Sox Prospect Derrik Gibson
I want to highlight Sox prospects and eventually move to players that I would put on my Top 10. Since most of Boston is familiar with the top half of the Red Sox prospects, I thought I’d start a little lower.
Draft by Boston in 2008. In 2008 short season ball, was rated 19th best prospect in the league, and earned distinction of fastest prospect in Boston’s system. He was a dominating high school player, including 15 wins as a pitcher. Seems truly athletic.
Right now, Gibson is playing for Greenville with fellow top prospect Reymond Fuentes. He has stolen 10 bases, getting caught just once, but I can’t help but wonder if his stolen base numbers would be better if he could get on base more. His On Base Percentage is low at .312, and he lacks power, leaving his slugging percentage low as well.
Right now he is listed as 6’1” 170 lbs, Right handed hitter. Dude needs to put on some weight. That’ll probably help his on base and power numbers. I know it’s hard to put on weight during the season, but they need to find some time to get his weight up a little. Greenville seems to be in a league with high strikeout rates, or a ridiculously high number of quality pitching prospects. Lots of hits, lots of strikeouts. Not as many walks. His strikeout total is a little high, but his walks are right where they should be. If he was in a league with more contact, I think he would be better off. But he does need to learn to take advantage of baserunners. His average drops with runners on base. Top prospects in my eyes are guys that can take advantage of that and drive in runs, and put pressure on the pitcher.
He is being used as a utility infielder right now, but given his speed, I’m wondering if the Red Sox could have BJ Upton in the back of their mind: a young kid with lots of speed, developing power. I don’t know what his arm is like, but since he can play both short and third, he has to have some kind of decent arm. Maybe the Red Sox are just so stacked with outfield prospects that they are leaving him as an infield prospect so he’ll have fewer obstacles in his climb up the ladder.
Maybe if I saw him in person, I would have a more favorable opinion. Right now, he just has the right frame to add size to and possibly become a dangerous hitter. I hope he does. Right now I would project him as a super-utility guy best suited for the National League. There is an outside shot he turns into a BJ Upton type player, and can be the CF of the future. Granted he would need to go through a lot of people to get that.
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