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)
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