Later this week, the U.S. Olympic baseball team will begin a play-in tournament in Florida, hoping to secure one of the two remaining spots in the Olympic Games, set for later this summer in Japan.
The roster features an array of players, most of then former major leaguers -- including David Robertson, Matt Kemp, Matt Wieters and Todd Frazier -- intent on extending their playing careers and playing for their country. But tossed in among the list of established players are arguably the Red Sox' two best prospects -- first baseman Triston Casas and outfielder Jarren Duran.
(Top infield prospect Jeter Downs, a native of Colombia, will be playing for Team Colombia in the same play-in bracket).
A number of teams declined to make their prospects available for the team. But the Red Sox had no such reservations.
"I can't speak on what other players were asked or what their (teams') thought process was,'' said Brian Abraham, the Red Sox director of player development. "But for us, the opportunity for them to play in a competitive environment, against elite players and continue have a development process, maybe in a different setting than their own, and play for their country. Those opportunities obviously don't come around too often. So to have two guys who were interested in doing that, we thought it was a great opportunity.''
It helped that one of their own minor league coaches -- outfield instructor and baserunning coordinator Darren Fenster -- on the staff of Team USA also provided the Red Sox with additional comfort. Knowing Fenster would be on hand, as third base coach, helped convince the Sox that the players would be well cared for and the presence of former Angels manager Mike Scioscia also provided additional confidence in the assignments.
Abraham said that the Sox had been initially approached about the availability of a few other players, but Casas and Duran fit the positional needs for the roster and were the ones ultimately chosen.
Duran has had a great start at Triple-A Worcester and is tied for the league lead with seven homers. Casas, the team's first-round pick in 2018, is enjoying a similarly terrific beginning to his season for Double-A Portland with a .952 OPS and four homers in his first 17 games.
If Team USA is the team that emerges from this bracket, it will be guaranteed a spot in the Summer Games in Tokyo in late July. Another scenario could have Team USA finishing second or third in this bracket, which would mean they'd have another chance to make the Games in yet another qualifying round in Taiwan. Abraham said the Sox haven't yet committed to loaning out their players for that, saying that it will be re-evaluated as needed.
"In terms of where the players are and where the organization is,'' he said, "that's something that we'll have to deal with as it unfolds and see what happens. We'll continue to have those conversations.''
Last season, due to the pandemic, Casas, Duran and Downs didn't have the benefit of a traditional minor league season, thanks to the pandemic. They each took part in the team's alternate site, and Duran, in particular, benefitted from implementing a new swing which enabled him to drive the ball more.
Still, it was a conventional year of development, with a five-month schedule and the opportunity to compete in actual game settings. But Abraham said the Sox aren't worried that the trio will be missing additional development time during their Olympic experience.
"I would consider this a continuation of their development -- just in a different way,'' Abraham said. "With a member of our organization there, being able to be with them and knowing what they need to work on and what they need to continue to do, that's not a problem. To me, competitive baseball is the priority.''
The fact that the players will be, however briefly, teammates with a dozen or more players who have had successful major league careers, will be hugely beneficial.
"That type of experience is invaluable,'' Abraham said. "It's similar in some ways to being part of a major league camp (in spring training). You have players who have been with different teams, played at different levels, been part of World Series teams or All-Star teams, talking about their own experiences, what they've been through with all their different ups and downs -- just being around players who have taken different paths, is a huge positive for any player.
"Having the opportunity to be around players who have been in the game for a long time, and have had success at a high level -- you can't replicate that easily. I'm sure they'll take away a lot from this and use it for their growth.''