Over the last few years, the Red Sox farm system has become one of the best in baseball. One prospect who has flown under the radar is Nick Decker, selected by Boston in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. While the 21-year-old has battled injuries, he had his best minor league season in 2021. As he gets closer to the majors, he is a prospect to keep an eye on.
After joining the Red Sox in 2018, Decker appeared in two games in the Gulf Coast league before fracturing his wrist. He was able to return in 2019 and hit .247 in 53 games. Over 170 at-bats, the New Jersey native had 42 hits, half of which went for extra bases. Decker’s power was on full display as he adjusted to more advanced competition.
While Decker showed promising signs in his return, the 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the pandemic. However, he made the most of his unexpected downtime by working on his conditioning. His hard work paid off as he displayed some of the best power at Boston’s instructional league camp. He was able to carry that into the 2021 campaign.
In 73 games, Decker posted a .270 batting average with seven home runs. After getting off to a slow start in the Gulf Coast League, Decker thrived when promoted to Salem. During his first taste of Single-A, Decker drove in 39 runs and hit .276. His on-base skills improved, and he had four stolen bases. The 2018 New Jersey Gatorade player of the year showed why the Red Sox signed him $1.25 million over his draft slot value.
With their second pick in the MLB Draft, 64th overall, the Red Sox selected Nick Decker who hits moonbombs and pimps them right in the pitcher’s eyeball pic.twitter.com/pVrS4BiSfJ
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) June 5, 2018
What to Expect in 2022
Entering this season, Decker is currently the Red Sox’s 22nd-best prospect. He has average speed and plus power that will improve as he develops. Although his ability to get on base increased last year, he also struck out 87 times. At times, Decker’s swing tends to get long, which he will need to avoid as he faces better pitching. The 2018 draftee projects as a right fielder in the majors due to his solid arm strength.
While baseball is currently on pause, Decker will be looking to build on his success this season. He will most likely start 2022 in Salem, but he may not be there long. He has already shown that he can handle the advanced pitching and should be more of a power threat. If the Seneca High School product can build on his success from 2021, he will continue to move up Boston’s prospect list.
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Main Image Credit: via Blogging the Red Sox
