This offseason, we'll be taking a look, position-by-position, at the Red Sox minor league system.
Today: Second base
Overview: At least for now, there's no position on the diamond more unsettled for the 2022 Red Sox than second base. Last year, Kikรฉ Hernandez began the season at second base, but by June, had migrated to center field where he played superbly. Hernandez is the wild card here -- he could play one or the other, and until the Sox fill in their outfield picture, that remains unsettled.
But let's assume that Hernandez remains in center. That leaves Christian Arroyo as the Guy on the Roster Most Likely to Start There. Arroyo played well in 2021, but durability was an issue, as it's been for much of his career. Arroyo had separate IL stints for bruised hand, a hamstring/groin and COVID, which limited him to just 57 games played.
Other options are strictly of the reserve variety, like Jonathan Arauz and Jack Lopez.
There remains the outside possibility of signing, say, Trevor Story, and moving him to second, or having him play short while moving Xander Bogaerts over to second. For now, that seems like a distinct longshot.
TOP PROSPECTS:
1) Jeter Downs
A year ago at this time, the expectation was that Downs would have a strong season at Triple A Worcester and signal that he was ready to compete for the starting job in 2022. But that's not happening.
Jeter had a miserable 2021 (.190/.272/.333) and took a big step backward rather than forward in his development. He salvaged that with a hot streak in September in the final month of the season, then showed some real pop early in the Arizona Fall League, belting five homers in 14 games.
The Red Sox aren't close to giving up on Downs. In retrospect, after he lost the 2020 season because of the pandemic, it might have been smart to start him at Double A before challenging him at a higher level. Downs got into some bad habits at the plate and took a long time to correct them.
MLB Profile: Downs is athletic enough to handle second and his arm is more than capable to project there. Offensively, he's got pull power and could develop into a 35-double, 15-homer type in the big leagues. But he'll need to re-establish his value with a bounce-back first half. Just 23, he's got plenty of time.
ETA: Late 2022/2023
2) Nick Yorke
The Red Sox took a lot of grief within the industry when they made Yorke their top pick in 2020. The consensus was that they selected him as an underslot choice in order to better spread out their draft allocation. But Yorke made them look smart with a .325/.412/.516 slash line and 14 homers, splitting the season between Low A and High A. The Sox named him their 2021 Offensive Player of the Year. He's now considered the third-best prospect in the organization on most lists.
Yorke helped himself by dropping 25 pounds last offseason, making him more athletic. He doesn't have great speed, but is said to be a good, instinctive baserunner.
MLB Profile: Yorke projects as an offense-first second baseman, but he's just 19. Still, there are some already dreaming of a middle infield combination of Yorke and Marcelo Mayer.
ETA: Late 2024
3) Tyler McDonough
McDonough was the team's third-round pick out of North Carolina State last summer and had a strong pro debut with an .888 OPS in 27 games at Low A Salem. McDonough has shown a lot of versatility, and can play second, third and center field. Given the need for versatile players in the modern game, he could serve the Sox in that capacity assuming he continues on a strong development path.
A switch-hitter, McDonough shows better-than-average power, and has the ability to be an above-average defender at a number of positions.
MLB Profile: It appears as though either Downs or Yorke will be the Red Sox' second baseman of the future, but McDonough represents some insurance at the position, as well as the ability to contribute as a super-utility piece.
ETA: Late 2024/2025.
4) Cameron Cannon
Cannon has been somewhat forgotten since being selected in the second round from the University of Arizona. After a disappointing first pro season and then the lost season of 2020, he redeemed himself somewhat with a strong 2021 at High A Greenville, where he made more regular contact and showed some power (14 homers). He then struggled to adapt at Double A for the final month.
MLB Profile: It's likely the 2022 season will be a make-or-break year for him. If he can keep progressing at the plate, he might force himself into the picture; if he doesn't wow anyone in 2022, he could fall behind the rest of the middle infield prospects and be consigned to, at best, an up-and-down depth option.
ETA: Late 2023.