Across Minor League Baseball in 2026, an astounding 59 players recorded 20-20 seasons, hitting at least 20 home runs and stealing at least 20 bases.
Of those 59, however, only one spent the entire season in the Red Sox organization: 27-year-old utilityman Tyler McDonough.
McDonough, Boston’s third-round pick in the 2021 draft out of North Carolina State, received his first non-roster invite to major league camp this spring and opened his fifth full professional season at Double-A Portland. The switch-hitter spent the first two months of the 2026 campaign with the Sea Dogs, batting .217/.353/.378 with seven doubles, two triples, four home runs, 16 RBIs, 23 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 27 walks, and 55 strikeouts over 44 games (175 plate appearances) before being summoned to Triple-A Worcester in early June.
Having spent parts of 2023-2024 and all of 2025 with Worcester, McDonough was no stranger to Triple-A. He excelled during his first stint with the WooSox this season, slashing .310/.425/.621 with six doubles, seven home runs, 22 RBIs, 22 runs scored, five stolen bases, 15 walks, and 23 strikeouts over 31 games (107 plate appearances) through July 26. Two days later, he was sent back down to Portland.
McDonough continued to hit for power in his return to the Sea Dogs’ lineup, batting .248/.374/.505 with four doubles, eight home runs, 27 RBIs, 20 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 17 walks, and 32 strikeouts over his next 30 games (131 plate appearances) before rejoining the WooSox in early September. He then slashed .229/.289/.343 with one double, one home run, three RBIs, four runs scored, one stolen base, three walks, and 10 strikeouts in his final 10 games (38 plate appearances) of the season.
Despite the chilly finish, it was nonetheless a breakthrough campaign for McDonough, whose previous career high in homers was nine. Altogether, he batted .249/.371/.468 with 18 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs, 68 RBIs, 69 runs scored, a career-best 27 stolen bases, 62 walks, and 120 strikeouts in 115 games (451 plate appearances) between Portland and Worcester. That includes a .230/.367/.442 line against right-handed pitching and a .308/.382/.549 line against left-handers.
Among the 10 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 450 plate appearances this season, McDonough ranked second in isolated power (.219), OPS (.839), slugging percentage, speed score (6.9), walk rate (13.7%), and wRC+ (121), third in wOBA (.374), and fourth in on-base percentage, according to FanGraphs.
Defensively, McDonough once again bounced around the diamond, seeing action at every position besides catcher and first base this year. Between his stops in Portland and Worcester, the versatile 5-foot-8, 180-pounder made 39 starts at second base, 25 starts in left field, 19 starts in right field, 10 starts at third base, seven starts in center field, and four starts at shortstop.
In the infield, McDonough committed eight errors in 209 chances. In the outfield, he recorded five assists and committed five errors in 106 chances. He also made two starts at DH and made his first professional pitching appearance in May.
Coming off his 20-20 season, McDonough was named a SoxProspects.com All-Star for the first time earlier this week. The Ohio native is not currently ranked among the site’s top 60 Red Sox prospects, though he could generate Rule 5 Draft buzz this winter if he is not added to the club’s 40-man roster.
Assuming he remains in the organization, McDonough — who will turn 28 in April — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Worcester in 2027. As things stand, next season will be his last before he becomes eligible for minor league free agency.
(Picture of Tyler McDonough [center]: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
