Jeter Downs was the key component that headed to the Boston Red Sox in the now-infamous Mookie Betts trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers back in February of 2020.
At that time, Downs was the 44th-best prospect in all of baseball and the Dodgers’ top prospect. For a Boston team that was unable to retain Betts long-term, acquiring Downs in the blockbuster trade would hopefully set the team up well moving forward.
Unfortnately, Downs and the rest of the minor leagues were shut down for the entire 2020 campaign a few weeks later due to the COVID-19 pandamic. Since then, it’s been completely downhill for the infielder.
How bad has it been? The Red Sox announced on Thursday that they have designated Downs for assignment in order to make room for the recently-signed Masataka Yoshida on their 40-man roster.
To say that this is a severe blow for general manager Brian O’Halloran and CEO Chaim Bloom would be a major understatement. They staked their reputation on the three prospects that came back in the Betts trade. Thus far, only Alex Verdugo has panned out in the Majors.
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Jeter Downs struggles and the Boston Red Sox’ mistake
Downs, 24, saw a cup of coffee in the Majors with Boston last season — hitting a mere .154 with 21 strikeouts in 39 at-bats. For the Red Sox’ brass, this was enough to move off their 24th-ranked prospect.
But Downs’ struggles extend back to the 2021 season when Minor League Baseball returned following the cancelation of the 2020 campaign. He was utterly atrocious at Triple-A Worcester.
- Jeter Downs stats (2021): .191 average, 14 HR, 39 RBI, .606 OPS, 131 strikeouts in 357 at-bats
That strikeout rate just isn’t going to cut it. Meanwhile, Downs didn’t perform much better in Triple-A during the 2022 season. He hit .197 with 99 strikeouts in 284 at-bats. This sample size was enough for the Red Sox to come to the conclusion that Downs had no future with the organization. Whether he’s traded or outright released, Downs’ struggles are a black eye for the Boston organization.
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Boston Red Sox return for Mookie Betts looks like an all-time gaffe
As mentioned above, Verdugo is the only player in Boston’s return for Betts that has panned out. The 26-year-old outfielder hit .280 with 11 homers, 74 RBI and a solid .732 OPS in 2022. He was a bit better in 2021 with a split of .289/.777.
The other player acquired in said deal, Connor Wong, was not good in limited action with the Red Sox last season. The catcher hit .188 with one homer, seven RBI and a .585 OPS in 48 at-bats. He’s more than likely going to start the season as Reese McGuire’s backup behind home plate.