Dave Dombrowski seems to be behind schedule. Shouldn’t he begin making trades by now?

Last year, Boston’s president of baseball operations began dealing on July 7, when he obtained infielder Aaron Hill. Brad Ziegler was acquired July 9, Drew Pomeranz on July 14 and Fernando Abad on Aug. 1.

Perhaps Dombrowski feels less urgency this year, with the Red Sox 31/2 games in front in the American League East. Last year at this time, they were two games behind Baltimore.

Still, he is likely to make a deal.

Of those 2016 midseason trades, Dombrowski only sent away one big prospect – pitcher Anderson Espinoza to San Diego for Pomeranz.

Touted for his potential, Espinoza, 19, has been on the disabled list all season with a sore forearm.

As for the others, Boston sent pitcher Aaron Wilkerson and infielder Wendell Rijo to Milwaukee for Hill. Wilkerson, 28 (3.46 ERA), and Rijo, 21 (.220 average), are both in Double-A.

For Ziegler, Boston sent infielder Luis Alejandro Basabe and pitcher Jose Almonte to Arizona. Basabe, 20, is in low A ball (.229) and Almonte, 21, is in high A (4.02, but with 108 strikeouts in 87 innings).

Boston traded reliever Pat Light to the Twins for Abad. Light, 26, is in Triple-A with the Mariners (5.28 ERA).

What about this year’s Red Sox prospects? Are any of them trade bait?

Let’s take a look:

UNTOUCHABLES

• Rafael Devers, 20, Portland. The only place Devers likely is headed this month is to Triple-A Pawtucket. Devers is one of the finest hitters to play for the Sea Dogs, especially at his age. His 18 home runs in 287 at-bats means a homer every 15.9 at-bats. Only Ryan Lavarnway did better as a Red Sox-affiliated Sea Dog (a homer every 14.9 at-bats in 2011, and he was 25).

Devers’ OPS of .944 shows a consistent hitter who can get on base. He could get a shot at the majors this year, and will eventually stick. Down the line, maybe he plays first base (see Michael Chavis, below).

• Jay Groome, 18, Greenville. After trading away Espinoza and Michael Kopech, Groome is Boston’s best chance to develop a frontline starter. Groome missed two months with a lat strain. He came back and threw five innings of one-hit ball for Greenville and was scheduled to pitch again Monday. He might make a start for Salem by the end of the year.

• Sam Travis, 23, Boston. Technically, Travis is the No. 3 first baseman, behind Mitch Moreland and Hanley Ramirez. But Ramirez’s sore shoulders have limited him. Travis is hitting .275 with a .341 on-base percentage. He is not a power guy, although that may come. He could eventually go back to Pawtucket, but the Red Sox should hold onto him.

• Michael Chavis, 21, Portland. Chavis’s quick hands have produced four home runs in only 60 at-bats with Portland. After hitting .307 with a .981 OPS in Salem, he’s at .267/.797 with the Sea Dogs. He has played third base well. The Red Sox have time to let Chavis develop into a polished hitter. He stays in the organization, and with Portland this season.

POSSIBLES

• Jalen Beeks, 24, Pawtucket. Beeks has come out of nowhere (a 12th-round draft pick in 2014) to be one of Boston’s most promising minor league starters. Dominant in Portland, the left-handed Beeks has made seven starts for Pawtucket (3.11 ERA, .210 opponents’ average, 41 strikeouts and 14 walks in 372/3 innings). He might be considered trade bait, if not for the chance he could provide a boost in Boston this year, as a starter or reliever.

• Josh Ockimey, 21, Salem. Ockimey was hitting .321 with seven home runs as Salem’s first baseman. Since then, he’s batting .212 with one homer. Hard to gauge his trade value right now. He likely stays in Salem, with a possible late appearance in Portland.

• Bryan Mata, 18, Greenville. Mata jumped two minor league levels to become a prime pitching prospect. In six of his seven starts, he’s allowed one earned run or less. He’s the youngest player in the league. If traded, the Red Sox would need prime value in return. Mata likely stays, starts in Salem next year and maybe gets to Portland by late summer.

INTRIGUING

• Bryce Brentz, 28, Pawtucket. Brentz is back on the prospect list. Removed from the 40-man roster in the spring, and slumping early, Brentz is now batting .270/.872 with 18 home runs (11 of them in June). His future in Boston’s outfield seems cloudy, and certainly someone will want a power bat.

• Danny Mars, 23, Portland. Another outfielder who may not crack the Boston roster, Mars does not have power. All he does is hit, batting .309 for the Sea Dogs. He should stay with Portland this year, unless a deal is made.

• Lorenzo Cedrola, 19, Greenville. A speedy center fielder, Cedrola has value. He jumped from the Gulf Coast League last year to low Class A and is hitting .287/.705 with 14 stolen bases.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases

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