The Red Sox have re-signed pitching prospect Angel Bastardo to a minor league contract covering the 2027 season, as first reported by BeisbolFR’s Francys Romero. The deal includes an invitation to major league spring training.
Bastardo is currently regarded as Boston’s No. 15 prospect by Baseball America, ranking fifth among pitchers in the system. The 24-year-old right-hander was slated to reach minor league free agency in the coming days, but will remain with the organization he has spent the better part of his professional career with, at least for the time being.
Originally signed by the Red Sox for $35,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela in July 2018, Bastardo steadily climbed the organizational ladder as a starter and reached Double-A Portland before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He missed the remainder of the season and was then left off Boston’s 40-man roster, prompting the Blue Jays to select him with the sixth overall pick in that winter’s Rule 5 Draft.
Bastardo did not pitch in 2025 while continuing to work his way back from surgery. The hard-throwing righty returned to the mound this spring but did not make Toronto’s Opening Day roster out of camp and was instead designated for assignment in late March. After clearing waivers, he was returned to Boston on April 1 without needing to occupy a spot on the club’s 40-man roster. He then spent a few weeks on the development list before joining Triple-A Worcester on April 21.
In 40 relief appearances for the WooSox this season, Bastardo posted a 4.64 ERA with 73 strikeouts to 33 walks over 54 1/3 innings. Opponents batted .212/.326/.378 against him across 231 plate appearances. That includes a .227/.338/.429 line from right-handed hitters and a .189/.307/.297 line from left-handed hitters.
Among 173 International League pitchers who logged at least 50 innings in 2026, Bastardo ranked sixth in strikeout rate (31.6%), ninth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.09) and swinging-strike rate (14.9%), 19th in xFIP (3.98), 25th in batting average against, 51st in FIP (4.35), 65th in WHIP (1.36) and 82nd in ERA. However, he also ranked 156th in walks per nine innings (5.47), 159th in walk rate (14.3%), and 173rd in line-drive rate (31.7%), according to FanGraphs.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, Bastardo throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a four-pitch mix. This season, he averaged 96.2 mph and topped out at 99.1 mph with his four-seam fastball. His changeup, long regarded as his best secondary offering, typically sat between 87-91 mph. He also featured an upper-80s slider and an occasional curveball to round things out.
Even after re-signing him to a minor league deal, the Red Sox could once again risk losing Bastardo in this winter’s Rule 5 Draft if they do not protect him by adding him to the 40-man roster in November. Whether the Rule 5 Draft takes place as scheduled remains to be seen, however, given the impending lockout.
The Red Sox could also face similar roster decisions with other prospects nearing minor league free agency, including outfielder Allan Castro and righty Yordanny Monegro, both of whom are currently playing winter ball in their native Dominican Republic.
(Picture of Angel Bastardo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)
