Bill Koch

Tuesday

Sep 3, 2019 at 7:18 PM


BOSTON --- Though not officially a September call-up of the Red Sox, Bobby Dalbec was still on the field for pregame drills Tuesday at Fenway Park.


One of the organization’s top prospects is working out with Boston in advance of November’s WBSC Premier12 tournament in Mexico. Dalbec will attempt to help Team USA qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, squaring off against the Netherlands, Mexico and the Dominican Republic in pool play.


"I know that’s far [...]

BOSTON --- Though not officially a September call-up of the Red Sox, Bobby Dalbec was still on the field for pregame drills Tuesday at Fenway Park.

One of the organization’s top prospects is working out with Boston in advance of November’s WBSC Premier12 tournament in Mexico. Dalbec will attempt to help Team USA qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, squaring off against the Netherlands, Mexico and the Dominican Republic in pool play.

“I know that’s far from here, but there are a few things we want to do with him as far as his approach and defensively before he takes off,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He’ll be around with us and it’s good for him to just be here before he goes to his offseason program.”

Dalbec will stay with the Red Sox and then report to Fort Myers before moving on to join his American teammates. The 24-year-old enjoyed a second consecutive strong season in the minor leagues, earning team Most Valuable Player honors at Double-A Portland and playing 30 games at Triple-A Pawtucket. Dalbec cracked a combined 27 home runs and 19 doubles while totaling an .816 OPS in 135 games.

“It’s a good way for him to be around and get ready for that tournament,” Cora said. “That tournament could be very short, but at the same time it can be long. We want him to clean up a few things so he can get better.”

Dalbec primarily profiles as a corner infielder. Rafael Devers is an American League MVP candidate at third base and has Dalbec blocked there. The platoon of Mitch Moreland and either Sam Travis or Christian Vazquez will take most of the at-bats at first base while J.D. Martinez is likely to serve as the designated hitter most nights.

“That’s the way it is,” Cora said. “This is a guy who obviously is very important to the organization, and we’re very excited about the strides that he made.”

Boston added position players Gorkys Hernandez and Juan Centeno when rosters expanded on Sept. 1. The Red Sox also await the return of infielder Michael Chavis, who experienced soreness in his side while rehabbing a left shoulder injury with the PawSox. Boston hopes to have Chavis back to baseball activity by later this week.

 

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @BillKoch25