MANCHESTER, N.H. — Cody Decker swatted ball after ball off the tee in the indoor batting cage.

After two ground balls, he lofted a ball into the netting.

“Better,” Decker said to himself.

Then a line drive sizzled off the tee.

“That’s what we’re looking for,” Decker said.

Seemed like a lot of work for the final game of the Sea Dogs’ season. But Decker is working for more than that. There is the World Baseball Classic qualifying round later this month (Decker plays for Team Israel), winter ball in Venezuela and then job hunting.

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Decker is not alone. He is one of several minor league free agents in the Red Sox organization wondering where they will play next year.

“We’ll see where this offseason takes me,” Decker said. “Who knows? It’s baseball.”

The Red Sox must decide on several minor leaguers at the Double-A and Triple-A level, and not only the free agents. Other players are eligible for the Rule V Draft in December.

In the draft, eligible players not on a team’s 40-man roster can be taken by another team, as long as that player remains on the major-league roster (25-man) all of next season.

Among the 17 Rule V-eligible players in Pawtucket and Portland, at least four stand a chance of being taken by another team, if the Red Sox don’t move them to their 40-man roster:

Pawtucket starter Justin Haley, who began the season in Portland, was strong in Triple-A (8-6, 3.59). He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his final start on Sunday. He allowed two hits in eight shutout innings.

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Pawtucket reliever Kyle Martin, who was in Portland last year, commands a 94 mph fastball with solid secondary stuff. He had a 3.38 ERA and 1.19 WHIP

Sea Dogs outfielder Aneury Tavarez came into this season with a career .254 average and broke out with an All-Star year: .335/.886 OPS.

Sea Dogs catcher Jake Romanski led the Eastern League in throwing out runners – 49 percent (53 of 108) – while also batting .308/.748.

Another longshot Rule V candidate is Salem reliever Jamie Callahan, a second-round draft pick in 2012. He spent two years in Greenville before coming to Salem this season with his mid-90s fastball (63 strikeouts in 652/3 innings).

Decker is one of eight free agents in Portland (there are 10 in Pawtucket). Five of them, like Decker, were signed this year to plug holes.

Three others have been in the Red Sox organization since they became pros – pitcher Keith Couch (a 13th-round draft pick in 2010), pitcher Jacob Dahlstrand (10th round, 2010) and oft-injured outfielder Henry Ramos (fifth round, 2010) can sign with other teams after the season.

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If Couch’s Red Sox career is over, he leaves with a 52-43 record and 3.96 ERA.

Couch may not have a dominating pitch, but he commands well. His downfall in his development was a 5.90 ERA in 157 Triple-A innings.

Ramos, who has been hurt most of the past two seasons, finally reached Triple-A this year and looked good before cooling off (.246/.685 in 57 games). He came back to Portland and was put on the disabled list again.

Dahlstrand moved slowly through the system and then was shelved in early 2015 with Tommy John surgery. He pitched four games for Portland before going back on the DL.

First-year Sea Dogs include veteran pitcher Mitch Atkins, infielders Nate Freiman, Ryan Court and Decker, and outfielder Rainel Rosario.

Atkins, 30, was 6-7 with a 4.48 ERA and league-leading 145 strikeouts. Decker led the team in home runs (14, in 63 games); Freiman had an .814 OPS; Rosario batted .254; and Court (.277/.752) played every infield position and left field.

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While major league free agents may look for a payday, minor leaguers look for an opportunity, including a spot on a Triple-A roster with an invitation to major league spring training camp.

Among the intriguing free agent pitchers in Pawtucket are Sean Sullivan and Williams Cuevas, both of whom pitched for Boston before eventually coming back and being removed from the 40-man roster.

Free-agent reliever Roman Mendez appeared briefly in Boston last year and stayed all 2016 in Pawtucket (3.38 ERA/1.19 WHIP).

Shortstop Jose Vinicio, a bonus baby ($2 million) in 2009, could be done with the Red Sox. After being promoted from Portland, he hit .269/.642 in 48 games with Pawtucket.

Catcher Dan Butler, 29, returned to the Red Sox organization this year, playing only 48 games, but batted .308. Boston may want to keep him for depth, but Butler will get offers from other organizations.

First baseman Chris Marrero, brother of shortstop Deven Marrero, is going to get offers. He batted .284/.838 with 23 home runs.

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THE ARIZONA FALL league rosters were announced last week. The Surprise Saguaros, who will be managed by Sea Dogs Manager Carlos Febles, will have six players from the Red Sox organization – third baseman Yoan Moncada, shortstop Mauricio Dubon, outfielder Danny Mars, and pitchers Jalen Beeks, Trey Ball and Callahan.

Moncada has been called up to the major leagues, but other call-ups have returned to play in the AFL (including Mike Trout).

Dubon is likely to get some playing time in the outfield to increase his versatility.

Beeks was a combined 9-8, 3.87 in Salem and Portland.

Choosing three Salem players was a surprise.

Ball, a former first-round draft pick, is finishing his second season in advanced Class A (8-6, 3.84). Maybe a bullpen move is in order?

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Mars batted .293/.754.

IN PAWTUCKET, left-hander Henry Owens finished Pawtucket’s season with a win Sunday, allowing one earned run, four hits and three walks over 62/3 innings.

He finished with a 3.53 ERA in Triple-A and will join Boston this weekend.

IN SALEM, third baseman Rafael Devers, 19 finished his season at .282/.779 (.326/.907 in the second half. Next stop: Portland next April.

IN LOWELL, first-year manager (and former Sea Dogs infielder) Iggy Suarez has the Spinners in the postseason for the first time in seven years. Lowell’s first playoff game is Wednesday. First-round draft pick Jason Groome may get the start.

Groome was promoted last week from the Gulf Coast League.

In his Spinners’ debut, Groome allowed no hits, but one run and four walks in 22/3 innings, while striking out two. He left in the third inning with two outs and a runner on first. The runner then scored on a double.

 


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