The future is rapidly approaching for many of the Red Sox top prospects. Boston is holding its 2014 Rookie Program this week, in which 10 of the organizations top prospects will participate in workouts and seminars focused on easing each players transition to the major league level. Its obviously not a guarantee that any of the players participating in the program will make their way to The Show in 2014, but the camp typically involves players who are believed to be 12- to 18 months away from making the majors. <\/p>\n
Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. two players expected to be in the Red Sox 2014 Opening Day lineup participated in the Rookie Camp last offseason and made their major league debuts in 2013. <\/p>\n
The complete list of 2014 Rookie Camp participants can be seen at the link below. But with the program in full swing, this seems like a good time to look at which players in the Red Sox organization could make their MLB debuts in 2014. Lets sort them according to their odds of being called up at some point this year. <\/p>\n
(Bogaerts, Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster and some others technically can be considered prospects, but lets focus on those who have yet to taste the majors.) <\/p>\n
Strong chance of making MLB debut in 2014 <\/p>\n
Christian Vazquez, C <\/p>\n
Christian Vazquezs rocket arm turned heads at spring training last year, and the Red Sox have high hopes for both him and fellow catching prospect Blake Swihart. Swihart is a year or two away from breaking into the majors, but Vazquez is on the cusp of a call-up and could find himself in The Show at any moment. The Red Sox were reluctant to give Jarrod Saltalamacchia or any other catcher a multiyear contract this offseason because they view Vazquez and Swihart as their future catching tandem. <\/p>\n
Vazquez spent most of his 2013 season with Double-A Portland, where he threw out a league-best 47 percent of would-be base stealers. The 23-year-old also made strides offensively, hitting .289 with a .376 on-base percentage in 96 Eastern League games. A.J. Pierzynski and David Ross are penciled in as Bostons two major league catchers for 2014, but both are aging veterans and Ross has a concussion history. Vazquez could find himself in the majors if either gets hurt, although the Red Sox would need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to call him up. <\/p>\n
Vazquez is one of this years Rookie Camp participants. <\/p>\n
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Read this article: <\/p>\n
Christian Vazquez, Bryce Brentz Among Red Sox Prospects Eyeing 2014 MLB Debut<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The future is rapidly approaching for many of the Red Sox top prospects. Boston is holding its 2014 Rookie Program this week, in which 10 of the organizations top prospects will participate in workouts and seminars focused on easing each players transition to the major league level. Continue reading