When will Red Sox prospect Franklin Arias get promoted to Triple-A? It's a question that has been on the minds of many, but Arias himself seems unbothered. "Part of this game is to be patient," he says. "Moving up to Triple-A, those type of decisions, I can't control. The one thing I can control is what are my intentions daily, and it's just to improve across all facets of the game."
Arias is right to focus on his own development, as the Red Sox have a history of taking a patient approach with their prospects. They've made Double-A a critical developmental incubator, where players are challenged to improve and pair their tools with higher levels of execution. The talent level in Double-A is consistently high, and the emphasis is on situational play and execution.
"The tools that you see in Double-A may be the best at any level," says Sea Dogs interim manager Kyle Sasala. "The pure stuff that you see from pitchers in Double-A and the tools that you see from the position players are pretty special here."
The jump from High-A to Double-A is significant, and the Red Sox farm director Brian Abraham notes that it's often the biggest jump other than from Triple-A to the big leagues. The challenge at Double-A is for players to make their skills more sustainable by making adjustments and improving their execution.
Arias, for his part, seems to be thriving in Double-A. "I don’t think his development is stalling at all," says Sasala. "Obviously, what he’s done this year has been pretty special, but he keeps his head down, and he continues to work, and he understands that where he eventually wants to be is not in Double-A, it’s not in Triple-A, it’s in the big leagues."
While Arias continues to develop, the question of when he'll be promoted to Triple-A remains. History suggests that it may not happen until after the All-Star Futures Game and the early-August trade deadline. But the Red Sox seem content to let Arias develop at his own pace, focusing on his daily intentions and improvements.
In the meantime, Arias can take comfort in the fact that he's being challenged and developed at a high level. And who knows? Maybe one day he'll be the one making decisions about promotions and development. From my perspective, the journey to the big leagues is as much about the development process as it is about the final destination.
