True believers: Devers to Futures Game
The Red Sox’ future, plus plenty of reminders of their recent past, will be on full display at the Futures Game two days before the Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in Miami.
The sole representative for the Red Sox will be third baseman Rafael Devers, who is expected to move up to Triple A any day now.
Devers, whose importance to the ballclub has grown rapidly since the demise of third baseman Pablo Sandoval’s skills, will be teammates on Team World with two former Red Sox farmhands, second baseman Yoan Moncada of the Chicago White Sox organization and shortstop Mauricio Dubon from Milwaukee.
And on Team USA, righthander Michael Kopech will be present in the July 9 minor league showcase.
Few need a reminder that Kopech and Moncada were the important pieces leaving the Red Sox last December in a trade for left-handed starter Chris Sale, who appears headed to the MLB All-Star Game. So far, they have shined — Moncada has 10 homers and 29 RBI in Triple A, Kopech had 94 strikeouts in 72 innings in Double A — just as Sale has with the Red Sox, making the trade a win-win transaction.
Dubon was one of four players, including Travis Shaw, the Red Sox shipped during the winter to Milwaukee for reliever Tyler Thornburg. Thornburg started the season on the disabled list with an apparent shoulder injury, but later was shut down for the season and required surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Considering he will not pitch at all this season, the trade is viewed as a big win by the Brewers and big loss by the Red Sox.
Dubon recently was promoted to Triple A after swiping 31 bases in Double A.
The presence of the trio of former Hub farmhands will be tough to ignore from a Red Sox angle, but Devers offers fairly good competition.
The 20-year-old has 16 home runs with 48 RBI for Double-A Portland. The team is not in a rush to promote Devers to the majors.
“I know Rafael has a lot of attention on him, he’s one of the best young prospects I think in all of pro baseball,” said Red Sox manager John Farrell, “so to see his name on that roster is not a complete surprise and I think through these opportunities, to perform in that setting on that stage, I think goes a long way in his dealing with some of the notoriety that’s going to continue to come his way.”
Devers received an invitation to big league camp in February and March, and he left a positive impression on Farrell and the coaching staff.
“We saw a guy the deeper we went into camp, the more he was around our environment daily, I think he began to gain a little bit more comfort than maybe the first impression.” said Farrell. “It’s so much different when you’ve got a guy that comes over for a game from minor league camp to fill in and then the next year when they’re in major league camp as a full-time player, that takes on great significance and I think in Raffy’s case, I think there was a little — I don’t want to say anxiety — but there was some emotion because he was a 20-year-old kid in big league camp. I think in his mind, that time is getting closer. So the more he was around us, the more comfort he gained.”
Devers’ bat skills are considered beyond his tender age.
“He clearly showed tremendous bat potential — he’s got power to all fields, really good bat speed and has continued on at Portland here,” said Farrell. “But as it relates to a young guy making his way, they’ll tell you when they’re ready for the next set of challenges and I would guess that his time is coming for the next set.”
Devers’ defense lags behind his offense but the club has no plans to change his position.
“You know he’s a big kid, we know that, but he’s been solid at third base,” said Farrell. “I think when you look around baseball, those that are able to play that position that can produce offensively what you would expect out of the third base position, those are unique guys. And we’re certainly not in any rush to move him off that position.”