Are you a junkie for Boston Red Sox prospects? If so, you might be in for a serious fix Tuesday night.
The Red Sox called up right-handed pitching prospect Travis Lakins and demoted lefty Bobby Poyner before Tuesday night’s doubleheader nightcap against the Detroit Tigers. Boston also promoted top pitching prospect Darwinzon Hernandez to be the 26th man no the roster for the twin bill finale.
Prior to the second game of today’s doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers, the Boston #RedSox announced the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/BttnLU5AwL
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 23, 2019
Hernandez generated considerable buzz during spring training and is among the most highly touted prospects in Boston’s system. Lakins, on the other hand, is more of an unknown — albeit one who could make a name for himself awfully quickly.
Possessing a mid-90s fastball, strong cutter and solid curveball, Lakins has the stuff to be an effective reliever at the major league level. Whether the 24-year-old ready for the big leagues remains up for debate, of course.
Here’s a brief scouting report from SoxProspects.com director of scouting Ian Cundall:
I saw new #RedSox RHP Travis Lakins last week in Pawtucket. Stuff was better than when I saw him in Spring Training, but still down a little from last year. FB sat 90-93 and he mixed in a cutter at 88-90 and CB at 79. His stuff got better as the inning went along on a cold day.
— Ian Cundall (@IanCundall) April 23, 2019
At his best Lakins FB will sit in the mid-90s and has topped out at 98. Best secondary is a cutter 88-91 which flashes plus & will mix in an avg. curveball at 78-80. Don’t see late inning upside but has the potential to be a very useful 7th inning arm. https://t.co/yMQvA37xgV
— Ian Cundall (@IanCundall) April 23, 2019
Lakins, a sixth-round pick in the 2015 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in six relief appearances this season for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. He’s amassed a 4.39 ERA in 77 career minor league outings.
