Although the Boston Red Sox farm system is well regarded and has a wealth of good players, starting pitching, the organization’s most pressing need, is woefully underrepresented on the farm.
The Red Sox took action on February 17 to address some of their minor-league pitching deficiencies early in spring training.
After having a breakthrough year for the big-league team in 2022, it appeared as though John Schreiber would develop into a crucial member of Boston’s bullpen. However, the Kansas City Royals pounced to acquire him and bring him to the Midwest because of his skill and long-term control, which made him an excellent trade prospect. Bullpen elements are not necessary for the Red Sox, even with Schreiber’s assistance.
Young flamethrower David Sandlin was (and still is) the Red Sox’s prize from the trade. In Fort Myers, the 23-year-old has been drawing attention with his slow speed.
Already, David Sandlin is improving the young pitchers for the Red Sox.
Sandlin was regarded as the 20th prospect in Kansas City’s system and played for Oklahoma in the College World Series. During his undergraduate career, he reached 98 mph with his fastball; however, a mechanical modification and big-league coaching enabled the right-hander to reach 100 mph.
“It’s really just about moving down the mound in a dynamic way,” Sandlin said to MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “Aligning my hips and shoulders and simply moving with an athletic, sound gait instead of being static with my load and rear leg.”
If Sandlin can improve the remainder of his repertoire, his Baseball America scouting report indicates he could be in for a breakout season in 2024. Sandlin’s pitch mix also includes a slider, curveball, and split finger in addition to his fastball. His slider occasionally reaches plus, but the rest of his toolkit requires improvement and increased control.
He will continue to clobber High-A batters for the time being. He made 14 appearances and pitched to a 3.51 ERA in 66.2 innings last season. He only had 18 walks while recording 87 strikeouts.
Sandlin will undoubtedly get closer to his anticipated breakout as he plays more professional baseball. Even at only 23, he has been heading in the correct direction. His presence boosts Boston’s pitching prospect pool right away, which is exactly what the team needs.