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Red Sox Assign Swihart, Rodriguez To Pawtucket

BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox sent a pair of promising prospects down to Pawtucket on Friday.

Boston sent catcher Blake Swihart and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to Triple-A on Friday, ending their stints in the Red Sox' major league camp.

The 22-year-old Swihart was impressive this spring, going 7-for-18 at the plate with a home run and four RBI. He is currently ranked as Boston's top prospect in their system.

Rodriguez, who Boston acquired from Baltimore for reliever Andrew Miller last season, also played well this spring. The 21-year-old gave up just one run over 7.2 innings of work, striking out nine batters while walking just one in his three appearances.

Red Sox manager John Farrell spoke positively about both prospects on Friday, saying they both had "strong" springs.

"You look at two young guys who are talented, strong in their own respective positions," Farrell said. "Both had very good springs for the positions that they'€™re in. That is Blake coming in and not just being happy to be in big league camp, but to come in and compete. To know he, himself, is getting closer to becoming a major league player. When that time comes, who knows? And I think there are some areas that we recognized he has to continue to develop, and that'€™s probably as much on the receiving side, some blocking. That'€™s ongoing maintenance for any catcher. But I thought he showed well, very well.

"[Rodriguez is] a young, poised, extremely talented left-handed pitcher that has got a bright future," Farrell continued. "There was one outing in particular in Bradenton where he didn'€™t have his best stuff, and yet he didn'€™t let the traffic or the challenge of the inning effect the body language and poise to make pitches. He'€™s an impressive young guy."

Swihart will likely spend most of the season in Triple-A, but Rodriguez could find himself in the Boston bullpen sooner rather than later.

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