BOSTON, MA – APRIL 19: Ronaldo Hernandez #59 of the Boston Red Sox. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
The Boston Red Sox appear to be heading toward a fire sale as the trade deadline approaches. Which three prospects should get their major league call-up?
The Boston Red Sox seem as though they’re ready to concede their pursuit of the playoffs in 2022. After reaching the American League Championship Series last season, this has to be a devastating blow for Red Sox Nation.
J.D. Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi, and others may be on their way out of Beantown by Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline. If that occurs, there’ll be some spots to fill on the major league roster. These three prospects should be first in line when the time comes.
1. Red Sox should call up Ronaldo Hernandez after the fire sale
Ronaldo Hernandez is running out of options. Literally, the catching prospect has just one minor league option remaining according to FanGraphs. Hernandez signed an international free agent with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014 and has been in the Red Sox organization since last season.
Hernandez has spent the entire 2022 season at Triple-A Worcester. He’s hitting .279 and haas 10 round trippers on the season. While Hernandez doesn’t get a lot of free passes (3.3% walk-rate), the 24-year-old has a slugging percentage of .462 with 33 extra-base hits.
Christian Vazquez may be on his way out of Boston at this year’s trade deadline. The catcher is in the final year of his deal with the Red Sox and with an OPS+ 108, Vazquez could offer a cheaper alternative to Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras.
If the Boston Red Sox move on from Vazquez, Chaim Bloom needs to elevated Ronaldo Hernandez to the team’s big league roster. If Christian Vazquez is dealt, the only other catchers on the 40-man roster would be Kevin Plawecki and Connor Wong; neither of whom should be starting over Hernandez.