Top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer provides update on lower back injury that cut his 2024 season short

After missing the final two months of the 2024 season with a lumbar strain in his lower back, top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer provided an update on his health in a recent conversation with MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam.

“I’m really good,” Mayer told McAdam. “Lower back’s great. I’ve been cleared for a while now, so I’ve been progressing swinging-wise, doing my stuff and working hard in the weight room, doing whatever I can to get my body in the best position for this upcoming season.”

As noted by McAdam, Mayer has not done much in terms of hitting so far this winter, though that will likely change soon.

“I’m still ramping up,” Mayer said. “But as far as that goes, my swing feels phenomenal right now. It feels like I haven’t missed a beat, which is weird because usually when I take a week off, I feel extremely rusty. But I took like two months off and I feel great right now. I’ll be ready to (be a full-go for the start of spring training).”

Mayer, the No. 10 prospect in Baseball America’s top 100 rankings, saw his season cut short by injury for a second straight year over the summer. The recently-turned 22-year-old was limited to 78 games between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland in 2023 due to a lingering left shoulder impingement that ultimately shut him down that August.

Mayer broke camp with Portland this past spring and was putting together a stellar season at the plate through late July. The left-handed hitter netted 2024 Eastern League Post-Season All-Star honors by batting .307/.370/.480 with 28 doubles, eight home runs, 38 RBIs, 60 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 30 walks, and 66 strikeouts in 77 games (335 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

On the other side of the ball, Mayer drew encouraging reviews for his defensive ability at shortstop, where he started 65 games and committed 10 errors in 212 chances with Portland this year. The 6-foot-3, 188-pound infielder also made exactly one start at third base for the second season in a row.

In the weeks following his second straight trip to the All-Star Futures Game, Mayer hit a snag. He was placed on Portland’s injured list on August 1, two days after leaving a game early with what was initially described as lower back and upper glute muscle soreness. Since the issue was deemed minor, the Red Sox proceeded to activate and then promote Mayer to Triple-A Worcester on August 12 with the expectation that he would quickly find his way into the lineup.

The soreness in Mayer’s back, however, persisted. Further medical evaluation, including an MRI, led to the diagnosis of a lumbar strain. Rather than act aggressively, the Red Sox ended Mayer’s season before he could even notch his first Triple-A at-bat by placing him on Worcester’s injured list on August 20 and sending him to extended spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. so he could focus on his rehab.

“Extremely frustrating. As a player, of course you don’t want to get injured,” said Mayer. “I work extremely hard while I play to try to prevent injury. I think I’ve just been unlucky these past couple of years. I don’t think it’s something that happened because I didn’t do that or didn’t do this. I fell (resulting in the shoulder injury), something I can’t control. And the other one, I just had a little back problem.

“It’s obviously not ideal, but that’s the situation I’ve been put in and all I can do now is work my ass off (to rehab),” he continued. “I went down to Florida (in the fall) for a month, worked with the trainers there, did workouts, did some core stuff. They sent me home and I continued that training, and I’m pretty much a full-go right now. I’ll start hitting around the new year, which is more than enough time for me. You don’t need to be hitting all off-season.”

Originally selected by Boston with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Eastlake High School (Chula Vista, Calif.), Mayer — barring a trade or other surprise move — is expected to open the 2025 campaign at Worcester. If he can stay on the field and quell any concerns about his durability, he should be able to put himself in a position to make his major league debut before the season draws to a close.

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Blake Wehunt fare in 2024?

Blake Wehunt was the fifth of 11 college pitchers selected by the Red Sox in the 2023 draft. How did the former ninth-rounder out of Kennesaw State fare in his first full professional season this year?

Signed for an under-slot $100,000 after being drafted with the 268th overall pick, Wehunt marked his pro debut by making one scoreless relief appearance in the Florida Complex League last August. The right-hander then opened the 2024 campaign at Low-A Salem and posted a 2.16 ERA (2.77 FIP) with 44 strikeouts to 15 walks in eight starts (33 1/3 innings) before receiving a promotion to High-A Greenville in early June.

Upon making the jump from Salem, Wehunt went through an adjustment period of sorts but still held his own in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League by producing a 4.42 ERA (3.58 FIP) with 65 strikeouts to 19 walks in 13 starts (59 innings) for Greenville. The righty was promoted for a second time to Double-A Portland on September 11 to make one more start before the minor-league season. He allowed five earned runs over five innings as part of an 8-4 loss to Binghamton at Hadlock Field.

Altogether, Wehunt forged a 3.88 ERA and 3.40 FIP with 110 strikeouts to 34 walks in 22 starts spanning 97 1/3 total innings of work between Salem, Greenville, and Portland this past season. Opposing hitters across the three levels he pitched at batted just .207 against him.

Among the 374 minor-leaguers who threw at least 95 innings in 2024, Wehunt ranked 38th in batting average against, 45th in WHIP (1.11), 52nd in xFIP (3.43), 62nd in strikeout rate (27.5 percent) and FIP, 65th in line-drive rate (20.1 percent), 66th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.17), 68th in groundball rate (47.8 percent), 172nd in walks per nine innings (3.14), 179th in ERA, and 180th in walk rate (8.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

Wehunt, who turned 24 in November, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 15th among pitchers. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound Georgia native throws from a three-quarters arm slot and can make for an uncomfortable at-bat given his imposing stature. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Wehunt operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 93-96 mph fastball, an 87-89 mph cutter, an 81-86 mph sweeper, and an 84-86 mph splitter.

Though the possibility remains that he could be moved by the Red Sox as part of a larger trade this winter, Wehunt is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland for the start of the 2025 season in April. If that does end up happening, it should be worthwhile to see how he handles the upper minors after getting a brief taste in September.

(Picture of Blake Wehunt: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Brandon Neely enters MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Red Sox prospects list

After the Red Sox traded Elmer Rodriguez to the Yankees last week, fellow right-hander Brandon Neely entered the club’s Top 30 prospects list on MLB Pipeline.

Neely is now regarded by MLB Pipeline as Boston’s No. 30 prospect, which ranks 17th among pitchers in the organization. The 21-year-old was selected by the Red Sox in the third round (86th overall) of this past summer’s draft out of Florida. He signed for an under-slot $700,000 but has yet to make his professional debut.

A native of Seville, Fla., Neely spent three seasons with the Gators after going undrafted out of high school in 2021. After recording a conference-leading 13 saves and earning First Team All-SEC honors as a sophomore in 2023, the righty worked as both a starter and reliever in his junior season.

In 28 appearances (six starts) for Florida this past spring, Neely posted a 5.13 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 108 strikeouts to 28 walks over a staff-leading 79 innings in which opposing hitters batted .242 against him. He proved to be a stabilizing force for the Gators in their march toward the College World Series and was named to the Stillwater Regional All-Tournament Team as a result.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Neely throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his quick delivery. He currently sits between 92-95 mph and touches 97 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a mid-80s slider and upper-80s changeup, per his MLB Pipeline scouting report.

Neely, who does not turn 22 until next July, is projected by SoxProspects.com to open the 2025 season at High-A Greenville. While the Red Sox will develop him as a starter out of the gate, there is a strong chance that Neely will ultimately move to the bullpen in the long run given his mechanics, repertoire, and competitive nature.

“We see [the] starter upside, with the ability to create a lot of different shapes and velocity,” Red Sox amateur scouting director Devin Pearson said of Neely when speaking with reporters (including The Boston Globe’s Sarah Barber) following the draft. “He’s a guy we’re really excited to add to our organization and let our pitching department work with.”

(Picture of Brandon Neely: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Red Sox acquire pitching prospect Joe Vogatsky from Pirates

The Red Sox added to their breadth of pitching prospects on Sunday by swinging a minor trade with the Pirates.

In exchange for infielder/outfielder Enmanuel Valdez, who was designated for assignment on Wednesday following the acquisition of catcher Carlos Narvaez from the Yankees, Boston acquired right-hander Joe Vogatsky from Pittsburgh.

Vogatsky, who turns 23 later this month, was selected by the Pirates in the 19th round of this past July’s draft out of James Madison. The Virginia native signed with the club for $25,000 but did not pitch for one of Pittsburgh’s minor-league affiliates, meaning he has yet to make his professional debut.

After compiling a 3.34 ERA in 21 appearances (29 2/3 innings) for James Madison and a 1.42 ERA in four appearances (6 1/3 innings) for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League last summer, Vogatsky was taken by the Blue Jays in the 14th round of the 2023 draft. Rather than go pro then, the righty opted to return to JMU for his senior season. He posted a 3.49 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 48 strikeouts to 23 walks in 27 relief appearances (49 innings) for the Dukes in 2024. Opposing hitters batted .232 against him.

Listed at 6-foot and 215 pounds, Vogatsky “has a reliever delivery with effort and a sidearm slot that creates some deception on all of his pitches,” per his Baseball America scouting report. His pitch mix is highlighted by a fastball that averaged 93 mph and reached 96-97 mph this spring and a low-80s slider that “has solid pure spin rates and modest break.” He has also featured a mid-80s changeup and an upper-70s curveball.

Vogatsky is projected by SoxProspects.com to open the 2025 season in Low-A Salem’s bullpen. It should be interesting to see if he can benefit from the new developmental infrastructure the Red Sox have implemented under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and director of pitching Justin Willard.

(Picture of Joe Vogatsky: James Madison University Athletics)

Red Sox lose former top international signing to Phillies in minor-league phase of Rule 5 Draft

The Red Sox lost four players to other clubs in the minor-league phase of Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft, including their top international signing six years ago.

Eduardo Lopez, a first baseman/outfielder from the Dominican Republic, was selected by the Phillies in the first round (27th overall) of the Triple-A phase on Wednesday. The 22-year-old has been assigned to Philadelphia’s Triple-A affiliate but will more than likely open the 2025 season at the High-A or Double-A level.

Lopez received the largest bonus ($1.15 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox brought in during the 2018-2019 international signing period. At that time, Dave Dombrowski — who now serves as the Phillies’ president of baseball operations — held that same title with Boston.

After officially putting pen to paper in July 2018, Lopez did not make his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League until the following June. The Tamboril native’s 2020 season was wiped out because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was limited to just 11 games between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem in 2021 due to an unspecified injury. Injuries were again an issue in 2022 and 2023 to a certain extent.

Lopez returned to and spent the entirety of the 2024 season at High-A Greenville. Serving as bench depth, the switch-hitter batted .232/.343/.425 with 11 doubles, three triples, a career-high six home runs, 23 RBIs, 29 runs scored, four stolen bases, 30 walks, and 49 strikeouts in 56 games (213 plate appearances) for the Drive. That includes a .188/.325/.406 slash line from the right side of the plate and a .242/.347/.430 slash line from the left side.

Among the 131 hitters who made at least 210 trips to the plate in the South Atlantic League this year, Lopez ranked 21st in line-drive rate (25.6 percent), 22nd in walk rate (14.1 percent), 23rd in isolated power (.193), 34th in slugging percentage, 36th in wOBA (.355) and wRC+ (120), 38th in OPS (.768), 39th in speed score (6.9), 47th in on-base percentage, 52nd in strikeout rate (23 percent), and 59th in swinging-strike rate (12.3 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Lopez saw the majority of his playing time with Greenville come at first base after only making one career start there prior to this past season. The 5-foot-11, 187-pounder logged 332 1/3 innings at first, committing two errors in 279 chances. He also started three games in left field (where he recorded three assists), five starts in right field (where he recorded one assist), and seven games at DH.

Despite the large signing bonus and flashes of potential he showed, Lopez never emerged as a premier prospect in his six-plus years with the Red Sox organization. He was left off the club’s 38-player Triple-A reserve list for the second straight year last month, which allowed the Phillies to purchase his contract and add him to their system on Wednesday.

Lopez, who turns 23 in May, is on track to become eligible for minor-league free agency for the first time at the end of the 2025 season.

(Picture of Eduardo Lopez: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox trade pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez to Yankees to bolster catching depth

The Red Sox traded an intriguing pitching prospect to the Yankees for catcher Carlos Narvaez on Wednesday night.

In exchange for Narvaez — a 26-year-old who made his major-league debut this past season — Boston sent right-hander Elmer Rodriguez and $250,000 in international bonus pool space to New York. Infielder/outfielder Enmanuel Valdez was designated for assignment to make room for Narvaez on the Red Sox’ 40-man roster.

Rodriguez, 21, was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 20 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The native Puerto Rican was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (105th overall) of the 2021 draft out of Leadership Christian Academy in Guaynabo. He forwent his commitment to Oregon by signing with the club for $497,500.

Rodriguez split the 2024 campaign between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville, posting a 2.91 ERA and 3.56 FIP with 102 strikeouts to 43 walks in 21 appearances (20 starts) spanning a career-high 89 2/3 innings. After being promoted from Salem to Greenville in late July, the righty pitched to a 3.77 ERA (5.34 FIP)  with 29 strikeouts to 18 walks in seven starts (28 2/3 innings). Opposing hitters batted just .180 against him in that stretch.

Though he is listed at 6-foot-3 and 160 pounds, Rodriguez is presumably heavier than that after adding strength last offseason in an effort to gain more velocity. Those efforts seemingly paid off, as the athletic hurler now sits between 94-97 mph and can reach 99 mph with his fastball. He also mixes in an 85-88 mph slider, an 80-83 mph curveball, and an 88-91 mph curveball, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Rodriguez, who does not turn 22 until August, can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time in his career next winter if he is not added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November. Having said that, it should be interesting to see how he adjusts to life in a new organization moving forward.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Which four prospects did Red Sox trade to White Sox for Garrett Crochet?

The Red Sox bit the proverbial bullet and dipped into their talented prospect pool to complete a trade with the White Sox for frontline starter Garrett Crochet on Wednesday.

In exchange for Crochet — a 25-year-old left-hander who is coming off an All-Star season and is under club control through 2026 — Boston sent right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez, catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, and infielder Chase Meidroth to Chicago.

Gonzalez, who turns 23 in March, was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 16 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The native Venezuelan originally signed with the Red Sox for $250,000 as an international free agent coming out of Maracay in July 2018. He was added to the 40-man roster last November to protect him from Rule 5 Draft eligibility.

After being recognized as the organization’s 2023 Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year, Gonzalez had an up-and-down 2024 season. The righty posted a 4.73 (4.12 FIP) with 92 strikeouts to 46 walks in 24 appearances (19 starts) spanning 83 2/3 innings for Double-A Portland. He fared better in the second half, as evidenced by a 2.31 ERA (3.52 FIP) in nine outings (seven starts) after the MLB All-Star break. Opposing hitters batted just .157 against him in that stretch.

Listed at 6-foot and 167 pounds, Gonzalez throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the lively hurler operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 94-96 mph fastball that can reach 97 mph, a 77-80 mph curveball, an 87-88 mph changeup, and an 86-88 mph cutter. His command and control are still considered works in progress.

Teel, who turns 23 in February, was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 25 prospect in the sport. The New Jersey native was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 14th overall pick in last year’s draft out of Virginia. He received a $4 million signing bonus.

Following a successful professional debut that saw him reach the Double-A level, Teel returned to Portland for the start of the 2024 season and represented the Red Sox at July’s All-Star Futures Game before receiving a promotion to Triple-A Worcester in August. Altogether, the left-handed hitter batted .288/.386/.433 (134 wRC+) with 23 doubles, 13 home runs, an organizational-leading 78 RBIs, 88 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 68 walks, and 116 strikeouts in 112 total games (505 plate appearances). He was named an Eastern League Post-Season All-Star and a Baseball America Double-A All-Star.

On the other side of the ball, Teel was voted as the Eastern League’s top defensive catcher in Baseball America’s 2024 Best Tools survey. Equipped with plus arm strength, the 6-foot, 190-pound backstop logged 655 1/3 total innings behind the plate between Portland and Worcester and threw out 23 of 116 possible base stealers. He also allowed 11 passed balls and committed 12 errors in 793 chances.

Montgomery, who turns 22 in April, was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 6 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 59 prospect in the sport. The Texas A&M product was selected by the Red Sox with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft but did not make his professional debut after signing for $5 million since he was still recovering from a fractured right ankle he suffered in June’s NCAA Super Regionals.

Before seeing his junior season get cut short, the switch-hitting Montgomery had slashed .322/.454/.733 with 14 doubles, one triple, 27 home runs, 85 RBIs, 65 runs scored, five stolen bases, 53 walks, and 59 strikeouts in 61 games (295 plate appearances) for the Aggies. On the other side of the ball, the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder saw most of his playing time this past spring come in right field and he was named to the 2024 SEC All-Defensive Team among various other honors. His arm strength grades as a 70 on Baseball America’s 20-80 scouting scale.

Meidroth, 23, was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 8 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The California native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2022 draft out of San Diego. He received a $272,500 signing bonus and had established himself as one of the organization’s more unique talents by utilizing his contact skills and plate discipline to compensate for his lack of power.

Meidroth spent the 2024 season with Worcester and was recognized as the WooSox’ Most Valuable Player. In 122 games, the right-handed hitter batted .293/.437/.401 with 20 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 57 RBIs, 87 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 105 walks, and 71 strikeouts over 558 plate appearances. He was named a Triple-A All-Star by Baseball America.

Defensively, Meidroth saw playing time at every infield position besides first base with Worcester this year. The versatile 5-foot-10, 170-pounder logged 412 innings at shortstop, 275 1/3 innings at third base, and 137 2/3 innings at second base. He committed 10 total errors (seven at shortstop, three at third base) in 340 chances altogether.

(Picture of Kyle Teel: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox add four pitchers, including ex-Nationals righty, in minor-league phase of Rule 5 Draft

While the Red Sox passed on making a selection in the major-league phase of Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft, they were quite active in the minor-league portion.

Boston selected right-hander Hobie Harris from the Mets, right-hander Darvin Garcia from the Pirates, left-hander Manuel Medina from the Marlins, and right-hander Jack Anderson from the Tigers in the first four rounds of the six-round Triple-A phase.

Harris is the only one of the four who has prior major-league experience. The 31-year-old debuted with the Nationals in April 2023 and posted a 5.12 ERA (5.84 FIP) with nine strikeouts to 13 walks over 16 relief appearances (19 2/3 innings). He was outrighted off Washington’s 40-man roster last November and subsequently signed a minor-league deal with the Twins in January.

Harris spent all of 2024 with Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul, logging a 6.79 ERA (5.63 FIP) with 62 strikeouts to 31 walks in 44 outings (54 1/3 innings) for the Saints. He became a free agent last month and inked a minors pact with the Mets on November 25. As it turns out, his stint there did not last too long.

A former 31st-round draft pick of the Yankees out of Pittsburgh in 2015, Harris owns a lifetime 4.52 ERA with 193 strikeouts to 99 walks in 166 career appearances (183 1/3 innings) at the Triple-A level between the Blue Jays, Brewers, Nationals, and Twins organizations. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound hurler featured a mid-90s fastball that reached 97 mph while also mixing in a splitter, cutter, and slider with St. Paul this past season. He should provide the Red Sox with experienced bullpen depth at Triple-A Worcester out of the gate in 2025.

Garcia, meanwhile, originally signed with the Pirates as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in July 2019. The 25-year-old righty spent most of the 2024 campaign with Pittsburgh’s High-A affiliate in Greensboro and forged a 4.50 ERA (4.47 FIP) with 43 strikeouts to 27 walks in 31 relief outings (44 innings) for the Grasshoppers. He made one appearance for Double-A Altoona (against the Portland Sea Dogs) on June 1 and took the loss after giving up four runs (one earned) in one inning.

This offseason, Garcia has been pitching in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Coming into play on Wednesday, he has produced a 6.97 ERA and 1.74 WHIP with 14 strikeouts to six walks in nine relief outings (10 1/3 innings) for the Gigantes de Carolina.

Medina is the lone lefty in this group. The 22-year-old southpaw originally signed with the Marlins as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in May 2019. He spent much of the 2024 season in the Florida Complex League, compiling a 0.89 ERA (1.32 FIP) with 36 strikeouts to five walks in 18 outings (20 1/3 innings) and earning FCL Post-Season All-Star honors. He appeared in three games for Miami’s Low-A affiliate in September and yielded three runs (two earned) on four hits, zero walks, and five strikeouts over four innings of relief.

Anderson, 25, is a former 2021 16th-round draft selection of the Tigers out of Florida State. The Tampa native split the 2024 campaign between High-A West Michigan and Triple-A Toledo, posting a 3.66 ERA (3.37 FIP) with 60 strikeouts to 13 walks in 35 total appearances (one start) spanning 66 1/3 innings. That includes a 2.92 ERA (2.91 FIP) over 49 1/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .215 against him at West Michigan.

This marks the first time since 2017 that the Red Sox did not take a Yankees player in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. In addition to the four minor-leaguers gained on Wednesday, Boston lost outfielder Bryan Gonzalez to the Royals, outfielder Eduardo Lopez to the Phillies, right-hander Robert Kwiatkowski to the Cubs, and outfielder Miguel Ugueto to the Cardinals.

(Picture of Hobie Harris: Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

Red Sox lose hard-throwing pitching prospect Angel Bastardo to Blue Jays in Rule 5 Draft

The Red Sox lost pitching prospect Angel Bastardo to the Blue Jays with the sixth overall pick in the major-league phase of Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft.

Bastardo, 22, was previously ranked by Baseball America as the No. 27 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The native Venezuelan spent the last six-plus years in the Red Sox organization after originally signing with the club for $35,000 as an international free agent in July 2018.

This past season, Bastardo was limited to just 10 starts with Double-A Portland. The right-hander posted a 5.36 ERA (4.28 FIP) with 53 strikeouts to 21 walks over 45 1/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .225 batting average. He damaged the UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in his pitching elbow in early June and underwent Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter as a result.

To that end, Bastardo was left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster ahead of last month’s Rule 5 protection deadline, leaving him exposed to other clubs on Wednesday. The Blue Jays, as it turns out, were willing to take a chance on Bastardo and paid Boston $100,000 for the young righty even though he will likely miss most — if not the entirety — of the 2025 campaign.

Before going under the knife earlier this summer, Bastardo flashed an intriguing four-pitch mix on the mound. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the lean 6-foot-1 hurler averaged 93-96 mph and reached 97 mph with his fastball while also mixing in an 84-88 mph changeup, an 82-85 mph slider, and a 78-80 mph curveball.

Bastardo, who does not turn 23 until next June, will need to stick on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster until he is eligible to be placed on the 60-day injured list in February. He would not occupy a spot on Toronto’s 40-man roster while on the 60-day injured list, during which time he would presumably be rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

Once he is cleared to return to action, however, Bastardo would need to spend 90 days on Toronto’s major-league roster between 2025 and 2026 (if it rolls over until then) to become a 40-man roster player who can be optioned without any Rule 5 restrictions attached, according to The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath.

If those conditions could not be met, the Blue Jays would be required to place Bastardo on waivers and then offer him back to the Red Sox for $50,000 if he clears. In that scenario, Bastardo would return to Boston’s system without being added to the 40-man roster.

(Picture of Angel Bastardo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Could Red Sox lose ‘intriguing’ pitching prospect in next week’s Rule 5 Draft?

The 2024 Rule 5 Draft is less than a week away and the Red Sox — like all other 29 MLB teams — could be at risk of losing some of the eligible players they elected to leave off their 40-man roster last month.

By selecting the contracts of right-hander Hunter Dobbins and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia on November 19, Boston left dozens of others exposed and available to rival clubs in next Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft. One such name to keep an eye on is pitching prospect Yordanny Monegro.

Monegro was recently tabbed by MLB.com as perhaps the Red Sox’ most intriguing Rule 5 candidate. The 22-year-old righty is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the No. 25 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 11th among pitchers in the organization.

Originally signed for $35,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in February 2020, Monegro rose through the ranks last year by breaking out to a 2.06 ERA (2.55 FIP) in 14 appearances (13 starts) spanning 65 2/3 innings between the Florida Complex League, Low-A Salem, and High-A Greenville. The Santo Domingo native seemed poised to build off that momentum out of the gate in 2024, but he did not make his season debut until early May as a result of experiencing weakness in his pitching shoulder during spring training.

After completing a three-start rehab assignment in the FCL, Monegro returned to the mound for Greenville on June 2. He then posted a 2.73 ERA (3.72 FIP) with 82 strikeouts to 26 walks in 15 outings (14 starts) and 66 innings pitched for the Drive. That includes a 39-inning stretch from July 14 through September 1 in which he did not allow a single earned run. Overall, opposing hitters batted just .176 against him.

Among the 57 pitchers who threw at least 65 innings in the South Atlantic League this year, Monegro ranked third in batting average against, fifth in WHIP (1.03), sixth in strikeout rate (30.8 percent), eighth in ERA, ninth in swinging-strike rate (15.1 percent), 10th in xFIP (3.40), 11th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.18), 21st in FIP, 22nd in line-drive rate (22.1 percent), 24th in groundball rate (40.9 percent), and 27th in walks per nine innings (3.55), per FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, Monegro throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. This past season, the lanky hurler sat in the mid-90s and reached 96-97 mph with his four-seam fastball while also mixing in a lower-90s sinker, a mid-80s slider, an upper-70s curveball, and an upper-80s changeup.

If Monegro were to be selected by another club for $100,000 next week, he would need to stick on that team’s major-league roster (or injured list) for the entirety of the 2025 season. If those conditions cannot be met, he would be placed on waivers and then offered back to the Red Sox for $50,000 should he clear.

Given the fact that he is still developing his pitch mix and has yet to pitch above the High-A level, it seems unlikely that Monegro — who does not turn 23 until next October — would be able to stick on another team’s 26-man roster for all of 2025 without taking his lumps even if he is used in a relief role. Still, that same team may be willing to take that risk and endure those struggles with an eye toward the future since Monegro possesses the kind of potential that could further raise his ceiling.

(Picture of Yordanny Monegro: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)