Red Sox’ Johanfran Garcia named Eastern League Player of the Week

Red Sox catching prospect Johanfran Garcia has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of June 8-14, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Garcia tore the cover off the ball for Double-A Portland last week. Appearing in all six of the Sea Dogs’ games on the road against Reading, the 21-year-old slugger went 14-for-27 (.519) with four doubles, two home runs, 10 RBIs, four runs scored, and five strikeouts. He recorded multiple hits in five of the six contests and is now riding a 10-game hitting streak dating back to June 2.

After beginning the season in extended spring training, Garcia reported to Portland for his first taste of the Double-A level on April 21. In 36 games since then, the right-handed hitter is batting .309/.356/.570 with six doubles, 11 home runs, 31 RBIs, 22 runs scored, one stolen base, eight walks, and 44 strikeouts through 160 plate appearances for the Sea Dogs. That includes a .235/.316/.500 line in 38 plate appearances against lefties and a .330/.369/.591 line in 122 plate appearances against righties.

Among the 94 hitters who have made at least 160 trips to the plate in the Eastern League this season, Garcia ranks seventh in line-drive rate (29.8%), 10th in batting average and slugging percentage, 11th in isolated power (.262) and OPS (.926), 12th in wOBA (.399), 15th in wRC+ (137), and 28th in on-base percentage, according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Garcia has seen most of his playing time come behind the plate for Portland, where he is primarily splitting catching duties with Nate Baez and Ronald Rosario. In 22 starts at catcher, the stocky 5-foot-11 backstop has allowed just one passed ball and thrown out 11 of 41 would-be base stealers. He has also made 14 starts at DH and has prior experience at first base.

Garcia, the younger brother of former Red Sox-turned-Pirates outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia, originally signed with Boston for $850,000 as an international free agent in January 2022. The native Venezuelan got his professional career off to a strong start before tearing two ligaments in his right knee while running the bases and undergoing season-ending surgery in May 2024. He returned to action as a rehabber in the Florida Complex League last May, moved up to High-A Greenville in June, and ended the year with a stint in the Arizona Fall League.

Garcia entered 2026 as Baseball America’s No. 27 Red Sox prospect. He has since fallen out of the publication’s top 30, though MLB Pipeline and SoxProspects.com currently have him ranked at No. 26 and No. 34 in Boston’s farm system, respectively.

Taking into account that he can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time this winter, it would not be terribly surprising to see Garcia — who turns 22 in December — leverage his performance at Portland into a promotion to Triple-A Worcester before the end of the season.

(Picture of Johanfran Garcia: Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

Red Sox prospects Sadbiel Delzine, Franklin Primera named FCL Pitcher and Player of the Week

The Red Sox swept the weekly awards in the Florida Complex League on Monday, as prospects Sadbiel Delzine and Franklin Primera were named Pitcher and Player of the Week for June 8-14.

Delzine was dominant in his latest outing for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox last Tuesday. Working in relief of the rehabbing Jeremy Wu-Yelland on the road against the FCL Braves, the 18-year-old right-hander allowed only two hits and no walks (though he did hit two batters) while striking out a career-high eight over 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

Finishing with 75 pitches (54 strikes), Delzine generated 14 whiffs en route to improving to 3-0 on the season as the FCL Red Sox routed the FCL Braves, 13-2, at CoolToday Park in North Port. The young righty averaged 96 mph and reached 97.4 mph with his four-seam fastball, a pitch he threw 24 times. He also mixed in a slider, changeup, sinker, curveball, and cutter, according to Baseball Savant.

Through his first six appearances (three starts) of the season for Boston’s FCL affiliate, Delzine has posted a 1.16 ERA (3.03 FIP) with 27 strikeouts to seven walks over 23 1/3 innings in which he has held opponents to a .114 batting average. That includes a .152 clip for right-handed hitters and a .087 clip for left-handed hitters.

Among the 30 pitchers who entered this week having thrown at least 20 innings in the Florida Complex League, Delzine ranks first in batting average against, ERA, FIP, and WHIP (0.69), sixth in walks per nine innings (2.70), seventh in strikeout rate (30.3%), eighth in walk rate (7.9%), 11th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.41), swinging-strike rate (15.6%), and xFIP (4.21), per FanGraphs.

Delzine is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 11 prospect, placing sixth among pitchers in the organization. The native Venezuelan signed with the Red Sox for $500,000 as an international free agent in January 2025. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last season, but was limited to just 9 1/3 innings due in part to a flexor issue. When on the mound, though, he flashed intriguing potential and has carried that momentum over into 2026.

At 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, Delzine possesses an imposing, projectable frame and the ability to already touch triple digits with his fastball. He does not turn 19 until January and could very well be ready for a new challenge in the form of a promotion to Low-A Salem in the near future.

The same can be said for Primera, another Venezuelan-born prospect who has been on an absolute tear at the plate of late. In four games for the FCL Red Sox last week, the right-handed-hitting catcher went 8-for-12 (.667) with two doubles, two home runs, 10 RBIs, seven runs scored, one stolen base, five walks, and one strikeout. He notably homered and drove in a career-high six runs as part of a four-hit effort in a 26-6 drubbing of the FCL Braves at the JetBlue Park complex on Thursday.

Primera, who turns 19 on Tuesday, is enjoying a productive first season in the United States. Entering the week, he is batting .458/.596/.778 with five doubles, six home runs, 22 RBIs, 25 runs scored, four stolen bases, 21 walks, and 10 strikeouts through 24 FCL games (100 plate appearances). He is slashing .214/.476/.214 in 22 plate appearances against lefties and an eye-popping .517/.628/.914 in 78 plate appearances against righties.

Among the 37 hitters who came into the week having made at least 100 trips to the plate in the Florida Complex League, Primera ranks first in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS (1.374), wOBA (.613), and wRC+ (228), second in isolated power (.319) and strikeout rate (10%), and fourth in swinging-strike rate (7.5%) and walk rate (21%), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Primera has spent most of his time with the FCL Red Sox behind the plate. While primarily splitting catching duties with Jorge Rodriguez, the 6-foot, 230-pound backstop has made 18 starts at catcher, allowing four passed balls and throwing out 11 of 75 would-be base stealers. He has also made five starts at first base, where he has committed one error in 41 chances, and one start at DH.

Hailing from the Venezuelan city of Coro, Primera signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent in September 2024. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last season and worked his way from a bench role to an injury replacement in the DSL All-Star Game, where he was named co-MVP after hitting a crucial home run.

Less than a year after receiving that honor, Primera is now ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s top catching prospect and No. 19 overall prospect in the system. Like Delzine, Primera seemingly has little left to prove in rookie ball and should soon be in line for a promotion to Salem for his first full-season assignment.

(Picture of Franklin Primera: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox add former Mississippi State lefty, Royals draft pick Tyler Davis from Frontier League

The Red Sox have purchased the contract of left-hander Tyler Davis from the Washington Wild Things, the independent Frontier League club announced on Tuesday.

Not to be confused with the White Sox right-hander of the same name, this Tyler Davis is also no stranger to affiliated ball. The 24-year-old lefty was selected by the Royals in the 15th round of the 2024 draft out of Mississippi State after previously attending VCU. He received a $100,000 signing bonus and made his professional debut last season, appearing in 28 games between Kansas City’s Low-A and High-A affiliates.

In 26 outings (one start) for High-A Quad Cities, Davis posted a 3.98 ERA (3.76 FIP) with 43 strikeouts to 24 walks over 43 innings in which opponents batted .247 against him. He was released by the Royals in September and signed with the Wild Things in February.

Davis made nine relief appearances for Washington to begin the 2026 campaign, recording four saves while forging a 0.87 ERA with 12 strikeouts to two walks across 10 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound southpaw held opposing hitters in the Frontier League to a .211 batting average.

“Well, the kid that came to Washington because he felt like this was his best situation for him to get another chance with [an] affiliated organization has been proven right,” Wild Things manager Tom Vaeth said in a statement released by the team. “We are very happy to have helped Tyler achieve his goal. TD did a great job in the closer role in his short time with us… he showcased his velocity and ability to land his off-speed pitches. The sky is the limit for Tyler. Lefties with the ability to sit 93-95 like he can usually go pretty far in this game. We enjoyed having him in our family and can’t wait to see where he goes from here.”

A Virginia native, Davis is the second Wild Things player to have his contract purchased by the Red Sox and the first since Nate Striz in 2012. He has been assigned to High-A Greenville and will likely serve as a bullpen option upon passing his physical and officially joining Boston’s South Atlantic League affiliate in the coming days.

(Picture of Tyler Davis: Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Henry Godbout undergoes surgery for broken left hand

Red Sox infield prospect Henry Godbout recently underwent surgery to repair a broken left hand, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.

Godbout suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning of High-A Greenville’s 10-8 loss to Asheville at Fluor Field on May 30. The 22-year-old was placed on the 7-day injured list on June 2 and, after undergoing surgery, appears likely to be transferred to the 60-day injured list, according to a team source.

Such a move would sideline Godbout for much of the summer, putting a damper on his first full professional season. The right-handed hitter was batting .277/.410/.492 with seven doubles, seven home runs, 14 RBIs, 21 runs scored, two stolen bases, 22 walks, and 27 strikeouts in 34 games (161 plate appearances) for Greenville this year. He posted a .231/.344/.615 line against lefties and a .288/.426/.462 line against righties.

Among 85 qualified South Atlantic League hitters entering play this week, Godbout ranks third in swinging-strike rate (6.6%), ninth in on-base percentage and strikeout rate (16.8%), 15th in wOBA (.410), 16th in OPS (.902) and wRC+ (135), 19th in slugging percentage, 23rd in batting average, and 25th in isolated power (.215) and walk rate (13.7%), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Godbout was used almost exclusively at shortstop by Greenville to begin the season. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder made a team-leading 27 starts and logged 240 innings at short for the Drive, committing seven errors in 110 chances. He also made seven starts at DH.

Godbout was selected by the Red Sox out of Virginia with the 75th overall pick in the 2025 draft, which the club had received as compensation for losing qualified free agent Nick Pivetta to the Padres the previous winter. The New York native received a $1.0938 million signing bonus. He made his professional debut at Greenville last August, slashing .341/.473/.477 with no home runs and five RBIs in a limited sample of 13 games sandwiched around a hamstring injury.

After working with the Red Sox’ player development staff to add bat speed and power over the winter, Godbout impressed evaluators with his quick swing in spring training. He entered the season ranked as Boston’s No. 10 prospect by Baseball America, but has since moved up to the No. 7 spot. Among position players in the organization, only Franklin Arias (No. 1) and Justin Gonzales (No. 4) rank higher.

Godbout, who does not turn 23 until November, faces a somewhat lengthy road back from surgery. Assuming all goes well in his recovery, he should have an opportunity to end the season on a high note and perhaps even earn a promotion to Double-A Portland once he is cleared to return to action.

(Picture of Henry Godbout: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox to promote prospects Enddy Azocar, Luke Heyman to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox are promoting prospects Enddy Azocar and Luke Heyman from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Azocar, a 19-year-old outfielder, and Heyman, a 22-year-old catcher, are currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s Nos. 10 and 25 prospects, respectively. The pair were among Salem’s top offensive performers to start the season (they are tied for the team lead in home runs) and are being rewarded with a new challenge in a promotion to Greenville.

Azocar played in 39 of Salem’s first 45 games and was swinging a hot bat as of late. The right-handed hitter batted .295/.344/.530 with 15 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 26 RBIs, 31 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 12 walks, and 40 strikeouts over 180 plate appearances. That includes a .372/.426/.767 line against lefties and a .268/.316/.447 line against righties.

Heyman, another right-handed hitter, played in 36 games for Salem to mark his professional debut. He slashed .218/.383/.420 with six doubles, six home runs, 21 RBIs, 19 runs scored, 31 walks, and 36 strikeouts across 154 plate appearances. His platoon splits are similar to Azocar’s, as he batted .276/.462/.448 off of southpaws compared to .200/.357/.411 off of right-handers.

Defensively, both Azocar and Heyman were used exclusively at one position when not serving as DH for Salem. Azocar, who is up to 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, made 30 of his 39 starts and logged 260 error-free innings in center field, recording one assist. Heyman, who is listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, made 22 of his 36 starts and logged 190 1/3 innings behind the plate, allowing four passed balls and throwing out 15 of 53 would-be base stealers.

Azocar, a native of Venezuela, originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent in January 2024. His stock first started to rise last year following a strong spring and impressive showing in the Florida Complex League. With five-tool potential and encouraging underlying data, he has emerged as one of the organization’s top teenage talents. He does not turn 20 until next February.

Heyman, meanwhile, was acquired from the Mariners for reliever Alex Hoppe in November. Selected in the 14th round (422nd overall) of last summer’s draft out of Florida, he received an above-slot $230,000 signing bonus. Because he was rehabbing from a fractured forearm that cut his junior season short, however, Heyman did not appear in a game for a Seattle affiliate before being dealt to Boston. He turns 23 in July.

Azocar and Heyman are now slated to join an exciting position player group in Greenville that includes other ranked prospects like Justin Gonzales, Henry Godbout, Yoeilin Cespedes, Gerardo Rodriguez, and Mason White. The Drive open a six-game series at home against Asheville on Tuesday night.

With Azocar and Heyman on the move, the Red Sox are also promoting 18-year-old infielder Louis Andujar from the Florida Complex League to Salem, according to Ari Alexander of 7News Boston WHDH.

(Picture of Enddy Azocar: Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Anthony Eyanson named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Top Red Sox pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 18-24, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Eyanson fired five scoreless, no-hit innings in his second start for Double-A Portland against Reading at Hadlock Field this past Tuesday. The 21-year-old right-hander issued three walks and struck out four of the 16 batters he faced on 59 pitches (38 strikes). He generated eight whiffs and picked up the first win of his professional career as the Sea Dogs blanked the Fightin Phils, 2-0.

Described as having an “interesting outing” by Baseball America’s Ian Cundall, Eyanson’s “stuff wasn’t as crisp as past looks, but still effective” on Tuesday. He “leaned into” his new cutter and slider while also mixing in a four-seam fastball that topped out at 94 mph, a curveball, and a changeup.

Through his first two starts for Portland, Eyanson has allowed just one earned run on three hits, four walks, and eight strikeouts over nine innings. That comes after he posted a 0.44 ERA with 34 strikeouts to three walks in five starts (20 1/3 innings) for High-A Greenville before being promoted earlier this month.

Between the two levels, Eyanson has forged a minuscule 0.61 ERA with 42 strikeouts to seven walks across seven starts (29 1/3 innings) to begin his first full season in pro ball. Opponents have batted only .108 against him. That includes a .109 average against left-handed hitters and a .106 average against right-handed hitters.

Entering play this week, Eyanson was one of 686 minor leaguers to have thrown at least 25 innings this year. Among those 686, he ranked first in ERA, WHIP (0.58), and xFIP (2.41), third in strikeout rate (41.6%), fourth in batting average against and swinging-strike rate (19.4%), 12th in FIP (2.47), 57th in strikeouts per nine (12.89), 71st in walks per nine (2.15), 110th in groundball rate (52%), and 120th in walk rate (6.9%), per FanGraphs.

Selected with the 87th pick in last summer’s draft out of Louisiana State, Eyanson has seen his stock rise significantly since signing with the Red Sox for an over-slot $1.75 million bonus. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound California native added significant velocity to his arsenal over the course of the offseason and stood out in spring training with an upper-90s fastball that touched triple digits.

Less than eight weeks after breaking camp with Greenville and making his pro debut on April 4, Eyanson finds himself ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 2 prospect — behind only shortstop Franklin Arias — and the No. 43 prospect in baseball.

Eyanson, who does not turn 22 until October, is the third Portland hurler to earn Eastern League Player of the Week honors this season, joining fellow righties Patrick Halligan (May 11-17) and John Holobetz (April 13-19). If he maintains this level of performance, a promotion to Triple-A Worcester and a potential fast track to the big leagues could soon be in his future.

(Picture of Anthony Eyanson: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Louis Andujar named Florida Complex League Player of the Week

Red Sox infield prospect Louis Andujar has been named the Florida Complex League Player of the Week for the week of May 11-17, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Andujar appeared in five games for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox last week, going 9-for-18 (.500) with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, six runs scored, two stolen bases, five walks, and two strikeouts. The right-handed hitting 18-year-old recorded four multi-hit games during that stretch, including a three-double performance on Friday.

Following a 1-for-4 showing on Monday, Andujar is now batting .410/.489/.744 with seven doubles, two home runs, 11 RBIs, 11 runs scored, four stolen bases, five walks, and 10 strikeouts through 11 games (45 plate appearances) to begin his first season in the United States. That includes a .364/.462/.818 line against lefties and a .429/.500/.714 line against righties, albeit in a limited sample.

Among 90 qualified hitters in the Florida Complex League, Andujar ranks first in extra-base hits (9), second in total bases (29), third in OPS (1.233), fourth in batting average and slugging percentage, fifth in isolated power (.333), 10th in on-base percentage, and 43rd in strikeout rate (22.2%), per MiLB.com’s leaderboards.

Defensively, Andujar has seen most of his playing time with the FCL Red Sox come at third base. The 6-foot, 185-pounder has yet to commit an error in eight starts and 56 1/3 innings at the hot corner. He has also made two starts at second base and one start at DH.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Andujar signed with the Red Sox for just $20,000 as an international free agent out of San Cristobal last January. He made his professional debut in the 2025 Dominican Summer League, where he slashed .280/.450/.524 with five doubles, five home runs, 19 RBIs, 24 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 22 walks, and 20 strikeouts across 29 games spanning 111 plate appearances.

Andujar — who does not turn 19 until September — is not yet ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. The outlet describes him as having a “solid approach and bat-to-ball skills” as well as “excellent range” and an “above-average arm.”

If he continues to perform at this exceptional pace in the Florida Complex League, Andujar could soon be in line for a promotion to Low-A Salem for his first taste of full-season ball.

(Picture of Louis Andujar: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Enddy Azocar named Carolina League Player of the Week

Red Sox outfield prospect Enddy Azocar has been named the Carolina League Player of the Week for the week of May 11-17, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Azocar had a productive week at the plate in Low-A Salem’s series on the road against Fredericksburg. Appearing in five games, the right-handed hitting 19-year-old went 9-for-21 (.429) with three doubles, one home run, four RBIs, three runs scored, one stolen base, two walks, and six strikeouts.

After going hitless in Tuesday’s series opener, Azocar singled twice and drove in a run on Wednesday before doubling, homering, driving in two runs, and drawing a walk on Thursday. He did not play on Friday, doubled and walked on Saturday, then capped the week off with a four-hit performance on Sunday that included another double, an RBI, and a stolen base.

On the heels of this offensive surge, Azocar now finds himself batting .297/.348/.531 with 12 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 22 RBIs, 30 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 11 walks, and 36 strikeouts through 34 games (158 plate appearances) for Salem this season. That includes a .405/.463/.838 line in 41 plate appearances against lefties and a .259/.308/.426 line in 117 plate appearances against righties.

Among 84 qualified hitters in the Carolina League entering play this week, Azocar ranks sixth in slugging percentage, ninth in isolated power (.234), 10th in line-drive rate (28.6%), 12th in batting average, 13th in OPS (.879), 15th in speed score (8.2), 18th in wOBA (.397), 22nd in wRC+ (127), and 32nd in strikeout rate (22.8%), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Azocar has been used almost exclusively in center field by Salem this season. The projectable 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has made 26 starts and logged 228 1/3 error-free innings in center for the RidgeYaks thus far, recording one assist. He has also made eight starts at DH and has prior experience at both corner outfield positions.

Azocar, who just turned 19 in February, originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela in January 2024. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League before arriving stateside for the first time in 2025. Following an eye-opening spring training in Fort Myers, he came out of the gates firing in the Florida Complex League and arrived in Salem last May.

Even though he struggled in his first stint with Salem, Azocar’s stock has still steadily risen since making the jump to full-season ball a year ago. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline both currently rank him as Boston’s No. 10 prospect, citing his five-tool potential and encouraging underlying data. At the same time, there are questions about his approach at the plate and whether he can stick in center field long-term.

Nonetheless, Azocar is clearly pushing for a new challenge in the form of a promotion to High-A Greenville. At this point, that happening feels more like a matter of when, not if.

(Picture of Enddy Azocar: Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Patrick Halligan named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox minor leaguer Patrick Halligan has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 11-17, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Halligan made two scoreless and hitless appearances (one start) in Double-A Portland’s series on the road against Hartford this past week. On Wednesday, the 26-year-old right-hander earned the win out of the bullpen after firing two shutout, no-hit innings of relief. He issued one walk, recorded two strikeouts, and threw 25 pitches (15 strikes), generating five whiffs.

Three days later, Halligan started for Portland in place of fellow righty Jedixson Paez, who was scratched due to a sore hip. He responded by retiring all 12 batters he faced over four perfect innings in which he fanned four. This time around, Halligan threw 45 pitches (33 strikes) and induced nine swings-and-misses.

Following his award-winning week, Halligan is now 1-0 with a 5.70 ERA (5.08 FIP) and a 34:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 11 outings (two starts) spanning 23 2/3 innings for Portland this season. Opponents are batting .258 against him overall, though he has proven far more effective against left-handed hitters (.179) than right-handed hitters (.315) thus far.

Among 69 pitchers in the Eastern League who have thrown at least 20 innings to this point in the year, Halligan notably ranks fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.93), sixth in strikeout rate (32.4%), 12th in swinging-strike rate (14.7 percent), and 17th in xFIP (3.95), per FanGraphs.

Originally selected in the 13th round (391st overall) of the 2021 draft out of Pensacola State College, Halligan spent time in the Royals, Braves, and Astros organizations before joining the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in January following a strong showing in the Puerto Rican and Dominican Winter Leagues. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound hurler features a low-90s fastball that can reach 92-93 mph as well as a splitter, slider, and curveball.

Halligan, who does not turn 27 until October, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top pitching prospects by SoxProspects.com. The outlet describes him as a potential “emergency up-and-down bullpen arm if he throws strikes on a more consistent basis.”

With prior experience at the minors’ top level, it would not be surprising to see Halligan get an opportunity at Triple-A Worcester before long if he continues throwing the ball the way he has as of late for Portland.

(Picture of Patrick Halligan: Michael Owens/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox catching prospect Luke Heyman off to strong start with Low-A Salem

Six weeks into his first full professional season, it appears as though Red Sox catching prospect Luke Heyman may be ready for a new challenge.

Heyman, whom the Red Sox acquired from the Mariners for reliever Alex Hoppe in November, has been on an offensive tear as of late for Low-A Salem. In five games at home against Delmarva last week, for instance, the right-handed hitting 22-year-old went 7-for-16 (.438) with one double, three home runs, seven RBIs, five runs scored, six walks, and three strikeouts.

Following a slow start, Heyman is now slashing .244/.395/.489 with four doubles, six home runs, 18 RBIs, 15 runs scored, 22 walks, and 25 strikeouts through 26 games (114 plate appearances) for Salem this season. That includes a .254/.386/.522 line in 83 plate appearances against righties and a .217/.419/.391 line in 31 plate appearances against lefties.

Among 82 qualified hitters in the Carolina League, Heyman ranks eighth in isolated power (.244), ninth in walk rate (19.3%), 17th in slugging percentage, 18th in OPS (.884) and wOBA (.409), 20th in wRC+ (133), 24th in on-base percentage, 27th in strikeout rate (21.9%), and 31st in swinging-strike rate (11%), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Heyman has unsurprisingly seen the lion’s share of his playing time this year come at catcher. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound backstop has logged a team-leading 150 innings behind the plate for Salem so far, allowing four passed balls while throwing out 12 of 41 would-be base stealers. He has also made nine starts at DH and has prior collegiate experience at first base.

Heyman was selected by the Mariners in the 14th round of the 2025 draft out of Florida, where he earned First Team All-SEC honors despite suffering a fractured forearm in May that cut his junior season short. The former Gator received a $230,000 signing bonus — well above the $150,000 slot value for the 422nd overall pick — but did not appear in a game for a Seattle affiliate while rehabbing before being traded to the Red Sox in November.

Heyman, who turns 23 in July, entered the 2026 season ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 28 prospect. Given how he has performed with Salem in recent weeks, one would think a move up the rankings — as well as a promotion to High-A Greenville — could soon be in the works.

(Picture of Luke Heyman: Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)