Jarren Duran, hottest prospect in Red Sox system, promoted to Double-A Portland
By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com
Jarren Duran, the 2018 Red Sox draftee who has torn up the Carolina League in Single-A Salem for the first two months of 2019, has been promoted to Double-A Portland.
The organization made the announcement Monday.
Duran is the leading-hitter in the minor leagues this season, batting .387 with a .998 OPS. He has four home runs, 13 doubles, three triples and has driven in 19 in 199 at-bats.
He is already considered one of the fastest players in professional baseball. Despite not making his professional debut until June, Duran led the minors in triples last year with 11 between Single-A Lowell and Single-A Greenville. He went 24-for-34 in stolen base attempts last year and is 18-for-23 this year.
Jarren Duran first to third. Quick pic.twitter.com/QK7rYi3ExO
— Mike martin (@Mwm7989) April 28, 2019
The Sox picked Duran out of Long Beach State in the seventh round of last year’s draft. He played second base in college, but was moved to the outfield once he turned pro. He split time between right field and second base in 2018 and has exclusively played center field in 2019
The jump from Single-A to Double-A is considered the toughest in the minors, so this promotion will go a long way in determining whether Duran is a legitimate top prospect or is just a flash in the pan. But there is no doubt that arriving in Portland after less than one year in professional baseball is an impressive accomplishment.
Duran entered the season as the 12th ranked prospect in the Red Sox system by Baseball America and is currently the third ranked player in the organization by SoxProspects.com.
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.
