Red Sox Prospect Has Best Batting Average In Minor Leagues

Franklin Arias

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The Boston Red Sox bats have struggled to get going in the first 25 games of the season. But 20-year-old shortstop prospect Franklin Arias has started the year with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in midseason form.

The right-handed batter has the highest batting average at any Minor League Baseball level of all hitters with more than 10 games played.

Through his first 10, Arias has a line of .467/.564/.833 with three homers, nine RBIs, five walks and just three strikeouts in 30 at-bats.

He has skyrocketed up the Red Sox prospect rankings, now landed second behind only Payton Tolle, who is currently in Worcester, and one above Connelly Early, who has been Boston’s best pitcher in the first month of the year.

Arias is by far the Red Sox highest ranked infield prospect, and he is showing why with his 14 hits on the year.

MLB.com reporter Ian Browne interviewed the Red Sox’s senior director of player development, Brian Abraham, to find out what the 20-year-old has to accomplish before earning a call-up.

“Continuing to get bigger and stronger, both to improve his on-field performance and to eventually handle the demands of a full 162-game season at a premium position -- especially given his age and opportunity for continued physical development,” Abraham told Browne. “That added strength should translate to improved durability, more consistent defense and greater impact at the plate. With his work ethic, consistency and strong baseball instincts, there’s a lot of excitement about where he’s headed and the growth still to come.”