Which prospect did Red Sox acquire from White Sox for Chris Murphy?

As part of a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, the Red Sox acquired three minor leaguers in three separate trades with the White Sox, Rockies, and Mariners.

This article will focus on Boston acquiring catching prospect Ronny Hernandez from Chicago for left-hander Chris Murphy.

Hernandez, who turned 21 earlier this month, spent the first four seasons of his professional career in the White Sox organization after originally signing with the club as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in June 2022. The Turmero native made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League shortly thereafter, then followed that up by earning Arizona Complex League All-Star honors in 2023.

After impressing in rookie ball, Hernandez made the jump to Low-A Kannapolis in 2024 and repeated the level in 2025. In 82 games for the Cannon Ballers this season, the left-handed hitter batted .251/.344/.366 with 12 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 34 RBIs, 33 runs scored, four stolen bases, 45 walks, and 75 strikeouts over 355 plate appearances. That includes a .161/.242/.196 line against lefties and a .271/.365/.467 line against righties.

On the other side of the ball, Hernandez made a team-high 64 starts at catcher for Kannapolis this year. In the process of logging 550 innings behind the plate, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound backstop committed 10 errors and allowed four passed balls while throwing out 37 of 152 possible base stealers. He also made 18 starts at DH.

Hernandez was not ranked among the White Sox’ top 30 prospects by publications such as Baseball America or MLB Pipeline, but should nonetheless provide the Red Sox with much-needed catching depth in the lower minors. He is a candidate to open the 2026 campaign with High-A Greenville and can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time at season’s end.

(Picture of Chris Murphy: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox add trio of pitching prospects to 40-man roster ahead of Rule 5 deadline

The Red Sox added three pitching prospects — right-handers David Sandlin and Tyler Uberstine and left-hander Shane Drohan — to their 40-man roster in advance of Tuesday’s Rule 5 Draft protection deadline.

To accommodate the additions of Sandlin, Uberstine, and Drohan, the Red Sox traded left-handers Brennan Bernardino and Chris Murphy to the Rockies and White Sox, respectively, for a pair of minor leaguers and designated righty Josh Winckowski for assignment.

Sandlin is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as Boston’s No. 10 prospect, which ranks sixth among pitchers in the organization. The hard-throwing 24-year-old was originally selected by the Royals in the 11th round of the 2022 draft out of Oklahoma, then acquired by the Red Sox for reliever John Schreiber last February.

Sandlin opened the 2025 season with Double-A Portland, pitching to a 3.61 ERA (3.33 FIP) with 86 strikeouts to 27 walks over 17 outings (13 starts) spanning 82 1/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .227 batting average. He received a promotion to Triple-A Worcester in late July but then struggled to a 7.61 ERA (5.27 FIP) in 15 appearances (one start) totaling 23 2/3 innings as he transitioned to a bullpen role ahead of a possible big league call-up.

That never came to fruition, but there is still plenty to like about Sandlin when it comes to his arsenal. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound hurler sits at 94-97 mph and reaches triple digits with his fastball. while also incorporating a slider, sweeper, splitter, and curveball into a diverse pitch mix.

Uberstine, a one-time USC hopeful who did not receive any scholarship offers coming out of high school, was Boston’s 19th-round pick in the 2021 draft out of Northwestern. After working his way back from June 2023 Tommy John surgery late last season, the 26-year-old opened the 2025 campaign at Portland and posted a 3.64 ERA (2.51 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to just four walks in six starts (29 2/3 innings) before receiving a promotion to Worcester in mid-May. From there, he forged a 3.56 ERA (4.92 FIP) with 102 strikeouts to 37 walks across 19 outings (15 starts) and 91 innings in which opponents batted .245 against him.

Altogether, Uberstine finished the season leading the Red Sox organization in innings pitched (120 2/3) and strikeouts (137). The 6-foot-1, 200-pound righty features a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 95 mph as well as a slider, a changeup, a cutter, and a curveball.

Unlike Sandlin and Uberstine, Drohan is already plenty familiar with the Rule 5 process. Boston’s fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft out of Florida State, the 26-year-old Drohan was left off the club’s 40-man roster when first eligible following the 2023 season and was subsequently scooped up by the White Sox in the Rule 5 Draft that December. He was, however, later returned to the Red Sox in June 2024 after undergoing a nerve decompression procedure in his left shoulder four months prior.

Drohan began the 2025 season in Worcester but was limited to 12 outings (11 starts) with Boston’s top affiliate due to left forearm inflammation that sidelined him from early May until late August. When on the mound, though, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound southpaw compiled a 2.27 ERA (2.85 FIP) with 67 strikeouts to 16 walks over 47 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .185 batting average. He primarily operates with a 92-94 mph fastball that can reach 96 mph, a changeup, a curveball, a cutter, and a slider.

With the additions of Sandlin, Uberstine, and Drohan, the Red Sox now have a full 40-man roster. That means that other eligible prospects who were left off, like righties Yordanny Monegro (who is recovering from Tommy John surgery) and Jedixson Paez, lefties Eduardo Rivera and Hayden Mullins, and outfielders Miguel Bleis and Allan Castro, could be taken by other clubs in next month’s Rule 5 Draft.

(Picture of David Sandlin: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox release former top international signing after just two seasons

The Red Sox released minor league outfielder and former top international signing Vladimir Asencio after reinstating him from the restricted list last Friday, per the MiLB.com transactions log.

Asencio, who turns 19 next month, spent just two seasons in the Red Sox organization after originally being signed for $1 million out of the Dominican Republic last January. The Santo Domingo native and Mejia Top 10 product received the largest signing bonus in Boston’s 2024 international free agent class but was unable to make it to the United States.

At that time, Asencio was ranked as the No. 34 prospect in the 2024 international signing class by MLB Pipeline, which described him as having “a sound bat path and slight uppercut stroke” as well as “speed [that] should enable him to maximize his tools defensively.”

Asencio debuted in the Dominican Summer League last June but proceeded to struggle in his first professional season. The right-handed hitter batted just .165/.317/.195 with two doubles, one triple, 13 RBIs, 21 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 21 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 43 games (164 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Blue. He made 29 starts in center field, six starts in left field, and six starts in right field.

Unlike others from his signing class, Asencio repeated the Dominican Summer League and returned to DSL Red Sox Blue for the start of the 2025 campaign. Another year older at 18, Asencio still scuffled to a .228/.253/.253 slash line with two doubles, 10 RBIs, nine runs scored, two stolen bases, two walks, and 18 strikeouts in 25 games (83 plate appearances). He made 18 starts in left field, two starts in center field, and two starts at DH before being placed on the restricted list for the remainder of the season on July 23.

Though it is unclear why he was placed on the restricted list in the first place, a team source described Acensio’s release last week as “a baseball decision we make with players all the time.”

Having said that, Asencio is a career .189/.296/.217 hitter through two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and is still in search of his first professional home run. Assuming he is now free to sign with another club, it will be interesting to see how much interest, if any, Asencio garners on the open market.

Asencio is the second notable member of Boston’s 2024 international class to be cut loose this year, joining Venezuelan infielder Carlos Carrasquel. The 18-year-old Carrasquel received a $590,000 signing bonus last January but was released in May.

(Picture of Vladimir Asencio: Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospects Luis Perales, Stanley Tucker named 2025 Fall Stars

Red Sox prospects Luis Perales and Stanley Tucker have been selected to the 2025 Fall Stars Game, the Arizona Fall League announced on Thursday.

Perales, a 22-year-old right-hander, and Tucker, a 23-year-old infielder/outfielder, will represent the Salt River Rafters by suiting up for the American League in the 19th annual Fall Stars Game at Mesa’s Sloan Park on Sunday night. The game, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET, will be broadcast live on MLB Network and MLB.com.

Perales, one of Boston’s top pitching prospects and a member of the club’s 40-man roster, is still in the process of working his way back from June 2024 Tommy John surgery. After a lengthy rehab, the Venezuelan-born righty returned to the mound in September, appearing in two games (one start) for Double-A Portland and one game for Triple-A Worcester before the minor-league season concluded.

So far this fall, Perales has mostly struggled in the hitter-friendly AFL. Through five starts for Salt River, the 6-foot-1 hurler has posted a 9.58 ERA with 16 strikeouts to 10 walks over 10 1/3 innings in which opponents have batted .326 against him. Stuff-wise, he has reached triple digits with his fastball while also mixing in a cutter, slider, and changeup.

As he is slated to make his sixth start for Salt River on Friday, Perales will not pitch in Sunday’s Fall Stars Game. With that being said, he will nonetheless be an intriguing name to watch from within the Red Sox organization for various reasons heading into 2026.

Tucker, meanwhile, is not ranked among Boston’s top prospects but is also working his way back from injury following a lost 2025. After suffering a torn labrum from dislocating his shoulder last August that required surgery, the former 2023 19th-round draft selection out of Texas A&M crashed into the outfield wall in his first spring training game in March, dislocating a bone in his right wrist. He then spent all season on Low-A Salem’s 60-day injured list.

Now healthy, Tucker has had a solid fall thus far. Coming into play on Thursday, the right-handed hitter has batted .288/.397/.333 with three doubles, 14 RBIs, 10 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 12 walks, and 19 strikeouts through 20 games (78 plate appearances) for Salt River. His 12 base thefts are good for the fourth-most in the AFL.

Defensively, Tucker has seen all of his playing time this fall come at second base. The 5-foot-9, 165-pounder has logged a team-leading 162 1/3 innings at the keystone for Salt River, committing seven errors in 94 chances. He also has prior professional experience at third base and all three outfield positions.

Beyond Perales and Tucker, former Red Sox farmhand Miguel Ugueto (taken by the Cardinals in the minor league phase of the 2024 Rule 5 Draft) was named a National League Fall Star on Thursday. Additionally, Braden Montgomery, one of four prospects traded to the White Sox for ace Garrett Crochet last December, is a finalist via the ‘Final 2’ fan vote for the last spot on the American League’s Fall Stars roster. Whether he makes it or not will be determined on Friday.

 (Picture of Luis Perales: Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Red Sox re-sign LHP prospect Michael Sansone to minor league contract

In addition to Eduardo Rivera and Reidis Sena, the Red Sox have re-signed left-hander Michael Sansone to a minor league contract, according to Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com.

Like Rivera and Sena, Sansone was slated to reach free agency next month but is now in line to return to the Red Sox organization in 2026. The soon-to-be 26-year-old is not currently ranked among the system’s top pitching prospects.

A Connecticut native, Sansone went undrafted as a senior coming out of Fairfield in 2022 and signed his first professional contract with the Rays that summer. He spent part of the next two seasons in Tampa Bay’s farm system before being released in July 2023.

Last March, Sansone signed with the Yolo High Wheelers of the independent Pioneer League, only for his contract to be purchased by the Red Sox a few weeks later. The lefty then spent all of 2024 with Low-A Salem, compiling a 3.11 ERA (3.25 FIP) with 68 strikeouts to nine walks over 20 appearances (three starts) spanning 72 1/3 innings.

Sansone returned to Salem for the start of the 2025 season and put up a 2.75 ERA (2.81 FIP) with 22 strikeouts to one walk in 10 relief appearances (19 2/3 innings) before being promoted to High-A Greenville in late May. In 16 outings (seven starts) for the Drive, he posted a 3.84 ERA (4.18 FIP) with 50 strikeouts to 13 walks over 65 2/3 innings. He received another promotion to Double-A Portland on September 9 and made the most of his lone outing for the Sea Dogs five days later by striking out a pair in three scoreless, one-hit frames of relief.

Though Sansone was elevated yet again to Triple-A Worcester on September 16, he was subsequently placed on the development list to end his season. So, altogether, he forged a 3.46 ERA (3.80 FIP) with 74 strikeouts to 14 walks across 27 appearances (seven starts) totaling 88 1/3 innings between Salem, Greenville, and Portland in 2025. Opposing hitters batted .249 against him.

Among the 14 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, threw at least 85 innings this year, Sansone notably ranked second in walks per nine innings (1.43) and walk rate (3.9 percent), fifth in swinging-strike rate (13.8 percent) and WHIP (1.11), and seventh in ERA (3.46), per FanGraphs.

Standing at 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds, Sansone throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates some deception into his repeatable delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the compact southpaw features an 86-88 mph fastball while also mixing in a 75-78 mph changeup, an 81-83 mph slider, and a 74-76 mph curveball.

Assuming his name does not come up in either phase of December’s Rule 5 Draft or any other transaction this winter, Sansone is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland as a member of the Sea Dogs’ bullpen to begin the 2026 campaign.

(Picture of Michael Sansone: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox re-sign RHP prospect Reidis Sena to minor league contract

In addition to left-hander Eduardo Rivera, the Red Sox have re-signed right-hander Reidis Sena to a minor-league contract, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

Like Rivera, Sena was slated to become a free agent next month but is now in line to return to the only organization he has ever known in 2026. The 24-year-old Dominican native originally signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent in December 2018. He is not currently ranked among the system’s top pitching prospects.

A member of Boston’s 2025 Spring Breakout roster to begin the year, Sena broke camp with Double-A Portland in April. The righty posted a 4.13 ERA (3.29 FIP) with 30 strikeouts to 19 walks through his first 15 outings (one start) and 24 innings for the Sea Dogs before landing on the injured list with a shoulder impingement in late June.

Upon returning to the mound in early August, Sena closed out the season by compiling a 2.55 ERA (3.74 FIP) with 19 strikeouts to 11 walks in 10 more appearances (one start) and 17 2/3 innings. Altogether, he forged a 3.46 ERA (3.48 FIP) with 49 strikeouts to 30 walks across 25 outings (two starts) spanning 41 2/3 innings for Portland in 2025. He converted six of his eight save opportunities while opposing hitters in the Eastern League batted just .186 against him.

Among the 144 pitchers who threw at least 40 innings in the Eastern League this year, Sena ranked sixth in groundball rate (54.7 percent), 14th in batting average against, 31st in strikeouts per nine innings (10.58), 34th in strikeout rate (27.4 percent), 38th in swinging-strike rate (13.6 percent), 58th in FIP, 59th in ERA, and 71st in xFIP (3.81). On the flip side, however, he also ranked 140th in walks per nine innings (6.48) and 141st in walk rate (16.8 percent), per FanGraphs.

Presumably larger than his listed height and weight of 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, Sena throws from a vertical arm slot and incorporates a medium leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the undersized hurler features a 94-96 mph fastball that can reach 98 mph and complements it with a 90-92 mph cutter, 85-87 mph curveball, and 89-92 mph changeup.

Sena, who turns 25 in April, is Rule 5 Draft-eligible this offseason but is unlikely to be added to Boston’s 40-man roster ahead of the November 18 protection deadline. Assuming that happens and he does not get picked in the Rule 5 Draft itself in December, Sena is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland’s bullpen for the start of the 2026 campaign.

In the meantime, Sena was assigned to the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Winter League on October 15 but has yet to appear in a game for the club.

(Picture of Reidis Sena: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox re-sign LHP prospect Eduardo Rivera to minor league contract

The Red Sox have re-signed left-hander Eduardo Rivera to a minor league contract, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.

Rivera was slated to reach free agency next month, but is now tentatively in line to return to the organization he has spent the better part of the last two seasons with. The 22-year-old is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 43 prospect, which ranks 25th among pitchers in the system.

Originally selected by the Athletics in the 11th round of the 2021 draft out of Colegio Cadest in Puerto Rico, Rivera joined the Red Sox as a minor league free agent shortly after being released by the A’s last May. The San Juan native split the remainder of the 2024 season between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem, then returned home to dominate for the Cangrejeros de Santurce and Indios de Mayaguez of the Puerto Rican Winter League.

After pitching for Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series in February, Rivera understandably did not see much action in his first spring training with the Red Sox before breaking camp with High-A Greenville. Though he did not make his season debut until April 16, Rivera impressed to the tune of a 1.61 ERA (2.21 FIP) with 68 strikeouts to 16 walks in 10 outings (six starts) spanning 44 2/3 innings for the Drive. Opposing hitters in the South Atlantic League batted just .138 against him.

Alongside fellow lefty Payton Tolle, Rivera was promoted to Double-A Portland in late June. While Tolle was in the process of being fast-tracked to the major leagues, Rivera experienced some growing pains with the Sea Dogs. In 10 appearances (nine starts) for Boston’s Eastern League affiliate, he posted a 3.40 ERA (4.28 FIP) with 40 strikeouts to 30 walks over 42 1/3 innings in which opponents batted .214 against him. He ended the season on a high note by fanning seven and walking only one across six scoreless, one-hit frames against Binghamton on September 9.

Overall, Rivera finished the 2025 campaign having forged a 2.48 ERA (3.22 FIP) with 108 strikeouts to 46 walks in 20 appearances (15 starts) totaling 87 innings between Greenville and Portland. Among the 14 Red Sox minor leaguers who threw at least 85 innings this year, regardless of level, Rivera ranked first in groundball rate (54.5 percent), second in batting average against (.177), ERA, and swinging-strike rate (15 percent), third in strikeouts per nine innings (11.17), fourth in FIP and strikeout rate (29.7 percent), fifth in xFIP (3.33), and seventh in WHIP (1.16), per FanGraphs.

Listed at a physically imposing 6-foot-7 and 237 pounds, Rivera throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a very high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the burly southpaw primarily operates with a five-pitch mix that consists of a 93-97 mph fastball that can reach 98 mph, an 87-89 mph cutter, an 83-86 mph slider, an 85-89 mph changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball.

Even though Rivera is back with the Red Sox on a minor league contract, his status for next season is still technically up in the air since he is Rule 5-eligible this winter. In other words, Rivera could be taken by another club in December’s Rule 5 Draft if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline.

Given his past struggles with command and control, however, Rivera could very well be left unprotected by the Red Sox and then go unselected in the Rule 5 Draft. If that does turn out to be the case and he remains in the organization through the offseason, Rivera — who does not turn 23 until next June — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland in 2026.

(Picture of Eduardo Rivera: Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images)

How did Red Sox LHP prospect Devin Futrell fare in 2025 pro debut?

Behind second-rounder Payton Tolle and fifth-rounder Brandon Clarke, Devin Futrell was the third of four left-handers selected by the Red Sox in the 2024 draft. This article will examine how the 23-year-old pitching prospect fared in his first full professional season.

Selected in the 10th round (297th overall) of last July’s draft out of Vanderbilt, Futrell received an over-slot $250,000 signing bonus from the Red Sox but did not report to a minor league affiliate after putting pen to paper. That was the case because the Pembroke Pines, Fla. native was dealing with a shoulder impingement that resulted in him missing time throughout his junior season with the Commodores.

After getting through his first spring training in Fort Myers, Futrell broke camp with Low-A Salem but did not make his professional debut until April 17. He then made two starts for the Red Sox, allowing three earned runs on five hits, one walk, and three strikeouts over five innings, before landing on the injured list on April 30.

Futrell missed the next month-plus before returning to the mound in early June. With his workload being closely monitored, the young lefty served as an opener of sorts for Salem and did not pitch past the third inning in any of his starts until June 25. His pitch count continued to climb each time through the rotation, and he was producing encouraging results to boot.

On August 1, Futrell picked up his first professional win after scattering one hit and one walk while striking out five over five scoreless frames against Lynchburg. Four days later, Futrell received a promotion to High-A Greenville, bringing with him a 2.37 ERA (3.65 FIP) to go along with 28 strikeouts to 10 walks in 12 starts (38 innings) for Salem. Opposing hitters in the Carolina League batted .234 against him.

Going from the Carolina League to the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League, Futrell did not skip a beat with Greenville. In fact, the southpaw compiled a minuscule 1.09 ERA (3.03 FIP) with 12 strikeouts to just four walks over five starts (24 2/3 innings) for the Drive. He did so while holding opponents to a .213 batting average to end his campaign on the highest of notes.

Altogether, Futrell posted a 1.87 ERA (3.41 FIP) with 40 strikeouts to 14 walks in 17 total starts (62 2/3 innings) between Salem and Greenville this year. Among the 34 Red Sox minor-leaguers who threw at least 60 innings this year, regardless of level, Futrell ranked first in ERA, third in walks per nine innings (2.01), walk rate (5.6 percent), and WHIP (1.07), fifth in line-drive rate (18.6 percent), ninth in groundball rate (48.9 percent), 12th in FIP, and 16th in batting average against (.226), per FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 218 pounds, Futrell throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his repeatable delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, he primarily operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of an 88-90 mph fastball, a 76-78 mph changeup, a 74-77 mph curveball, and a 79-83 mph slider.

Because of the lack of velocity and subsequent lack of strikeouts, Futrell is not viewed as one of Boston’s premier pitching prospects by publications like SoxProspects.com. Still, with a strong command profile, Futrell is not wavering when it comes to his approach to attacking hitters.

“A scout last year described me as a vanilla, old-school pitcher,” Futrell recounted to host Andrew Parker on Beyond the Monster’s ‘To the Show’ podcast in July. “I think I’m more reliant on deception and pitchability. That’s kind of overlooked nowadays, just because of velocity and spin rates and all that. But I give a lot of credit to my dad, just because he was the one who taught me how to pitch. So I’d say my biggest skill is pitchability and knowing how to get hitters out.”

Futrell’s father, Mark, was a 66th-round pick of the Yankees in the 1988 draft and spent six seasons in the minor leagues as a right-handed reliever before calling it a career in 1996.

His son, Devin, meanwhile, is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Greenville for the start of the 2026 season, albeit as a member of the Drive’s bullpen as opposed to the starting rotation. Perhaps working strictly as a reliever could help him unlock additional velocity.

(Picture of Devin Futrell: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox infield prospect Starlyn Nunez fare in 2025?

Red Sox prospect Starlyn Nunez led the organization in triples this season. This article will examine how the recently-turned 20-year-old infielder fared in 2025 overall.

Nunez spent all of 2025 at Low-A Salem and got his first taste of full-season ball in doing so. The young switch-hitter initially got off to a slow start in the pitcher-friendly Carolina League and struggled to produce consistent results through much of the first half. Heading into the MLB All-Star break in mid-July, he had batted just .238/.298/.363 with 11 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 35 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 17 walks, and 48 strikeouts in his first 70 games (282 plate appearances) of the year.

After starting to show some signs of life before the break, Nunez picked up where he left off once the second half began on July 18. For the better part of the next month, Nunez proved to be a stabilzing force in Salem’s lineup, slashing .326/.371/.584 with eight doubles, three triples, three home runs, 11 RBIs, 15 runs scored, three stolen bases, seven walks, and 23 strikeouts in 24 games (97 plate appearances) through August 17.

As late August turned into September, though, Nunez seemingly ran out of gas and ended the year in a 11-for-65 (.183) rut. He did, however, fittingly triple and drive in one run as part of a 2-for-4 day in Salem’s regular-season finale against Fayetteville on September 7.

Altogether, Nunez slashed .249/.306/.407 (100 wRC+) with 24 doubles, an organizational-leading eight triples, eight home runs, 52 RBIs, 54 runs scored, a team-leading 21 stolen bases, 27 walks, and 91 strikeouts in 110 games (444 plate appearances) as a 19-year-old for Salem this season. That includes a .221/.303/.407 line from the right side of the plate and a .257/.307/.408 line from the left side.

Among 47 qualified hitters in the Carolina League this year, Nunez notably ranked fourth in isolated power (.158), fifth in slugging percentage, seventh in speed score (7.9), 14th in line-drive rate (24.6 percent), 18th in batting average, OPS (.713), and strikeout rate (20.5 percent), 22nd in wOBA (.343), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Nunez saw playing time at every infield position besides first base for Salem this season. The 6-foot, 155-pounder logged a team-leading 583 1/3 innings at shortstop, 168 1/3 innings at third base, and 130 1/3 innings at second base, committing 31 errors in 394 total chances. He also made two starts at DH.

Nunez, who celebrated his 20th birthday earlier this month, originally signed with the Red Sox for $52,500 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January 2023. The San Pedro de Macoris native earned Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his professional debut before a non-injury issue limited him to 35 games in the Florida Complex League last season.

As things stand, Nunez is unranked by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline but is considered the No. 37 and No. 39 prospect in Boston’s farm system by SoxProspects.com and FanGraphs, respectively. If he remains in the organization through the winter and into the spring, Nunez is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to High-A Greenville in 2026.

(Picture of Starlyn Nunez: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

After standout spring, how did Red Sox OF prospect Enddy Azocar fare in 2025?

Red Sox prospect Enddy Azocar made great strides in 2025. This article will examine how the 18-year-old outfielder fared in his first season stateside.

Originally signed by the Red Sox for just $40,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela in January 2024, Azocar entered 2025 with very little fanfare after batting .266/.397/.309 in 31 Dominican Summer League games (116 plate appearances) last year to mark his professional debut. As part of his first spring training in Fort Myers, however, the Puerto La Cruz native impressed many and played in the first-ever “Futures at Fenway South” prospect showcase at JetBlue Park on March 14.

“Enddy has had a great spring so far and has caught some attention,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero said of Azocar shortly thereafter. “His frame will allow for plenty of strength, and he’s already 6-foot-2 at 18 years old. He did a great job in the offseason of getting stronger, and he’s only starting to fill that frame out. So far this spring, we’re seeing a lot of hard contact with multiple [100-plus mph exit velocities]. It will be very interesting to see him develop this year.”

Indeed, Azocar’s development this year was very interesting. Out of the chute, the young right-handed hitter slashed .385/.448/.558 with seven doubles, one triple, five RBIs, six runs scored, four stolen bases, six walks, and 11 strikeouts in 14 games (58 plate appearances) for the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox. He leveraged that strong early performance into a promotion to Low-A Salem in late May.

Upon making the jump from the FCL to the pitcher-friendly Carolina League, Azocar had a rough time of things for the most part. In 71 games for Salem, he batted .202/.273/.314 with nine doubles, one triple, six home runs, 26 RBIs, 34 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 21 walks, and 67 strikeouts over 287 plate appearances. At the very least, he ended the season on an encouraging note by going 12-for-36 (.333) in his final nine games.

Between the FCL and Salem, Azocar finished the 2025 campaign having hit .232/.302/.355 with 16 doubles, two triples, his first six professional homers, 31 RBIs, 40 runs scored, 15 stolen bases, 27 walks, and 78 strikeouts over 85 total games (345 plate appearances). That includes a .228/.284/.325 line against righties and a far more favorable .254/.373/.476 line against lefties.

Though the surface-level numbers may not be too appealing, Azocar did manage to stand out with his exit velocity gains this year. As Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes highlighted on Thursday, Azocar raised his 90th percentile exit velocity from 98 mph in 2024 to 105.4 mph in 2025. The 7.4 percent increase represents the largest of any minor league hitter with at least 80 batted-ball events in each of the last two seasons.

“While Azocar struggled with the move to Salem — a notoriously difficult run environment — he still managed to raise his isolated slugging threefold between his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2024 and his 71-game sample in Low-A this year,” Pontes wrote. “A 7-plus mph EV gain in one season for any hitter is impressive, and Azocar’s small sample in the Florida Complex League hints at the validity of those gains when facing age-appropriate competition.” 

On the other side of the ball, Azocar saw playing time at all three outfield spots between his stops in the FCL and Salem this season. Altogether, the projectable 6-foot-2, 170-pounder logged 530 2/3 innings in center, 85 1/3 innings in right, and 14 innings in left, committing four errors and recording seven outfield assists in 160 total defensive chances. He also made nine starts at DH.

Azocar, who turns 19 in February, is currently ranked as Boston’s No. 23 prospect by Baseball America, No. 27 by SoxProspects.com, and No. 29 by MLB Pipeline. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, Azocar is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Salem for the start of the 2026 season.

(Picture of Enddy Azocar: Bryan Green/Flickr)