BOSTON — Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell commanded headlines for Pink Sox prospects, and their respective ascents might open doorways for others in Boston’s system.
Campbell made waves when the 22-year-old made a three-level rise from Excessive-A Greenville to Triple-A Worcester. Jhostynxon Garcia additionally rose up the Pink Sox system when he ascended from Low-A Salem to Double-A Portland.
Garcia enters this season as Boston’s No. 12 prospect, in keeping with Sox Prospects, and as excessive as No. 9, in keeping with MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old could have ample alternative to seize the highlight and present how deep the Pink Sox’s prospect pool is.
“To me, a man who can play plus protection and may influence the baseball constantly, there’s at all times going to be a method to discover a spot for these guys. I feel it’s nearly consistency,” director of participant growth Brian Abraham advised NESN.com at Pink Sox growth camp Tuesday. “He spent a while in Double-A final 12 months, so he is perhaps a bit additional away than a few of these guys. However once more, I feel so long as he’s doing these issues constantly, day in and day trip, bettering his swing choices, bettering his bat-to-ball, there’s normally spots for actually good gamers. We’ll discover one someplace.”
Garcia hit 16 dwelling runs off a .998 OPS in 53 video games with Excessive-A Greenville final season. That earned him a promotion to Double-A Portland the place he didn’t obtain the identical degree of success — he earned a .706 OPS in 30 video games — however he’s feeling the rising assist from Pink Sox followers.
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“I felt it much more in Portland once I obtained as much as Double-A. Each time I went as much as bat or heat up or go play protection, the followers have been at all times yelling and cheering. It was very particular,” Garcia advised NESN.com through Carlos Villoria Benitez at Pink Sox growth camp.
Garcia’s rising fanfare led to the recognition of his nickname, “The Password.” The Venezuelan outfielder famous it was one thing he took a liking to when he noticed it on Twitter. It’s a nickname that caught on as he rose up the system. His worth as a right-handed bat additionally may very well be intriguing for Boston.
“We’re most likely just a little extra left-handed heavy we’d been prior to now, so to have a right-handed energy bat within the group, that’s actually one thing we might use and make the most of,” Abraham mentioned. “I feel at present you simply need good gamers to be good gamers. It’s exhausting, I feel on the event facet, to give attention to only a proper or lefty. So long as he will get higher, there might be alternatives for him.”
Abraham famous that as prospects like Anthony ascend up Boston’s ranks, there might be loads of at-bats for gamers like Garcia. Nevertheless, he’s not feeling any stress past private enchancment.
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“I really feel completely happy. Completely satisfied to be right here and be a part of this group with the entire different Pink Sox prospects. For me, it’s simply sticking to myself. I’m not anxious about anything. Simply making an attempt to play ball and benefit from the second.”
Garcia was protected against the Rule 5 draft when he was added to Boston’s 40-man roster, and he’ll get an opportunity to earn a highlight this spring earlier than the beginning of the Double-A season.
