Age: 18
Born: October 23, 1987
Venezuela
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
How Acquired: International free agent (2004)

It looks like the Sox may have found something pretty good when they signed Doubront for a relatively hefty $150,000 bonus back in 2004. He was fantastic in the Venezuelan Summer League last season, posting a 0.97 ERA with 58 Ks in 64.2 IP as a starter.

He's following that up with a very impressive start to the 2006 season in the Gulf Coast League. Including today's 6 IP, 0 ER, 5 K effort, Doubront has posted the following stats this year:

IP: 31
ERA: 1.74
H: 18
K: 26
BB: 3

He's not a hard-thrower (sits in the high-80s and tops out in the low 90s), but could add a tick or two to his fastball as he matures physically. He has a changeup and a curveball that are improving.

He is the new King Felix

Per Rotoworld:

All those regular season starts were against 3 teams. The twins, reds and pirates. If they played other teams he might have had a better ERA as the teams would not have seen him as much.

Doubront is starting this year on the DL after offseason surgery for a hernia. Depending on his health, he could find his way into the Greenville (Low-A) rotation this year.

Doubront joined Greenville yesterday.


Willie T. Smith III, Greenville News - Reddick chips in during his Drive debut

After the game, Drive reliever Miguel Socolovich was sent to Lowell. He was replaced on the roster by starting pitcher Felix Doubront.

Dubrount was 4-3 with 2.92 earned run average at the Gulf Coast League and with Lowell last year. He was 7-1 with a 0.97 ERA with the Venezuelan Summer League Red Sox in 2005.

Doubront has made 3 starts for Greenville since being activated off the DL (hernia surgery). The 19-year-old lefty has a 7.07 ERA with 6 BBs and 5 Ks in 14 IP.

Doubront is not enjoying his introduction to the Sally League so far. He had his best start of the year (6.1 IP 1 ER) on June 14, but followed that up by getting knocked out in the first inning on June 24 (0.1 IP, 4 hits, 3 BB, 6 ER). He now sports an ugly 8.06 ERA in 25. 2 IP, with 12 BBs and only 8 Ks.

From the Greenville News:

Willie T. Smith III - Afternoon in the park is no picnic for Drive

Starter Felix Doubront was forced to leave with two outs in the third after feeling pain in his pitching arm.



Willie T. Smith III - Drive get some relief


Cramping up -- Drive starting pitcher Felix Doubront left Wednesday’s game with two outs in the third inning after being physically unable to continue.

“He came out because of cramps,” said Greenville manager Gabe Kapler of Doubront, who was holding his pitching arm. “I don’t know what the official diagnosis is yet.”

Willie T. Smith III, Greenville News - Doubront finds his groove; Greenville Drive starter has been brilliant after rough 2007

After knowing nothing but success during his first two seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization, Felix Antonio Doubront came down to Earth in 2007.

...

This season, a healthy Doubront came to Red Sox training camp determined to regain the form that earned him Red Sox Minor League Latin Pitcher of the Year in 2005. He was 7-1 with a 0.97 ERA in 13 starts in the Venezuelan Summer League.

He backed that up with solid stints with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and the short-season Lowell Spinners, where he posted a combined 4-3 record with a 2.92 ERA in 2006.

“I was aware of him in 2006,” Drive pitching coach Bob Kipper said. “There was some push to get him to Greenville. He was pitching and dominating in the Gulf Coast League that year.”

Doubront’s rise hit a stop sign in 2007. After posting a 1-3 record with a 5.66 ERA at Lowell, he was sent to Greenville. Things went even worse and he finished the campaign with a 3-7 mark and an 8.93 ERA.

“I know it was a tough year for him,” Kipper said. “He fell on hard times. But, going into spring training this year, Felix looked like he did some good work as far as strength and conditioning, (and) put himself in a good position physically to go out and have success. You have to do that as a player.”