Bobby Dalbec can hit the ball hard and he can hit it far. And he is hitting more often.
Thus, Dalbec arrived at Hadlock Field Friday afternoon, the latest talk-of-the-town Boston Red Sox prospect.
Dalbec, 23, was promoted from advanced Class A Salem, where he hit a franchise-record 26 home runs (in 100 games). A homer on July 10 was measured 440 feet. One of his batted balls was recorded at 117 mph.
“Every ball that comes off his bat just sounds different,” said pitcher Jared Oliver, Dalbec’s teammate in Salem and now Portland.
Dalbec, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound third baseman, was a fourth-round draft pick in 2016, out of the University of Arizona. He was hurt most of last year, undergoing surgery to remove a broken hamate bone in his wrist.
“Last year was tough,” said Dalbec, who was out from May 11 to July 11. “I didn’t have my strength back when I returned.
“This year I think I have all my strength back.”
He thinks?
“He’s certainly driving the ball,” said Red Sox director of player personnel Ben Crockett, while sitting in Sea Dogs Manager Darren Fenster’s office.
Fenster needs no convincing. He managed Dalbec last year in low Class A Greenville.
“It’s a special power bat,” Fenster said.
“He has the most power of anyone I’ve ever seen come through Greenville. It’s not even close.”
Remember that Fenster managed four years in Greenville, with players named Andrew Benintendi, Yoan Moncada, Rafael Devers and Michael Chavis.
If Dalbec is so special, how did he last until the fourth round of the draft? After a stellar sophomore season (.319/15 home runs), he hit .266/six his junior year. As a pitcher, he recorded a 2.50 ERA with 96 strikeouts (100 innings).
“I contributed more on the mound my junior year,” Dalbec said. But there is no doubt of his preference.
“I’ve always wanted to hit, and I like to play every day.”
The knock on Dalbec was that he was a one-dimensional player. This year, in Salem, Dalbec had 13 home runs by June 15, but was hitting .216.
Since then: .321 average with 13 more homers.
“Bobby’s continued to improve on the offensive side of things,” Crockett said. “He’s been on a tear over the last month-and-a-half where he’s really been more consistent with his approach.”
Dalbec also had 27 doubles, two triples and 60 walks. Then there are the league-leading 130 strikeouts in 419 plate appearances.
“Strikeouts? They’re going to happen, especially the type of hitter I am,” Dalbec said. “But I’ve been getting better. As long as I’m driving people in and getting on base …”
Despite what people may think, Dalbec is not swinging from his heels.
“My mindset is don’t try to do too much in any count,” he said. “I still have the ability to hit the ball over the fence.
“As long as I’m not going up there swinging just to swing and just hoping to hit it – I’m not very good when I do that – but when I stay gap-to-gap and take a nice, crisp swing, I think I can do damage.”
Dalbec has worked on his glovework.
“The defense has been consistently-plus all year at third base. It’s been a strength,” Crockett said.
If Dalbec develops, it will be interesting to see how the Red Sox handle him. When Chavis was hot last year, they had him move from third base and try first base during the Arizona Fall League. The Red Sox have a young major league third baseman in Devers.
While in Portland, it’s likely Chavis and Dalbec will alternate third base and designated hitter. Dalbec was scheduled to be the DH Friday night before the game was postponed because of rain.
But, no matter the position, the Red Sox will be watching Dalbec’s bat, seeing how he adjusts to Double-A.
FRIDAY’S POSTPONED game will be made up as part of a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-7411 or:
kthomas@pressherald.com
Twitter: @ClearTheBases
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