SS Antoni Flores

simplicio

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Apr 11, 2012
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The 17 year old 2017 international signing is off to a burning start, featured in the MLB prospect pipeline this week:

SS: Antoni Flores, DSL Red Sox 2 (Rookie)
(Red Sox No. 17 prospect)
.476/.577/.762, 6 G, 21 AB, 6 R, 10 H, 3 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 5 BB, 5 SO

Signed for $1.4 million out of Venezuela last summer, Flores is living up to the reports that he had a nice right-handed swing and an advanced approach. After going 0-for-4 in his first pro game, he has reached base safely in each of his 11 contests since and is hitting .378/.472/.556 with more walks (eight) than strikeouts (sixth) in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. He had the best game of his young career on Sunday, going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and three driven in.
Really nice to see something good coming out of that IFA class, especially after the tragic loss of Daniel Flores (no relation).

Here's the MLB writeup on him:
Team: DSL Red Sox2 (ROK) ETA: 2022 Position: SSAge: 17 DOB: 10/14/2000 Bats: R Throws: RHeight: 6' 1" Weight: 190 lb. Signed: July 2, 2017 - BOS
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45

One of three Venezuelans to receive seven-figure signing bonuses from the Red Sox in 2017, Flores turned pro for $1.4 million. He's no relation to Daniel Flores, who died of cancer four months after signing for $3.1 million. His tools are fairly similar to those of C.J. Chatham's, Boston's top shortstop prospect, though Flores is much further away from the big leagues.

Though Flores receives more praise for his instincts than his tools, he has the ability to contribute both offensively and defensively. He has good actions at shortstop, where his savvy allows him to cover more ground than his fringy speed would suggest. He has the arm strength for the position, though he needs to be mindful not to drop his arm slot and lose accuracy on his throws.

With a nice right-handed swing and signs of an advanced approach, Flores should hit for average. He's not very physical but has some loft in his stroke and should develop some gap power once he gets stronger. He won't be a basestealer, but runs the bases well.
 

simplicio

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Apr 11, 2012
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Of course, he last played in a game the day I created this thread, out with "general soreness," but it sounds like there's cause for hope:

"Last year, for instance, the Red Sox signed two players out of Venezuela for $1.5 million each whom they scouted at shortstop: Antoni Flores and Danny Diaz. While both have played solely in the Dominican Summer League to this point, they’ve both already shown tools that place them in the upper echelons of Red Sox position prospects.

Flores burst out of the gates, hitting .347/.439/.510 in 13 games, showing both the pitch and strike-zone recognition that drew the Sox to him along with the defensive tools that made him a compelling prospect at a critical position.

“Offensively, he’s advanced. He had a great feel [during the scouting process] for the zone, great feel for hitting. It’s advanced. He knew what to do. He had a good approach with two strikes. He used the whole field. . . . He has the frame to put on some weight, too,” Romero said. “Defensively, he’s worked a lot on his footwork. He’s got sure hands. We think there’s a pretty good chance that he stays at short, even with added size.”

Flores has been in Fort Myers since last week. He’s been resting with some general soreness, but when he’s ready to resume playing, there is a possibility that he could do so in the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League — an extremely advanced assignment for an international player in his first pro season."

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2018/06/28/red-sox-ready-take-their-swings-international-amateur-market/tgFhu63xpaBP23QxFfPKtJ/story.html
 

simplicio

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Apr 11, 2012
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And a month and a half later, Flores is finally back in action with a promotion to the GCL. He made a fielding error but got a triple in two at bats, before being pulled for a pinch hitter in the 6th. Hopefully just ramping back up into game activities and not another injury; that's already a lot of time missed.