The Boston Red Sox plan to enter the 2016 MLB season with Hanley Ramirez as their starting first baseman. Ramirez's future with the team is unclear due to the trade rumors that focused on the slugger earlier this offseason as well as the speculation that he might not be a formidable defender at first base.
As a result, he might have to watch out for prospect Sam Travis. The 22-year-old is already ranked as the No. 10 minor-league first baseman, according to MLBPipeLine.com.
Red Sox' manager John Farrell made it clear the team has other in-house options in the event some of the veterans falter and fail to live up to expectations next season.
"We're not looking for them to do anything abnormal," Farrell said of Ramirez and third baseman Pablo Sandoval, via WBZ's Jonny Miller. "Just return to the levels of performance before. But if they falter, we feel like we've got guys to step in because our driving force is to win the division."
One of those guys could be Travis, who was selected in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft. The 22-year-old has played 198 minor league games since being drafted by Boston and owns a .310/.371/.457 stat line with 110 runs scored, 16 home runs, 122 RBI and 24 stolen bases. He reached Double-A last year and posted an .833 OPS with 19 stolen bases in 131 games (65 at Double-A, 66 at High Class A).
"If Hanley Ramirez' transition to first base doesn't go any more smoothly than his ill-fated move to left field last season, the Red Sox will turn to Travis - Travis Shaw, that is," writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
"But Sam Travis might not be far behind.
"If he doesn't open the season in Triple A, it won't be long before he arrives."
The trade rumors surrounding Ramirez and Sandoval have died down this offseason after the Red Sox did their heavy lifting early on. Upon Dombrowski's arrival, it was believed at least one of those two would be traded, but he instead ordered the two to get in better shape this offseason and Farrell is "confident that both guys" can rebound in their second full season with the Sox.
However, the team is also very optimistic about their talented farm system. Young players such as Shaw, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Eduardo Rodriguez and Blake Swihart have made significant impacts at the MLB level last year, so it's safe to say Travis could have high expectations.
While Shaw is seemingly the heir-apparent to Ramirez at first base, the youngster could also be needed at third base or left field, depending on how Sandoval and Rusney Castillo perform in 2016. If he's needed at other positions, then don't be at all surprised if Travis gets the call for his MLB debut later in the year.
