Red Sox Prospect Michael Chavis Is Tearing Up Carolina League With Salem

The Boston Red Sox have struggled to get production out of their third basemen this season, but that’s certainly not the case in the minor leagues. And this time, we’re not talking about Rafael Devers.

The Red Sox have another third base prospect on the rise in Michael Chavis, who’s been putting the rest of the Carolina League to shame with the Salem Red Sox, Boston’s Single-A Advanced affiliate. The 21-year-old struggled at the plate in low A-ball after the Red Sox drafted him in the first round in 2014, but Chavis is becoming a force in 2017.

Chavis leads the Carolina League in average (.346) and OPS (1.118) and is in the top five in runs (32), doubles (13), home runs (10) and RBIs (36) over 34 games. He went 3-for-5 with two home runs in Salem’s 10-5 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Monday and is a big part of why the Salem Red Sox currently are the best team in their league.

Still, Chavis has a long way to go before he can help the big-league Red Sox out at the hot corner. He was drafted as a shortstop, and he’s still behind Devers defensively as the transition to third continues. Some think he could still even end up in the outfield in the long term. And although they’re both among the Red Sox’s top prospects — MLB.com has Devers as Boston’s top prospect; Chavis is No. 10 — the Dominican Republic product is ranked in Major League Baseball’s Top 100 at No. 14 while Chavis is not.

Either way, with the Red Sox having struggled at third base for the last few seasons now, having more than one solid prospect certainly isn’t a bad thing.

Thumbnail photo via YouTube/Christopher Blessing