Top Red Sox prospect Franklin Arias promoted to Triple-A Worcester - The Boston Globe

What the report says

The Boston Globe reported that the Boston Red Sox promoted shortstop Franklin Arias from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, moving their top prospect within one level of the major leagues. The report, citing a major league source, said the 20-year-old earned the move after a dominant season in the Eastern League with the Sea Dogs.

According to the Globe, Arias led the Eastern League in OPS at .994 and was near the top of the circuit in several other categories, including a .318 batting average, .407 on-base percentage, .587 slugging percentage and 19 home runs. The Globe noted that those numbers stand out because Arias is among the youngest position players competing in the upper minors.

The Globe reported that Arias entered the year ranked No. 49 overall by Baseball America, with his defense and contact ability viewed as strengths while his power was still a question. After offseason work aimed at adding strength and improving his swing path and contact point, his home run production surged: he hit more homers in 75 games at Portland this year than he had across his first 240 professional games combined. Baseball America has since moved him to No. 3 in its updated rankings, according to the report.

The promotion places Arias in a select group of Red Sox position players over the last 50 years to reach Triple-A by age 20, joining Roman Anthony, Xander Bogaerts and Glenn Hoffman, the Globe reported. For Boston, the move is significant because Arias’ progress could shape the club’s future infield planning and adds another high-end young player to the organization’s upper-level pipeline.