Once projected as the system’s future No. 1 prospect, Bleis is still searching for a path.
If you’ve followed the Boston Red Sox over the last few years, you already know the story:
There are only so many outfield spots, and far more names than openings.
Still, it’s a little jarring to see just how far one once-hyped prospect has slipped down the pecking order.
In a new piece from MLB.com, prospect writers revisited past projections and highlighted players who didn’t quite follow the expected path - and for Boston, the name was Miguel Bleis.
Two years ago, the expectation inside prospect circles was that Bleis would have grown into the organization’s No. 1 prospect by now.
Instead, that title belongs to left-hander Payton Tolle, who has surged into MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 and positioned himself as a potential impact arm.
Bleis, meanwhile, is still trying to break through.
Mar 13, 2023; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Miguel Bleis (88) hits a RBI against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at TD Ballpark. (Kim Klement/Imagn Images)“Bleis still shows four plus tools (raw power, speed, arm, center-field defense) that earned him the largest bonus ($1.5 million) in Boston's 2021 international class, but the Dominican is too aggressive at the plate and hasn't been able to add strength as easily as hoped,” MLB.com writes.
“He batted just .222/.300/.385 with 14 homers and 27 steals in 107 games between High-A and Double-A last year, though he did make an impact on the bases and in the field.”
That snapshot pretty much sums up where things stand - intriguing talent, but stalled momentum.
And context matters here, because the Red Sox outfield picture looks nothing like it did when Bleis signed for $1.5 million as a 16-year-old.
What once looked like a future opening now looks more like a traffic jam:
- Roman Anthony has already made the leap from top prospect to centerpiece talent.
- Ceddanne Rafaela has carved out a role with his defense and versatility
- Jarren Duran brings speed and energy at the top of the lineup
- Wilyer Abreu continues to prove he belongs in the mix as an elite glove and versatility at the plate
That’s before you even get to the next wave pushing behind them.
For Bleis, that reality doesn’t necessarily close the door on a big-league future - tools like his tend to keep getting chances - but it does shift the conversation.
Instead of projecting stardom, the focus now is on whether he can carve out any path at all in an organization suddenly overflowing with outfield talent.
And that’s the part that probably would’ve been hardest to imagine a couple years ago.
The Red Sox didn’t just develop depth out there. They created real competition, the kind that can leave even highly touted prospects fighting to keep up.
For the farm system sickos among us, here’s the latest scouting report Baseball America has on Bleis - from February of 2023:
"Scouting Report: Bleis mesmerized scouts with his tremendous talent in every facet of the game. When he barrels balls, he makes resounding contact, resulting in huge exit velocities that ranked atop the FCL, and he showed the ability to handle fastballs of any velocity. His strikeout rate was high at nearly 27%--a red flag for some organizations--largely due to swings and misses on breaking balls, and his 6% walk rate likewise points to a free-swinger. But Bleis is young enough that he has a chance to improve his swing decisions and emerge as an average or better hitter, with work he did to clean up a barrel drop in 2022 offering optimism about his adaptability. His speed is currently plus or better, giving him a buffer even as he continues to fill out. He's a glider in center field, with instincts that suggest he could become an above-average defender at the position or a standout in right.
"The Future: Bleis has one of the highest ceilings in the Red Sox system. His hit tool will determine how close he comes to scraping it. He's so far from the big leagues that no solid floor is apparent, but there's electrifying all-star potential.
"Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 65. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60”
Salem's Miguel Bleis (26) makes contact against the Shorebirds Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. (Lauren Roberts/Salisbury Daily Times/USA TODAY NETWORK)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.