Red Sox Shut Down Top Prospect After Rocky Second Half Due To Innings Limit
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The Boston Red Sox are giving one of their most promising prospects an early offseason after approaching career-high innings totals.
"Left-handed pitcher Shane Drohan has been moved to the development list of Triple-A Worcester," The Boston Globe's Alex Speier tweeted Tuesday. "The Sox have decided that he’s hit a workload limit for the season after 123 innings rather than make one more start. Big developmental year for a pitcher with a chance to be a starting depth option in 2024."
Drohan is the Red Sox's No. 18 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and the fourth-highest-rated pitcher in the system.
The 24-year-old appeared to be having a breakout year early on. He started the season 5-0 with a 1.32 ERA, 36-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .161 batting average against and 0.82 WHIP in 34 innings across six starts for Double-A Portland.
The dominant stretch was enough to grant him a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. Unfortunately, he might have been elevated prematurely as he completely unraveled. Drohan went 5-7 with a 6.47 ERA, 93-to-63 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .293 batting average against and 1.87 WHIP in 89 innings for the WooSox.
Drohan still processes the physical tools to become a starting pitcher in the big leagues but will have to bounce back after a terrible run to end the year.
We'll have to wait until next season for a potential comeback.
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