FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox optioned infielder Marco Hernandez to Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday, but only after he made a strong impression in camp.
In addition, they reassigned right-hander Kyle Martin, the team's No. 28 prospect, to Minor League camp.
"He's a good-looking, athletic, very quick middle infielder. He showed really good bat speed," manager John Farrell said of Hernandez. "Since we acquired him for Felix [Doubront], he's gained some strength and some size and it's showing up with some extra-base power in the bat."
The left-handed-batting Hernandez, Boston's No. 13 prospect as ranked by MLBPipeline.com, hit .579 (11-for-19) with six doubles and seven RBIs in 14 Spring Training games.
The key for the 23-year-old Hernandez will be the ability to expand his versatility on defense and perhaps emerge into a Brock Holt type of player.
"He hasn't played much third base," said Farrell. "He's been mostly up the middle of the infield and primarily at shortstop. We'll get him at third base. We'll also take a look maybe in center field as well. [Make him] more of a super-utility type of player."
The roster move came a day after Hernandez sustained a left shoulder subluxation.
"We're going to send him for some imaging later today," said Farrell. "This is a day-to-day situation. When he was examined yesterday after the game, it didn't look any more severe. ... We feel like imaging is more precautionary and not the result of anything happening overnight."
With the moves of Hernandez and Martin, the Red Sox now have 46 players in big league camp, including 34 players from the 40-man roster and 12 non-roster invitees.