Insider Hints Red Sox Hit Jackpot With 6-Foot-8 Fireballer

Can this minor-league deal bear fruit?

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tayron Guerrero (50) delivers a pitch in the sixth inning of the MLB Cactus League spring training game between the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds at Scottsdale Stadium in Goodyear, Ariz., on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. The Giants came back in the ninth inning to win on a walk-off single off the bat of Will Wilson. Cincinnati Reds At San Francisco Giants Spring Training | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Minor-league deals are a dime a dozen leading up to spring training, but at least one or two are likely to pay off for the Boston Red Sox this year.

Rob Refsnyder was the best non-roster invite of the decade so far for the Red Sox, but guys like John Schreiber and Abraham Toro became important members of the major league roster in recent seasons as well.

Someone from Boston's sizable group of non-roster invites will make an impact this season, and on Friday, Red Sox insider Jen McCaffrey pointed out an obvious candidate based on sheer size and velocity.

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Tayron Guerrero becoming a roster candidate?

McCaffrey named righty hurler Tayron Guerrero as one of Boston's "camp standouts" to this point, and suggested it was fairly likely he would return to the majors this year after only playing internationally for the last six seasons.

"(Guerrero) has pitched well in a small sample, with five scoreless innings across four appearances, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out five," wrote McCaffrey. "His elite extension, thanks to his massive frame, makes his 98 mph average fastball appear even faster.

"A journeyman for much of his career, having last pitched in the majors in 2019 for the Miami Marlins, Guerrero has a chance to impact the Red Sox this season. He topped out at 100.6 mph this spring and, if he maintains form, could be a strong arm in Triple-A Worcester whom the Red Sox call up at some point this season."

It's not even impossible that Guerrero could make the opening day roster at this point, as no one has really stepped up to claim the eighth and final spot in the bullpen. He seems to be competing against the likes of Ryan Watson and Kyle Keller, and if Patrick Sandoval starts the year on the injured list, two of those players might make the team.

Of course, we should probably temper our expectations, because Guerrero posted a 6.41 ERA in his 19 2/3 innings against the highest level of competition in Japan last year. But baseball players, especially hard-throwing pitchers, can sometimes flip a switch and become productive big-leaguers out of nowhere.