The Boston Red Sox made yet another deadline move, trading away Mitch Moreland in exchange for Hudson Potts and Jeisson Rosario. While it hurts to see a fan favorite like Moreland move on, this move brings two young and exciting players into Boston’s depleted farm system. Let’s take a look at what both guys have to offer and see how they project at the next level.
Hudson Potts, Jeisson Rosario Scouting Report
Hudson Potts
Hudson Potts entered the season as the 16th-best prospect in the Padres organization, according to MLB Pipeline. While this ranking might not look like much at first glance, it’s worth noting that San Diego has one of the best farm systems in the league. The 21-year old infielder definitely has a shot to make it as a regular starter, and it all begins with his work at the plate.
Based on raw power alone, there aren’t many prospects better than Potts. According to Fangraphs, the right-handed hitter has a 60 raw power score on the 20-80 scale. This is well above-average and should bode well for his future. While his game power has a slightly less impressive 50 grade, his 6’-3” height and 205-pound build suggest that he has the ability to transfer that raw power into on-field production.
Potts spent the entire 2019 campaign with the Padres AA affiliate. During his time in the minors, the righty posted a .227/.290/.406 slash line with a 93 wRC+ and 16 home runs. This falls in line with a regular minor league season for Potts, as he never hits for average but definitely knows how to crush the ball when he does make contact. His 28.6% strikeout rate leaves something to be desired, but that’s to be expected from a non-elite power prospect.
Quite frankly, Potts has a pretty similar profile to Bobby Dalbec, although he might not be as good with the glove. Dalbec, of course, is one of the top prospects in Boston’s system and made some real noise during his MLB debut. While there is something of a logjam at the corner infield position in Boston’s system, there’s no such thing as too much talent.
Jeisson Rosario
For all intents and purposes, Jeisson Rosario is the complete antithesis to Hudson Potts. While Potts is an all-or-nothing type of hitter, Rosario is a more traditional type of on-base machine. The 20-year old lefty has a grade-60 hit tool, according to Fangraphs, complimented by a 60 speed score, fielding, and throwing grades. His biggest weakness is his game power, which Fangraphs grades out as a 30.
Rosario spent the 2019 season with San Diego’s High-A affiliate. The lefty played in 120 games, making 525 plate appearances while recording a .242/.372/.314 slash line with a 102 wRC+. His strikeout rate was a manageable 21.7%, but what’s really impressive is his 16.6% walk rate. Old-school baseball fans would love him as a leadoff hitter, as he already has a great ability to get on base. However, he only had 21 extra-base hits last year, including just three home runs.
Rosario’s lack of power means that he probably won’t ever develop into an all-star. However, his innate ability to get on base combined with his fantastic fielding tools means that he definitely has a shot of being a major league starter. Ultimately, both guys should be top-10 prospects in Boston’s system.
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