Come February a former New York Yankees first-round draft choose, will get an opportunity to show himself to their longtime rivals.
Left-hander T.J. Sikkema, 27, is considered one of seven non-roster invitees to Crimson Sox spring coaching, the membership introduced Tuesday.
Catcher Jason Delay, infielder Vinny Capra, lefty Alec Gamboa, and right-handers Osvaldo Berrios, Hobie Harris and Devin Candy spherical out the group.
The Yankees drafted Sikkema thirty eighth general within the ‘19 draft. He was considered one of three minor league pitchers they dealt to the Kansas Metropolis Royals for former Crimson Sox star Andrew Benintendi on the ‘22 MLB commerce deadline.
Sikkema spent the final two years within the Cincinnati Reds group. Final 12 months he reached Triple-A for the primary time, and pitched to a 3.47 ERA over 5 video games (4 begins) with 9 earned runs allowed over 23.1 innings, following the late-August promotion.
Whereas the Crimson Sox had a top-ranked farm system final 12 months, their catching depth is notoriously skinny. Delay, 30, has 134 video games of big-league expertise with the 2022-24 Pittsburgh Pirates, together with 131 behind the dish, a profession .231/.333/.400 line within the majors. He spent final season with the Double-A and Triple-A ranges of the Atlanta Braves group.
Capra, 29, appeared in 47 main league video games final season, 24 with the Milwaukee Brewers and 23 with the Chicago White Sox. Since his debut with the ‘22 Toronto Blue Jays, he has performed 67 big-league video games over the past 4 years.
Although a lifetime .133/.181/.188 hitter within the majors, Capra brings defensive versatility to the desk. In simply 58 fielding video games, he has already coated third base, second, shortstop, left and proper area, and made three pitching appearances.
Gamboa, 28, involves the Crimson Sox after a season break up between the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis Comets and the Lotte Giants of the Korean Baseball League. He was the Dodgers’ ninth-round choose in ‘19, and owns a 4.23 ERA over 131 profession minor league video games, together with 41 begins.
Berrios is considered one of a number of former St. Louis Cardinals who will probably be in Crimson Sox camp subsequent month. The Puerto Rico native break up final season between Cardinals’ Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. Working primarily in reduction, he logged a 5.12 ERA and struck out 62 over 58 innings (40 video games, 4 begins).
Harris’ identify will seemingly be acquainted to Crimson Sox followers, as he spent all of final season in Triple-A Worcester. The 32-year-old righty posted a 4.05 ERA with 45 strikeouts over 31 reduction appearances and one begin. He additionally has 16 video games of main league expertise, from his time with the ‘23 Washington Nationals.
Like Sikkema, Harris is a former Yankees draft choose; they chose him within the thirty first spherical in 2015.
The Crimson Sox signed Candy to a minor league deal final month. He has seven video games of big-league expertise between the ‘23 Seattle Mariners and then-Oakland Athletics. He spent final season with the Philadelphia Phillies’ Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, with whom he posted a 5.08 ERA over 46 video games, together with two begins, and struck out 49 batters in 51.1 innings.
Tumbling from high spot
Coming into final spring coaching, the Crimson Sox earned the highest spot in Baseball America’s farm system rankings for the primary time because the publication started their assessments in 1984.
“The Crimson Sox have returned to the highest of the farm system rankings, even after dealing 4 prospects to the White Sox to carry Garrett Crochet to Boston,” Baseball America’s clarification acknowledged. “No different group can match the trio of Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, and Boston’s pitching depth has improved as properly.”
The publication’s annual Prospect Handbook ranks the Crimson Sox 14th.
Chalk a few of that as much as the aforementioned trio making their respective big-league debuts and progressing out of prospect eligibility. Gamers like Anthony don’t precisely develop on bushes.
Different high prospects, like slugging outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia, have since been traded away. (Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has made a staggering 49 trades since taking the reins in November ’23.)
At current, most of Boston’s present high prospects are within the decrease ranges of the farm system. Three of the group’s high 5 on MLB Pipeline are anticipated to debut in 2027 or later; the exceptions are lefties Payton Tolle (No. 2) and Connelly Early (No.4), who each debuted late final season however stay prospect-eligible.
