With the Major League Baseball regular season winding down, and as playoff races heat up, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the Portland Sea Dogs’ 2023 season. Minor League Baseball is one of the great pastimes all across smaller towns and cities in America, and if you are new to the Northeast,you might have already noticed the abundance of Sea Dogs hoodies.
What may not have been quite as much of a surprise to you is the surplus of Red Sox fandom on campus and throughout the Northeast. According to Bleacher Report’s Final MLB Farm System Rankings of the 2023 Season, the Red Sox currently have the third most talented prospect pipeline in Major League Baseball. Other credible sources’ Red Sox farm system rankings include Fangraphs (4th) and Baseball America (5th). Clearly, the Red Sox are well-stocked with up-and-coming talent.
Next time you make the drive down to Hadlock Field, one of Minor League Baseball’s most decorated venues, take in all of the many ballpark amenities. “The Maine Monster,” reminiscent of Fenway Park’s 37-foot-high Green Monster, and the home run lighthouse in center field perfectly complement the breathtaking sunsets and lively home game atmospheres.
Aside from the amenities, there are a few key tidbits that will improve your ability to judge a Sea Dogs game and the players on the field.
- The Goal of Minor League Baseball: Minor League Baseball teams don’t always aim to finish with the best record. Despite the Sea Dogs’ 33-34 finish this past season, it was still considered a successful season. Player development and preparing players for higher levels of play are typically the top priorities.
- Rehab Assignments: Some of the best Minor League games to attend are when an MLB star is on a rehab assignment. For instance, Trevor Story, a 2-time All-Star making $23 million per year, played 3 games for the Sea Dogs at the end of this past July. Red Sox legends like Dustin Pedroia, Mookie Betts, and Jacoby Ellsbury have all had rehab stints in Portland after establishing themselves as MLB stars.
Now, when analyzing the Sea Dogs’ roster, you can categorize the most noteworthy players into two groups:
Younger Prospects With a Few Years Before the Call-Up
These are typically players either fresh out of high school, teenage international players, or college players drafted at 21. They may not have a hot start in professional baseball due to a lack of experience and high competition levels, but their high draft pick or international signing bonus demonstrates their organization’s high regard for them.
Marcelo Mayer (SS)
The Red Sox’s top prospect and #11 prospect in all of baseball, Mayer, at just 20 years old, has already played 43 games for the Sea Dogs.Considered by most to be the top draft prospect out of high school in 2021, he fell to the Red Sox at fourth overall. While he has struggled in his limited time in Portland, hitting .189, the average AA player is 24 years old. Expect to see him in Portland until at least late summer 2024.
Roman Anthony (OF)
A rising star in Minor League Baseball in 2023, the 19-year-old Anthony is the Red Sox’s #2 prospect and MLB’s #35 ranked prospect. Considered a borderline top 10 Red Sox prospect before the 2023 season, Anthony earned two promotions in just 96 games to reach Portland and shot up prospect ranking lists. In his 10 games with Portland to end the season, he showed he belongs in AA, hitting .343 and getting on base almost half of his plate appearances. Expect Anthony to spend most, if not all of the 2024 season in Portland before a 2025 promotion.
Kyle Teel (C)
Teel, the most recent draft pick out of the bunch, was another player who fell to the Red Sox in the draft. Originally projected to be a surefire top-10 pick, with some saying he would be picked in the top 5, the Red Sox were ecstatic to take him with the 14th pick. The 21-year-old catcher was the consensus best collegiate catcher at the University of Virginia, being honored with the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award. And Teel has shown no signs of trouble acclimating to professional baseball. After starting in the Florida Complex League, Teel climbed up two ranks in just 17 games. Teel (who received a promotion the same day as Anthony) played 9 games for the Sea Dogs to end the season, and continued to dominate at the plate. Expect to see him in Portland to begin the 2024 season, with the possibility of a quicker jump to AAA or the big leagues.
Blaze Jordan (3B/1B)
Somehow one of the most under-the-radar prospects in baseball, while also being one of the most viral baseball players ever because of his 500-foot home runs as a 13-year-old, Blaze Jordan has simply mashed the baseball as a professional. Having just completed his third professional season, Jordan played 50 games this past season in Portland after earning a promotion. He showcases massive power numbers and does not turn 21 until December. Expect to see Jordan, barring a career year, suiting up for the Sea Dogs until at least late summer 2024.
MLB-Ready Prospects
The second group of prospects to watch out for are not quite as exciting as the young stars but can be just as productive. Typically, they are not as highly touted entering the draft process and are in their third, fourth, or fifth minor league seasons. They may not have the (projected) unlimited ceiling that players like Mayer or Anthony have, but they traditionally have higher floors than the prospects with less experience.
Nick Yorke (2B)
Yorke, the Red Sox selection at 17th overall in the 2020 draft, is currently the #6 rated prospect in the organization. While he has taken a fall from the #3 spot due to other risers in the organization, he has improved from his 2022 season, while also earning a promotion and spending the entirety of the 2023 season in Portland. Yorke displays a plus power grade for a second baseman, as well as above-average defensive skills at the position. Expect to see Yorke either in Portland or Worcester (AAA Affiliate) to begin the 2024 season before an eventual promotion to the Major Leagues.
Nathan Hickey (C)
An overlooked prospect, Hickey was taken in the 5th round of the 2021 draft out of the University of Florida, and has impressed in his three professional seasons. He spent his last 80 games of the 2023 season playing for the Sea Dogs, hitting .258 with 15 home runs. With a great hit tool and below-average defensive skills, he will most likely need to relocate positions or DH, with Kyle Teel in line to be the next Red Sox Catcher. But, anytime a team can find a potential big-league talent in the 5th round is an exceptional outcome. The 23-year-old will likely start the 2024 season in Portland, and unless he undergoes an injury or hitting struggles, will earn a late-summer promotion to Worcester.
