Lowell Spinners update: Tzu-Wei Lin, Kyle Martin, Kendrick Perkins

Tzu-Wei Lin, SS

Lin is another in a long line of promising shortstops on the Red Sox farm. The Taiwanese import played for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2012, and hit .255/.341/.318. That doesn't seem like much, but he was 18 years old in a league that averaged nearly 20 years old, one that combined to hit .242/.318/.342. That's not a bad 130 plate appearances to start his pro career.

He's been a little better than that to start at short-season Lowell, in a league that, to this point, has similarly unimpressive slash lines (.238/.316/.337). It's not that Lin is supposed to be a good hitter or anything, or that we want to take 43 plate appearances seriously, but, like with Deven Marrero, seeing Lin perform above the league's average is likely a good sign given his real value is in his glove.

While just seeing him draw walks often alone isn't necessarily a positive, since hitters can be a little passive and get away with it in the low minors, it's good to see Lin has only punched out twice in 43 chances -- if he's keeping strikeouts down while managing to draw walks anyway, it's more likely that it's a discerning eye at work. Again, though, it's too early to say any of that with authority.

*****

Kyle Martin, RHP

Martin started and relieved for Texas A&M this spring, and with poor results. The Red Sox will likely stick him back in a relief role -- those sorts of designations don't mean all that much in short-season ball, but will as he moves up the ladder -- as it's where there will be value in him, if there's any to be had. He's 6-foot-6 and 195 pounds, so while he's already 22, he has some room to add bulk and muscle.

He missed bats in college in a relief role, so maybe he'll be able to do so again now that he's back in the bullpen on a full-time basis. Part of the appeal of Martin, though, regardless of how he turns out as a professional, is that he signed for $10,000, or about $137,000 under slot, giving the Sox extra budget room to negotiate with other draft picks. If he can get back to his successful ways at Texas A&M, Boston will get more than just that from him, but there's always that budgetary fact to lean on regardless.

*****

Kendrick Perkins, OF

Perkins began the year at Low-A Greenville, despite hitting poorly for the Spinners in 2012. The Red Sox likely just wanted to get him as many at-bats as they could, but, as you can, it didn't work very well, with a sub-500 OPS in the short time he played. Perkins is back in short-season ball now that the Spinners are playing, though, and he's done better in his return to the level. He's 21, which makes him the same age as your average New York-Penn League player, so he'll need to keep on hitting, or turn it up a bit, in order to remain intriguing.

This is a good start, but Perkins has had solid stretches in the past, too. The fact he's still striking out a lot doesn't bode well, as it puts all kinds of pressure on his batting average on balls in play. He's someone to watch, though, just remember not to get too excited.

Read more Red Sox:

• Red Sox trade targets: Cheap relievers
• The Celtics, the Red Sox, and two franchise-saving trades
• John Lackey finally living up to his contract
• MLB All-Star Game 2013: Two Red Sox prospects named to Futures Game
• Farrell: Red Sox "better team" with Jose Iglesias at third base