Red Sox trade breakout pitching prospect Ovis Portes to Reds for bullpen help

The Red Sox parted ways with a promising young pitching prospect to upgrade their bullpen depth in a trade with the Reds on Tuesday afternoon.

In exchange for reliever Lucas Sims, who is eligible for free agency this winter, Boston dealt right-hander Ovis Portes to Cincinnati, per a club announcement. Injured left-hander Brandon Walter was also designated for assignment to make room for Sims on the Red Sox’ 40-man roster.

Portes was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, ranking 10th among pitchers in the organization. The 19-year-old hurler broke onto the scene this season after posting a 2.12 ERA (3.12 FIP) with 41 strikeouts to 19 walks in 11 appearances (five starts) spanning 34 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem.

A native of Antigua and Barbuda, Portes originally signed with the Red Sox for $25,000 as an international free agent in March 2022. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that June and repeated the level last year, though he was limited to just four outings in which he put up underwhelming results.

Portes broke camp this past spring with the rookie-level FCL Red Sox and strung together four straight scoreless appearances (13 innings) before earning a promotion to Salem in early June. He then pitched to a 3.43 ERA (3.64 FIP) with 25 strikeouts to 15 walks in seven outings (five starts) and 21 innings for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. Opposing hitters batted .213 against him.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 167 pounds, Portes throws from a three-quarters arm slot. The projectable righty has been sitting between 94-96 mph and topping out at 98 mph with his four-seam fastball this season while also mixing in a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup, per his Baseball America scouting report.

Portes, who does not turn 20 until December, has been assigned to the Reds’ Low-A affiliate in Daytona, Fla. It remains to be seen if Cincinnati plans on developing Portes as a starter or reliever, but he nonetheless possesses intriguing potential at this stage in his career.

(Picture of Ovis Portes: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox trade prospect Nick Yorke to Pirates in swap of former first-round picks

The Red Sox once again dipped into their middle infield depth in order to complete a trade with the Pirates on Monday afternoon.

In exchange for right-hander Quinn Priester, Boston traded infield prospect Nick Yorke to Pittsburgh. Yorke becomes the third young infielder to be dealt by the Red Sox in the last three days, joining Eddinson Paulino and Cutter Coffey, who were shipped off to the Blue Jays alongside righty Gilberto Batista for catcher Danny Jansen on Saturday.

Yorke, 22, entered Monday ranked by Baseball America as the No. 14 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter had batted .310/.408/.490 with eight doubles, six home runs, 19 RBIs, 32 runs scored, six stolen bases, 24 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 38 games (169 plate appearances) for Triple-A Worcester this season after earning a promotion from Double-A Portland in early June.

“He had a great season,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Yorke when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith). “He’s a good player but obviously where we’re at roster-wise and within the organization, it’s something we have to take advantage of in a sense.”

Yorke was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 17th overall pick in the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif. The Newport Beach native forwent his commitment to the University of Arizona by signing with Boston for $2.7 million. He made his professional debut the following May and burst onto the scene by slashing .325/.412/.516 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, and 62 RBIs in 97 games (442 plate appearances) between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville as a 19-year-old in 2021.

After being recognized as the organization’s Minor League Offensive Player of the Year, Yorke came into the 2022 campaign ranked by Baseball America as the No. 31 prospect in the entire sport. However, due to injuries to his toe, back, and wrist, he was limited to just 80 games with Greenville and batted .232/.303/.365 over 373 plate appearances. He subsequently dropped from BA’s top-100 list but had a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. He then bounced back to the tune of a .268/.350/.435 slash line in 110 games (506 plate appearances) for Portland in 2023 while playing in the All-Star Futures Game and being named the Sea Dogs’ Most Valuable Player.

Yorke somewhat surprisingly returned to Portland for the start of the 2024 season and batted .251/.325/.366 in 45 games (197 plate appearances) out of the gate. While a .691 OPS is far from eye-popping, Yorke made strides in terms of his swing decisions and hard-hit rate, which led to him making the jump to Worcester on June 5.

In addition to what he did offensively between Portland and Worcester this season, Yorke also played the outfield for the first time in his professional career. Traditionally a second baseman, the 6-foot, 200-pounder made 11 starts in left field for the Sea Dogs and 15 starts in left field with the WooSox, mainly in deference to the rehabbing Vaughn Grissom.

With the likes of Grissom, David Hamilton, Enmanuel Valdez, Chase Meidroth, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell making up a crowded middle infield mix in the upper minors for the Red Sox, Yorke became expendable. The Red Sox took advantage of that and improved an area of weakness (pitching depth) by trading Yorke to the Pirates for Priester.

“In Quinn, we see a young starting pitcher with a ton of potential,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “He throws strikes and misses and keeps the ball on the ground, which is a good place to start when seeking rotation pieces. It hurts to give up a player as talented as Nick, but we saw upper-level middle infielders as an area where we have a lot of good players.”

Yorke, who does not turn 23 until next April, will report to the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis, Ind. If he is not called up for his major-league debut by the end of the season, he will need to be added to Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster this winter in order to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft.

(Picture of Nick Yorke: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Frederik Jimenez named Florida Complex League Player of the Week

Red Sox first base prospect Frederik Jimenez has been named the Florida Complex League Player of the Week for the week of July 22-28, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

In three games for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox last week, Jimenez went 4-for-9 (.444) with two doubles, one triple, one home run, three RBIs, two runs scored, two walks, and one strikeout. The switch-hitting 19-year-old homered and doubled twice on Monday, drew two walks on Tuesday, and tripled in Thursday’s regular-season finale against the FCL Rays at JetBlue Park.

On the 2024 campaign as a whole, Jimenez batted .308/.404/.500 with five doubles, two triples, two home runs, 17 RBIs, 18 runs scored, six stolen bases, 12 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 29 games (94 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox. Among the 154 FCL hitters who made at least 90 trips to the plate in 2024, Jimenez ranked 17th in batting average, 34th in on-base percentage, 13th in slugging percentage and isolated power (.192), 18th in OPS (.904), and 20th in wRC+ (142), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Jimenez saw the majority of his playing time this season come at first base. The 6-foot-3, 178-pounder logged 133 innings at first, committing one error in 121 chances. He also appeared in one game as a catcher after making eight starts behind the plate as part of his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year.

A native of the Dominican Republic himself, Jimenez signed with the Red Sox for $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Sabana Grande de Boya in December 2022. He is not currently ranked among the top 60 prospects in Boston’s farm system by SoxProspects.com.

It remains to be seen if Jimenez, who turns 20 in November, will be making the jump to Low-A Salem before the end of the minor-league season. Assuming he remains in the organization through the winter, that is likely where he will be for the start of 2025.

(Picture of Frederik Jimenez: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Which three prospects did Red Sox trade to Blue Jays for Danny Jansen?

The Red Sox traded three prospects in order to acquire veteran catcher Danny Jansen from the Blue Jays on Saturday night.

In exchange for Jansen, who is slated to reach free agency at the end of the season, Boston dealt minor-league infielders Cutter Coffey and Eddinson Paulino and minor-league right-hander Gilberto Batista to Toronto, per a club announcement.

To make room for Jansen on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated righty Alex Speas for assignment. They will need to make another move before adding the 29-year-old backstop to the major-league roster.

Coffey, 20, was ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 28 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The California native was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 41st overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft out of Liberty High School in Bakersfield. He forewent his commitment to the University of Texas by signing for $1.8475 million.

After making his professional debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, Coffey split his first full season between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville. The right-handed hitter returned to Greenville for the start of the 2024 campaign and batted .238/.321/.463 with 12 doubles, 14 home runs, 46 RBIs, 39 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 28 walks, and 65 strikeouts in 61 games (271 plate appearances) with the Drive.

Coffey enjoyed a strong month of June, batting .300/.391/.638 in 22 games after returning from a concussion. During that stretch, he became the first player in Drive history to homer in six consecutive games (June 9-15). Since the calendar flipped to July, though, he has struggled to a .191/.286/.338 slash line with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, eight runs scored, two stolen bases, nine walks, and 20 strikeouts over his last 17 games.

Defensively, Coffey has seen the majority of his playing time this season come on the left side of the infield. With Greenville, the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder made 31 starts at third base and 21 starts at shortstop, committing 19 errors in 150 total chances between the two positions. He also started two games at second base and seven games at DH.

Paulino, who turned 22 earlier this month, was ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 15 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The Dominican Republic native originally signed with the Red Sox for $205,000 as an international free agent coming out of Santiago on his 16th birthday in July 2018. He can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter if he is not added to Toronto’s 40-man roster.

After spending the entirety of the 2023 campaign at Greenville, Paulino broke camp with Double-A Portland this spring. The left-handed hitter has not played since being placed on the Sea Dogs’ injured list on July 13. He nevertheless batted .263/.349/.391 with 16 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 35 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 29 walks, and 60 strikeouts in 69 games (278 plate appearances) for Boston’s Eastern League affiliate.

On the other side of the ball, Paulino logged innings at every infield position besides first base in his time with Portland. The 5-foot-10, 155-pounder made 34 starts at third base, 20 at second base, and 11 at shortstop, committing 11 errors in 192 total defensive chances. He also made one start at DH and has past experience in the outfield.

Batista, 19, was not ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. The Dominican-born right-hander originally signed with the Red Sox for $10,000 as an international free agent in November 2022. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last June and was recognized as the organization’s 2023 Minor League Latin Program Pitcher of the Year.

Listed at 6-foot and 165 pounds, Batista posted a 3.92 ERA and 3.51 FIP with 23 strikeouts to 13 walks in eight appearances (five starts) spanning 20 2/3 innings for the FCL Red Sox this season. Opposing hitters batted .220 against Batista, who reportedly sits between 93-95 mph with his fastball and features a slider. He was promoted to Salem earlier this week but had not yet appeared in a game for the Carolina League affiliate leading up to Saturday’s trade.

(Picture of Cutter Coffey: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Who is Moises Bolivar? Red Sox traded infielder who can ‘hit the ball with authority’ to Dodgers for James Paxton

The Red Sox dipped into their 2024 international signing class in order to complete a trade with the Dodgers on Friday afternoon.

In exchange for bringing back veteran left-hander James Paxton, who was designated for assignment on Monday, Boston dealt minor-league infielder Moises Bolivar to Los Angeles, per a club announcement.

Bolivar, who turned 17 earlier this month, is in the middle of his first professional season in the Dominican Summer League after signing with the Red Sox as an international free agent in January. The native Venezuelan received a modest $25,000 bonus and was not viewed by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of the top-ranked prospects in Boston’s farm system.

A right-handed hitter, Bolivar batted .270/.364/.423 with six doubles, one triple, three home runs, 19 RBIs, 17 runs scored, one stolen base, 17 walks, and 21 strikeouts in 31 games (132 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Blue. He clubbed a walk-off homer in his penultimate game with the rookie-level affiliate on Wednesday.

Among the 82 Dominican Summer League hitters who entered Friday with at least 130 plate appearances this season, Bolivar ranked 29th in strikeout rate (15.9 percent), 40th in batting average, 28th in slugging percentage, 42nd in OPS (.787), 25th in isolated power (.153), and 43rd in swinging-strike rate (24.5 percent), according to FanGraphs.

When asked by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier for a brief assessment of Bolivar, one evaluator “praised his high contact rate and ability to hit the ball with authority.” SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall added that Bolivar is aggressive at the plate but has “solid contact skills” and “rarely whiffs on pitches in the zone.”

On the other side of the ball, Bolivar served as DSL Red Sox Blue’s primary third baseman. The 6-foot, 175-pounder made 23 starts at the hot corner, committing 10 errors in 68 defensive chances over 187 2/3 innings. He also started three games at first base and five at DH.

Since the trade is official, the Dodgers have assigned Bolivar to one of their two Dominican Summer League affiliates (DSL LAD Mega). The Red Sox, meanwhile, transferred injured right-hander Bryan Mata to the 60-day injured list to make room for Paxton on the 40-man roster. They will need to make another move before adding him to the major league roster.

(Picture of James Paxton: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Red Sox promote pitching prospects Yeferson Vargas, Gilberto Batista to Low-A Salem

In addition to Franklin Arias and Juan Valera, Red Sox pitching prospects Yeferson Vargas and Gilberto Batista have also been promoted from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, as was first reported by Beyond the Monster’s Hunter Noll.

Vargas, who turns 20 next month, posted a 3.13 ERA and 4.58 FIP with 29 strikeouts to 13 walks in 10 appearances (three starts) spanning 31 2/3 innings for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox. That translates to a 22 percent strikeout rate and a 9.8 percent walk rate. Opposing hitters batted .256 against him.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Vargas originally signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of San Pedro de Macoris in December 2022. The hard-throwing righty made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last June and is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 54 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 29th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot and 177 pounds, Vargas was recently described by FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen as a “stout” hurler who “has cut his walks substantially compared to 2023 while also enjoying a two- or three-tick velocity spike.” According to Longenhagen, Vargas has averaged 95-96 mph and reached 98 with his fastball this season while featuring a “snappy” curveball in the 81-84 mph range.

Batista, who does not turn 20 until January, forged a 3.92 ERA and 3.51 FIP with 23 strikeouts to 13 walks in eight appearances (five starts) spanning 20 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .220 batting average. That translates to a 24.2 percent strikeout rate and a 13.7 percent walk rate.

Like Vargas, Batista hails from the Dominican Republic and signed with the Red Sox in late 2022. He, too, received a modest $10,000 signing bonus but impressed in his professional debut (3.54 ERA in 40 2/3 innings) in the DSL last season and was recognized as the organization’s Latin Program Pitcher of the Year.

Standing at 6-foot and 165 pounds, Batista is not currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as one of the top 60 prospects in Boston’s farm system. The 19-year-old reportedly sits between 93-95 mph with his fastball and has featured a slider.

Olds promoted, Olivarez released

In other minor-league news, reliever Wyatt Olds was promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester as a corresponding move for Isiah Campbell landing on the WooSox’ 7-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.

Olds, 24, posted a 5.03 ERA (4.15 FIP) with 74 strikeouts to 30 walks in 26 appearances (one start) spanning 53 2/3 innings for Portland this season. The right-hander was originally selected by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Oklahoma.

The Red Sox also released Helcris Olivarez, who they signed to a minor-league contract in November, from Portland’s roster. A former top prospect of the Rockies, the 23-year-old lefty pitched to a 3.50 ERA (but much more concerning 6.07 FIP) with 47 strikeouts to 50 walks in 14 appearances (five starts) spanning 36 innings for the Sea Dogs in 2024.

(Picture of Gilberto Batista: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote prospects Franklin Arias, Juan Valera to Low-A Salem

The Red Sox are promoting infield prospect Franklin Arias and pitching prospect Juan Valera from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, according to reports from The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and SoxProspects.com.

Arias, 18, is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter batted .355/.471/.584 with 16 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 28 RBIs, 41 runs scored, 30 stolen bases, 34 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 51 games (206 plate appearances) for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox this season.

In the month of July alone, Arias has slashed a ridiculous .482/.574/.768 with five doubles, one triple, three homers, nine RBIs, 18 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 12 walks, and 14 strikeouts over 18 games (68 plate appearances). Among 70 qualified FCL hitters coming into play on Monday, Arias led the pack in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS (1.055), and wRC+ (180). He also ranked second in slugging percentage, fifth in isolated power (.229), 17th in walk rate (16.5 percent), and 23rd in strikeout rate (17.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Arias has split his playing time on the field this season between shortstop and second base. The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder committed nine errors in 33 starts at short for the FCL Red Sox but did not commit an error in 10 starts at second. He also made four starts at DH.

Arias, who turns 19 in November, originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2023. The Caracas native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year and has since added to his glove-first profile by showing signs of immense improvement at the plate.

“He’s one of these guys that you can close your eyes and you know he’s going to field a ground ball,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham said of Arias when speaking with Speier earlier this month. “He’s a very easy plus defender, which is, I think, what’s really exciting about him. The bat has always been behind, and now the bat is starting to creep up and all of a sudden, you’re looking at a player who does a little bit of everything.”

Valera, meanwhile, is not yet ranked by Baseball America but is rated by SoxProspects.com as the No. 42 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The 18-year-old right-hander posted a 1.79 ERA and 3.29 FIP with 40 strikeouts to 14 walks in 11 appearances (nine starts) spanning 40 1/3 innings for the FCL Red Sox this season. Opposing hitters batted just .128 against him.

Dating back to the beginning of June, Valera has pitched to a 0.98 ERA (2.20 FIP) with 29 strikeouts to four walks over his last seven starts (27 2/3 innings). That includes punching out a season-high seven batters in five perfect frames against the FCL Braves last Thursday.

Among the 20 FCL pitchers who entered Monday with at least 40 innings under their belt to this point in the year, Valera ranked first in batting average against and WHIP (0.77), second in FIP, third in groundball rate (56 percent), fourth in ERA fifth in strikeout rate (26 percent), sixth in walk rate (9.1 percent) and xFIP (3.98), and eighth in swinging-strike rate (16 percent), per FanGraphs.

Valera, who turned 18 in May, originally signed with the Red Sox for $45,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in April 2023. The Sabana Grande de Palenque native appeared in 15 games (one start) as part of his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last season but has really burst onto the scene this year.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Valera primarily operates with a 93-97 mph fastball and an 83-85 mph slider, according to his initial SoxProspects.com scouting report. The projectable righty does not yet feature a third pitch and is inconsistent when it comes to throwing strikes. Still, “he checks a lot of boxes that you look for in a pitching prospect his age.”

While Arias and Valera are getting somewhat of a head start in making the jump to Salem, others in Fort Myers will likely join them at some point in August since the 2024 FCL season will conclude on July 30 at the latest.

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

Red Sox to promote pitching prospects Elmer Rodriguez, Noah Dean to High-A Greenville

With Connelly Early and David Sandlin making the jump to Double-A Portland, the Red Sox are promoting pitching prospects Elmer Rodriguez and Noah Dean from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to reports from SoxProspects.com and MiLB Central’s Chase Ford.

Rodriguez, 20, and Dean, 23, are currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the Nos. 16 and 46 prospects in Boston’s farm system. That ranks fourth and 23rd among pitchers in the organization, respectively.

Rodriguez, who turns 21 next month, has spent parts of the last three seasons with Salem after originally being selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico. To begin the 2024 campaign, the right-hander posted a 2.51 ERA and 2.73 FIP with 73 strikeouts to 25 walks in 14 appearances (13 starts) spanning 61 innings of work for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. Opposing hitters batted just .206 against him.

Listed at a lean 6-foot-3 and 160 pounds, Rodriguez throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As recently noted by FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, the lanky righty has seen an uptick in his fastball velocity this season to the point where he is now averaging 95 mph and touching 98 mph with the pitch. He also features an upper-70s curveball, a mid-80s slider, and an upper-80s changeup.

Dean, who turned 23 in March, had been with Salem since making his professional debut last April. The New Jersey native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2022 amateur draft out of Old Dominion. After struggling to a 6.29 ERA in 2023, Dean kicked off the 2024 season by forging a 3.96 ERA (3.89 FIP) with 86 strikeouts to 31 walks over 15 appearances (13 starts) spanning 61 1/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a minuscule .139 batting average.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Dean has overhauled his delivery and now throws from cross-bodied, three-quarters arm slot. The lefty sits between 92-94 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a mid-80s changeup and a slider. SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall noted last month that Dean has relied on his slider more and used his heater less this season, which has resulted in softer contact.

Command and control remain areas of improvement for both Rodriguez and Dean, who are now slated to join a starting rotation mix in Greenville that includes the likes of Hayden Mullins, Dalton Rogers, Yordanny Monegro, Blake Wehunt, and Jedixson Paez.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Connelly Early to Double-A Portland

In addition to promoting David Sandlin, the Red Sox are also elevating pitching prospect Connelly Early from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Early, 22, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 26 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The left-hander was selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round (151st overall pick) of last year’s draft out of Virginia. He received a $408,500 signing bonus and debuted for Low-A Salem in September.

To begin his first full professional season, Early emerged as a key member of Greenville’s rotation by posting a 3.72 ERA and 3.64 FIP with 90 strikeouts to 24 walks in 15 starts (67 2/3 innings) for the Drive. That translates to a 30.9 percent strikeout rate and an 8.2 percent walk rate. Opposing hitters batted just .208 against him.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Early throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As noted by SoxProspects.com, the lefty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-93 mph that has touched 95 mph this year, a frequently-used 80-82 mph changeup that is considered to be his best secondary offering, a 79-81 mph curveball, and an 87-88 mph cutter.

In making the jump to Portland, Early will be reunited — for the time being, at least — with his old battery mate at Virginia in top catching prospect Kyle Teel, who could soon be on the receiving end of a promotion to Triple-A Worcester alongside the likes of shortstop Marcelo Mayer and outfielder Roman Anthony.

Early and Sandlin, meanwhile, figure to provide support to a Sea Dogs starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries in recent weeks. From a developmental perspective, they will also be challenged with facing more advanced hitting in the upper minors for the first time in their respective careers.

(Picture of Connelly Early: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect David Sandlin to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect David Sandlin from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, per his agent Craig Rose of Paragon Sports International.

Sandlin, 23, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 13 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks third among pitchers in the organization. The right-hander made his 10th start of the season for Greenville in Sunday’s series finale against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Fluor Field, allowing three earned runs on seven hits, one walk, and four strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings. He threw 64 pitches (46 strikes) and induced eight swings-and-misses.

In his 10 outings for the Drive this year, Sandlin posted a 5.12 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 50 strikeouts to 11 walks over 31 2/3 innings. That translates to a strikeout rate of 37.3 percent and a walk rate of 8.2 percent. Opposing hitters batted .254 against him.

Just a few days before celebrating his 23rd birthday back in February, Sandlin was acquired by the Red Sox from the Royals in a spring training trade that sent reliever John Schreiber to Kansas City. The former 2022 11th-round draft selection out of Oklahoma broke camp with Greenville but missed more than a month of action after being placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation in mid-May.

Sandlin returned to the mound on June 15 and had pitched to a 3.95 ERA with 25 strikeouts to just two walks in his last five starts (13 2/3 innings) coming into play on Sunday. In these shorter outings, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound righty has been touching 99-100 mph with his fastball, according to reports from The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen. He also incorporates a splitter, cutter, slider, and curveball into his arsenal.

In making the jump from Greenville to Portland, Sandlin will be tasked with going up against tougher competition in the Eastern League moving forward. He also figures to provide support to a Sea Dogs’ starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries in recent weeks.

It is not yet known who will be taking Sandlin’s spot in Greenville’s rotation, but left-hander Noah Dean would seem to be a logical choice since he started for Low-A Salem on Sunday and has been on a similar pitching schedule since Sandlin returned from the injured list last month.

(Picture of David Sandlin: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)