Catching prospect Nathan Hickey ranks third in OPS (.894) among Red Sox minor leaguers who have played at least 60 games. OPS, which combines a batter’s on-base percentage and slugging percentage, is the statistic most important to Hickey.

“Because that’s basically getting into everything: working counts, getting walks, being able to hit the ball for extra-base hits or slugging,” Hickey told MassLive recently.

The 23-year-old Hickey has a .370 on-base percentage and .524 slugging percentage, totaling a .894 OPS in 69 games (292 plate appearances) combined between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. Fifty-one of those 69 games have been played for Portland.

“So I think OPS for me personally is something I value more than a batting average or just OBP or just slugging,” Hickey said.

Hickey, who Baseball America describes as having “plus raw power,” has bashed 15 homers, including 11 with Portland. He’s tied with Niko Kavadas for the second most home runs among Red Sox minor leaguers. Hickey and Kavadas trail only Bobby Dalbec who has 25 blasts for Triple-A Worcester.

Assistant GM Eddie Romero recently said the Red Sox have been emphasizing swing decisions with all their minor leaguers. Like Portland teammate Blaze Jordan, Hickey mentioned his swing decisions depend on who is pitching.

“I feel like I can hit strikes anywhere in the zone pretty well,” Hickey said. “I feel like I can drive the ball in the inner half almost the same as I can away. So for me, it kind of just depends on the pitcher and how he’s trying to attack me and trying to attack us as a team. Just kind of pick and choose what side of the plate I’m looking for. It varies within each at-bat, each day.”

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Hickey has 15 doubles, one triple, 42 runs, 42 RBIs, 36 walks and 75 strikeouts combined between Greenville and Portland. He’s slashing .272/.357/.500/.857 in 210 plate appearances for Portland.

“Each time I go up there, I honestly think just try to hit a ball to center field,” Hickey said. “It makes sure I stay through the ball and to be able to stay on my path each time.”

Baseball America ranks Hickey the Red Sox’s No. 10 prospect. BA wrote, “Hickey features little wasted motion in the box, staying balanced through a short stride before unloading on pitches with a powerful hip turn to produce plus raw power.”

He is one of several catching prospects with exciting potential in Boston’s system. Boston drafted catcher Kyle Teel 14th overall out of the University of Virginia this June. MLB Pipeline grades Teel’s arm 65 (plus) on the 20-80 grading scale. It grades his hitting 55 (above average) and his fielding 50 (major league average).

Johanfran Garcia and Brooks Brannon are two other catchers to keep an eye on. Baseball America ranks the 18-year-old Garcia the Red Sox’s No. 20 prospect and the 19-year-old Brannon the No. 22 prospect in the system.

Boston signed Garcia for $850,000 out of Venezuela in January 2022. He’s 44-for-133 (.331) with a .431 on-base percentage, .549 slugging percentage, .980 OPS, five homers, 10 doubles, two triples, 20 runs, 31 RBIs, 17 walks and 29 strikeouts in 36 games in the Florida Complex League. He has thrown out 11-of-31 base stealers (35%) after catching 45% of base stealers (26-for-58) in the DSL last year.

Boston drafted Brannon in the ninth round (No. 279 overall) out of Randleman High in North Carolina in 2022. The Red Sox signed him to a well above slot value bonus of $712,500. He has slashed .264/.303/.583/.886 with six homers, three doubles and one triple in 17 games combined between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem.

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Hickey was an infielder growing up. He played catcher and third base while also occasionally serving as a DH at Florida before Boston selected him in the fifth round in 2021. He never became a full-time catcher until certain points in college and now in professional ball.

“At first, it was really rocky but I feel like now it’s getting more and more consistent,” Hickey said.

Hickey needs to improve defensively if he wants to remain at catcher. He has made improvements throughout this season and he’s working hard to stay behind the plate. He wants to catch long-term.

“If they were like, ‘Hey, we’re going to put you at second,’ I would 100% try to be the best second baseman that I could be,” Hickey said. “It’s more I want to catch in Boston because Boston is top tier of baseball — of any org in MLB. I want to be able to just help the team win but I want to be able to catch in Boston.”

Baseball America wrote in Hickey’s February 2023 scouting report: “Hickey does embrace the challenge of his position and plays with an edge to prove doubters wrong.” It added, “If Hickey emerges as a below-average defensive catcher, he’d have standout offensive potential at the position. If not, he might still bring enough as a hitter to play at DH or first base.”

MLB Pipeline wrote before this season, “His average arm plays down because of a slow transfer and a lack of throwing accuracy.”

Hickey has had trouble throwing out base stealers. He has thrown out 11% this season, a number that has increased recently. He has arm strength. Both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline grade his arm 50 (average) on the 20-80 grading scale.

“For me, I have the arm strength,” Hickey said. “In high school, I topped out on the mound at like 93 or 94. So I have the arm strength. It’s more just being quicker, more fluidity within how I transfer the ball, get it to my hand and let it go. What I was having trouble with is I would get the ball and I’d be like, ‘Oh, I want to throw the heck out of this.’”

He said the “throwing the heck out of this” approach was causing him to throw with a longer arm path. He said he’s tightened his arm path.

“Make sure it’s shorter and more fluid,” Hickey said.

Hickey has done important work with Portland manager Chad Epperson who spent 12 years as Red Sox catching coordinator. Epperson has asked Hickey if he wants to work pregame even on days Hickey is starting at DH. Hickey always replies, “Yes.”

“I want to improve on being able to keep strikes strikes and just be able to gain some strikes,” Hickey said. “And I want to be able to control the pitching staff, which I feel like this year compared to last year, I’ve done a lot better job this year of being able to control the starters and the relievers and the new guys coming in. Just being able to be more all-around as a catcher rather than just be good at one thing.”