After recent trades, Red Sox pitching prospect Tyler Uberstine stands alone

In late November, the Red Sox protected three pitching prospects from the 2025 Rule 5 Draft by adding left-hander Shane Drohan and right-handers David Sandlin and Tyler Uberstine to their 40-man roster.

Not even three months have passed since then, but Uberstine is now the only one of those three still with the organization. Sandlin was dealt to the White Sox along with Jordan Hicks as part of a salary dump on February 1, while Drohan was one of six players involved in Monday’s trade with the Brewers that sent Caleb Durbin to the Red Sox.

As a member of Boston’s 40-man roster, Uberstine is taking part in his first major league spring training in Fort Myers. The 26-year-old righty is currently ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 14 prospect and has overcome quite a lot of adversity to get to where he is today.

An undersized and overlooked recruit in high school, Uberstine did not receive any scholarship offers out of Chaminade Prep (West Hills, Calif.) in 2017. He enrolled at Southern California and played for the club baseball team as a freshman before trying out for the varsity team ahead of his sophomore season. Though he was ultimately cut, Uberstine had taken what he had learned while working with ex-big leaguer Joe Beimel on the side and transferred to Northwestern for the final two seasons of his collegiate career.

Uberstine leveraged his performance with the Wildcats, as well as the Williamsport Crosscutters of the MLB Draft League, into being selected by the Red Sox in the 19th round of the 2021 draft. As the 556th overall pick, Uberstine received a below-slot $97,500 signing bonus. He debuted professionally in the Florida Complex League and progressed from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville in his first full season before blowing out his elbow and undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2023.

Though he was sidelined for all of 2023 and most of the following campaign, Uberstine returned to the mound in August 2024. He made three starts for Greenville before the minor league season ended in early September, and then pitched well for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League to end an arduous year on a positive note.

Following a healthy offseason and spring, Uberstine broke camp with and got the nod as Double-A Portland’s 2025 Opening Day starter. He posted a 3.64 ERA with 35 strikeouts to just four walks in his first six starts (29 2/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs and was rewarded with a promotion to Triple-A Worcester in mid-May. From there, he forged a 3.56 ERA with 102 strikeouts to 37 walks over 19 outings (15 starts) spanning 91 innings for the WooSox and was named the team’s Co-Most Valuable Pitcher alongside Cooper Criswell.

Among 75 pitchers who threw at least 90 innings at the Triple-A level last year, Uberstine ranked seventh in ERA, strikeouts per nine innings (10.09), and strikeout rate (26.2%), 16th in swinging-strike rate (12.3%), 17th in batting average against (.245), 18th in xFIP (4.54), 27th in WHIP (1.33), and 34th in FIP (4.92), per FanGraphs.

On the 2025 campaign as a whole, Uberstine pitched to a 3.58 ERA (4.33 FIP), recording an organizational-best 137 strikeouts while issuing 41 walks across 25 outings (21 starts) and 120 2/3 innings between Portland and Worcester. Opponents batted .244 against him overall, though he fared better against right-handed hitters (.231) than left-handed hitters (.256) on his way to earning SoxProspects.com’s Comeback Player of the Year honors.

Now standing at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Uberstine throws from a low three-quarters arm slot and operates with an arsenal that includes a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, a mid-80s changeup, a low-80s slider, an upper-80s cutter, a low-90s sinker, and the occasional curveball. His heater, which generated a 37.6% whiff rate at Triple-A last season, was tabbed by Baseball America as one of the top 10 performing fastballs for 2025.

Uberstine, who turns 27 in June, is a long shot to make Boston’s Opening Day roster and is more likely to return to Worcester to begin the 2026 season. That said, now that he is on the Red Sox’ 40-man roster, it would not be at all surprising to see him make his major league debut at some point this year if the need arises.

(Picture of Tyler Uberstine: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Which prospect did Red Sox send to Brewers in six-player trade for Caleb Durbin?

The Red Sox continued to bolster their infield mix on Monday morning by swinging a six-player trade with the Brewers.

In exchange for left-handers Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison and infielder David Hamilton, Boston acquired infielders Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio and infielder/catcher Anthony Seigler from Milwaukee, the club announced.

Additionally, the Red Sox received a Competitive Balance Round B pick in the 2026 draft from the Brewers. That selection currently projects as the No. 67 overall pick in July’s draft. Boston had previously forfeited its second- and fifth-highest picks after signing Ranger Suarez, who declined a qualifying offer from the Phillies, last month. As a result, the club will now pick first at No. 20 overall, then again at No. 67 with the selection obtained from Milwaukee.

Of the six players — all of whom were on their previous clubs’ 40-man rosters — involved in this deal, Drohan is the only one without prior major league experience and is still considered a prospect. As such, this article will focus on him.

Drohan, who turned 27 last month, was ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 15 prospect before Monday’s trade. The Florida State product has yet to make his big league debut, but has nonetheless been on a unique path since being selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round (148th overall) of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft.

Signed for an above-slot $600,000, Drohan steadily climbed the organizational ladder upon entering the professional ranks. His stock rose significantly to start the 2023 season, as he received a promotion from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester in early May and was selected to the All-Star Futures Game in July. The lefty, however, struggled in his first stint with the WooSox and, as a first-time Rule 5-eligible prospect, was surprisingly left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster that November.

That decision allowed the White Sox to pluck Drohan with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft. Drohan, unfortunately, required nerve decompression surgery to resolve a longstanding shoulder issue in February 2024. He began the year on the 60-day injured list as a result and was returned to the Red Sox after rehabbing and being designated for assignment that June. He spent the following two months working out in Fort Myers and made two August appearances for Worcester before a bout with left shoulder inflammation ended his season prematurely.

Drohan opened the 2025 campaign in Worcester and put himself back on the map by impressing out of the gate, but his progress stalled yet again when he landed on the injured list with left forearm inflammation in mid-May. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list and spent much of August rehabbing with High-A Greenville before returning to the WooSox in early September for four more starts.

Overall, Drohan forged a 3.00 ERA (3.11 FIP) with 77 strikeouts to 21 walks in 15 outings (14 starts) spanning 54 total innings between Greenville and Worcester last season. That includes a 2.27 ERA (2.85 FIP) with 67 strikeouts to 16 walks in 47 2/3 innings for the WooSox. Opposing hitters in the International League batted just .185 against the 6-foot-3, 195-pound southpaw, who flashed a 92-94 mph fastball that reached 96 mph as well as a cutter, slider, curveball, and changeup.

Alongside right-handers David Sandlin and Tyler Uberstine, Drohan was added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection purposes in November. He was among those on hand in Fort Myers on the eve of the official start of spring training and was informed that he had been traded while taking his physical Monday morning.

As was the case with Sandlin, who was dealt to the White Sox with Jordan Hicks in a salary dump earlier this month, Drohan did not have a clear path to the majors and seemingly became expendable in the eyes of the Red Sox. Even with concerns surrounding his durability, the Brewers — on the other hand — appear ready to give Drohan a legitimate shot.

“He’s kind of flown under the radar, probably a little bit more than Harrison, but this guy dominated in Triple-A last year,” Brewers president of baseball operations and general manager Matt Arnold said of Drohan when speaking with reporters (including MLB.com’s David Adler). “He was very good. He strikes out a lot of guys and has really good stuff, and our scouts really, really like this guy. He was a very big part of this for us as well.”

(Picture of Shane Drohan: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How did switch-hitting Red Sox OF prospect Anderson Fermin fare in 2025?

Though his performance may have been overshadowed by the likes of fellow 2024 international signees Justin Gonzales and Enddy Azocar, Red Sox outfield prospect Anderson Fermin undoubtedly impressed in his stateside debut last year.

Signed for $400,000 out of the Dominican Republic in January 2024, Fermin earned Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his first taste of pro ball. Despite that nod, the Puerto Plata native entered 2025 with very little fanfare as he arrived in Fort Myers in early March for his first spring training in the United States.

Fermin remained in Fort Myers for extended spring training and then the start of the Florida Complex League season in early May. The switch-hitting speedster batted .283/.454/.377 with seven doubles, three triples, 14 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 25 stolen bases, 42 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 48 games (185 plate appearances) for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox.

The Florida Complex League regular season ended on July 24, and Fermin was ultimately recognized as a 2025 FCL All-Star. His year, however, did not end there. Fermin was promoted to Low-A Salem in late August and closed out his age-18 campaign by going 1-for-25 (.040) with one RBI, four runs scored, three stolen bases, eight walks, and 12 strikeouts in an eight-game cameo with the Red Sox’ Carolina League affiliate.

Altogether, Fermin slashed .245/.427/.325 with seven doubles, three triples, 15 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 28 stolen bases (in 34 attempts), 50 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 56 total games (220 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem last season. That includes a .190/.393/.190 line against left-handed pitching and a .254/.432/.345 line against right-handed pitching.

Fermin, who turned 19 in September, was one of nine teenage position players to suit up for Salem in 2025. Among 47 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, made at least 220 trips to the plate last year, Fermin ranked first in on-base percentage and speed score (8.7), second in walk rate (22.7 percent) and wOBA (.396), seventh in wRC+ (122), 13th in OPS, 19th in strikeout rate (21.4 percent), 20th in swinging-strike rate (11.3 percent), and 22nd in batting average, per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Fermin was originally scouted as a shortstop but made the transition to outfield upon entering the pro ranks. Between his stops in the FCL and Salem last season, the athletic 5-foot-11, 174-pounder made 26 starts in center, 13 starts in right, and 13 starts in left, committing two errors and recording two assists in 83 total defensive chances. He also made four starts at DH.

Still in search of his first professional home run, Fermin is currently ranked as Boston’s No. 56 prospect by SoxProspects.com, which notes that he “needs to get significantly stronger” if he wants to tap into his power. It also describes him as a “high-variance prospect due to lack of physicality, but has some interesting tools that could continue to improve as he physically matures.”

Barring a trade or other surprise move, Fermin is expected to return to Salem for the start of the 2026 minor league season. With that being said, it would not be terribly surprising to see him work his way to High-A Greenville before long.

(Picture of Anderson Fermin: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Red Sox pitching prospects Jack Anderson, Eduardo Rivera selected for World Baseball Classic

Red Sox pitching prospects Jack Anderson and Eduardo Rivera were named to Great Britain’s and Puerto Rico’s initial rosters on Thursday for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Neither Anderson, a 26-year-old right-hander, nor Rivera, a 22-year-old left-hander, is on Boston’s 40-man roster. Both hurlers joined the organization at different points in 2024, as the former was taken in the minor league phase of that December’s Rule 5 Draft and the latter signed as a minor league free agent six months prior.

Anderson, a former 2021 16th-round draft selection of the Tigers coming out of Florida State, spent most of last season with Double-A Portland. The righty put up solid numbers for the Sea Dogs, posting a 3.58 ERA with 90 strikeouts to 18 walks over 23 outings (four starts) spanning 75 1/3 innings in which opponents batted .244 against him. He also made three starts (one in April, two in September) for Triple-A Worcester but surrendered 14 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings there.

Overall, Anderson forged a 4.57 ERA (3.55 FIP) with 101 strikeouts to 22 walks in 26 total appearances (seven starts) spanning a career-high 86 2/3 innings between Portland and Worcester last year. The 6-foot-3, 197-pounder features a lower-90s four-seam fastball as well as a slider, splitter, cutter, and curveball. He is not currently ranked among the top pitching prospects in Boston’s system by SoxProspects.com.

Rivera, meanwhile, is a former 2021 11th-round draft selection of the Athletics out of Colegio Cadest in Puerto Rico. The San Juan native was released by Oakland in May 2024 and signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox a month later. After splitting the remainder of the season between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem, Rivera impressed in winter ball and broke camp with High-A Greenville last spring.

To begin his first full season in the organization, Rivera posted a 1.61 ERA with 68 strikeouts to 16 walks over 10 outings (six starts) and 44 2/3 innings for the Drive before receiving a promotion to Portland in late June. Though he experienced some growing pains along the way, Rivera managed a 3.40 ERA with 40 strikeouts to 30 walks in 10 appearances (nine starts) and 42 1/3 innings for the Sea Dogs. Opposing hitters in the Eastern League batted .214 against him.

Altogether, Rivera produced a 2.48 ERA (3.22 FIP) with 108 strikeouts to 46 walks in 20 outings (15 starts) spanning a career-high 87 innings between Greenville and Portland in 2025. The 6-foot-7, 237-pound southpaw can reach 98 mph with his upper-90s fastball and also operates with a cutter, slider, changeup, and curveball. He is currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 42 prospect in Boston’s system after being brought back on a minor league contract in October.

Rivera, unsurprisingly, spent his offseason once again pitching in winter ball. He helped the Cangrejeros de Santurce win its 17th LBPRC title last month and, as a result, is now representing Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series, which runs through February 7 down in Mexico.

Assuming they get through next month’s World Baseball Classic unscathed, both Anderson and Rivera are projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland for the start of the 2026 season.

(Picture of Jack Anderson: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Which prospect did Red Sox acquire from White Sox for Jordan Hicks, David Sandlin?

The Red Sox swung a creative, financially motivated trade with the White Sox on Sunday that netted them salary relief, roster flexibility, and a new pitching prospect.

In exchange for right-handers Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin, along with $8 million in cash considerations and two players to be named later, Boston acquired minor league righty Gage Ziehl and one player to be named later from Chicago.

By dealing Hicks (who came over from the Giants as part of the blockbuster Rafael Devers trade last June) and Sandlin (an electrifying prospect who was added to the 40-man roster for Rule 5 Draft protection purposes in November), the Red Sox cleared two 40-man spots on Sunday, potentially paving the way for additional moves to be made more easily in the coming weeks.

Ziehl was originally selected by the Yankees in the fourth round (119th overall) of the 2024 draft out of Miami. The 22-year-old received an above-slot $637,000 signing bonus but did not make his professional debut until last April. He split the first four months of the 2025 season between New York’s Low-A, High-A, and Double-A affiliates before being dealt to the White Sox for outfielder Austin Slater on July 30.

From there, Ziehl posted a 4.01 ERA with 20 strikeouts to five walks in six starts (24 2/3 innings) for Chicago’s High-A affiliate to end the season. He finished the year having forged a 4.12 ERA (3.39 FIP) with 90 strikeouts to 19 walks in 22 total outings (21 starts) spanning 107 innings between Low-A (74 1/3 innings), High-A (28 2/3 innings), and Double-A (4 innings). Altogether, opposing hitters batted .274 against him.

Ziehl was ranked by Baseball America as the White Sox’ No. 21 prospect at the time of Sunday’s trade. The 6-foot, 223-pound hurler does not throw particularly hard but does know how to control and command the strike zone. He features a wide pitch mix that includes a 92 mph fastball that topped out at 95 mph last year, a mid-80s sweeper, an upper-80s cutter, and a scarcely-used 80 mph curveball.

Barring another move, Ziehl — who turns 23 in May — is likely to open the 2026 season in Double-A Portland’s starting rotation. He is not eligible for the Rule 5 Draft until 2027.

 (Picture of Gage Ziehl: Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

How did speedy Red Sox OF prospect Miguel Bleis fare in 2025?

Red Sox prospect Miguel Bleis is coming off a season in which he was named the organization’s Minor League Baserunner of the Year. This article will examine how the speedy outfielder fared on the 2025 campaign as a whole.

Due to a quad injury suffered late in spring training, Bleis did not make his season debut until High-A Greenville’s fifth game of the season on April 9. The 21-year-old then spent the better part of the next five months with the Drive, batting .226/.314/.422 with 15 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 41 RBIs, 48 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 75 strikeouts over 77 games (325 plate appearances). He was promoted to Double-A Portland on August 1.

Bleis’ promotion came one day after the Red Sox traded fellow outfielders James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard to the Dodgers for starter Dustin May. Though Bleis provided the Sea Dogs with much-needed outfield depth, the right-handed hitter struggled offensively down the stretch, slashing just .209/.263/.291 with six doubles, one home run, 10 RBIs, 10 runs scored, seven stolen bases, six walks, and 31 strikeouts in 30 games (118 plate appearances) to close out his season.

Altogether, Bleis slashed .220/.300/.385 (100 wRC+) with 21 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 51 RBIs, 58 runs scored, 27 stolen bases (in 33 attempts), 41 walks, and 106 strikeouts in a career-high 107 games (443 plate appearances) between Greenville and Portland. That includes a .169/.267/.292 line against lefties and a .237/.310/.412 line against righties.

As The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier noted in September, Bleis was the only Red Sox minor leaguer to hit 10-plus homers and steal 20-plus bases. Additionally, among the 19 in the system who made at least 400 trips to the plate last year, Bleis ranked first in fly ball rate (44.7%) and pull rate (62.4%), second in infield fly ball rate (36.5 percent), third in weighted stolen base runs (1.6), fifth in speed score (6.2), seventh in isolated power (.164), and ninth in walk rate (9.3%), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Bleis saw playing time at all three outfield positions between his stops in Greenville and Portland last season. The athletic 6-foot-2, 205-pounder logged 480 innings in right, 347 2/3 innings in center, and (for the first time in his career) 34 2/3 innings in left, committing four errors and recording 10 assists in 210 total chances. He also made seven starts at DH.

Bleis, who turns 22 in March, received the largest bonus ($1.5 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox signed in 2021. The Dominican native burst onto the scene in 2022 by lighting up the rookie-level Florida Complex League and entered 2023 as a consensus top-100 prospect. That May, however, Bleis suffered a left shoulder subluxation that required season-ending surgery. Since then, he has shown flashes of his tantalizing potential, but has mostly been unable to put it all together on a consistent basis for an extended period.

Baseball America currently ranks Bleis as Boston’s No. 17 prospect. MLB Pipeline has him slightly higher at No. 13. Both outlets acknowledge that his power, speed, fielding, and arm strength tools grade within the 50-60 range on the 20-80 scouting scale, though his hit tool lags behind at 30-40.

After being left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster in November, Bleis went unselected in December’s Rule 5 Draft. Barring a trade or other surprise move, he is projected to return to Portland for the start of his age-22 season in April. If he can adjust his approach at the plate while maintaining his power, it would not be surprising to see Bleis reach Triple-A Worcester before the end of the year.

(Picture of Miguel Bleis: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How did power-hitting Red Sox OF prospect Justin Gonzales fare in 2025?

After playing a key role in winning a Dominican Summer League championship and being named the organization’s 2024 Latin Program Position Player of the Year in his professional debut, Red Sox outfield prospect Justin Gonzales took another step forward in 2025.

Gonzales, originally signed for $250,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January 2024, arrived in Fort Myers for his first spring training in the United States last March. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, the then-18-year-old quite literally stood out on the backfields of the Fenway South complex.

Though he did not see any action in the Grapefruit League as a big league call-up, Gonzales suited up for the Red Sox in both the Spring Breakout and Futures at Fenway South prospect showcases on March 13 and 14, respectively. In the latter, the young slugger put his power on full display by crushing a no-doubt home run that left his bat at 110.4 mph over the faux Green Monster at JetBlue Park.

In the weeks that followed, Gonzales remained in Fort Myers for extended spring training and technically began his season in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. After just one game with the FCL Red Sox (in which he went 0-for-4 with an RBI and two strikeouts), Gonzales was promoted to Low-A Salem on May 6 and immediately became one of the youngest players in the Carolina League.

Given his youth, it should come as little surprise that Gonzales initially struggled while transitioning to full-season ball. Despite those early difficulties, the right-handed hitter broke through and emerged as one of Salem’s top offensive performers. He earned Carolina League All-Star honors as a result of batting .298/.381/.423 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 27 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 52 strikeouts in 81 games (357 plate appearances) for Boston’s Low-A affiliate before being promoted to High-A Greenville in late August.

From there, Gonzales closed out his season by going 8-for-43 (.186) in an 11-game cameo with the Drive. Overall, he slashed .281/.363/.390 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 32 RBIs, 50 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 39 walks, and 65 strikeouts in 93 total games (410 plate appearances) between the FCL, Salem, and Greenville. That includes a .309/.420/.500 line against lefties and a .275/.350/.364 line against righties.

Among 19 Red Sox minor leaguers who made at least 400 trips to the plate in 2025, Gonzales (the youngest to reach that threshold) ranked second in batting average, wOBA (.370), and wRC+ (118), third in on-base percentage and strikeout rate (15.9%), fifth in OPS (.753), eighth in slugging percentage and walk rate (9.5%), and ninth in swinging-strike rate (11.7%), per FanGraphs. On the flip side, however, he posted the highest groundball rate (57.4%) in the group.

Defensively, Gonzales saw playing time at all three outfield spots between his stops in the FCL, Salem, and Greenville last season. The hulking outfielder logged 265 1/3 innings in right, 233 1/3 innings in center, and 145 2/3 innings in left, committing four errors and recording two assists in 151 total chances. He also made 16 starts at DH and has prior experience at first base.

Gonzales, who turned 19 in December, is ranked as the Red Sox’ No. 7 prospect by Baseball America and No. 5 by MLB Pipeline. Both outlets consider his power (55-60 on the 20-80 scouting scale) and outfield arm strength (60-70) among the best-graded tools in Boston’s farm system.

As highlighted in his Baseball America scouting report, Gonzales frequently generated exit velocities exceeding 100 mph last season, but nearly 60% of his contact came on the ground. If he can tweak his bat path to lift the ball more consistently — thereby tapping into his elite power potential — he could become “a monster” at the plate moving forward.

On that note, Gonzales is expected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2026 season. Such swing adjustments would likely work in his favor in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League.

(Picture of Justin Gonzales: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Why Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Valera could break out in 2026

At this time last year, Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Valera appeared primed to take another step forward in 2025.

Valera, originally signed for $45,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in April 2023, put himself on the map in his stateside debut two seasons ago. The young right-hander forged a 1.99 ERA with 68 strikeouts to 28 walks in 18 outings (16 starts) spanning 63 1/3 innings between the rookie-level Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem. He held opposing hitters to a .125 batting average en route to being named an FCL All-Star and SoxProspects.com’s Pitcher of the Year.

Looking to build off significant momentum gained in 2024, Valera came into camp last spring stronger on both a physical and mental level, according to Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham. Valera stood out by displaying an uptick in velocity and a sharper command of his secondaries on the backfields in Fort Myers. As a result, he was rewarded with an aggressive season-opening assignment to High-A Greenville.

When Greenville’s season began in early April, Valera was still a month-plus out from his 19th birthday, making him one of the youngest players at the High-A level. With just 23 career innings above rookie ball to that point, Valera unsurprisingly got off to a shaky start. In his first eight starts for the Drive, the righty posted a 5.40 ERA with 37 strikeouts to nine walks over 33 1/3 innings in which opponents batted .284 against him.

After turning 19 on May 18 and surrendering three runs (two earned) in 3 1/3 frames against Bowling Green a week later, Valera was placed on the injured list due to elbow soreness on May 27 and was not activated until late August. He then made two more (short) starts for Greenville before the season ended, allowing three earned runs on five hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings of work.

Altogether, Valera pitched to a 5.45 ERA (3.97 FIP) with 46 strikeouts to 10 walks in 10 starts (38 innings) for Greenville in 2025. Opponents batted .281 against him overall. That includes a .341 average against left-handed hitters and a .206 average against right-handed hitters.

Among 156 minor leaguers who threw at least 35 innings in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League last year, Valera ranked 19th in xFIP (3.00), 23rd in walk rate (6%), 28th in walks per nine innings (2.37), 40th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.89), 52nd in strikeout rate (27.5%), and 62nd in swinging-strike rate (13.2%), per FanGraphs.

Both Baseball America and SoxProspects.com currently rank Valera as Boston’s No. 5 prospect; MLB Pipeline has him slightly lower at No. 12. Earlier this month, SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall (writing for Baseball America) identified Valera as a potential breakout pitching prospect within the Red Sox system based on his under-the-hood numbers.

“Valera’s four-pitch mix brings a combination of power and surprising control, as he has three pitches with a strike rate over 65% and an in-zone rate over 50%,” Cundall wrote of the 6-foot-3, 205-pound hurler. “He can run his fastball up to 100 mph, but the pitch plays below its velocity due to its cut-over-ride shape. Even still, the power on it makes it tough on hitters, and it had a slightly above-average whiff rate in 2025.

“Valera’s feel for spin is advanced for his age,” added Cundall. “While his most-used secondary is his slider, his best is his sweeper. His sweeper is one of the hardest in the minors, averaging just under 87 mph with a spin rate over 2,700 rpm. It had a 69% strike rate and 43% whiff rate in 2025, making for one of the best combinations of those two stats in all of MiLB for sweepers as hard as his.”

Barring a trade or other surprise, Valera is likely to return to Greenville out of spring training for the start of his age-20 season. If he can stay healthy and further refine his arsenal, it would not be surprising to see him move up to Double-A Portland — and perhaps even Triple-A Worcester — before the 2026 campaign draws to a close.

(Picture of Juan Valera: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox LHP prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland earns first big league camp invite

The Red Sox invited 14 minor leaguers to major league spring training on Friday. Of those 14, Jeremy Wu-Yelland was the only left-handed pitcher to make the cut.

Wu-Yelland will be attending his first big league spring training camp in Fort Myers beginning next month. The 26-year-old is currently regarded as SoxProspects.com’s No. 48 prospect, which ranks 24th among pitchers in Boston’s farm system.

A former fourth-round draft selection of the Red Sox out of Hawaii in 2020 (who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022), Wu-Yelland is coming off an encouraging 2025 season. After pitching for China in World Baseball Classic qualifiers in the spring, the lefty broke camp with High-A Greenville. He posted a 3.09 ERA with 20 strikeouts to five walks in seven relief appearances (11 2/3 innings) for the Drive and was rewarded with a promotion to Double-A Portland in early May.

Although lower back stiffness cost him roughly one month of action across two separate trips to the injured list, Wu-Yelland was extremely productive when on the mound for the Sea Dogs. He pitched to a 3.18 ERA with 51 strikeouts to 11 walks in 18 relief appearances (34 innings) and held opposing Eastern League hitters to a .193 batting average.

Overall, Wu-Yelland forged a 3.15 ERA with 71 strikeouts to 16 walks in 25 total relief outings (45 2/3 innings) between Greenville and Portland last season. Left-handed hitters batted just .172 against him, while right-handed hitters fared slightly better at a .220 clip.

Among 53 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, threw at least 45 innings in 2025, Wu-Yelland ranked first in strikeouts per nine innings (13.99), strikeout rate (37.6 percent), and xFIP (2.52), fifth in WHIP (1.07) and FIP (2.86), 10th in batting average against (.201), 12th in walks per nine innings (3.15), 14th in walk rate (8.5 percent), 17th in swinging-strike rate (13.5 percent), and 18th in ERA, per FanGraphs.

In addition to earning 2025 SoxProspects.com All-Star honors, Wu-Yelland drew considerable Rule 5 buzz this offseason after being left unprotected by the Red Sox in November. Though there was “smoke” that Wu-Yelland might be taken high in the hours leading up to last month’s Rule 5 Draft, he went unselected and remains in Boston’s system without occupying a 40-man roster spot.

That status could, of course, change if Wu-Yelland impresses this spring and leverages his performance into a big league call-up at some point this season. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound southpaw throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium leg kick into his deceptive delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, he features a 90-92 mph cut-slider, a 94-96 mph fastball that tops out at 97-98 mph, and a 79-82 mph sweeper with a “very high” spin rate.

If Wu-Yelland, who turns 27 in June, does not make Boston’s Opening Day roster out of spring training, he is projected by SoxProspects.com to open the 2026 season in Triple-A Worcester’s bullpen. He could join fellow lefties Tyler Samaniego and Alec Gamboa in that regard.

(Picture of Jeremy Wu-Yelland: Kyle Mace/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Mikey Romero ranked No. 5 third base prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline

Earlier this week, MLB Pipeline ranked Red Sox minor league infielder Mikey Romero as one of the top 10 third base prospects in baseball heading into the 2026 season.

Romero slotted in at No. 5 on MLB Pipeline’s list behind the Brewers’ Andrew Fischer, the Mets’ Jacob Reimer, the Tigers’ Hao-Yu Lee, and the Athletics’ Tommy White. He placed ahead of the Diamondbacks’ LuJames Groover, the Blue Jays’ Juan Sanchez, the Dodgers’ Chase Harlan, the Brewers’ Brock Wilken, and the Giants’ Parks Harber.

Romero, who turned 22 last Monday, is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as Boston’s No. 6 prospect. The left-handed hitter is coming off a solid season in which he batted .245/.300/.452 with 33 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs, 76 RBIs, 61 runs scored, five stolen bases, 34 walks, and 132 strikeouts in 111 games (489 plate appearances) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. He led the organization in doubles, extra-base hits (54), and RBIs.

After drawing praise from Red Sox manager Alex Cora in spring training, Romero returned to Portland (where he got into 16 games to end a bounceback 2024 season) for the start of the 2025 campaign. Despite missing most of June with arm fatigue, he still hit .254/.315/.440 with 18 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 40 RBIs, 40 runs scored, four stolen bases, 23 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 66 games (297 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs before receiving a promotion to Worcester in early August.

Reaching the Triple-A level for the first time, Romero initially struggled out of the gate but powered his way through it by slashing .232/.276/.469 with 15 doubles, nine home runs, 36 RBIs, 21 runs scored, one stolen base, 11 walks, and 58 strikeouts in 45 games (192 plate appearances) for the WooSox to close out his season. That includes a .214/.258/.500 line against lefties and a .235/.280/.463 line against righties.

While an aggressive approach led to his strikeout and walk rates going in the wrong direction, Romero made plenty of hard contact in his first stint with the WooSox. Among Triple-A hitters who saw at least 700 pitches last year, Romero ranked in the 95th percentile in barrel rate (14 percent), the 92nd percentile in average exit velocity (91.2 mph), the 89th percentile in hard-hit rate (47.1 percent), and the 85th percentile in expected slugging percentage (.443), per Prospect Savant.

On the other side of the ball, Romero saw playing time at every infield position besides first base between his stops in Portland and Worcester last season. By the time he joined the WooSox in August, however, he had moved off shortstop and was used strictly at either second or third base. At the keystone, he logged 164 innings and committed four errors in 73 chances. At the hot corner, he logged 216 innings and committed two errors in 49 chances.

Though he is listed at 6-feet and 175 pounds, Romero is now up to at least 210 pounds, adding considerable strength over the last two years following a 2023 that was marred by a series of back injuries, including a stress fracture. This winter, he took part in Trevor Story’s camp for teammates in the Dallas area and was in attendance for the Red Sox’ rookie development program in Boston. Sandwiched in between that was an appearance at Fenway Fest on January 10.

Amidst a busy offseason, Romero spoke to reporters (including Bill Ballou of The Worcester Guardian and Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe) at Fenway Park last week about what specific areas of improvement he has focused on.

“The Red Sox do a good job of letting us know what we’ve got to be better at,” Romero said. “For me, it’s moving better laterally on defense, more arm strength. I take pride in my defense. I’m doing everything I can to know that, whatever pitcher is on the mound, they know that if the ball is hit to me, it’s an out.”

Romero, who was originally selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High School and then forwent his commitment to LSU by signing with the Red Sox for an under-slot $2.3 million, has put himself in a prime position to make his major league debut at some point in 2026. That is noteworthy when considering that he can become Rule-5 eligible for the first time later this year if he has not already been added to the 40-man roster by season’s end.

Given his emergence and sudden proximity to the big leagues, it would not be terribly surprising if Romero received his first non-roster invite to Red Sox spring training before camp begins in Fort Myers next month. He could join fellow infielder and rookie development program attendee Franklin Arias in that regard.

(Picture of Mikey Romero courtesy of the Boston Red Sox)