After a slow to start to the season, Jarren Duran appears to be heating up in Worcester.
Duran, the top outfield prospect in the Boston Red Sox farm system, went 0-for-11 with six strikeouts in his first three games this season for Triple-A Worcester. But the speedy outfielder is 6-for-9 since, including a Saturday night performance that saw him hit his first home run of the year.
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Perhaps more noteworthy is that Duran, considered by many the center field of the future in Boston, started Saturday's game in right field. The 24-year-old recently has seen time in both left and right field as the corner outfielders on the major league club struggle.
Duran's future remains difficult to predict. Having lost his entire 2020 season due to COVID-19, Duran, like most prospects, could use extended time in the minors to further develop his game. The Red Sox have maintained they won't rush his promotion.
However, it remains possible Duran either hits his way into an accelerated call up or ascends to Fenway Park due to prolonged struggles from Red Sox corner outfielders. Ultimately, performances will dictate what comes next.
