Red Sox Make Series of Roster Moves

The Boston Red Sox made a  series of roster moves on Friday, November 20th. Boston's 40 man roster is now full at 40

• Catcher/infielder Connor Wong and right-handed pitcher Eduard Bazardo were added to the major league roster from Triple-A Pawtucket.

• Third baseman Hudson Potts and right-handed pitchers Bryan Mata and Connor Seabold were added to the major league roster from Double-A Portland.

• Outfielder Jeisson Rosario was added to the major league roster from High-A Salem.

• Left-handed pitcher Jay Groome was added to the major league roster from Single-A Greenville.

• Left-handed pitcher Kyle Hart was outrighted to Pawtucket.

• Left-handed pitcher Matt Hall and right-handed pitcher Ryan Weber were designated for assignment.

According to the Boston Red Sox's press release

Bazardo, 25, split 2019 between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland, his first season as a full-time reliever. The right-hander posted a 1.76 ERA (8 ER/41.0 IP) over 17 appearances for Salem and was named a mid-season Carolina League All-Star before being promoted to Portland, his first experience at the Double-A level. In 21 appearances for the Sea Dogs, he went 4-1 with a 2.78 ERA (10 ER/32.1 IP), allowing zero earned runs in his final 11 outings of the season (14.2 IP). Signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2014, Bazardo is 23-19 with a 2.55 ERA (88 ER/310.0 IP) and 1.05 WHIP in 100 minor league appearances (31 starts).

Groome, 22, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 6 prospect entering the 2021 season, as well as having the best curveball in the Boston organization. Selected by the Red Sox in the first round (12^th overall) in the 2016 June Draft out of Barnegat (NJ) High School, Groome has made 20 starts during his minor league career, going 3-9 with a 5.18 ERA (38 ER/66.0 IP). He missed the entire 2018 season and most of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery performed on his left elbow in May 2018.

Mata, 21, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 4 prospect, as well as the organization’s top pitching prospect. The publication ranks the right-hander as having the best fastball in the Red Sox organization. Mata went 7-7 with a 3.43 ERA (40 ER/105.0 IP) over 21 starts between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland in 2019, then made eight appearances for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League. A member of the World team in the 2018 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, Mata is 22-20 with a 3.40 ERA (119 ER/315.0 IP) in 69 minor league starts since being signed by Boston as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2016.

Potts, 22, was acquired by the Red Sox from the Padres in August. A right-handed hitter, he was selected by San Diego in the first round (24^th overall) of the 2016 June Draft out of Carroll Senior High School in Southlake, TX. In 423 minor league games, he has hit .256 (419-for-1,639) with 57 home runs, earning California League mid- and post-season All-Star honors in 2018 with High-A Lake Elsinore. Potts has made 331 starts at third base, as well as 25 at second base, 25 at shortstop, and five at third base. He spent most of 2019 with Double-A Amarillo, then played 13 games for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League.

Rosario, 21, was acquired by the Red Sox from the Padres in August. The left-handed hitter was signed by San Diego as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2016. In 289 minor league games, he has hit .264 (278-for-1,053) with a .376 on-base percentage and 37 stolen bases. He spent the entire 2019 season with Lake Elsinore, where he led High-A players in walks (87) and ranked ninth in on-base percentage (.372). Rosario has made 271 starts in center field, five in left field, and five in right field.

Seabold, 24, was acquired by the Red Sox from the Phillies in August. Selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2017 June Draft out of California State University, Fullerton, Seabold is 11-10 with a 3.52 ERA (77 ER/196.2 IP), 203 strikeouts, and only 46 walks in 40 career appearances (34 starts). In 2019 he posted a 2.24 ERA (14 ER/56.1 IP), a 1.01 WHIP, and a .224 opponent batting average in 12 games (11 starts) with four teams, including seven outings with Double-A Reading. Following the season, he pitched for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League and recorded a 1.06 ERA (2 ER/17.0 IP) with 22 strikeouts. The right-hander is ranked by Baseball America as having the best changeup in the Red Sox organization entering 2021.

Wong, 24, was ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 17 prospect in the publication’s 2020 mid-season rankings. Acquired from the Dodgers in February 2020, the right-handed hitter made his Double-A debut in 2019, batting .349 (52-for-149) with a .997 OPS in 40 games with Tulsa. Named a California League mid-season All-Star in both 2018 and 2019, Wong was selected by the Dodgers in the third round of the 2017 June Draft. In 241 career minor league games, he has batted .275 (249-for-904) with 48 home runs and an .852 OPS. He has made 176 starts at catcher, 22 at second base, and eight at third base, throwing out 66 of 210 (31.4%) runners attempting to steal.