The Red Sox’ annual January rookie program looks significantly different this year than in previous years -- and that’s by design.
Typically, the club hosts a small group of players in Boston for a few days for its rookie development program, which includes conditioning drills, seminars and activities aimed at getting top young players acclimated with the team’s home city. This year, the Red Sox are hosting 28 prospects at their spring training facility in Fort Myers for a “Winter Warm-Up” program instead.
In previous years, the rookie program included limited on-field work in Boston College’s football bubble but was more focused on off-field work. This time around, at Fenway South, the days are heavy on baseball activities. That allows for a more natural progression into minor-league spring training, which begins in a few weeks.
“It was an opportunity to get a larger group of players into a warmer climate,” said Sox director of player development Brian Abraham. “We have had the rookie program in Boston. The weather limits us. We do have some workouts, but they’re very limited workouts. It’s certainly a focus on strength and conditioning, which is great, but guys aren’t really able to have their full workloads or they take time away from their progression toward spring training. Here, no matter where those players are coming from, they’re able to hit the ground running here at camp in the warmer weather.
Among the 28 players at Fenway South are a few of Boston’s top prospects, including former first-round picks Triston Casas and Nick Yorke as well as infielder Blaze Jordan and outfielder Gilberto Jimenez. Those four players are all ranked among the club’s top 10 prospects (per SoxProspects.com); four other attendees -- pitchers Chris Murphy, Brandon Walter and Thaddeus Ward and infielder Alex Binelas -- rank in the 10-20 range.
Notably missing are all of the club’s prospects on the 40-man roster (including Jarren Duran, Jeter Downs, Brayan Bello, Jay Groome and Bryan Mata), who are currently subject to MLB lockout rules that prohibit contact between teams and major-league players. All but one of Boston’s 2021 draft picks, including No. 4 overall pick Marcelo Mayer, are also absent, in part because the club wants to allow them to spend ample time at home before a long first professional season.
“One of the most difficult things for a first-year player is that first off-season,” Abraham said. “They’re away from the setting of a high school or a college where they have a set plan and they’re working out at that particular facility. For these guys, having that first off-season to their own is a chance to grow and develop and understand who they are and what they’re able to do on their own. We wanted to allow them to continue to do that.”
Over the next five days, the 28 players will have individual meetings with coaches and staffers, group seminars and other educational opportunities. They’ll get in the gym, just like they would in Boston, but hitters will also take batting practice and pitchers will throw side sessions to stay on their throwing programs. The goal, Abraham said, is to simulate a regular day of spring training, just earlier on the calendar.
“A fairly heavy day, but at the same time, not trying to wear these guys out too early in the season,” he said.
The camp will also allow some newcomers (like Binelas and David Hamilton, who were acquired from the Brewers in the Hunter Renfroe-Jackie Bradley Jr. trade in December) to get acclimated to their new organization. Four of the 28 players in attendance joined the Sox this winter; six are entering their first spring training with the club.
While Abraham was quick to caution that the “Winter Warm-Up” is not a replacement for the regular rookie development program, he did acknowledge that there are some significant advantages to huddling in Fort Myers at this time of year. His hope is that a good number of the attendees will remain in southwest Florida after Friday and stay in town for the team’s other organized activities before minor-league camp begins in full in mid-March.
“I think the majority of the group is actually staying down here to transition right to our optional winter programs, then transition to our invite-only mini camp,” he said. “That was one of the points of having it this time of year, to hopefully get guys to come here then stay throughout.”
Related links:
MLB lockout update: Players Association, league to meet for second straight day Tuesday (report)
Ad Choices