Abe Alvarez

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #26 prospect in 2006
  The Red Sox thought Alvarez' exceptional command and feel would overcome his fringy stuff when they made him a second-round pick in 2003, but it's time to temper expectations. Part of the Long Beach State pitching factory that also has churned out first- and second- round picks Cesar Ramos, Jason Vargas, Jered Weaver in the last two drafts, Alvarez made an emergency big league start in July 2004, 13 months after turning pro. While he has the best control and one of top changeups in the system, the rest of his pitches are fringy. His 85-88 mph fastball and his curveball are most notable for his ability to throw them for strikes. He has added a cut fastball to help him get inside on righthanders, but it's nothing special either. Alvarez repeats his delivery and competes well. While he has held his own in the upper minors, scouts fear big leaguers will just wait him out and pound him when he comes over the plate with his very hittable stuff. His ceiling is at best as a No. 5 starter, but more realistically, he'll be a middle reliever or lefty specialist.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #10 prospect in 2005
  The Red Sox believed Alvarez' exceptional feel for pitching would allow him to move rapidly, and he made his big league debut in an emergency start against the Orioles just 13 months after they drafted him. A childhood infection left him legally blind in his left eye, and he wears his cap askew to shield his right eye from too much light. Alvarez' command and his changeup, his main weapons, are the best in the system. Though his fastball registers a pedestrian 85-88 mph on radar guns, he gets outs by locating it with precision. His curveball can be a solid average pitch. Alvarez works with little margin for error. When he fell behind hitters in his big league start, he couldn't recover. Righthanders batted .271 off him in Double-A, and he needs to pitch inside to keep them honest. While he throws his curve for strikes, he needs to learn how to throw it out of the zone while still getting hitters to chase it. The most advanced pitching prospect in the organization, Alvarez will open the season in Triple-A. He projects as a No. 3-5 starter.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #7 prospect in 2004
  Alvarez pitched just three innings as a Long Beach State freshman in 2001, then was Big West Conference pitcher of the year in each of the next two seasons. Eased into pro ball with tight pitch counts, he didn't allow an earned run in 19 innings at short-season Lowell. The Red Sox put a premium on pitching savvy, and Alvarez is loaded with it. He has the best command and changeup in the system, and his 85-88 mph fastball is arguably the best as well because he effortlessly pains the black with it. Alvarez also has a big league average curveball and an uncanny knack for varying speeds, looks and locations. He has a gift for discerning a hitter's weakness and exploiting it to get outs, and shuts down the running game with his pickoff move. Alvarez' below-average velocity will draw its share of skeptics. A childhood accident left him legally blind in one eye, but it doesn't hamper him on the mound. Alvarez will open 2004 in high Class A and should reach Boston quickly because he's a lefty who knows how to pitch. He has a ceiling as a No. 3 starter.