Greenville Drive 2014 Breakdown: Sizing Up Red Sox's Single-A Affiliate

Manuel Margot The Greenville Drive weren’t able to match the success of some of their Boston Red Sox minor league brethren in 2014. But one shouldn’t discredit the club’s importance in developing the organization’s future stars.

Several Red Sox prospects have made their way to the majors the last couple of seasons, in turn becoming household names. Meanwhile, other players have been making waves in the lower levels of the Red Sox organization despite far less recognition. The Drive, in particular, housed potential big leaguers in 2014.

Greenville’s 2014 Season
— 60-79 (34-35 in first half, 26-44 in second half)
— Offense: .261 average (sixth), .341 on-base percentage (third), 80 home runs (seventh), 660 runs scored (fifth)
— Pitching: 4.63 ERA (11th), 1.45 WHIP (11th), 999 strikeouts (eighth)

Most Valuable Player: Manuel Margot, OF (99 games, .286/.355/.449, 10 homers, 45 RBIs, 49 stolen bases)

Margot is beginning to turn heads. The 19-year-old jumped to High-A Salem in August and was named the Red Sox’s Minor League Baserunner of the Year. SoxProspects.com currently has Margot listed as the third-best prospect in the organization, behind left-handed pitcher Henry Owens and catcher Blake Swihart.

Margot earned his promotion to Salem by flashing exciting tools at Greenville. The outfielder said recently he models his game after Baltimore Orioles All-Star center fielder Adam Jones.

Most Valuable Pitcher: Teddy Stankiewicz, RHP (25 starts, 140 1/3 innings, 11-8, 3.72 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 102 strikeouts)

Stankiewicz, a second-round pick in 2013, had a very encouraging first full season in the organization. The 20-year-old only issued 29 walks (1.9 walks per nine innings). He didn’t wow in the sense he only struck out 6.5 hitters per nine innings. But staying in control is half the battle.

Stankiewicz finished the year with eight straight starts of at least six innings. He allowed one or zero runs in five of those starts, showing his workload didn’t have a negative impact.

Three Highs

— Wendell Rijo’s stock is rising.

Rijo is far from a finished product, but the middle infielder showed offensive potential. He flashed surprising power to close out the year — he hit six homers over the final two months — and is starting to garner additional attention. SoxProspects.com ranks Rijo the organization’s No. 16 prospect.

— Trey Ball finished strong.

Ball, who at seventh overall in 2013 was Boston’s highest draft pick since Trot Nixon in 1993, was horrendous to begin the season. The 20-year-old left-hander improved dramatically as the year progressed, going 4-3 with a 2.70 ERA over his final 11 starts.

— Jantzen Witte and Carlos Asuaje raked before earning promotions.

Witte hit .330 with eight homers, 54 RBIs, a .418 on-base percentage and a .554 slugging percentage in 65 games with Greenville before joining Salem. The 24-year-old corner infielder, who played all fours at TCU, enjoyed offensive success at Salem, too.

Asuaje took a similar route, hitting .305 with 11 homers, 73 RBIs, a .391 on-base percentage and a .542 slugging percentage in 90 games with Greenville before then hitting .323 with four homers, 28 RBIs, a .398 on-base percentage and a .516 slugging percentage in 39 games with Salem.

Three Lows

— Ty Buttrey faltered in his first taste of full-season ball.

Buttrey spent a large chunk of time on the disabled list with a hand issue. When healthy, the 21-year-old right-hander struggled, posting an 0-5 record, 6.85 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in 11 starts.

Buttrey, who issued 4.7 walks per nine innings, received a hefty bonus when drafted in the fourth round in 2012. So far, it’s been a rocky ride.

— Jamie Callahan’s major league potential is in question.

Callahan’s stat line doesn’t paint a pretty picture. The 20-year-old right-hander went 3-13 with a 6.96 ERA in 25 starts. It was the former second-round pick’s first full season, so one shouldn’t panic. But Callahan will need to improve in 2015 to prevent his stock from plummeting even further.

— Tzu-Wei Lin’s offense needs to improve.

Lin is an excellent defender, so posting huge offensive numbers isn’t required for him to someday reach the majors. The 20-year-old improved in August but otherwise did little at the dish to evoke confidence.