Young Red Sox Prospect Already Drawing Comparisons To NL Star; Could He Make Club?
The Boston Red Sox are going to have some decisions to make when spring training comes to a close.
Boston entered spring training with a plethora of new players on the roster, but also with plenty of young prospects looking to make the jump to the big leagues. With all of the roster turnover this offseason the Red Sox are sure to have plenty of position battles this spring and one may surprise.
With Trevor Story expected to miss most if not all of the 2023 campaign, it has been highly expected that Christian Arroyo would be the team's everyday second baseman until newly acquired infielder Adalberto Mondesi is ready to return from injury. While that still may be the case, young prospect Enmanuel Valdez may make that decision more difficult on the Red Sox brass.
Boston acquired Valdez from the Houston Astros in the trade centered around catcher Christian Vázquez in 2022. The 24-year-old infielder shined in the minor leagues in 2022 split between Double-A and Triple-A and finished the season slashing .296/.376/.542 to go along with 28 home runs and 107 RBIs in 126 games played.
Valdez has gotten off to a hot start in spring and has appeared in all four games so far for Boston with one start and is expected to make another one Wednesday against the Astros. His batting average may not jump out so far at .200 in four games, but he has a .500 on-base percentage and is tied for the team lead with three runs scored, and has clubbed one mammoth home run.
The young Boston prospect has even drawn comparisons to two-time All-Star and 2020 National League batting champion Juan Soto because their swings look similar. That's not to say that Valdez will make the big league club and immediately morph into one of the best players in all of baseball, but it doesn't hurt when people beginning comparing you to the best of the best.
With Mondesi in the fold it isn't likely Valdez will play a major role with Boston in 2023, but if he continues to shine it will be hard to keep him off the club's active roster. Manager Alex Cora said he's going to bring the top 26 guys into the season and Valdez at least early on is making a case for himself.
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