Former No. 1 Red Sox Prospect Joins NPB After Dodgers Release

A former top Boston Red Sox prospect is heading to Japan after stalling out as a big leaguer.

Infielder Michael Chavis recently signed with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball, the top league in Japan, following his July 8 release from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dragons announced the signing.

Chavis was Boston’s top-ranked prospect by SoxProspects.com from July of 2018 through April of 2019. The 2014 first-round pick debuted in 2019 and finished the season with a .254 average along with 18 homers and a .766 OPS.

Chavis struggled throughout the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season (.212 average, five homers) and split the 2021 campaign between Boston and Triple-A Worcester before being traded to the Pirates. Following one-plus seasons in Pittsburgh, Chavis spent the 2023 campaign with the Washington Nationals and split the 2024 campaign in the minors for the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox.

Chavis signed with the Dodgers last February but was sent to Triple-A after spring training. In 63 games for Oklahoma City before his release, he hit .291 with 13 homers and a .547 OPS.

Perhaps Chavis will return stateside following a resurgent stint in Japan. However, at this point, it might be safe to say we’ve seen the last of him in Major League Baseball.

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