FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox power-hitting prospect Bobby Dalbec got stuck with a dreaded middle seat on the flight to Japan for the Premier 12 Tournament. So he acted like chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and made a trade.

“Tanner Houck was in the window (seat),” Dalbec said. “And I paid him like 200 bucks to take the window so I could sleep.”

“That was his first offer and I jumped on it,” Houck added.

“I think I high-balled a little bit,” Dalbec said. “I think I could have got him for a little bit lower. But it was worth it."

Keep an eye on these two talented Red Sox prospects. Dalbec, a 2016 fourth-round draft pick out of Arizona, has bashed 59 homers the past two minor league seasons combined (264 games). The Red Sox added the 24-year-old first baseman/third baseman to the 40-man roster in November. Baseball America has him ranked No. 75 on its top 100 and it listed him as having the best infield arm and most power in the Red Sox minor league system.

He certainly is a candidate to win a spot on Boston’s Opening Day 26-man roster.

Houck, a 2017 first-round pick out of Mizzou, is one of several candidates for Boston’s open fifth starter spot. The right-handed pitcher started against Tampa Bay on Monday, tossing 2 scoreless innings in a 2-2 Grapefruit League tie.

The 23-year-old Houck — who also played in Japan with U.S. collegiate team in 2015 — viewed the $200 as much more valuable than a window seat.

“Either way we’re gonna be uncomfortable on a 14-, 15-hour flight. Might as well,” Houck said.

It was a regular commercial plane, nothing fancy like the luxury “flying hotel” (as Alex Cora described it) that the Red Sox traveled on to London last summer.

Team Mexico was on the same flight with Team USA to Tokyo. The plane had middle row seating as well.

This particular side row included three very tall baseball players. Houck is listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. Dalbec is about 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. Pirates pitching prospect Cody Ponce, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, had the aisle seat.

“We were all sitting right next to each other and we’re all big guys. So it already was just a cluster having us three in the same row together,” Houck said. “So it was like, no matter what ...”

Did Houck spend the money in Japan?

“I bought some stuff for the family. Bought some stuff for me. I actually bought a samurai sword," Houck said. “And I actually had the whole team sign it.

"I wanted something kind of unique. Everybody was getting a jersey or baseball signed. I was like, ‘You know what? I’ll get it on the samurai sword.’ Might as well. Just a fun little, like silly memory that I’ll look back on in 10, 15 years and kind of be like, ‘Good times but what was I thinking?’”

Houck noticed the sword when he and his teammates visited a monastery.

“They have a bunch of shops out front,” Houck said. “I saw it in the window and was like, come to Japan and get a samurai sword. I guess that would be kind of cool. How many people can say that?”

C.J. Chatham, who the Red Sox added to the 40-man roster along with Dalbec in November, also played for Team USA. The 6-foot-3 middle infielder got stuck with a middle seat as well.

Team USA — which finished fourth in the tournament — played both in Mexico and Japan. While in Mexico, Dalbec and teammates toured the Jose Cuervo distillery.

“Tokyo, on the off days we’d kind of just go around to different cities,” Dalbec said. “It’s only like 15, 20 minutes on trains to anywhere you want to go.”

Dalbec especially enjoyed Shibuya Crossing, which is Tokyo’s Time Square.

“There’s so many people,” Dalbec said. “It’s crazy.”

Dalbec posted a .364 on-base percentage, .500 slugging percentage, two homers, one double and eight RBIs in 28 at-bats during the tourney. He bashed a grand slam on a 3-2 sinker in the first game vs. Netherlands.

Bobby Dalbec with a @USABaseball GRAND SLAM.



The #RedSox No. 2 prospect smashed this one to break the game open for Team USA, who now hold a 7-0 lead in the first game of the #Premier12 tournament. #ForGlory pic.twitter.com/eHZPMLtnnM — MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 2, 2019

“The team we had was really cool to be around," Dalbec said. “We jelled really well together. We were only together for what five days (practicing)? And then going out, wearing the uniform, playing against Netherlands, it felt like we had been playing together for a long time. So it was cool."

Houck said about Dalbec: “He’s got some unbelievable power to all fields. I’ve gotten to play with him now for two years. So seeing that and seeing what he’s done is unbelievable.”