Former Red Sox catching prospect Stephen Scott signs minor-league deal with Tigers

Former Red Sox catching prospect Stephen Scott signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Friday, per MiLB.com’s transactions log. The 26-year-old has been assigned to Detroit’s Double-A affiliate, meaning he will open the 2024 season with the Erie SeaWolves.

Scott became a free agent earlier this week after requesting and being granted his release from the Red Sox organization. The North Carolina native was originally selected by Boston in the 10th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of Vanderbilt.

Signed for $50,000, Scott initially came up as a first baseman and corner outfielder before transitioning to catching full-time in 2022. Last season, the left-handed hitter batted .235/.350/.462 with 16 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs, 66 RBIs, 59 runs scored, six stolen bases, 59 walks, and 85 strikeouts in exactly 100 games (403 plate appearances) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester.

After making the jump from Portland to Worcester in early June, Scott slashed .228/.339/.470 with 11 doubles, one triple, 13 homers, 44 runs driven in, 36 runs scored, two stolen bases, 35 walks, and 51 strikeouts over 63 games (254 plate appearances) with the WooSox. In that time, the 5-foot-11, 205-pounder made 10 starts at first base and 30 at catcher. He threw out just three of 38 possible base stealers while allowing six passed balls in 263 1/3 defensive innings behind the plate.

This spring, Scott received his second straight non-roster invite to major-league camp. He appeared in five Grapefruit League games for Boston, going 0-for-6 with a walk and three strikeouts before being reassigned to minor-league camp on March 6. It seemed as though Scott was ticketed to return to Worcester for the start of the 2024 campaign, but he obviously had something else in mind.

With the external additions of Tyler Heineman and Mark Kolozvary, plus the emergence of prospect Nathan Hickey, Scott would have been buried on Worcester’s catching depth chart. And so, in hopes of finding more playing time elsewhere, Scott and the Red Sox agreed to a mutual parting of ways this past Wednesday.

Scott, who turns 27 in late May, has now found a new opportunity for himself by inking a minors pact with the Tigers. As noted by the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold, the former Arizona Fall League All-Star could serve as Erie’s primary catcher to begin the 2024 season and ultimately work his way back up to the Triple-A level before the year is over.

(Picture of Stephen Scott: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)