He’s been referred to as the right-handed model of Rafael Devers, and aspires to be like Ronald Acuña Jr.
His title is Miguel Bleis, and he’s some of the promising skills within the Red Sox group.
Signed out of the Dominican Republic in January 2021, Bleis was one of many high gamers accessible in that worldwide signing class. A tough-hitting outfielder with a powerful arm and critical velocity, he’s already incomes a uncommon baseball label:
Five-tool participant.
“You don’t talk about five-tool players too often, but he is one of them,” Red Sox farm director Brian Abraham informed Alex Speier of the Boston Globe final fall.
Acuña is a task mannequin for that purpose, Bleis informed Speier by way of Red Sox translator Carlos Villoria-Benitez.
Bleis is the No. 4 prospect within the Red Sox group and No. 93 in MLB Pipeline’s high 100 prospects. He’s within the high 100 at Baseball Prospectus (67) and Baseball America (88), Keith Law ranked him No. 72, and Kiley McDaniel put him at No. 95. FanGraphs ranks him No. 20.
“His well-rounded skill set and ability to make consistent hard barrel contact is rare,” Baseball America author Geoff Pontes lauded in October. In January, BA editor Josh Norris wrote, “Miguel Bleis was one of the most outstanding prospects in the 2022 Florida Complex League,” and predicted, “the upside is there to be a superstar in the coming years.”
He’s attempting to make his big-league debut throughout the subsequent two years.
He turned 19 on March 1.
“I have a goal. In my mind, at the end of my 21-year old season, that will be a nice thing to do if I make my debut in the big leagues,” he informed Speier. “I’m going to play hard and show the team I’m getting ready in all the aspects they want me to.”
Bleis made his first Grapefruit League begin on Monday, and although the Red Sox fell to the Blue Jays 16-3 in Dunedin, anybody who sat by way of Toronto’s onslaught was rewarded with glimpses of the younger participant’s monumental, well-rounded potential.
He confirmed off his arm within the backside of the primary inning. Scooping up a ball that shot by way of the fitting aspect of the infield, the 6’2″ outfielder fired house to Stephen Scott in time to make the tag. Ironically, Scott was an outfielder and is transferring to catcher.
Miguel Bleis. pic.twitter.com/6gz3oKxuGF
— Mike Monaco (@MikeMonaco_) March 13, 2023
At the plate, Bleis confronted Blue Jays’ righty Alek Manoah, an All-Star who completed third in American League Cy Young voting final 12 months. With a 1-2 rely, two outs, and the bases loaded within the second, he turned a Manoah two-seam fastball right into a single to proper, bringing in two runs to tie the sport.
19-year-old Miguel Bleis with a two-run base knock.
More on the @RedSox No. 4 prospect: https://t.co/yOK1p6vDLu pic.twitter.com/hlAJsR402N
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 13, 2023
When Enmanuel Valdez adopted go well with with a line-drive single of his personal, Bleis hit the gasoline and went from first to 3rd.
Still, Bleis is just within the earliest phases of his skilled profession, and that was evident on Monday, as properly. He must work on seeing breaking balls and sliders; Manoah received him to strike out swinging on a slider within the fourth inning.
In 40 video games in rookie-level Florida Complex League final season, Bleis stole 18 bases and hit .301/.353/.543. He collected 46 hits, together with 14 doubles, 4 triples, and 5 house runs, scored 28 runs, and drove in 27. He additionally struck out 45 occasions and solely drew 10 walks, for a 26.9% Ok fee and 6.0% BB fee.
Quick hits
- Following Monday’s recreation, the Red Sox optioned infielder David Hamilton, infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, and left-handed pitcher Brandon Walter to Triple-A Worcester, a formality for 40-man roster gamers.
- Connor Wong (hamstring pressure) took batting apply and caught a pair of bullpens on Monday.
- Rafael Devers collected his first hit for Team Dominican Republic on Monday, a first-inning double. They beat Team Nicaragua 6-1.
- The Red Sox have their first time off on Thursday.
Source: www.bostonherald.com
