller (23) - Drafted in the 9th round (2012) [NR]
SS Deven Marrero (22) - Drafted in the 1st round (2012) [13]
1B David Chester (23) - Drafted in the 33rd round (2011) [NR]
RF Kendrick Perkins (21) - Drafted in the 6th round (2010) [57]
CF Williams Jerez (20) - Drafted in the 2nd round (2011) [56]
LF Aneury Tavarez (20) - International free agent (2010) [NR]
3B Dreily Guerrero (22) - International free agent (2009) [NR]
C Jordan Weems (20) - Drafted in the 3rd round (2011) [NR}

Rotation Candidates
LHP Brian Johnson (22) - Drafted in the 1st round (2012) [14]
RHP Pat Light (23) - Drafted in the supplemental 1st round (2012) [21]
RHP Ty Buttrey (19) - Drafted in the 4th round (2012) [22]
RHP William Cuevas (22) - International free agent (2008) [52]
RHP Austin Maddox (21) - Drafted in the 3rd round (2012) [53]
RHP Justin Haley (20) - Drafted in the 6th round (2012) [54]
RHP Mike Augliera (21) - Drafted in the 5th round (2012) [NR]


PP = Post-Prospect no longer eligible to be ranked
NR = Not ranked in the Top 60

Editor's note: Mike Andrews is the founder of SoxProspects.com. For more prospect coverage go to SoxProspects.com

Although the minor league season begins in April and ends in September, in reality, minor league baseball is a year-round enterprise. Following the end of the regular season and playoffs, minor leaguers participate in the Fall Instructional League, Arizona Fall League and various foreign winter leagues.

Fifty-two Red Sox minor leaguers, plus another five free agents who have not yet re-signed with Boston or signed elsewhere, have played in these fall or winter leagues since the end of the season. Each player has different goals. Often, players who miss time due to injury play in order to make up for missed reps. Others use winter leagues to get reps at a new position, such as last offseason when infielder Mike Aviles, thinking he would be used in more of a utility role, played in the outfield for a few weeks in Puerto Rico. Others are earning a bit of extra money -- the teams in the Caribbean Winter Leagues are legitimate professional circuits where teams pay players, have rabid followings and compete hard to win.

With the winter season about halfway over, let’s take a look at how the Sox contingent has performed thus far.

Fall Instructional League

The Fall Instructional League brings together select players from Single-A and lower in the Sox system. “Instructs,” as it’s called, serves many purposes. The top players from lower in the system get continued reps, players who missed time due to injury get reps, and select players who spent the regular season in the Dominican Summer League get their first taste of the United States.

Much of the buzz coming out of Instructs this year centered around Dominican center fielder Manuel Margot. SoxProspects.com director of scouting Chris Mellen commented on Margot’s tools and athleticism. Chris noted Margot’s quick hands, plus-to-better speed and smooth actions out in center.

Other players that our scouting staff, which also includes Northeast scout Ian Cundall, took note of were 6-foot-4 Dominican pitcher Simon Mercedes, who signed this summer and sports a 91-94 mph fastball, and first-round pick Deven Marrero, who looked much more comfortable both at the plate and at shortstop after making his professional debut with the Lowell Spinners this year.

Here’s the full Instructs roster:

Pitchers: Raul Alcantara, Matt Barnes, Luis Bastardo, Luis Diaz, Edwar Garcia, Jason Garcia, Zach Good, Braden Kapteyn, Cody Kukuk, Frank Montas, Nefi Ogando, Henry Owens, Renny Parthemore, Miguel Pena, Mat Price, Noe Ramirez, Matt Spalding, Raynel Velette, Madison Younginer
Catchers: David Sopilka, Alixon Suarez, Blake Swihart, Jordan Weems
Infielders: Mookie Betts, Garin Cecchini, Raymel Flores, Tzu-Wei Lin, Deiner Lopez, Nathan Minnich, Nick Moore, Cleuluis Rondon, Travis Shaw
Outfielders: Iseha Conklin, Keury De La Cruz, Cody Koback, Manuel Margot, Kendrick Perkins, Henry Ramos, Aneury Tavarez

Arizona Fall League

The most well-known of the fall/winter leagues, the AFL essentially is a showcase for some of the best prospects in the game, primarily from Double-A and Triple-A. The league’s focus on prospects, as opposed to winning, is evident: For example, players are chosen for the league’s all-star game, the Rising Stars game, and given all-league honors as members of the Top Prospects team based on a combination of their performance in the league and their projection as future major leaguers. That said, the league’s reputation as a prospect haven is a bit overstated -- it is a hitter-friendly league in which the pitching talent tends not to match the hitters’.

The Red Sox’ seven-player contingent was headlined by right fielder Bryce Brentz, who hit .297 with a pair of home runs and was named to both the Rising Stars game and Top Prospects team. He put up an .804 OPS, but that was good for just 26th in the hitter-friendly, six-team AFL. The other two Sox position players were catcher Christian Vazquez and corner infielder Michael Almanzar. Vazquez, known for his defensive prowess, finished with a respectable .257/.395/.429 line marked by boom-or-bust results from game to game. Although Almanzar, who split his time between first and third base, was named to the Rising Stars game, he struggled at the plate, hitting just .185 on 15 hits in 82 at-bats, striking out 19 times and walking seven. His .506 OPS was second-lowest among qualifying hitters on the circuit.

On the mound, the Sox were represented by four right-handed relievers: Brock Huntzinger, Chris Martin, Ryan Pressly and Pete Ruiz. Huntzinger, returning to the AFL after pitching as a starter last season, put up the best ERA of the four at 1.93 over 14 innings, but it was Martin who arguably turned in the best performance. Martin, a 26-year-old who split his time between the Portland rotation and bullpen this season, allowed eight hits and one walk in 10 2/3 innings, striking out 12, but posted a 3.38 ERA. Pressly got hit a bit, allowing 18 in 14 innings en route to a 3.86 ERA, but his 18-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio showed that his stuff was, at times, very strong. Ruiz, playing a bit over his head after an injury-hampered season at High A Salem, struggled, allowing 11 earned runs in 12 innings, although he did strike out 16.

Dominican Baseball League

The Sox’ largest contingent to the Caribbean is to the Dominican league, as seven current Sox play (or played) on four teams. First baseman Mauro Gomez, the 2012 International League MVP who fans became familiar with during his time in Boston, has received extensive playing time for the Leones (Lions) del Escogido. In his club-leading 122 at-bats, he is hitting .238/.376/.426 with four home runs.

Joining Gomez in Escogido are knuckleballer Steven Wright, who just returned home to the U.S. after five strong starts in which he had a 2.48 ERA, allowing 27 hits and 7 walks while striking out 19 in 29 innings, and catcher Matt Spring, who has just four at-bats in three games.

Other Sox in the Dominican include catcher Dan Butler and shortstop Pedro Ciriaco with the Toros (Bulls) del Este. Butler has struggled to a .164 average in 73 at-bats, while Ciriaco recently returned to the U.S. after suffering a shoulder injury after just 20 at-bats. He is expected to be ready for spring training and has been making promotional appearances in New England this week.

Right-hander Stolmy Pimentel has made eight appearances for the Estrellas (Stars) de Oriente, six starts, struggling to a 5.87 ERA in 23 innings. Finally, reliever Josh Fields was released by the Aguilas Cibaenas (Eagles of Cibao) after eight appearances in which he allowed eight runs in six innings.

Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico) Baseball League

Six Sox are playing in Puerto Rico, which only started on Nov. 8, headlined by the top Sox prospect playing in the Caribbean, pitcher Anthony Ranaudo. The 9 1/3 innings Ranaudo threw for the Criollos (Creoles) de Caguas apparently are it, as he has reportedly returned to the U.S. after suffering a groin injury in the first inning of his start on Nov. 28. Ranaudo’s other three starts were inconsistent: He was very good in his first and third, tossing seven scoreless innings, but he got shelled in his second start, lasting just 1 2/3 innings and allowing six runs on six hits. If he is indeed done until the spring, this is another chapter in the struggle that has been his 2012 season. He also was shut down with shoulder fatigue.

There have been bright spots elsewhere. Ranaudo’s Caguas teammate, reliever Jose De La Torre, has allowed just three runs on nine hits in 11 innings, striking out 14 without giving up a walk.

Infielder Ivan De Jesus is hitting .373/.387/.508 in 59 at-bats for Atenienses (Athenians) de Manati, playing second base. He is teammates with Christian Vazquez, who joined Manati after the AFL ended and has hit .292/.393/.583 in 24 at-bats.

Right-hander Jeremy Kehrt, who bounced between Triple-A, Double-A and High A in 2012, has been starting for the Indios (Indians) de Mayaguez and turning in a solid performance. In 14 2/3 innings over four starts, he has allowed just three runs on 12 hits and two walks, striking out 10. However, he reportedly left his last start due to injury after just one inning.

Finally, outfielder Henry Ramos, playing a bit over his head after spending 2012 in Low A Greenville, is hitting .208 in 53 at-bats for Leones de Ponce.

Venezuelan Professional Baseball League

The Red Sox in Venezuela have had a mostly non-descript showing. Outfielders J.C. Linares and Ronald Bermudez, playing for the Leones del Caracas and Bravos (Braves) de Margarita, respectively, have 62 at-bats between them. Linares has just a .188 average and has not played since Nov. 7, while Bermudez’s mark is .233 with his last game coming Nov. 18.

Two other players, right-hander Luis Diaz and shortstop Heiker Meneses, started in the LVBP, but after barely playing -- 2 2/3 innings for Diaz and a single at-bat for Meneses -- they are now down in the Liga Paralela, or Parallel League, which is the LVBP minor league. Diaz has thrown six scoreless innings for Caracas there, while Meneses joined 20 other Sox prospects on the “Boston” team in the league. The Red Sox, fielding a club for the second year, are one of five major league teams, joining the Tigers, Phillies, Mariners and Rays, with an affiliate in the league, joining the minor league clubs of the LVBP teams. The 21 Sox players are joined by other non-affiliated free agents to fill out the roster.

The MVP of the Boston club has been catcher Alixon Suarez. After two years on the Red Sox’ Dominican Summer League team, he is hitting .329/.453/.553, by far the best line for a Sox minor leaguer. The top Sox pitcher on the club has been Victor Ramirez, who has followed up a strong pro debut in the DSL bullpen with 28 strong innings, allowing 23 hits and nine walks while striking out 15 en route to a 2.89 ERA in eight games, four starts.

Here is the full list of Sox minor leaguers who have played for the Boston Liga Paralela team:

Pitchers: Luis Bastardo, Ricardo Betancourt, Jose Espitia, Carlos Garcia, Sergio Gomez, Keivin Heras, Elis Jimenez, Victor Ramirez, Jervis Torrealba
Catchers: Leonel Escobar, Oscar Perez, David Soplika, Alixon Suarez
Infielders: Junior Estrella, Andres Garcia, Deiner Lopez, Heiker Meneses, Cleuluis Rondon
Outfielders: Robert Del Rosario, Dreily Guerrero

Mexican Pacific League

Three Sox players have competed in the Mexican Pacific League, not to be confused with the Mexican League, which runs at the same time as the U.S. minor league season and is considered to be approximately at the Triple-A level. Outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker began the league season with the Yaquis de Obregon, but was deactivated after 23 at-bats, reportedly because the team needed pitching. He did hit .261/.346/.565 with two home runs and three steals in that small sample, continuing to show his trademark power/speed combo.

Right-hander Marco Duarte, a reliever who split his time between High-A and Double-A this year before being suspended 50 games for testing positive for an amphetamine, has been starting for Aguilas de Mexicali. Despite throwing just 42 innings during the U.S. season, he has thrown 38 2/3 in nine games, eight of those starts, and posted a 5.59 ERA, striking out 44 while allowing 47 hits and 18 walks. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he has been tiring of late, allowing 17 runs on 20 hits in 11 innings over his last three starts after allowing just seven runs on 27 hits in his first 27 2/3 innings.

Finally, rookie-level outfielder Jesus Loya recently debuted for the Naranjeros (Orange Growers) de Hermosillo, playing in five games mostly as a defensive replacement in center field and going hitless in five at-bats.

Colombian Professional Baseball League

The Red Sox do not have a player under contract playing in Colombia, although minor league free agent Reynaldo Rodriguez is hitting .286 for the Leones del Monteria with a .516 on-base percentage.

Australian Baseball League/World Baseball Classic Qualifier

Finally, we reach the non-Caribbean international competitions. The third and fourth qualifying tournaments for the World Baseball Classic took place in mid-November, and first baseman Boss Moanaroa and catcher Beau Bishop played for the New Zealand team that competed in Taiwan. The Kiwis fell to Taiwan in the qualifier final, but both players acquitted themselves well in the tournament, Moanaroa hitting 4-for-14 with three walks in the four games, clubbing the Kiwis’ only home run, while Bishop went 2-for-10 with five walks and a double.

Because of the tournament, Moanaroa, who grew up in Australia and holds dual citizenship there and in New Zealand, missed the first two weeks of the Australian Baseball League season, where he is playing for the Sydney Blue Sox. He has failed to carry his strong WBC performance over to that league, going 0 for his first 21, drawing three walks and striking out 11 times.

The other Sox player in the league is pitcher Daniel McGrath, who signed a contract in February but has yet to debut stateside. He has made four appearances as a reliever for the Melbourne Aces, allowing five runs, three earned, in 6 1/3 innings on eight hits and two walks, striking out six. At 18, he’s young for the league, which features players who have made it as high as Triple-A and Double-A.

Look for Boston to make three to five roster moves on Tuesday to protect some minor leaguers from selection by other teams in the 2012 Rule 5 Draft.

Eligible players must be added to their teams’ respective 40-man rosters by close-of-business on Nov. 20 in order to be protected from selection in the Rule 5 Draft, which is scheduled to take place on Dec. 6, the final day of the winter meetings. If selected, the player must stick on the drafting team’s 25-man roster for the entire 2013 season, or must be offered back to the Red Sox.

The following players in the Red Sox system will be eligible to be selected if they are not added to the 40-man roster by close-of-business on Tuesday:

Michael Almanzar, Chris Balcom-Miller, Luis Bastardo, Jeremiah Bayer, Ronald Bermudez, Carson Blair, Dan Butler, Miguel Celestino, William Cuevas, Jose De La Torre, Ryan Dent, Marco Duarte, Leonel Escobar, Josh Fields, Jose Garcia, Zach Gentile, Derrik Gibson, Aly Gonzalez, Alex Hassan, Jeremy Hazelbaker, Drew Hedman, Jon Hee, Pete Hissey, Brock Huntzinger, Jeremy Kehrt, Will Latimer, Mitch Maier, Heiker Meneses, Boss Moanaroa, Gerardo Olivares, Oscar Perez, Ryan Pressly, Manny Rivera, Charle Rosario, Pete Ruiz, Felix Sanchez, Matt Spring, Kyle Stroup, Tony Thomas, Christian Vazquez, Raynel Velette, Allen Webster, Ryan Westmoreland, Shannon Wilkerson, Tyler Wilson, Alex Wilson, and Steven Wright.

Boston’s 40-man roster presently has 39 players on it, leaving only one open roster spot -- and that’s before the club has made any major forays into the free-agent market. However, a handful of players on the 40-man roster are candidates to be designated for assignment, so there is certainly some flexibility to add more than one player. It’s expected that about three to five players will be added on Nov. 20.

The primary candidates are right-handers Allen Webster and Alex Wilson and catcher Christian Vazquez. Webster and Vazquez each ended the 2012 season with Double-A Portland, while Wilson spent the entire campaign in Triple-A Pawtucket.

Webster, 22, was acquired from Los Angeles in the August 2012 megadeal. He spent most of the 2012 season with Double-A Chattanooga, where he went 6-8 with a 3.55 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 117 strikeouts, and 57 walks in 121.2 innings. He features a solid 92-95-mph fastball, a plus 82-84-mph changeup, and a solid-average mid-80s slider. He projects well as a back-end starter, and is expected to open the 2013 season with Pawtucket. He’s a sure bet to be added to the 40-man.

Similarly, Wilson almost surely will be added to the roster this week. A former second-round draft pick, Wilson was converted from Pawtucket’s starting rotation to the bullpen in early 2012. He ended the season with a 3.72 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 78 strikeouts, and 33 walks in 72.2 innings. The 26-year-old’s arsenal includes a 92-95-mph fastball that tends to be on the flat side, an inconsistent but occasionally-plus mid-80s slider, and a below-average mid-80s changeup. He struggles with keeping a consistent release point, which has had adverse effects on his command. With a few improvements in his main development areas, he has the makings of a seventh-inning reliever.

Between stops with Portland and High-A Salem, Vazquez posted a line of.254/.344/.369 with 7 home runs. Having just turned 22, the Puerto Rican backstop still has intriguing potential. He is an excellent defensive catcher with a strong frame, solid agility, a plus arm, and decent ball-blocking and game-calling skills. On offense, he shows average bat speed and power potential, but struggles against high-velocity fastballs and sharp breaking balls. At this stage, he profiles as a dependable backup catcher, but could develop into a platoon starter. The front office reportedly thinks very highly of Vazquez, and as such it’s believed he’ll be protected.

Five other candidates to be added are right-handers Josh Fields, Steven Wright and Brock Huntzinger, catcher Dan Butler, and outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker. Of those five prospects, the most likely to be protected are Fields and Hazelbaker.

The 27-year-old Fields had a breakout season in 2012, posting a 2.01 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, while striking out 78 and walking 18 in 58.1 innings. With a major league caliber fastball and curveball, he’s the type of pitcher that could easily stick at the back end of a major league bullpen for all of 2013, while having value as a potential 7th/8th-inning reliever in his peak years. If left unprotected, he would be a strong candidate to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft.

Wright was acquired from Cleveland for Lars Anderson in July. The 28-year-old knuckleballer can serve as a spot starter at the major league level, but might have a tough time sticking on a 25-man roster for an entire season. It’s more likely than not that he’ll be left unprotected.

Huntzinger is in a similar but slightly different situation as a reliever. He might be able to stick as a back-end reliever in a second-division bullpen, but he also doesn’t have the type of upside that other teams typically target in the Rule 5 Draft. The same goes for Butler -- he could probably make a major league club as a limited backup, but his ceiling is just that. Boston may risk leaving both players unprotected, but it wouldn’t be an absolute surprise if either were added to the 40-man.

On the other hand, Hazelbaker has a glimmer of impact potential. Between Portland and Pawtucket, he hit .273/.335/.472 with 19 home runs and 36 stolen bases in 2012. His speed and power combination, coupled with his ability to play an adequate left field and center field, make him an attractive Rule 5 candidate. The 25-year-old former fourth-round pick would make a nice bench option for a second-division team in 2013, with the potential to develop further in future years.

Other than the eight players listed above, it seems unlikely that any other players in the Red Sox system will be protected this week, but you never know. Potentially unprotected Red Sox players who other teams may be willing to take a flyer on in next month’s Rule 5 Draft include pitchers Miguel Celestino, William Cuevas and Ryan Pressly, infielders Michael Almanzar and Heiker Meneses, and outfielder Alex Hassan. The Boston front office has likely calculated that even if drafted, those players have lesser chances of sticking on another club’s 25-man roster in 2013, thus they would be returned to Boston in the spring.

No player in the Red Sox system is untradeable. However, you can rest assured that there are several prospects that the club won't be "shopping" and won't be traded unless the team is overwhelmed. Players like Xander Bogaerts, Matt Barnes, and Jackie Bradley are part of the team's future plans, and it remains highly unlikely that they'll be traded unless a cost-controlled, above-average regular is coming back in return. But if the organization wants to make a splash in the trade market this offseason, here's a look at some prospects whom the Sox might shop (together with SoxProspects.com ranking).

Rubby De La Rosa (5) -- Trading an advanced high-ceiling pitcher is not something that's high on Boston's to-do list -- particularly one who hasn't thrown an inning in the organization to this point. However, the team may have to package those types of prospects to get significant major league value in return. A 23-year-old starter who gained some major league experience in 2011, De La Rosa missed most of the 2012 season rehabbing from August 2011 Tommy John surgery. He throws a plus mid-to-high-90s fastball, a plus changeup, and a fringe-average slider. If he can refine his command and improve secondary pitches, he could develop into a No. 3 starter in the short-term. Even if he doesn't improve those aspects of his game, he still profiles as a high-leverage reliever. To find the last time the Red Sox flipped a trade acquisition before he played a game in the organization, you have to go all the way back to third baseman Andy Marte, who was acquired from Atlanta for Edgar Renteria in December 2005, and then traded to Cleveland in the Coco Crisp deal in January 2006.

Garin Cecchini (7) -- The 21-year-old third baseman might be expendable due to the presence of Will Middlebrooks and Xander Bogaerts in the organization (considering Bogaerts' possible move to third base somewhere down the line). Cecchini is a plus hitter with solid mechanics, impressive instincts, good plate discipline, slightly above-average power potential, and above-average speed. He hit .305/.394/.433 with 4 home runs and 51 stolen bases for Low-A Greenville in 2012. He also plays a decent third base with a strong arm. He's looking like he could develop into a major leaguer regular at this point, with the potential to be a long-term impact regular on a first-division club. He's still got some ways to go to reach his potential, but he'd be a very attractive trade chip.

Brandon Workman (12) -- Workman is a sell-high candidate coming off of a season in which he took home the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year award. He went 10-8, posting a 3.50 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, striking out 130, and walking just 25 batters in 138.2 innings between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland. At 24, he has solid stuff, but his jerky mechanics may prevent him from sticking as a starter over the long term. However, some team may see the potential to correct those mechanical flaws and turn the native Texan into a No. 3 or No. 4 starter, in which case someone might be willing to give up decent value for Workman.

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