The Arizona Fall League, having adjusted its schedule this year to begin earlier, has a week of games remaining. The Red Sox sent a handful of players to play for the Peoria Javelinas.
We caught up with a veteran major league scout who watched AFL action and got his scouting reports on some Red Sox prospects and how they looked.
OF Marcus Wilson: "He's one of those (mistake) hitters. He can hit a fastball; what he's got to do is learn to recognize the other pitches, so he can get the fastball — like most (young players). He's a good athlete and the tools are there. He's someone you want to be more patient with, so when it goes off, it can go off pretty good. It's kind of an all-or-nothing package.
"He read plays pretty well. It's tough out there with the high sky, but I thought he broke well on balls and threw well enough. There's nothing to hold him back defensively; it's basically wait-and-see on the bat, more than anything. He gets fooled pretty good by the finesse guys. When he gets underway, he moves pretty well. I would hope he would be better than a fourth outfielder, but I think he'll hit enough to at least be a backup guy.''
OF Jarren Duran: "I like him. I've seen him before. He gets good jumps, reads. He's really got good speed. He's quick, and a legit center fielder from what I saw. Some guys were concerned that maybe his instincts weren't as pure, but I didn't see any reason he can't succeed there. His arm is at least playable. His legs are what's going to make him.
"He's a guy who needs to focus on scoring runs, getting on base. He's got this uppercut (with his swing) and puts too many balls in the air. He gets underneath a lot of balls. But he's such a good athlete and if he's got any aptitude at all, he'll hit line drives, use the whole field, bunt, get on base, whatever. Topped ground balls, he can beat out.
"He's an exciting player. He's got a good frame and he's filled out some. He goes first-to-third pretty easily. He's aggressive early in the count; I would have him be selectively aggressive. He tends to want to do too much early in the count. He chases a bit early and he's getting himself down in the count and then they spin balls on him. He probably needs a full year at Triple A. Defensively, he can handle (the big leagues) right now.
INF C.J. Chatham: "I like Chatham. I haven't seen enough of him in the field to say what he is. He the old-school shortstop - you know, high-waisted, like (Don) Kessinger, (Mark) Belanger, like that in terms of actions. But he's got some hitting instincts and I think he's got the ability to make adjustments. He's got deceptive power. He showed that in BP. He's a kid that stays under control; he's got great poise. That's probably a reflection of his makeup. He's kind of that easy-going, calculated risk-taker.''
RHP Bryan Mata: "Mata's velocity has inched back up to where we thought it would be. His command was a little streakier than what his delivery suggested it was going to be. They need to let him pitch. He's got great pitching makeup as far as competitiveness and the ability to stay under control. He can spin the breaking ball. With added velocity and fastball life, he gets that "try to throw the ball by guys'' at times, but that's OK -- that's aggression. He needs to control it a little bit and learn to set-up pitches. He may be a year away, I don't know. I know his numbers may not say it, but he's a guy you could fast-track to the rotation. I think mentally he could handle it. He's a No. 4 as a floor, and either a No. 2 or No. 3 as a ceiling.''
RHP Tanner Houck: "He can give hitters a different look with that sinker. He's got the good one; it goes down and finished off the knee and on the ankles. He's gone back to who he is. He was trying to throw four-seamers up in the zone and he never seemed comfortable with that grip. Let him be who he is. He'll grind out some innings. He's a competitive kid. The defense has got to play behind him, obviously -- he's basically a ground ball pitcher who's going to pitch to contact and give you some innings. I see him as a fourth or fifth guy (in a rotation) and maybe better in time, who knows?
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