WORCESTER — The talent of the Red Sox’ top three prospects is undeniable, and has brought them to the highest level in the minors.
Now it’s time for them to put the finishing touches on their game to prepare for the next stop and get a taste of what lies ahead.
“I told all three of the kids, this is finishing school now,” WooSox manager Chad Tracy said. “You’re talented, you go through A-ball and Double A and your talent carries you. Now this is where you have to start thinking along with the pitcher, they’re going to be able to execute things that they can’t in Double A, all those little things.”
Second-ranked prospect Roman Anthony and third-ranked prospect Kyle Teel, along with the rest of the WooSox, faced a challenge on Wednesday night in Lehigh Valley starter Mick Abel, a 2020 first-round pick and the Phillies’ sixth-best prospect. Abel was on his game, scattering three hits over five innings, although Teel did collect one of the four walks Abel issued. Teel then had to face a bonafide major-leaguer in Dylan Covey, a reliever on a rehab assignment with 100 MLB appearances under his belt. Covey got Teel to strike out swinging.
“The strike zone changes sometimes for the better for the hitters at this point. It gets smaller but the quality of the stuff, the experience on the mound, all those things change,” Tracy said. “You’re playing against guys, quite a few that have got big league experience and have that savvy about them.
“So this piece is big for them to be able to go out and face a guy who has played in the big leagues and is able to locate stuff and do what they want with the ball.”
Another aspect of Triple-A baseball that the newcomers will have to wrap their heads around is the new challenge system, which wasn’t in place in Double A. It effects Teel the most as a catcher (only catchers, pitchers or hitters can challenge), and he showed no hesitancy in using his challenges behind the plate on Tuesday night in his WooSox debut.
“He grabbed a few. We were all kind of in the dugout like, ‘oh boy’, and he got them all right,” Tracy said. “He did a good job.”
Teel had the added challenge on Tuesday of catching for Shane Drohan, who hadn’t pitched in the Red Sox system all year.
“Besides [Wyatt Olds] and [Zach] Penrod, I haven’t caught any of them before,” Teel said Tuesday. “But they did such a great job explaining their stuff to me and we got on the same page very quickly and that’s important.”
Just two days into their Triple-A tenure, there’s still a lot to learn for the Red Sox’ top prospects, but plenty of time to take it all in.
“At the end of the day we’ve hit and we’ve done what we’ve had to do to get here so we know that,” Anthony said. “Just having that confidence and knowing and willingness to learn…there’s a lot of guys here who have been in the big leagues and who have been in our spot. So just being here learning every day, keeping an open mind.”
WooSox 2, IronPigs 1
Despite ekeing out just four hits, the WooSox held on for the one-run win thanks to some strong pitching performances. Richard Fitts tossed five solid innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out five. His only blemish was a solo home run in the third.
Greg Weissert pitched a scoreless sixth, and Brian Van Belle came through with three huge scoreless innings to close out the game and earn the win. Van Belle got into some trouble in the ninth, but escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam, getting Carlos De La Cruz to strike out and Kody Clemens to fly out to center.
Chase Meidroth started off the eighth with a walk and the WooSox pushed him across thanks to a two-out RBI single from Bobby Dalbec. Mark Contreras drove in the WooSox’ first run in the fifth.
Notes
- Marcelo Mayer took batting practice on Wednesday, signaling he might be in line to make his WooSox on-field debut in the next couple of days. Tracy said on Tuesday that the club wanted Mayer to be pain-free in all of his activities before he got in the lineup for Worcester.
- After he opted to become a free agent last week, pitcher Brad Keller re-signed with the Red Sox on a minor league deal and will start for the WooSox on Tuesday.
What’s Next
Longtime Bruins broadcaster Jack Edwards will be on hand as the Throwback Thursday guest and will sign autoggraphs in the Sherwood Diner during innings 3-6 on Thursday night. First pitch is at 6:45 p.m. with Justin Hagenman on the hill for Worcester.
