Jeter Downs   Shortstop

       
 
Born: July 27, 1998
Birthplace: San Andres, Colombia
Height: 5-11
Weight: 180
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
   
Drafted: CB-A  round, 2017 by CIN
How Acquired: Acquired from LAD with Alex Verdugo and Connor Wong for Mookie Betts, David Price, and cash considerations (Feb. 2020)
College: (Miami commit)
High School: Edward Pace (FL)

Photo © Kelly O'Connor
Jeter Downs Photos by Kelly O'Connor
Pronunciation: -
First Pro Contract: June 23, 2017 (CIN)
Signing Scout: Hector Otero
Signing Bonus: $1,822,500
   
Pro Debut: June 29, 2017 (Billings)
MLB Debut: June 22, 2022 (BOS)
   
Twitter: @jeter2downs
Instagram: @jeter2downs


Claimed off waivers by Washington (Dec. 2022)
 
 
 
 
 
     
  Scouting Report & Links      
         
  Physical Description: Athletic, twitchy. Minimal projection remaining in frame. Has gotten stronger since signing. Thick lower half.

Hit: Starts open and vertical with his hands high. Leg kick timing device. Pronounced load with his hands pre-pitch. Struggles with timing his swing and getting to fastballs up in the zone. Has quick hands, but bat drags due to slow trigger. When he tries to speed things up to compensate, becomes susceptible to off-speed pitches. At his best, will show an all-fields approach. Had always hit prior to trade to Boston, but has generally struggled with Triple-A pitching save for a few short bursts of success. Will need to make adjustments to make enough contact. Has attempted to make changes to his setup, opening up to get to the ball quicker. Potential well below-average hit tool.

Power: Swing changes prior to trade to Boston have allowed him to tap into his raw power even though he does not have a prototypical power hitter's frame. Puts the ball in the air often and has shown the most power to the pull side. Will hit his share of home runs, but could add a substantial number of doubles. Development of hit tool will determine how much of his game power actualizes. If he can make enough contact, potential for average power.

Run: Fringe-average speed, but has shown strong instincts and could steal a handful of bases in the major leagues.

Field: Moves well and has shown soft hands. Makes the routine plays and shows confidence charging the ball and ranging to either side. Average range, that is passable at shortstop for a few days a week. Could be a better defender at second base than shortstop, but has made himself into a good enough defender after past questions about whether he could handle short that such a move would be done for versatility purposes, not because of his own limitations. Potential solid-average defender.
  Arm: Average arm. Arm is a little light for shortstop full-time, but quick release allows it to play there.

Career
Notes: Named after Derek Jeter. Younger brother of Red Sox 2015 draft pick Jerry Downs. Born in Colombia but grew up in Florida. Drafted by the Reds, was dealt in December 2018 to the Dodgers with Josiah Gray and Homer Bailey for Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, Matt Kemp, Kyle Farmer and cash. Was acquired along with Alex Verdugo and Connor Wong in the reworked Mookie Betts trade after the Red Sox did not like Brusdar Graterol’s medicals. Played at the Alternate Training Site in 2020, working with a primary focus on his defense with coach Bruce Crabbe. Entered 2020 and 2021 seasons as a top 100 prospect. Opened 2021 at the Alternate Training Site. Competed for Colombia in the 2021 Americas Olympic Qualifier. Struggled for the majority of 2022 and into the 2022 winter ball season, when he was released by his Puerto Rican league team. Was designated for assignment in December 2022.

Summation: Potential emergency utility infielder. Ceiling of fringe-utility infielder who struggles to hold down a consistent role and jumps from team to team. Future potential is largely tied to development of his hit tool. Has really struggled to make contact in the high minors, especially on velocity. May have been promoted to Triple-A a bit too aggressively after the lost 2020 season given his limited exposure to Double-A. If he can develop even a below-average hit tool, has the chance to carve out a major league role, but even that is a question after prolonged struggles in Triple-A. Other tools are all about average, and he lacks another carrying tool if his hit tool does not develop.

Links
SoxProspects Podcast on Mookie Betts Trade (2-10-2020)
State of the System 2020: Middle Infielders (4.29.2020)
Video from Pawtucket (9.4.2020)
Scouting Scratch (5.3.2021)
Scouting Scratch: Breaking Down the Arizona Fall League Contingent (10.27.2021)
Scouting Scratch: Red Sox 2021 Rule 5 Preview (11.18.2021)
 
   
     
    Hitting Stats                                          
  year team lg level org age g ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb bb so sb cs avg obp slg ops
2017 Billings Mustangs Pio Rk Cin 18 50 172 31 46 3 3 6 29 73 27 32 8 5 0.267 0.370 0.424 0.794
  2018 Daytona Dragons Midw A Cin 19 120 455 63 117 23 2 13 47 183 52 103 37 10 0.257 0.351 0.402 0.753
  2019 RC Quakes Cal A+ LAD 20 107 412 78 111 33 4 19 75 209 54 97 23 8 0.269 0.354 0.507 0.861
  2019 Tulsa Drillers Tex AA LAD 20 12 48 14 16 2 0 5 11 33 6 10 1 0 0.333 0.429 0.688 1.117
  2020 Season Cancelled --- --- Bos 21 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
  2021 Colombia OQ Int'l --- 22 3 10 1 1 0 0 1 1 4 0 5 0 0 0.100 0.182 0.400 0.582
  2021 Worcester Red Sox TAE AAA Bos 22 99 357 39 68 9 0 14 39 119 38 131 18 3 0.190 0.272 0.333 0.606
  2021 Scottsdale Scorpions AFL Fall Bos 22 14 50 9 10 0 0 5 14 25 14 17 4 2 0.200 0.385 0.500 0.885
2022 Worcester Red Sox IL AAA Bos 23 81 284 56 56 11 1 16 33 117 38 99 18 4 0.197 0.317 0.412 0.729
  2022 Boston Red Sox AL MLB Bos 23 14 39 4 6 1 0 1 4 10 1 21 0 0 0.154 0.175 0.256 0.431
  2022 Indios de Mayagüez LBPRC Wint --- 23 16 48 2 7 2 0 0 5 9 6 19 0 0 0.146 0.263 0.188 0.451
  2023 FCL Nationals FCL Rk Was 24 6 9 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 8 3 0 0 0.111 0.500 0.111 0.611
  2023 Wilmington Blue Rocks SAL A+ Was 24 3 10 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 2 7 0 0 0.100 0.250 0.200 0.450
  2023 Rochester Red Wings IL AAA Was 24 51 161 29 38 12 1 3 18 61 27 47 11 3 0.236 0.358 0.379 0.736
  2023 Washington Nationals NL MLB Was 24 6 5 4 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 1 2 0 0.400 0.667 0.400 1.067
   
     
  Advanced Stats & Splits
   
     
  Awards   SoxProspects.com Awards  
  California League All-Star (2019)
California League Season-End All-Star (2019)
2021 Futures Game All-Star
  2020 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star
2021 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (April 25 - May 1, 2022)
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (July 4-10, 2022)
 
   

   
     
 
 
 
     
 
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