Brendan Campbell

How did Henry Godbout, top position player drafted by Red Sox this summer, fare in professional debut?

Henry Godbout was the first of six position players drafted by the Red Sox over the summer. This article will examine how the 21-year-old infielder fared in his professional debut this season.

Godbout was taken out of Virginia with the 75th overall pick in the 2025 draft, which the Red Sox had received as compensation for losing qualified free agent Nick Pivetta to the Padres in free agency last winter. Fresh off earning Second Team All-ACC honors in his junior season with the Cavaliers, the New York native signed with Boston for an at-slot $1.0938 million on July 22.

“Really good instincts, really good action,” Red Sox director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson said of Godbout when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) following the draft. “They shift a lot at Virginia, but he’s able to cover a lot of ground and has worked both sides of the [second base] bag. We’re betting on the athlete here to be able to do both.

“Makes a ton of contact,” Pearson continued, “super athletic and fits our development strengths in terms of being able to tap into some more power.

After putting pen to paper in Fort Myers, Fla., and spending the remainder of July at the Red Sox’ Fenway South complex, Godbout reported straight to High-A Greenville (as opposed to Low-A Salem) and made his pro debut at Fluor Field on August 6. The right-handed hitter then went 6-for-17 (.353) with three doubles, two RBIs, four runs scored, six walks, and three strikeouts in his first six games with the Drive before suffering a hamstring injury in Greensboro on August 14.

Following an 11-day stint on the injured list, Godbout returned to action on August 28 and closed out the season by going 9-for-27 (.333) with three doubles, three RBIs, two runs scored, one stolen base, three walks, and three strikeouts in his final seven games of the 2025 campaign as Greenville came up just short of qualifying for a spot in the South Atlantic League playoffs.

Overall, Godbout batted .341/.473/.477 with six doubles, five RBIs, six runs scored, one stolen base, nine walks, and six strikeouts in 13 games (55 plate appearances) for the Drive. That includes a .333/.455/.667 slash line against left-handed pitching and a .343/.477/.429 slash line against right-handed pitching.

It is a small sample size, but Godbout was one of 261 hitters to accrue at least 55 plate appearances in the South Atlantic League this year. Among those 261, he ranked third in batting average and on-base percentage, fourth in strikeout rate (10.9 percent), fifth in OPS (.950), wOBA (.452), and wRC+ (182), sixth in swinging-strike rate (5.6 percent), 14th in slugging percentage, 21st in walk rate (16.4 percent), 76th in isolated power (.136), and 85th in line-drive rate (23.7 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Godbout unsurprisingly split his playing time with Greenville between second base and shortstop. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder logged 55 innings at second and 22 innings at short without committing a single error in 19 total chances. He also made three starts at DH.

On the heels of making a positive first impression in his pro debut, Godbout is already regarded among the top prospects in Boston’s farm system by numerous outlets. He is ranked No. 19 by MLB Pipeline, No. 21 by Baseball America, and No. 23 by SoxProspects.com, respectively.

Godbout, who turns 22 in November, is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Greenville for the start of the 2026 season. With a full offseason of developmental opportunities ahead of him, he could emerge as an even more intriguing prospect as well as a quick riser within the organization next year.

(Picture of Henry Godbout: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

3 Red Sox prospects crack Baseball America’s 2025 Dominican Summer League rankings

Late last week, Baseball America’s Josh Norris ranked the top 35 prospects who played in the Dominican Summer League in 2025.

Of those 35, three members of the Red Sox organization made the cut, with infielders Dorian Soto and Jhorman Bravo coming in at No. 8 and No. 26 and catcher Franklin Primera coming in at No. 33.

Soto, 17, received the highest bonus ($1.4 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox signed this year and is currently ranked by Baseball America as the club’s No. 10 prospect. The switch-hitting Dominican-born infielder put pen to paper in January and made his professional debut in June. He then batted .307/.362/.428 (104 wRC+) with 10 doubles, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 27 runs scored, one stolen base, 16 walks, and 28 strikeouts in 47 games (186 plate appearances) between Boston’s two DSL affiliates.

Though he was named a DSL All-Star in July, Soto did not play in the All-Star Game itself due to a wrist injury that ultimately “quieted his performance down the stretch.” Before that, Norris noted, he “showed an exciting blend of hittability, power, and remaining projection.”

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Soto saw playing time at every infield position besides first base this year, logging 230 2/3 innings at shortstop, 42 2/3 innings at third base, and two innings at second base. He committed nine errors in 133 total defensive chances between those three spots and also made seven starts at DH.

“He’s a tall, lanky player with plenty of room for strength on his frame,” Norris wrote of Soto. “The added bulk might push him to third base, but he has plenty of arm strength for the position and should have the requisite power, as well.”

Bravo, also 17, signed with Boston for $150,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January, but did not generate nearly as much buzz as Soto. In 34 games for DSL Red Sox Red, the left-handed hitter slashed .241/.328/.664 (77 wRC+) with one double, two triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs, 21 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 16 walks, and nine strikeouts over 134 plate appearances. He did not play after July 31 due to an unspecified injury.

Defensively, Bravo — like Soto — made at least one start at every infield position besides first base this season. The 6-foot-1, 176-pounder logged 106 innings at shortstop, 73 1/3 innings at second base, and 40 1/3 innings at third base, committing six errors in 105 chances. He also made three starts at DH.

As noted by Norris, Bravo’s offensive numbers do not necessarily jump off the page, “but scouts across the league raved about his skills and the foundation they set for the future.

“He has the chops not only to stick at shortstop, but to excel at the position,” Norris continued. “Some scouts grade his defense as nearly double-plus thanks to strong instincts, a stellar internal clock, and more than enough arm for the left side that includes a quick release and plenty of accuracy.”

Primera, meanwhile, was signed for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela last September. In his professional debut this season, the right-handed hitting 18-year-old batted .333/.465/.430 (144 wRC+) with 10 doubles, one home run, 27 RBIs, 33 runs scored, two stolen bases, 25 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 45 games (172 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Red. He was a late addition to the American League’s DSL All-Star roster in July but homered in his first at-bat to take home All-Star Game co-MVP honors.

“Overall, though, the most intriguing part of Primera’s offensive game revolves around his bat-to-ball skills,” Norris wrote. “He rarely swung and missed and did a fine job laying off pitches out of the strike zone. His game power is mostly gap-to-gap, and he’ll need to add some strength as he gets older. Scouts are bullish that he can make that necessity a reality.”

On the other side of the ball, Primera made 39 starts behind the plate for DSL Red Sox Red. The 6-foot, 179-pound backstop threw out 26 of 111 possible base stealers while allowing five passed balls and committing eight errors in 300 total chances. He also made six starts at DH.

“Primera also earns high marks for his defense, including above-average to plus grades for his receiving and arm strength,” added Norris. “He has the floor of a backup catcher in the big leagues with the upside for a bit more.”

It is still early, and plenty can change between now and then. Still, looking ahead to next season, all three of Soto, Bravo, and Primera could be in line to take the next step in their professional journeys by making their stateside debuts in the Florida Complex League.

(Picture of Dorian Soto via his Instagram)

Red Sox’ Yhoiker Fajardo named Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for August

Red Sox pitching prospect Yhoiker Fajardo has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for August, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Fajardo dominated Carolina League hitters to the tune of a 1.14 ERA (1.67 FIP) with 36 strikeouts to eight walks in six starts (23 2/3 innings) for Low-A Salem last month. Opponents batted just .159 against the 18-year-old right-hander, who was recognized as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week on two separate occasions.

In 12 starts for Salem this season, Fajardo has forged a 2.79 ERA (2.43 FIP) with 53 strikeouts to 16 walks over 48 1/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .230 against him. That comes after he posted a 0.44 ERA (2.41 FIP) with 24 strikeouts to seven walks in six outings (four starts) spanning 20 2/3 innings for the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox to open the 2025 campaign before being promoted on June 17.

Among the 107 pitchers who entered play Thursday having thrown at least 45 innings in the Carolina League this year, Fajardo ranked second in FIP, fourth in swinging-strike rate (16.5 percent), sixth in line-drive rate (16.1 percent), 11th in xFIP (3.08), 14th in groundball rate (51.6 percent), 17th in strikeout rate (26.9 percent), 23rd in ERA, 25th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.87) and walks per nine innings (2.98), 26th in walk rate (8.1 percent) and WHIP (1.18), and 53rd in batting average against, per FanGraphs.

Fajardo has been nothing short of a revelation this season after being acquired from the White Sox for left-handed reliever Cam Booser last December. The native Venezuelan had originally signed with Chicago for $400,000 as an international free agent in February 2024 and was fresh off earning Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his professional debut. He is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 22 prospect (12th among pitchers), while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 25 (14th among pitchers) and SoxProspects.com has him at No. 18 (11th among pitchers), respectively.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 181 pounds, Fajardo throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the young righty features a 93-95 mph fastball that can reach 96-97 mph depending on what variation (two-seam or four-seam) he throws, a tight 82-85 mph slider, and an 85-88 mph kick changeup.

Fajardo, who turns 19 in October, was also named SoxProspects.com’s Pitcher of the Month and the Red Sox’ Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August in recent days. He is slated to make one more start for Salem in the back half of its series against Fayetteville this weekend before the 2025 Carolina League regular season draws to a close on Sunday.

(Picture of Juan Valera: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote top prospect Franklin Arias to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted top prospect Franklin Arias from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Arias is moving up a level for the second time this season. The 19-year-old infielder opened the 2025 campaign at Low-A Salem and batted .346/.407/.397 (134 wRC+) with four doubles, nine RBIs, 15 runs scored, four stolen bases, six walks, and 12 strikeouts in 19 games (86 plate appearances) before receiving a promotion to Greenville in late April.

After getting off to a blistering start with Greenville that saw him net South Atlantic League Player of the Month honors for May, Arias began to cool off as spring turned to summer. The right-handed hitter continued to struggle offensively out of the All-Star break in July, but has fared relatively better as of late to bring his line up to .265/.329/.380 (107 wRC+) with 21 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 49 RBIs, 43 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 32 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 87 games (392 plate appearances) for the Drive.

Overall, Arias is slashing .279/.343/.383 (112 wRC+) with 25 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 58 RBIs, 58 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 38 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 106 games (478 plate appearances) between Salem and Greenville this season. That includes a .214/.296/.282 line against lefties and a .300/.358/.415 line against righties.

Between his stops in Salem and Greenville, Arias primarily split his playing time between shortstop and second base, logging 780 2/3 innings at the former and 44 innings at the latter. The rangy 5-foot-11, 170-pounder (listed height and weight) committed six errors (all at shortstop) in 364 total defensive chances. He also made 10 starts at DH.

A native of Venezuela, Arias originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as an international free agent coming out of Caracas in January 2023. Lauded for his ability to make contact and fielding prowess, he made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League shortly thereafter. He impressed there before truly breaking out last season. As part of a standout 2024 campaign, he was recognized as a Baseball America Rookie and Florida Complex League All-Star, the Florida Complex League’s Top MLB Prospect and MVP, and Boston’s Minor League Baserunner of the Year.

Unsurprisingly, Arias was included in multiple top 100 prospects lists to begin the 2025 season. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 3 prospect and the game’s No. 50 prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him ranked as Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 24 prospect in the sport. SoxProspects.com has him at No. 2 on its top 60 list behind only rookie left-hander Payton Tolle.

Arias, who turns 20 in November, is leading off and starting at shortstop in Portland’s series opener against Erie at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night. The Sea Dogs have 12 regular-season games remaining and currently trail Somerset by just 1 1/2 games for a spot in the Eastern League playoffs.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox OF prospect Anderson Fermin named 2025 Florida Complex League All-Star

Red Sox outfield prospect Anderson Fermin has been named a 2025 Florida Complex League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Fermin, who turns 19 next week, is not currently regarded among Boston’s premier prospects by publications such as Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. At the same time, SoxProspects.com has the teenager ranked 57th on its top 60 list.

Signed for $400,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic last January, Fermin made his stateside debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League this season after taking home 2024 Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his first taste of pro ball. Coming off that showing, the switch-hitting speedster batted .283/.454/.377 with seven doubles, three triples, 14 RBIs, 32 runs scored, a team-leading 25 stolen bases, 42 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 48 games (185 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

Among 65 qualified FCL hitters this year, Fermin ranked first in walk rate (22.7 percent), third in on-base percentage, fourth in wOBA (.428), fifth in speed score (8.6), seventh in batting average and swinging-strike rate (10.4 percent), eighth in OPS (.831) and wRC+ (138), 17th in slugging percentage, 19th in strikeout rate (18.9 percent), and 30th in line-drive rate (19.2 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Fermin saw playing time at all three outfield spots with the FCL Red Sox. The athletic 5-foot-11, 174-pounder logged 182 2/3 innings in center field, 89 innings in left field, and 57 innings in right field, recording two assists and committing just one error in 73 total chances. He also made four starts at DH and played shortstop on the amateur circuit.

Following the conclusion of the FCL season in late July, Fermin remained in Fort Myers before receiving a promotion to Low-A Salem on Tuesday. He made his full-season debut in Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to Kannapolis, going 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts while playing eight clean innings in right field.

(Picture of Anderson Fermin: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote OF prospect Justin Gonzales to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted outfield prospect Justin Gonzales from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Gonzales, 18, is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 12 prospect. At the same time, MLB Pipeline has him ranked at No. 7 and SoxProspects.com has him ranked at No. 13. The Dominican Republic native is enjoying a productive first season in the United States after originally signing with the Red Sox for $250,000 as an international free agent coming out of Bani last January.

On the heels of earning 2024 Dominican Summer League All-Star honors and being named the organization’s Minor League Latin Program Position Player of the Year in his professional debut, Gonzales impressed in his first stateside spring training down in Fort Myers and received a promotion to Salem on May 6 after appearing in just one game in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

Given his general lack of experience, it’s not terribly surprising that Gonzales struggled somewhat out of the gate in his first taste of full-season ball. The right-handed hitter was batting .246/.398/.277 in his first 18 games (83 plate appearances) with Salem through the end of May. He began to turn a corner in June, however, and has been steadily on the rise since then. Overall, he slashed .298/.381/.423 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 27 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 52 strikeouts over 81 games (357 plate appearances) for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. That includes a .317/.431/.533 line against lefties and a .294/.368/.397 line against righties.

Among 54 qualified Carolina League hitters entering play Tuesday, Gonzales ranked first in batting average, third in slugging percentage and strikeout rate (14.6 percent), fourth in OPS (.804), wOBA (.393), and wRC+ (131), ninth in on-base percentage, 18th in swinging-strike rate (10.3 percent), and 20th in isolated power (.125), per FanGraphs.

“This kid is more physical than any player I’ve been around,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier earlier this year. “He’s a monster. I think he’s still kind of learning what he can do physically, learning his body. And for a guy who’s so big and has so much power, his ability to control the bat is incredibly impressive. He’s been a much better hitter than maybe we had expected. That’s been really exciting.”

Defensively, Gonzales saw playing time at all three outfield spots with Salem. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder logged 226 1/3 innings in center, 192 innings in right, and 127 2/3 innings in left, recording two assists and committing four errors in 127 total chances. He also made 16 starts at DH and has previous experience at first base.

Gonzales, who does not turn 19 until December, surpasses recently-activated right-hander Juan Valera as the youngest player on Greenville’s roster. He is batting second and starting in right field for the Drive in their series opener against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Fluor Field on Tuesday night.

(Picture of Justin Gonzales: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Yhoiker Fajardo named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for second time this season

Red Sox pitching prospect Yhoiker Fajardo has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of August 18-24, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Fajardo takes home the honor for the second time this season, having previously done so for the week of July 28-August 3. The 18-year-old right-hander made two starts and tossed seven scoreless innings in Low-A Salem’s series against the Carolina Mudcats at Carilion Clinic Field this past week.

After retiring the first three batters he faced on Thursday, Fajardo’s outing was interrupted by rain, and the contest was ultimately suspended in the middle of the first. That allowed him to retake the mound on Sunday afternoon, and he responded by yielding just two hits and no walks while striking out eight over six dominant innings in Salem’s 3-2 victory.

Fajardo fanned the first five batters he faced and took a no-hit bid into the top of the sixth before giving up back-to-back one-out singles. The hard-throwing righty escaped that jam by inducing a groundout and flyout to keep Carolina off the board and end his day on a high note. He threw 74 pitches (55 strikes) and generated 16 whiffs, tied for the most of any pitcher at the Low-A level on Sunday, according to Baseball Savant.

In 11 starts for Salem since being promoted from the rookie-level Florida Complex League (where he forged a 0.44 ERA in 20 2/3 innings) on June 17, Fajardo has posted a 2.84 ERA (2.49 FIP) with 46 strikeouts to 14 walks over 44 1/3 frames in which opposing hitters have batted .217 against him. That includes a 0.92 ERA (1.67 FIP) with 29 strikeouts to six walks across 19 2/3 innings in August.

Among 126 pitchers who have thrown at least 40 innings in the Carolina League this season, Fajardo ranks third in FIP and swinging-strike rate (16.7 percent), fifth in line-drive rate (15.8 percent), 11th in xFIP (3.14), 16th in WHIP (1.11) and groundball rate (52.6 percent), 24th in ERA, 25th in walks per nine innings (2.84), 28th in strikeout rate (25.8 percent) and walk rate (7.9 percent), 42nd in batting average against, and 50th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.34), per FanGraphs.

Hailing from Venezuela, Fajardo originally signed with the White Sox for $400,000 as an international free agent in February 2024. The Villa de Cura native made the most of his professional debut and was recognized as a Dominican Summer League All-Star last year before being acquired by the Red Sox for left-handed reliever Cam Booser in December. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 22 prospect, which ranks 11th among pitchers in the organization. Elsewhere, MLB Pipeline has him at No. 25 while SoxProspects.com has him at No. 18 on their respective lists.

Listed at a projectable 6-foot-3 and 181 pounds, Fajardo throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the young hurler features a 93-96 mph two-/four-seam fastball combination that can reach 97 mph and also mixes in a tight 82-86 mph slider as well as an 85-88 mph changeup.

Fajardo, who does not turn 19 until October, is in line to make one or two more starts before Salem’s season ends on September 7. With that being said, it will be interesting to see if he could receive another promotion to aid in High-A Greenville’s quest for a playoff spot. As of this writing, the Drive are one game back of second-half leading Hub City for first place in the South Atlantic League South division standings.

(Picture of Yhoiker Fajardo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote IF/OF prospect Justin Riemer (.423 OBP) to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted infield/outfield prospect Justin Riemer from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Riemer is not currently regarded among Boston’s top prospects by publications like Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com. The 23-year-old has not hit for much power this season, though he has gotten on base at an exceptional rate thus far.

After breaking camp with Greenville earlier this spring, Riemer suffered a shoulder injury on April 15 and was sidelined for a month as a result. The right-handed hitter returned to action on May 15 and batted .243/.423/.287 with five doubles, one home run, 16 RBIs, 26 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 54 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 66 games (241 plate appearances) for the Drive overall. That includes a .238/.365/.286 slash line against lefties and a .245/.439/.288 slash line against righties.

Among the 95 hitters who entered play Friday having made at least 240 trips to the plate in the South Atlantic League this year, Riemer ranked first in walk rate (22.4 percent) and swinging-strike rate (2.8 percent), second in on-base percentage, 14th in wOBA (.364), 15th in strikeout rate (18.7 percent), 16th in wRC+ (127), and 34th in batting average and OPS (.710), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Riemer has seen playing time at five different positions so far this season. In addition to making 34 starts at second base, nine starts at third base, and two starts at shortstop, the versatile 5-foot-10, 170-pounder was introduced to the outfield in early June and has since logged 125 error-free innings between the two corner spots. He has also made three starts at DH.

Riemer was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 133rd overall pick (which the club received as compensation for qualified free agent Nathan Eovaldi signing with the Rangers in December 2022) in the 2023 draft out of Wright State. The Virginia native signed with Boston for an over-slot $500,000 shortly thereafter, but was still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered that spring, which pushed his professional debut back until last July.

In the time since officially entering the pro ranks, Riemer has drawn praise for his disciplined approach, pitch recognition, and bat-to-ball skills. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, though, Riemer’s ability to draw walks at a high rate could be put to the test as he moves from the lower minors to the upper minors, where he is sure to be challenged more by tougher opposing pitchers.

Having said that, Riemer is not in the starting lineup for Portland’s game against Binghamton at Hadlock Field on Friday night.

(Picture of Justin Riemer: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox LHP prospect Brandon Clarke ‘unlikely to pitch again this year’ due to recurrence of blisters

Red Sox pitching prospect Brandon Clarke was placed on High-A Greenville’s 7-day injured list on Friday due to a recurrence of blisters and is unlikely to pitch again this year as a result, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Clarke is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 7 prospect, which ranks fourth among pitchers in the organization. The 22-year-old left-hander was selected in the fifth round (148th overall) of last summer’s draft out of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. He forwent his commitment to transfer to South Carolina by signing with the Red Sox for an under-slot $400,000, but did not make his professional debut until April.

On the heels of an impressive spring training, Clarke broke camp with Low-A Salem and dominated Carolina League hitters to the tune of a 0.93 ERA (0.94 FIP) with 17 strikeouts to two walks in three starts (9 2/3 innings) to open the season. He received a promotion to Greenville in late April and produced solid results through the end of May, resulting in his vaulting into the back end of Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list. After tossing 4 1/3 scoreless frames against Bowling Green on May 24, however, he missed the next month-plus due to a blister caused by a hangnail.

Upon returning to the mound on June 26, Clarke struggled to a 7.71 ERA (5.42 FIP) in seven starts (14 innings) before being placed on Greenville’s injured list. Overall, he has posted a 5.08 ERA (4.20 FIP) with 43 strikeouts to 25 walks across 11 outings (28 1/3 innings) for the Drive. Opposing South Atlantic League hitters have batted .150 against him.

If Clarke is indeed done for the year, he will wrap up his first pro season having forged a 4.03 ERA (3.37 FIP) with 60 strikeouts to 27 walks in 14 starts (38 innings) between Salem and Greenville. That translates to a 34.5 percent strikeout rate, a 15.5 percent walk rate for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound southpaw, who regularly reached 98-99 mph with his upper-90s fastball while incorporating an 87-90 mph slider, 81-85 mph sweeper, and an 87-89 mph changeup into his arsenal.

(Picture of Brandon Clarke: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox two-way prospect Conrad Cason undergoes Tommy John surgery

Red Sox two-way prospect Conrad Cason underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on Thursday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow, as he revealed on Instagram.

Cason, who turned 19 earlier this month, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 28 prospect; MLB Pipeline has him at No. 26 and SoxProspects.com at No. 27. The Georgia native was selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round (237th overall) of the 2024 draft out of Greater Atlanta Christian School, where he both pitched and played shortstop. He forwent his commitment to Mississippi State by signing for an over-slot $1.25 million last July, but did not make his professional debut until this May.

Cason appeared in two games for the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox (one as a pitcher, the other as a DH) on May 3 and May 5, respectively. On the mound, the right-hander struck out five and walked one over two scoreless innings in which he reached 97 mph with his fastball against the FCL Twins. Two days later, the right-handed hitter went 1-for-4 with an RBI single and two strikeouts out of the three-hole against the FCL Braves.

It was not long after that Cason began experiencing arm fatigue, which resulted in his being shut down from baseball activities for an extended period. The athletic 6-foot-1, 190-pounder resumed swinging and got into a hitting progression in June, but his arm fatigue evolved into an elbow soreness that ultimately required him to go under the knife.

With Thursday’s procedure now in the rearview mirror, Cason faces a unique recovery and rehabilitation timetable moving forward. As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Cason could return to action at least as a position player (or DH) as soon as next year. A potential timetable for his return to the mound, however, is less clear given the number of obstacles that are involved in that process.

Taking that into consideration, the Red Sox may decide that it would be in Cason’s best interest to choose one avenue and develop solely as just a pitcher or just a position player once he clears all of the hurdles that are coming his way.

(Picture of Conrad Cason: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)