Red Sox to promote pitching prospect John Holobetz to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect John Holobetz from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Christopher Smith of MassLive.com.

Holobetz, who turns 24 on Friday, is moving up to the minors’ top level for the first time after reaching Double-A last August. The right-hander is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 17 prospect, ranking sixth among pitchers in the organization.

In 17 appearances (15 starts) for Portland to begin the 2026 season, Holobetz posted a 4.33 ERA with a staff-leading 93 strikeouts to 25 walks over 79 innings. Opposing Eastern League hitters slashed .236/.303/.298 in 331 plate appearances against him.

Among 19 qualified Eastern League pitchers entering play Sunday, Holobetz ranks second in WHIP (1.22), third in xFIP (3.81), fourth in FIP (4.02) and strikeout rate (28.1%), fifth in strikeouts per nine (10.59), swinging-strike rate (13.2%), walks per nine (2.85), and walk rate (7.6%), sixth in batting average against, seventh in groundball rate (45.9%), and ninth in ERA, according to FanGraphs.

A former fifth-round draft pick (156th overall) of the Brewers out of Old Dominion in 2024, Holobetz was acquired by the Red Sox last May as the player to be named later in the Quinn Priester trade from the previous month. The Pennsylvania native split the remainder of his first full professional campaign between High-A Greenville and Portland, forging a 3.04 ERA with 89 strikeouts to just 15 walks over 100 2/3 innings.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds with a repeatable delivery, Holobetz has shown improved velocity this season. In addition to a mid-90s fastball that reached 98.1 mph in his most recent outing, the lanky righty mixes in an 83-87 mph slider, a 79-82 mph curveball, and an 84-87 mph changeup. His fastball grades as a 55 on Baseball America’s 20-80 scouting scale, while each of his secondary offerings grades as a 40 and his control as a 60.

Holobetz is the second notable Red Sox pitching prospect to earn a promotion to Worcester in recent days, joining fellow right-hander Blake Wehunt. Both hurlers could potentially emerge as intriguing names to monitor between now and the fast-approaching August 3 trade deadline.

In the more immediate future, Holobetz is tentatively in line to make his Triple-A debut during Worcester’s upcoming road series against Norfolk, which begins on Tuesday.

(Picture of John Holobetz: Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Jacob Mayers to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Jacob Mayers from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

Mayers is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 44 prospect, ranking 19th among the organization’s pitching prospects. The 22-year-old right-hander is making his professional debut this season after being selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round (268th overall) of last summer’s draft out of Louisiana State. He received a below-slot $190,000 signing bonus.

In 15 appearances (eight starts) for Salem to begin the 2026 campaign, Mayers posted a 4.27 ERA with 64 strikeouts to 42 walks over 46 1/3 innings. Opposing Carolina League hitters slashed .175/.363/.299 in 204 plate appearances against him.

Among 75 Carolina League pitchers who entered play Friday having thrown at least 45 innings this season, Mayers ranks second in batting average against, fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.43), fifth in strikeout rate (31.4%) and swinging-strike rate (16.3%), 19th in groundball rate (48.9%), and 35th in ERA. On the flip side, he also ranks 70th in walks per nine (8.16) and 74th in walk rate (20.6%), according to FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, Mayers throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix. The Louisiana-born hurler has been up to 96-97 mph with his upper-90s fastball this season after topping out at 101.8 mph with it in college. He also features an 88-91 mph slider and an 84-86 mph changeup, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

While Mayers — who just turned 22 last month — can miss bats at an exceptional rate, there are questions surrounding his ability to consistently throw strikes. If he can refine his command and control, he could elevate his stock even further as he looks to put the finishing touches on his first full season in pro ball.

(Picture of Jacob Mayers: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote top prospect Franklin Arias to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox are promoting top prospect Franklin Arias from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Tommy Cassell of The Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Arias, in the midst of a breakout campaign, is reaching the minors’ highest level for the first time and is now just one call away from the big leagues. The 20-year-old middle infielder is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 3 prospect in baseball behind only the Brewers’ Jesus Made and the Athletics’ Leo De Vries.

In 75 games for Portland this season, Arias batted a stout .318/.407/.587 with 17 doubles, an organizational-leading 19 home runs, 52 RBIs, 50 runs scored, five stolen bases, 37 walks, and 46 strikeouts over 332 plate appearances. The right-handed hitter slashed .309/.427/.574 against lefties and .321/.400/.591 against righties.

Among 73 qualified hitters in the Eastern League, Arias ranks first in OPS (.994), second in batting average, slugging percentage, and strikeout rate (13.9%), third in on-base percentage, fourth in isolated power (.269), and 34th in walk rate (11.1%), according to MiLB.com’s leaderboards.

Defensively, Arias unsurprisingly saw most of his playing time with Portland this season come at shortstop. In 54 starts there, the sure-handed 5-foot-11, 180-pounder committed just three errors in 210 chances over 474 2/3 innings. He also made five starts at second base, where he did not commit an error in 14 chances over 41 innings, and 11 starts at DH.

A native of Venezuela, Arias originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as an international free agent in January 2023. At that time, he was viewed as more of a glove-first shortstop. He changed that narrative quickly by putting together an impressive professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, then followed that up by earning 2024 Florida Complex League MVP, Top Prospect, and All-Star honors in his first season stateside.

As a 19-year-old last season, Arias worked his way from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville before arriving in Portland for a 10-game cameo in September. Over the winter, he added muscle to his frame and refined his approach at the plate, helping fuel the power surge he has experienced in 2026. He was recognized for his efforts earlier this month when he represented the Red Sox at the All-Star Futures Game in Philadelphia on July 12.

Though Arias returned to Portland immediately following the All-Star break, this promotion suggests that the organization believes he is ready for a new challenge with a little over two months remaining in the season. As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Arias joins Roman Anthony, Xander Bogaerts, and Glenn Hoffman as the only Red Sox position players in the last 50 years to reach Triple-A by the age of 20.

Arias, who turns 21 in November, is unlikely to be rushed to the majors with the Red Sox in the thick of the American League Wild Card race following a historic 15-game winning streak that has turned around their season. For now, he is set to make his Triple-A debut at some point during the latter half of Worcester’s series against Jacksonville at Polar Park this weekend.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Sadbiel Delzine to Low-A Salem

With the 2026 Florida Complex League regular season ending later this week, the Red Sox promoted teenage pitching prospect Sadbiel Delzine to Low-A Salem on Tuesday.

Delzine is moving up to full-season ball after a strong start to his first campaign stateside. The 18-year-old right-hander posted a 2.72 ERA with 43 strikeouts to 18 walks over 11 outings (seven starts) spanning 39 2/3 innings for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox. Opposing hitters slashed just .170/.282/.199 across 163 plate appearances against him.

Among the 27 pitchers who entered Tuesday having thrown at least 35 innings in the Florida Complex League this season, Delzine ranks first in FIP (3.71), second in batting average against and WHIP (1.06), fifth in ERA, sixth in strikeout rate (26.4%), ninth in walks per nine (4.08), 11th in walk rate (11%), and 13th in strikeouts per nine (9.76) and xFIP (5.07), according to FanGraphs.

Delzine is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 11 prospect, placing fourth among pitchers in the organization. The native Venezuelan originally signed with the Red Sox for $500,000 as a highly-touted international free agent in January 2025. He made his professional debut shortly thereafter, but was limited to just three starts and 9 1/3 innings in the Dominican Summer League last season due in part to flexor tightness.

After working to strengthen his shoulder over the offseason, Delzine has experienced an uptick in velocity this year. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound righty features an upper-90s fastball that has topped out at just below 100 mph. He is also capable of mixing in a curveball “with depth,” a slider “that tunnels well off his fastball,” and a changeup “that dives to the arm side,” per his Baseball America scouting report.

Having last pitched on July 17, Delzine — who does not turn 19 until January — could make his Low-A debut as soon as the latter half of Salem’s home series against Augusta this weekend. He joins catcher Franklin Primera and infielder Louis Andujar as notable Red Sox prospects who have joined the RidgeYaks from the Florida Complex League this season.

(Picture of Sadbiel Delzine: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Blake Wehunt to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Blake Wehunt from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Tommy Cassell of The Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

After missing most of April with a left hamstring strain, Wehunt emerged as one of Portland’s top starters this season. In 13 starts for the Sea Dogs, the 25-year-old right-hander posted a 3.52 ERA with 72 strikeouts to 16 walks over 53 2/3 innings. Opposing hitters batted .235 against him.

Twice recognized as the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week (June 22-28 and June 29-July 5), Wehunt is one of 52 pitchers who have thrown at least 50 innings in the league this year. Among that group, he ranks second in xFIP (3.27), third in strikeout rate (33%), fourth in strikeouts per nine (12.07), seventh in FIP (3.61) and WHIP (1.17), ninth in walks per nine (2.68), 10th in ERA and walk rate (7.3%), 11th in groundball rate (49.2%), and 15th in batting average against, according to FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, Wehunt throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a diverse pitch mix. In addition to a 93-96 mph power fastball that tops out at 97 mph, the hard-throwing righty features an 89-91 mph cutter, an 83-86 mph sweeper, and an 85-87 mph splitter. He is capable of mixing in a changeup and curveball as well.

Wehunt is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 25 prospect, placing 12th among pitchers in the organization. The Georgia-born chicken farmer was originally selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round (268th overall) of the 2023 draft out of Kennesaw State. He received a $100,000 signing bonus and quickly worked his way up the system in his first full professional season before a lat strain limited him to 63 1/3 innings with Portland last year.

Wehunt, who turns 26 in November, is slated to join Worcester’s starting rotation ahead of its upcoming series against Jacksonville at Polar Park. With his Triple-A debut on the horizon, it is worth noting that Wehunt is reaching the minors’ highest level at a significant time, as he will become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft after the season if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by this winter’s protection deadline.

Taking that into consideration, this promotion should help the Red Sox determine Wehunt’s role in the organization as they continue to evaluate his future.

(Picture of Blake Wehunt courtesy of the Portland Sea Dogs)

Red Sox promote power-hitting IF prospect Mason White to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted power-hitting infield prospect Mason White from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of SoxProspects.com.

White is currently ranked by both Baseball America and SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 27 prospect. The 22-year-old has reached the upper minors in his first full professional season after being selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (118th overall) of last summer’s draft out of the University of Arizona. He received a $642,200 signing bonus and made his pro debut with Low-A Salem before moving up to Greenville, where he opened the 2026 campaign.

In 68 games for Greenville out of the gate this year, White batted .270/.362/.525 with 14 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 42 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 31 walks, and 63 strikeouts over 282 plate appearances. The left-handed hitting slugger slashed .317/.417/.537 in 48 plate appearances against lefties and .261/.350/.522 in 234 plate appearances against righties.

Among 71 qualified South Atlantic League hitters entering play Saturday, White ranks ninth in isolated power (.254), 10th in slugging percentage and OPS (.887), 11th in batting average, 14th in wOBA (.386), 15th in wRC+ (121), 18th in swinging-strike rate (10%), 24th in on-base percentage, and 27th in strikeout rate (22.3%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, White primarily split his playing time with Greenville between second base and shortstop. In 35 starts at second, the 5-foot-11, 178-pounder committed two errors in 136 chances across 308 1/3 innings. In 27 starts at short, he committed one error in 87 chances across 237 1/3 innings. He also made five starts at DH.

White, who turns 23 in September, is the third member of Boston’s 2025 draft class to make the jump to Portland this season, joining third-rounder Anthony Eyanson and 13th-rounder Jack Winnay. Though there will be questions about how he adjusts to tougher, higher-quality pitching at Double-A, his promotion nonetheless helps the Sea Dogs address the void left by fellow infielder Marvin Alcantara, who was placed on the 7-day injured list on Friday.

(Picture of Mason White: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

How Red Sox IF prospect Mason White is faring with High-A Greenville

Led by Franklin Arias, the Red Sox have a talented group of infield prospects in their farm system. Lost in the shuffle, perhaps, is the club’s fourth-round pick in last year’s draft: Mason White.

Selected 118th overall last July following a decorated career at the University of Arizona, White signed with the Red Sox for an at-slot $642,200. The Tucson native then debuted with Low-A Salem before working his way up to High-A Greenville, where he returned for the start of his first full professional season out of camp this spring.

Nearly four months into the 2026 campaign, White has proven to be a stabilizing force in Greenville’s lineup. The left-handed hitting 22-year-old is batting .269/.356/.512 with 14 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs, 40 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 29 walks, and 63 strikeouts in 67 games (278 plate appearances) for the Drive. He is slashing .317/.391/.537 in 46 plate appearances against lefties and .259/.349/.507 in 232 plate appearances against righties.

Among 53 South Atlantic League hitters who have made at least 275 trips to the plate this season, White ranks seventh in isolated power (.244), slugging percentage, eighth in batting average and OPS (.868), 10th in wOBA (.380), 12th in swinging-strike rate (10.1%) and wRC+ (116), 20th in on-base percentage, and 21st in strikeout rate (22.7%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, White has primarily split his playing time with Greenville this year between second base and shortstop. In 31 starts at second, the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder has committed two errors in 136 chances across 308 1/3 innings. In 26 starts at short, he has committed just one error in 85 chances across 228 1/3 innings. He has also made five starts at DH.

White, who turns 23 in September, is currently ranked as Boston’s No. 27 prospect by both Baseball America and SoxProspects.com. Baseball America tabbed him as the best power hitter in the Red Sox’ 2025 draft class, citing how he “swings with intent in any count or situation with firing hand speed and great torque.” SoxProspects.com, meanwhile, notes that he “hits the ball hard consistently, and can elevate to the pull side.”

Given his performance with Greenville so far this season, White should be in line for a new challenge in the form of a promotion to Double-A Portland sooner rather than later. The biggest question at that point will be how he adjusts to more advanced, higher-quality pitching in the upper minors. If he can continue to refine his hit tool, however, he could climb prospect rankings across the industry.

(Picture of Mason White: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Trio of Red Sox prospects named 2026 Dominican Summer League All-Stars

Red Sox prospects Joskairo Ramirez, Anderber Urbina, and Isaac Velasquez have been named 2026 Dominican Summer League All-Stars. The trio of teenagers will represent the organization in Sunday’s DSL All-Star Game at the Rays’ academy in Guerra, just outside Santo Domingo.

All three of Ramirez, Urbina, and Velasquez are in their first professional seasons after joining the Red Sox as international free agents in January. Ramirez, a native of the Dominican Republic, received an $800,000 signing bonus, while Urbina, a native of Venezuela, and Velasquez, a native of Colombia, received $145,000 and $370,000, respectively.

Ramirez, 17, received the third-largest signing bonus in Boston’s 2026 international class and is enjoying a strong debut campaign with DSL Red Sox Red. Nicknamed “El Peluche” (“Teddy Bear” in English), the left-handed hitting outfielder is batting .293/.408/.505 (121 wRC+) with eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 21 runs scored, six stolen bases, 15 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 29 games (120 plate appearances) this season.

Defensively, Ramirez has seen nearly all of his playing time this year come in center field. Across 26 starts there, the 5-foot-9, 175-pounder has committed one error and recorded one assist in 47 chances. He has also made two starts at DH. SoxProspects.com, which currently ranks him as Boston’s No. 56 prospect, notes that he “gets great jumps in center and reads the ball well.”

Urbina, also 17, is Ramirez’s teammate on DSL Red Sox Red. In 28 games for the rookie-level affiliate this season, the right-handed hitting infielder is slashing .312/.443/.505 (134 wRC+) with five doubles, two triples, three home runs, 16 RBIs, 28 runs scored, five stolen bases, 21 walks, and 16 strikeouts over 116 plate appearances.

On the other side of the ball, Urbina has seen playing time at every infield position besides first base. The 5-foot-9, 146-pounder has made 15 starts at shortstop, 10 starts at third base, and three starts at second base, committing five errors in 113 total chances. He is not currently ranked among the organization’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com.

Velasquez, who does not turn 17 until next month, is playing for DSL Red Sox Blue to begin his pro career. Through 26 games this season, the left-handed hitting infielder is batting .216/.376/.527 (112 wRC+) with three doubles, one triple, six home runs, 26 RBIs, 12 runs scored, one stolen base, 15 walks, and 25 strikeouts over 93 plate appearances. His six homers and 26 RBIs lead all of Boston’s DSL hitters.

Defensively, Velasquez has seen the lion’s share of his playing time this year come at shortstop. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder has made 23 starts at short for DSL Red Sox Blue, committing two errors in 59 chances. He has also made one error-free start at third base and one start at DH. Like Urbina, he is not currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as one of the system’s top 60 prospects.

(Picture: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

How Red Sox OF prospect Enddy Azocar is faring with High-A Greenville

Top Red Sox outfield prospect Enddy Azocar headed into the MLB All-Star break on a high note after launching three home runs in High-A Greenville’s final two games against Greensboro over the weekend.

Azocar has experienced some growing pains since being promoted from Low-A Salem, where he batted .295/.344/.530 with six home runs and 26 RBIs over 39 games (180 plate appearances), in late May. In 34 games for Greenville since then, the right-handed hitting 19-year-old is slashing .228/.296/.441 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs across 159 trips to the plate.

Overall, though, Azocar has put together a solid body of work to begin his second season in the United States. Between Salem and Greenville, he is batting .264/.322/.489 with 21 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 47 RBIs, 59 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 25 walks, and 82 strikeouts in 73 games (339 plate appearances). He has posted a .344/.400/.688 line in 70 plate appearances against lefties, compared to a .243/.301/.437 line in 269 plate appearances against righties.

Among 13 Red Sox minor leaguers who — regardless of level — have logged at least 300 plate appearances this year, Azocar ranks second in line-drive rate (27%) and speed score (8.2), third in isolated power (.225) and slugging percentage, and fourth in batting average, OPS (.811), wOBA (.362), and wRC+ (104), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Azocar has seen nearly all of his playing time come in center field this season after getting reps at all three outfield spots last year. Across 61 total starts (31 with Salem, 30 with Greenville), the athletic 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has committed two errors and recorded two assists in 137 chances over 537 1/3 innings. He has also made 12 starts at DH between the two stops.

A native of Venezuela, Azocar originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent in January 2024. He was relatively unknown at the time and truly did not get on most people’s radar until he arrived in Fort Myers for his stateside debut last year. Since then, he has emerged as one of the top position-playing prospects in the organization.

Baseball America currently ranks Azocar as Boston’s No. 6 prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him slightly lower at No. 10. Both outlets note that the teenager generates plenty of bat speed from the right side, allowing him to consistently produce triple-digit exit velocities. They also cite his above-average speed and project him to either stick in center field or develop into a strong right fielder in the long run.

Azocar, who does not turn 20 until February, is expected to return to Greenville when the High-A season resumes on Friday. Depending on how he continues to fare with the Drive and how aggressive the Red Sox want to be with his development, it would not be surprising to see him reach Double-A Portland before his age-19 campaign draws to a close. The club took a similar approach with No. 1 prospect Franklin Arias last year.

(Picture of Enddy Azocar: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox’ Ronald Rosario named Eastern League Player of the Week

Red Sox catching/first base prospect Ronald Rosario has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of July 6-12, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Rosario appeared in four of Double-A Portland’s six road games against New Hampshire last week. The right-handed hitter went 8-for-16 (.500) with four home runs, nine RBIs, four runs scored, one stolen base, and one strikeout. He homered once in Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader, went deep twice on Friday, and left the yard again in Sunday’s series finale.

Following this hot stretch, Rosario is now batting .278/.324/.462 with six doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 26 RBIs, 22 runs scored, two stolen bases, 10 walks, and 41 strikeouts through 43 games (170 plate appearances) for Portland this season, his second at the Double-A level. He is slashing .229/.289/.371 in 38 plate appearances against lefties and .293/.333/.488 in 132 plate appearances against righties.

Defensively, Rosario has primarily split his playing time this year between catcher and first base. Behind Nate Baez and Johanfran Garcia on Portland’s catching depth chart, the 5-foot-11 backstop has thrown out four of 24 would-be base stealers over 15 starts. At first base, where he trails Brooks Brannon on the depth chart, he has committed four errors in 129 chances across 17 starts. He has also made eight starts at DH.

Rosario, 23, originally signed with the Red Sox for $50,000 as an international free agent in July 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, however, the native Venezuelan did not make his professional debut until 2021. He split his first two seasons in pro ball between the rookie-level Dominican Summer and Florida Complex Leagues before graduating to full-season ball in 2023. This past January, he received his first invite to major league spring training and ultimately broke camp with Portland.

Rosario has never been viewed as one of Boston’s premier catching prospects but has provided the organization with solid depth behind the plate over the years. He is slated to reach minor league free agency at the end of the season, though the Red Sox bringing him back on a new contract for 2027 is not out of the realm of possibility.

(Picture of Ronald Rosario: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)