The Red Sox have re-signed pitching prospect Yordanny Monegro to a minor league contract covering the 2027 season, a team source confirmed to BloggingtheRedSox.com. It is unclear whether the deal includes an invitation to major league spring training.
Monegro is currently regarded as Boston’s No. 25 prospect by Baseball America, ranking 10th among pitchers in the system. The right-hander, who turned 24 last month, was slated to become a minor league free agent this week. He will instead remain a member of the Red Sox organization, at least for the time being.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Monegro originally signed with the Red Sox for $35,000 as an international free agent in February 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he did not make his professional debut until 2021. He spent parts of three seasons in rookie ball before taking a step forward in 2023, advancing from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem and eventually High-A Greenville. The start of his 2024 season was delayed by shoulder weakness, but he still showed enough to earn a promotion to Double-A Portland to begin 2025.
Monegro came out of the gates firing, posting a 2.67 ERA with 49 strikeouts to eight walks in his first nine outings (eight starts) and 33 2/3 innings for the Sea Dogs before tearing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow last June. He underwent Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter and faced a lengthy road back, ultimately returning to the mound in late August.
In three abbreviated starts between Greenville and Portland to close out the 2026 minor league season, Monegro showed signs of rust, allowing three earned runs on five hits, six walks, and eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound righty sat between 93-95 mph and topped out at 96 mph with his fastball in his final outing on September 11. He also featured an 86-88 mph slider and a 78-80 mph curveball, according to Baseball America’s Ian Cundall.
Even after re-signing him to a minor league deal, the Red Sox could still be at risk of losing Monegro in December’s Rule 5 Draft if they do not protect him by adding him to the 40-man roster later this month. Whether the Rule 5 Draft takes place as scheduled remains to be seen, however, given the impending lockout.
Regardless, Monegro becomes the fourth pitcher to return to the Red Sox on a minor league contract so far this offseason, joining fellow righties Angel Bastardo and Patrick Halligan and lefty Michael Sansone.
Like Halligan (Escogido), Monegro (Licey) has also been pitching in the Dominican Winter League.
(Picture of Yordanny Monegro: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)
