The Boston Red Sox are calling up 23-year-old shortstop prospect Jeter Downs on Monday.
Downs is one of the prospects that came to the team in the Mookie Betts deal.
For years, he has been considered a top prospect.
Now, he will be making his MLB debut, feeding one of MLB’s hottest franchises.
His stint as a major leaguer, however, could be short-lived, at least for now, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.
“Two Jeter Downs thoughts: 1) It’s expected to be a very short stint with Arroyo and Kiké both nearing activation. 2) MLB rules dictate teams had to get to 13 pitchers and 13 position players today. So Red Sox had to cut a pitcher (Norwood DFA),” Cotillo tweeted today.
Two Jeter Downs thoughts:
1) It's expected to be a very short stint with Arroyo and Kiké both nearing activation.
2) MLB rules dictate teams had to get to 13 pitchers and 13 position players today. So Red Sox had to cut a pitcher (Norwood DFA).
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 20, 2022
Performance Will Likely Dictate Downs’ Immediate Future
Christian Arroyo and Enrique Hernandez have been valuable players for the Red Sox in the past, but the truth is that they haven’t performed well enough offensively this year to block a top prospect if he comes out hitting right out of the gate.
So while the organization clearly values them (especially Hernandez, a beloved member of the roster and a fan favorite), Downs could potentially stick if he hits.
He will have to hit a lot to stay up, though, and that may not be possible judging by his stat line in the minors this year.
Downs is slashing .180/.297/.397 in 222 plate appearances in Triple-A this year.
He does have some power and speed, evidenced by his 11 homers and steals.
But he is also striking out a lot (31.1 percent of the time, to be exact), so if he can’t make consistent contact, he may find himself back in Triple-A in no time.
NEXT: Red Sox Call Up A Top Prospect From The Minors