The Arizona Fall League is Major League Baseball's premier offseason showcase for some of the top prospects in baseball, and Greenville Drive fans who tune in this fall will see some very familiar faces in action, as 10 former players are among the league's rosters. Arizona Fall League action kicks
The Arizona Fall League is Major League Baseball's premier offseason showcase for some of the top prospects in baseball, and Greenville Drive fans who tune in this fall will see some very familiar faces in action, as 10 former players are among the league's rosters. Arizona Fall League action kicks off on Tuesday.
Six of the Drive alums are still in the Red Sox organization and will be suiting up for the Mesa Solar Sox.
Highlighting the Drive alums with the Solar Sox is infielder Michael Chavis (2015-16). Despite not playing until July, Chavis was extremely productive when he was on the field, reaching AAA-Pawtucket and hitting .298 with nine home runs in 46 games. Chavis is returning to the Fall League after helping the Peoria Javelinas to the 2017 title.
He is joined by fellow infielder Bobby Dalbec (2017), who emerged as one of the premier power prospects in all of baseball this season and was named the Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Between A-Salem and AA-Portland, Dalbec smacked 32 homers and drove in 109 runs, which ranked third and second in all of Minor League Baseball, respectively.
First baseman Josh Ockimey (2016) will also be part of the Solar Sox infield. Ockimey put together another productive campaign in 2018, reaching AAA with a combined 20 homers and 71 RBI to go with a .356 on-base percentage.
The pitching staff includes left-hander Darwinzon Hernandez (2017) and right-handers Mike Shawaryn (2017) and Teddy Stankiewicz (2014). Hernandez spent much of the season in Salem but finished in Portland, and he went 9-5 on the season with a 3.53 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 107 innings.
Shawaryn split time between AA and AAA, and finished the season with 132 strikeouts in 149 1/3 innings to go with nine victories and a 3.44 ERA.
Stankiewicz threw 150 1/3 innings between AA and AAA while recording eight victories.
Mesa's hitting coach this fall is former Drive hitting coach Nelson Paulino (2014-15).
Four additional Drive alums who have moved on to other organizations will play in Arizona as well.
Outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe (2016), now with the Chicago White Sox, will suit up for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Basabe appeared in the MLB Futures Game at the All-Star Break, and he reached AA this season while hitting .258 with 15 homers, 56 RBI and 16 stolen bases.
The Scottsdale Scorpions roster will feature right-handed pitchers Gerson Bautista (2016) and Stephen Nogosek (2016-17), both of whom are now with the New York Mets organization. Bautista made his major league debut with the Mets in April, but he spent most of the year with AAA where he struck out 69 hitters in 49 innings. Nogosek was a Florida State League All-Star before being promoted to AA, and he recorded 58 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings.
Infielder Santiago Espinal (2017) will play for the Surprise Saguaros this fall after being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in July. Espinal spent much of 2018 in Salem, but he reached AA shortly after being traded, His total numbers include a .297 average with 10 homers, 60 RBI and 11 steals.
