Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Zach Penrod to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect Zach Penrod from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Josh Ball of Beyond the Monster.

Penrod has not officially been added to Worcester’s roster yet but was at Polar Park for Saturday’s 9-5 loss to the Norfolk Tides. The 26-year-old left-hander last pitched for Portland on Friday, allowing four earned runs on five hits, one walk, two hit batsmen and nine strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Hartford Yard Goats at Hadlock Field. He threw 90 pitches (59 strikes) and elicited 17 swings-and-misses.

The reigning Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, Penrod posted a 2.80 ERA and 2.81 FIP with 53 strikeouts to 13 walks in seven starts (35 1/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs this season. He has struck out 29 of the last 69 batters he has faced dating back to May 12.

Among 38 qualified Eastern League pitchers coming into play on Saturday, Penrod ranked first in strikeouts per nine innings (13.5), swinging-strike rate (17.2 percent), and xFIP (2.72), second in strikeout rate (37.1 percent), fourth in batting average against (.183) and FIP, sixth in WHIP (1.02), and 13th in ERA, per FanGraphs.

Penrod, who turns 27 next month, is in his first full season with the Red Sox organization after signing with the club out of the independent Pioneer League last August. The Idaho native had past experience in affiliated ball after originally going pro with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Northwest Nazarene University in 2018. He pitched in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League that summer but underwent Tommy John surgery the following April and was ultimately released by Texas at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020.

After spending the better part of three seasons (2021-2023) bouncing around the Pioneer League, Penrod latched on with the Red Sox last summer and reported to High-A Greenville. He pitched to a 2.18 ERA in four starts (20 2/3 innings) down the stretch and helped the Drive win a South Atlantic League title before heading out west and earning All-Star honors in the Arizona Fall League.

Altogether, Penrod has compiled a 2.57 ERA (3.26 FIP) with 73 strikeouts to 24 walks in 11 starts (56 innings) between Greenville and Portland. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 12th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Penrod throws from a three-quarters arm slot. As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall, the southpaw operates with a 94-95 mph fastball that has topped out at 97 mph, an 85-88 mph changeup, and an 84-87 mph slider.

With this promotion to Worcester, Penrod is now just one call away from the major-leagues. In the interim, he will join a WooSox starting rotation that –at the moment — includes the likes of righties Richard Fitts, Grant Gambrell, Jason Alexander, Josh Winckowski, and Naoyuki Uwasawa.

(Picture of Zach Penrod: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote top pitching prospect Luis Perales to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting top pitching prospect Luis Perales from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Perales, 21, is coming off one of the best starts of his young career in his last time out against the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Tuesday. The right-hander allowed only one hit and two walks to go along with a season-high 12 strikeouts over five scoreless innings. He threw 81 pitches (49 strikes) and induced 26 swings-and-misses.

On the 2024 campaign as a whole, Perales has posted a 3.42 ERA and 1.98 FIP with 46 strikeouts to 10 walks across seven starts (26 1/3 innings) for Greenville. He missed some time last month due to side soreness but has impressed since returning to the mound, pitching to a 2.11 ERA (1.97 FIP) with 39 punchouts to eight walks over his last five outings (21 1/3 innings) dating back to April 27.

Among 60 pitchers in the South Atlantic League who came into play Wednesday with at least 25 innings under their belts this season, Perales ranked first in strikeouts per nine innings (15.72), strikeout rate (39.7 percent), and swinging-strike rate (20.7 percent), per FanGraphs. He also led the pack in batting average on balls put in play (.474), which suggests that the defense behind him has been lacking at times.

In addition to the gaudy strikeout numbers, Perales has also given up fewer walks and has induced softer contact. As The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier recently noted, Perales has cut down his walk rate from 12.7 percent last year to 8.6 percent this year while elevating his groundball rate from around 30 percent to 47.3 percent.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds, Perales throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-to-high leg kick into his delivery. The righty primarily operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a high-90s fastball that tops out at 98-99 mph, a low-90s cutter, a low-80s changeup, and a mid-80s slider.

Perales, who does not turn 22 until next April, originally signed with the Red Sox for $75,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in July 2019. Alongside fellow countryman Wikelman Gonzalez, Perales was added to the club’s 40-man roster over the winter to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks third among pitchers in the organization behind fellow righties Gonzalez and Richard Fitts.

In Portland, Perales is slated to join a starting rotation that — for the time being — includes the likes of Gonzalez, Angel Bastardo, Isaac Coffey, Zach Penrod, Helcris Olivarez, and Hunter Dobbins. If any of these arms were to make the jump to Triple-A Worcester to accommodate the addition of Perales, Penrod would seemingly be a prime candidate.

(Picture of Luis Perales: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Zach Penrod named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Zach Penrod has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 13-19, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Penrod takes home the honor after impressing in his latest start for Double-A Portland this past Saturday. As part of a 2-1 win over the Somerset Patriots, the 26-year-old left-hander allowed just one earned run on one hit, three walks, and 10 strikeouts across six quality innings of work.

Penrod retired the first 14 batters he faced at TD Bank Ballpark before issuing a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth inning. He then gave up a leadoff single and issued two more walks to fill the bases with no outs in the sixth. Somerset pushed across one run on a sacrifice fly, but Penrod escaped any further damage by inducing back-to-back flyouts to get out of the jam and end his night on a more encouraging note.

Finishing with 90 pitches (59 strikes), Penrod recorded 25 swings-and-misses en route to earning the winning decision. The lefty is now 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA (2.95 FIP) and 44 strikeouts to 12 walks over six starts (30 innings) for Portland this season. He has put up those numbers while holding opposing hitters to a .173 batting average against.

Among 38 qualified pitchers in the Eastern League to this point in the year, Penrod ranks first in strikeouts per nine innings (13.2), swinging-strike rate (17.1 percent), and xFIP (2.59), second in strikeout rate (37.3 percent), third in batting average against, fourth in WHIP (1.00), fifth in ERA, and ninth in FIP, per FanGraphs.

Penrod, who turns 27 next month, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 12th among pitchers in the organization. The Red Sox originally signed the Idaho native out of the independent Pioneer League last August. He had previous experience in affiliated ball after signing with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Northwest Nazarene University in 2018, but has really put himself on the map this time around.

Since making his organizational debut nine months ago, Penrod has compiled a 2.13 ERA and 3.39 FIP with 64 strikeouts to 23 walks in 10 starts (50 2/3 innings) between High-A Greenville and Portland. He helped the Drive win the South Atlantic League championship last September and was then recognized as an All-Star in the 2023 Arizona Fall League.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Penrod throws from a three-quarters arm slot. As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall, the southpaw operates with a 94-95 mph fastball that has topped out at 97 mph, an 85-88 mph changeup, and an 84-87 mph slider.

Given the success he has enjoyed with Portland so far this season, it certainly seems as though Penrod could be nearing a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. There are some questions about what role (starter or multi-inning reliever) he is best suited for moving forward, but he has nonetheless emerged as an intriguing within the system.

(Picture of Zach Penrod: Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Blaze Jordan ‘expected to miss multiple weeks’ with fractured finger

Red Sox corner infield prospect Blaze Jordan is “expected to miss multiple weeks” after fracturing his left ring finger over the weekend, the club’s director of player development Brian Abraham told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Jordan suffered the injury in the first inning of Double-A Portland’s 10-7 loss to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field on Saturday afternoon. After drawing a two-out walk, the 21-year-old attempted to score from first on a Nick Yorke double. He was instead thrown out at home and fractured his finger while extending his left hand towards the plate.

Though he was taken out of the game and carted off the field, Jordan offered an optimistic take on the injury after the fact by tweeting “We’ll be back” with a heart emoji. He was placed on Portland’s 7-day injured list on Sunday but a more precise timetable for his return has not yet been revealed.

Jordan had been riding a 17-game hitting streak coming into play on Saturday, so this development certainly comes at an inopportune time. On the 2024 season as a whole, the right-handed hitter has batted .283/.342/.414 with seven doubles, two home runs, 16 RBIs, 12 runs scored, six walks, and 11 strikeouts in 26 games (111 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Among qualified hitters in the Eastern League to this point in the year, Jordan boasts the lowest strikeout rate at 9.9 percent. He also ranks 17th in batting average, 37th in on-base percentage, 28th in slugging percentage, 33rd in OPS (.756), 21st in swinging-strike rate (9.9 percent), and 34th in wRC+ (116), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Jordan has unsurprisingly split time between first and third base with Portland this season. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder has made nine starts at the former and 14 starts at the latter, committing a total of three errors in 97 defensive chances. He has also started three games at designated hitter.

A former third-round draft selection coming out of DeSoto Central High School in 2020, Jordan is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 17 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The Mississippi native can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in his career later this year if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November.

(Picture of Blaze Jordan: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Juan Daniel Encarnacion named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Daniel Encarnacion has been named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 6-12, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

It is a well-deserved honor for Encarnacion, who was not even lined up to start for High-A Greenville this past Saturday. He was instead thrown into the fire after the Drive’s scheduled starter, David Sandlin, was scratched late due to forearm soreness.

In Sandlin’s place, Encarnacion spun a gem against the Hickory Crawdads at Fluor Field on short notice. The right-hander yielded zero hits, one walk, and one hit batsman to go along with six strikeouts over five scoreless innings of work. He retired the first 13 batters he faced before running into some trouble in the top of the fifth.

After plunking Quincy Scott and issuing a one-out walk to Konner Piotto, Encarnacion got Benjamin Blackwell to ground out and Yosy Galan to pop out, thus extinguishing the threat. The 23-year-old hurler finished with 64 pitches (46 strikes) and induced 16 swings-and-misses but did not factor into the decision as Greenville ultimately fell to Hickory by a final score of 3-2.

Encarnacion now owns a 3.27 ERA and 3.26 FIP with 31 strikeouts to eight walks in five starts (22 innings) for the Drive this season. Among 60 pitchers in the South Atlantic League who have accrued at least 20 innings on the mound, Encarnacion ranks sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.68), 22nd in walks per nine innings (3.27), eighth in strikeout rate (33.3), 20th in walk rate (8.6 percent), 24th in batting average against (.207), 24th in WHIP (1.14), second in swinging-strike rate (17.3 percent), 25th in ERA, 17th in FIP, and 18th in xFIP (3.38), per FanGraphs.

A former international free agent who signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 in September 2018, Encarnacion has spent parts of the last three seasons (2022-2024) at the High-A level. The San Pedro de Macoris native struggled to a 6.32 ERA (6.05 FIP) across 99 2/3 innings for Greenville last year, so the results he has produced so far in 2024 are certainly encouraging.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 173 pounds, Encarnacion 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 lanky righty operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 95 mph, an 85-87 mph slider that features 10-to-4 break, and an 89-91 mph changeup.

Encarnacion, who does not turn 24 until next March, is not currently ranked by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He could, however, emerge as a candidate for a promotion to Double-A Portland before long if he continues to impress for Greenville.

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

Red Sox catching prospect Johanfran Garcia to undergo season-ending knee surgery

Red Sox catching prospect Johanfran Garcia has a “significant knee injury” and will have season-ending surgery, according to reports from MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith and The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Garcia was placed on Low-A Salem’s full-season injured list earlier this week after injuring himself last Wednesday. The 19-year-old ripped a line drive single to left field in the seventh inning of Salem’s 6-4 loss to Myrtle Beach but fell to the ground while rounding first base. He had to be carted off the field and was initially diagnosed with a right knee sprain.

Further imaging revealed a more serious prognosis that will ultimately require Garcia to go under the knife. Red Sox director of player development could not immediately offer a timetable for Garcia’s return when speaking with MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam on the most recent episode of the Fenway Rundown podcast.

“Unfortunately, with some more testing and some information we received, it’s a significant knee injury and he’s going to be out for the season,” said Abraham. “I don’t have details exactly on the injury but it’s unfortunate for him. He’s been one of our best performers, offensively and defensively. He continues to improve and was making a ton of progress.”

Garcia is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 13 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks second among catchers in the organization behind only 2023 first-round draft selection Kyle Teel. The native Venezuelan originally signed with the Red Sox for $850,000 as an international free agent coming out of Valencia in January 2022.

Before getting hurt last week, Garcia had gotten his 2024 campaign off to a roaring start. In 14 games for Salem to begin the year, the right-handed hitter batted a stout .385/.467/.596 with five doubles, two home runs, five RBIs, five runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts over 60 plate appearances.

On the other side of the ball, Garcia made 10 of his 14 starts at catcher this season. In the process of logging 85 innings behind the plate, the 5-foot-11, 196-pound backstop allowed two passed balls while throwing out six of 32 possible base stealers.

Garcia, who does not turn 20 until December, could have emerged as an intriguing trade candidate this summer had he stayed healthy. Instead, he will have to shift his focus toward rehabbing and getting ready for 2025 once he is cleared to resume baseball activities.

(Picture of Johanfran Garcia: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote hard-throwing relief prospect Ryan Zeferjahn to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox are promoting relief prospect Ryan Zeferjahn from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith.

Zeferjahn, 26, did not allow an earned run in seven appearances with Portland to begin the 2024 season. To go along with a 0.00 ERA and 0.73 FIP, the right-hander struck out 22 and walked only three over 13 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .176 batting average against. He also converted all three of his save opportunities.

Among 127 pitchers in the Eastern League who have accrued at least 10 innings to this point in the season, Zeferjahn ranks sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (14.49), 20th in walks per nine innings (1.98), fifth in strikeout rate (40.7 percent), 21st in walk rate (5.6 percent), 30th in batting average against, 16th in WHIP (0.88), 29th in swinging-strike rate (14.6 percent), first in ERA, second in FIP, and fifth in xFIP (1.76), per FanGraphs.

In a recent conversation with Smith, Zeferjahn revealed that he spent most of this past offseason working out at the JetBlue Park complex in Fort Myers and lost approximately eight to 10 pounds “by dieting and hitting the weight room hard”. He now stands at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds as a result of having “better weight” on him.

“I knew it was going to be a big year for me,” Zeferjahn explained. “I needed to show that I was putting in the work. And it’s starting to kind of pay off.

“I’m 26 now, which is not necessarily old for baseball but in the minor leagues, people think it’s old,” he continued. “But honestly, this is the best I’ve ever felt. I’ve kind of been hurt every year coming up and whatnot. Just knick-knack injuries that kind of set me back on what I really could show. This year, my body is in a better place. I’m going to show what I really have. I think I’ve done that. I know the work I’ve put in and the stuff I have. … Honestly, I’m not a prospect anymore. But I’m going to be there. I’m going to do my best to try to help the big-league club.”

Zeferjahn was originally selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2019 amateur draft out of Kansas. The former Jayhawak signed with Boston for $500,000 and made his professional debut as a starter but has since transitioned to the bullpen on a full-time basis. He has struggled with his command in the past, evidenced by a 5.02 ERA (5.44 FIP) in 34 outings (43 innings) for Portland in 2023, but he made strides over the winter to address that.

“The focus for him was throwing strikes, being competitive in the zone,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham said of Zeferjahn when speaking with The Boston Herald’s Mac Cerullo last month. “It’s only been a short amount of time this year but he’s done that.”

For his part, Zeferjahn told Smith that he has “bought into” the new pitching infrastructure laid out by Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and pitching coach Andrew Bailey. One of the many philosophies embedded within that infrastructure is to simply throw more strikes.

“I’m willing to try anything,” said Zeferjahn. “I really bought into Bailey and Breslow and what they’ve kind of brought in. It started from the top and they’re bringing it down. I bought in and it really has shown. I think that’s a big, big thing for my success — is buying in, experimenting with it, switching a few things, and then going from there.”

Zeferjahn is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 31 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 14th among pitchers in the organization. He operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 97-98 mph four-seam fastball that has reached triple digits this year, an 84-88 mph sweeper, and a cutter that “plays like a slider.”

As it stands now, Zeferjahn is just one call away from reaching the major-leagues. With that being said, the hard-throwing righty can also become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter, so this promotion to Worcester should help in determining if he is worthy of a spot on the Red Sox’ 40-man roster before the year is over.

(Picture of Ryan Zeferjahn: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Blake Wehunt named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Blake Wehunt has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 29-May 5, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Wehunt picked up the first win of his professional career for Low-A Salem in its 3-1 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Carilion Clinic Field on Sunday afternoon. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed just one hit and zero walks with one hit batsman and a season-high eight strikeouts over five scoreless innings of work.

After cruising through the first four innings of Sunday’s series finale, Wehunt ran into some trouble in the top of the fifth by plunking Miguel Pabon with two outs. One passed ball and balk later, Pabon advanced all the way to third base, but Wehunt left him there by punching out Christopher Paciolla on four pitches to retire the side.

Finishing with 75 pitches (48 strikes), Wehunt induced 14 swings-and-misses en route to improving to 1-0 on the young season. In four starts for Salem now, the righty has posted a 1.15 ERA and 2.84 FIP with 20 strikeouts to eight walks over 15 2/3 innings in which he has held opposing hitters to a .148 batting average against.

Wehunt is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 38 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 18th among pitchers in the organization. The Georgia native was selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of last year’s amateur draft out of Kennesaw State. He signed with the club for $100,000 and debuted in the Florida Complex League, making one scoreless appearance there as a reliever.

Standing at an imposing 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, Wehunt throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. He operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 93-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, an 82-85 mph sweeping slider, and an 84-85 mph splitter, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Wehunt, who does not turn 24 until November, could be a candidate for a promotion to High-A Greenville later this year if he shows his strong start to the 2024 campaign is no fluke. He projects as a multi-inning reliever in the long term but is currently part of an intriguing six-man rotation in Salem that is comprised of lefty Noah Dean and fellow righties Matt Duffy, Elmer Rodriguez, Luis Cohen, and Jedixson Paez.

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

Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell homers in third straight game for High-A Greenville

Versatile Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell nearly hit for the cycle in High-A Greenville’s 8-2 win over the Asheville Tourists on Thursday night.

Batting second and starting at second base for the Drive at hitter-friendly McCormick Field, Campbell went 4-for-4 with a double, a home run, three RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk. All four hits had exit velocities of more than 100 mph, according to the Red Sox’ Player Development X/Twitter account.

After singling in the first inning, Campbell doubled in Ahbram Liendo to open the scoring in the top half of the third. The 21-year-old scored on a sacrifice fly and stroked another single in the fourth before crushing a two-run homer off Asheville reliever Carlos Calderon to give Greenville an 8-2 lead in the top of the fifth.

Having already gone deep for the third straight game, Campbell had the chance to complete the first cycle of his young career with a triple. The right-handed hitter stepped up to the plate one final time to lead off the ninth inning but did not get much to swing at and instead drew a seven-pitch walk to put the finishing touches on a productive evening.

In three games against Asheville this week, Campbell has gone 7-for-12 (.583) with one double, three home runs, six RBIs, five runs scored, two walks, and two strikeouts. After somewhat of a slow start, he is now batting .276/.391/.569 with five doubles, four homers, 12 runs driven in, 11 runs scored, one stolen base, 10 walks, and 19 strikeouts over 16 games (69 plate appearances) for Greenville this season.

Among 87 qualified hitters in the South Atlantic League coming into play on Friday, Campbell ranks 22nd in walk rate (14.5 percent), 19th in batting average, 12th in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging percentage, third in OPS (.960), fourth in isolated power (.293), 23rd in line-drive rate (25.7 percent), 38th in swinging-strike rate (11.3 percent), and second in wRC+ (173), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Campbell has seen playing time at three different positions for the Drive so far this year. The 6-foot-3, 191-pounder has logged 65 1/3 innings at second base and 39 innings in center field and has yet to commit an error. He also started three games as Greenville’s designated hitter and has prior experience at both corner outfield spots.

Campbell, who turns 22 in June, was selected by the Red Sox with the 132nd overall pick in last year’s draft out of Georgia Tech. That, of course, is the pick the club received as compensation for losing Xander Bogaerts to the Padres in free agency the previous winter.

A Georgia native himself, Campbell signed with Boston for $492,700 and made his professional debut in the Florida Complex League. He posted a .911 OPS in 22 games between the FCL and Greenville last season while helping the Drive win their first South Atlantic League title since 2017.

After spending most of the offseason in Fort Myers, Campbell entered his first minor-league spring training ranked by Baseball America as the No. 35 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He drew palpable buzz on the back fields of the JetBlue Park complex, with Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham telling The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier: “I think with the swing-decision ability that he already naturally has on top of the ability to impact the baseball, we’re looking at a guy who could be really, really impactful and continue to get better.”

Taking that all into consideration, it should be interesting to see if Campbell can keep this kind of production up and possibly make his way to Double-A Portland later in the season. In the interim, he will start at second base and bat cleanup for Greenville on Friday.

First pitch from McCormick Field is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. eastern time, though the forecast does not look particularly promising.

(Picture of Kristian Campbell: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Ryan Zeferjahn (0.00 ERA in April) off to strong start for Double-A Portland

Red Sox pitching prospect Ryan Zeferjahn put the finishing touches on a stellar month of April for Double-A Portland on Tuesday night.

Zeferjahn was the second reliever used by Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson in Tuesday’s series opener against the Reading Fightin Phils at Hadlock Field. The 26-year-old took over for fellow right-hander Jonathan Brand to begin the top half of the seventh inning.

After fanning the first two batters he faced, Zeferjahn gave up a two-out single to Robert Moore, who went from first to third on a throwing error committed by third baseman Blaze Jordan. With runners on the corners and still one out to get, Zeferjahn escaped the jam by getting Trevor Schweke to fly out to Roman Anthony in center field.

Zeferjahn came back out for the eighth inning but made quick work of Reading this time around by retiring the side in order. Altogether, he needed just 27 pitches (21 strikes) to punch out four over two scoreless, one-hit frames of relief. He induced four swings-and-misses as the Sea Dogs bested the Fightin Phils by a final score of 9-3 to snap a three-game losing streak.

Following Tuesday’s performance, Zeferjahn is now 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0.57 FIP) and 19 strikeouts to two walks over six relief appearances (11 2/3 innings) for Portland this season. He has converted both of his save opportunities while holding opposing hitters to a .178 batting average against.

Among 99 pitchers in the Eastern League who entered Wednesday with at least 10 innings under their belts to this point in the year, Zeferjahn ranks third in strikeouts per nine innings (14.66), sixth in walks per nine innings (1.54), second in strikeout rate (40.4 percent), seventh in walk rate (4.3 percent), 22nd in batting average against, 11th in WHIP (0.86), 27th in swinging-strike rate (14.3 percent), first in ERA, second in FIP, and second in xFIP (1.55), per FanGraphs.

Zeferjahn is in the midst of his fourth full professional season after originally being selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2019 amateur draft out of the University of Kansas. The former Jayhawak signed with Boston for $500,000 and made his pro debut as a starter but has since transitioned to the bullpen on a full-time basis.

Though he struggled to a 5.02 ERA (5.44 FIP) in 34 outings (43 innings) for Portland in 2023, Zeferjahn has been turning heads with improved results so far this year. As noted by The Boston Herald’s Mac Cerullo, Zeferjahn was recently singled out by a Red Sox front office source “as someone who has raised eyebrows” thanks in part to a great offseason.

“The focus for him was throwing strikes, being competitive in the zone,” Brian Abraham, Boston’s director of player development, said of Zeferjahn. “It’s only been a short amount of time this year but he’s done that.”

Zeferjahn, who just turned 26 in February, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 46 prospect in the Red Sox’ farm system, which ranks 21st among pitchers in the organization. The 6-foot-5, 209-pound righty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a high-90s fastball that can touch triple digits, a high-80s slider, a low-80s changeup, and a high-70s curveball.

Considering the fact that he can once again become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft at the end of the year, it would not be too surprising if Zeferjahn made the jump from Portland to Triple-A Worcester before long. A promotion to Worcester may help the Red Sox in determining if Zeferjahn is worthy of a spot on the 40-man roster this winter.

(Picture of Ryan Zeferjahn: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)