By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Minor League Baseball season opens up on Thursday and the Red Sox have finalized assignments for their top prospects.
Double-A Portland will feature four of the top 10 prospects in the Red Sox system (according to our rankings): third baseman Bobby Dalbec (#1), left-handed pitcher Darwinzon Hernandez (#3), right-handed pitcher Durbin Feltman (#6), and right-hander Tanner Houck (#8).
Dalbec, Feltman, and Hernandez all generated buzz in spring training.
Talent evaluators peg Feltman, a third round pick just last summer, as a potential call-up candidate to bolster the Red Sox bullpen this summer. Hernandez, a hard-throwing lefty, will begin the year in Portland’s rotation, and could potentially be viewed as a bullpen piece later this year as well.
Dalbec was one of the top power hitters in the minors last year with 32 home runs.
OMAHA, NE – JUNE 28: Third basemen Bobby Dalbec #3 of the Arizona Wildcats hits an RBI single against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the first inning during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 28, 2016 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
The Sox have assigned corner infielder Michael Chavis (#2) to Triple-A Pawtucket, where he is expected to see time at second base.
2018 first round pick Triston Casas (#3), who injured his thumb in his professional debut last year and missed the rest of the season, will begin 2019 at Low-A Greenville.
2016 first round pick Jay Groome (#5) will begin the year on the injured list as he recovers from Tommy John surgery last May.
You can hear Matt McCarthy on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s own Hardcore Baseball podcast and on various 98.5 The Sports Hub programs. Follow him on Twitter @MattMcCarthy985.